From 9 Racing
Brownsburg, Indiana (February 20, 2012) — 2011 USAC Midwest Focus Midget Pavement Champion Ross Rankine, of Brownsburg, Indiana, will rejoin the Nine Racing team for the 2012 season. Ross will return in the #9 Focus Midget as he sets his sights on earning a consecutive championship in the USAC Midwest Focus Midget Pavement Series beginning in March for a two-day event at North Carolina’s Ace Speedway.
In 2011, Ross drove the #9 Focus Midget of Nine Racing as he won three races and earned eight podium appearances in 12 events to claim the USAC Midwest Focus Midget Pavement Series Championship. He also won the Focus Midget portion of the 71st running of the Turkey Night Grand Prix, on Thanksgiving, 2011, and finished second overall in the USAC National Focus Pavement Championship.
Fifteen-year-old Ross is already clear about his goal for this season. “I would love to win consecutive USAC Midwest Focus Midget Championships,” he said. “I am also very excited to have the opportunity to win the Turkey Night Grand Prix for a second year in a row.”
Ross understands the importance of working with a solid team and keeping the same personnel to continue successful results. “I can’t wait to work with Glenn Martin and Krieg Polland of Nine Racing for another year. It will give us a huge advantage coming into 2012 with our past experience with each other. Glenn, Krieg, my dad Eric and I all work very well together. We communicate well, too, which is a big advantage in motorsports,” added Ross.
Ross also has some expanded race plans for this season. “I am very excited to announce that I will be making my midget debut in one of the Nine Racing midgets toward the end of the 2012 season at one of the USAC regional midget pavement events when Glenn and my father think the time is right,” he concluded.
“We are very excited to have Ross back this season for another campaign on the USAC Ford Focus Series,” said Steve Lewis, Nine Racing team owner. “Ross has developed quickly and I know that he will continue to work hard to improve. I look forward to watching him take the next step when he will move into one of our midgets late in the season to run in selected USAC regional midget events.”
Ross had a spectacular 2011 season and is now poised and ready for the challenge of preparing for this year’s competitive USAC Midwest Focus Midget Pavement Series. As a result of his success and the prospect for another strong season, a number of new sponsors have come on board. And there is still opportunity for additional sponsors to become involved to perpetuate Ross’s Focus and USAC pavement midget program, and to even extend his racing endeavors into the USAC dirt midget series.
Ross Rankine’s current sponsor lineup for 2012 includes National Pride Equipment, Eibach Springs, MPD, Bell Helmets, Colors by Barr, and 4 Paws Pet Wash.
Nine Racing’s 2012 sponsor lineup includes K&N Engineering, Eibach Springs, Weld Racing, Klotz Synthetic Lubricants, Penske Racing Shocks, Performance Friction Brakes, ASE, Earl’s Performance Plumbing, SSi Decals, PJ1, and Hoosier Racing Tire.
The 2012 USAC Midwest Focus Midget Pavement schedule is:
March 30 & 31 Ace Speedway, Altamahaw, NC
May 12 Columbus Motor Speedway, Columbus, OH
June 1 Kil-Kare Raceway, Xenia, OH
June 2 Lorain County Speedway, Lorain, OH
June 30 Grundy County Speedway, Morris, IL
July 1 Springport Motor Speedway, Springport, MI
July 6 & 7 Plymouth Speedway, Plymouth, IN
July 20 Barberton Raceway Park, Norton, OH
July 21 Lake County Speedway, Plainesville, OH
August 10 Plymouth Speedway, Plymouth, IN
August 11 Grundy County Speedway, Morris, IL
August 18 Kalamazoo Speedway, Kalamazoo, MI
August 25 Grundy County Speedway, Morris, IL
September 15 Columbus Motor Speedway, Columbus, OH
Photo captions:
(RossInCar.jpg) Fifteen-year-old Ross Rankine will compete in the #9 Focus Midget of Nine Racing this season as he seeks his and the team’s consecutive USAC Midwest Focus Pavement Championship.