A Rookie’s Thoughts on Bristol Motor Speedway and Her First Events in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series:

What are your thoughts in general on the Bristol Motor Speedway ?

Bristol is an amazing place to race at and I have looked forward to racing there as long as I can remember.   And now my dream is becoming a reality. It's a racer's race track where experience definitely will pay off for the veterans, but makes it exciting for the rookies like me who will have to learn the feel of this track during the limited practice time. 

What are your thoughts on racing at Bristol ?

I am very excited about racing at the Bristol Motor Speedway .  It's a track I’ve been to several times, but only as a spectator.  From watching the races at Bristol , it seems to be the type of race track where the driver will have to be up on the wheel every single lap. 

What type of pressure do you feel concerning the race, the track or the competitors when you think about the Bristol event? 

 I think every driver feels pressure at every single track at this level or at any level for that matter.   But Bristol is a place that puts just a little more pressure on you, especially when you are a rookie in this series.  Every NCTS event is highly competitive, but I think the aggression level elevates at Bristol .  Going into Bristol we must, as a team, fulfill every obligation from me driving the best lap times around the track to the team giving me top-notch pit stops to help gain position on pit road, with Bristol being a tough place to pass for position.

What have you done, either mentally or physically, to prepare to the Bristol race? 

Mentally, I prepare myself by watching the videos of prior events at the same track to talking with certain key people in order to find the fastest way around the track.   Physically, I take every race seriously, because the better conditioned you are, the better your stamina will be for the race.  I switch it up from walking in the mornings to practicing yoga and attending spinning classes. 

Talk about your first four events in the NCTS.

My first four events in the NCTS have definitely been a milestone in my racing career and I am so honored to be able to walk in the garage and feel like I have a home now in the series.  As a team, I feel K-Automotive has really stepped up to help make me feel as comfortable as any rookie driver coming into the series.  On being competitive, I feel that we are learning every single lap we make around any track.   I'm learning more on how to handle these trucks and Bob Keselowski and I are learning more every race on communicating what we need out of the truck and the driver on the race track.   

Has your learning curve been what you expected? 

Everything and more.  . . I have such a great organization behind me.  Not only in the K-Automotive team, but also in my family and friends.   My mom and dad are with me every step of the way.   If my dad feels like I need an extra little nudge, he'll come across the radio and let me know.   That is what makes this relationship between K-Automotive and Renshaw Racing so successful.  They are such a family oriented team and combined with our family efforts it makes it concrete.  Also, being able to confide in some of the veteran drivers in the NCTS has enabled me to blend into the series and learn the race tracks at a faster rate.

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K Automotive Second in Consecutive NCTS Starts By A Team:

The Michigan-based K Automotive Motorsports team is second in consecutive starts in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.  The team has started every event since the November 3, 1996 event at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway giving the team a streak of 189 consecutive starts in the series.  K Automotive is second only to the primary Ultra Motorsports entry which has started every event since the inception of the series in 1995. 

 The K Automotive team has started a total of 230 NCTS events to date earning ten wins, 37 top five finishes and 103 top ten finishes.  The 2004 season has seen the team seeking primary corporate sponsorship and working with various drivers including five-time ARCA RE/MAX Series Champion, Frank Kimmel, 20-year old Brad Keselowski and Deborah Renshaw who will finish the 2004 season with the K Automotive team.   

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For Further Information or Interview Requests Please Contact:

Lisa Hughes Kennedy

LM Motorsports Marketing

(704) 799-3195 office

(704) 500-9504 mobile

lkennedy@lmmotorsportsmarketing.com