By Ferns Racing PR
Shelby Township, Mich.—April 3, 2012 — If it wasn’t for bad luck, Taylor Ferns probably wouldn’t have had any luck at all in the season-opening USAC Mopar National Midget Series event last weekend at Ace Speedway in Altamahaw, N.C. The reigning USAC Mopar D1 Midget Series champion was tagged from behind on the first lap of the second heat race on Friday night and her luck didn’t get any better in the finale on Saturday, as she lost an engine in the third heat race.
“It was definitely a weekend we want to forget,” said Ferns. “We had some motor issues and some other things happen. We’ll move on to the next race and continue to work hard and stay positive. We have a lot of races this year and that was only one weekend.”
The native of Shelby Township, Mich. turned the ninth-fastest lap in time trials of the 23 cars that were signed in on Saturday, March 31 in her Dea Eyewear/eBay Motors Mopar-powered Beast. The night came to an end in the third heat race, when her engine let go.
“Qualifying ninth on Saturday was definitely good for my confidence,” shared Ferns. “I’m normally not the best of qualifiers, so to be in the Top-10 with all the national drivers was very good for me confidence-wise.”
Ferns opened the weekend at the four-tenths-mile paved oval on Friday, March 30. She lined up eighth in the second eight-lap heat race, before being turned on the first lap, which forced her to the pit area, with her crew making repairs in time for the feature. The 16-year old started 23rd in the 25-lap main event and gained four positions to finish 19th.
“Getting seat time after being out of the car for two months was good,” she noted. “Running with the national drivers and seeing the things they do and learning from them is important. Getting back in the swing of things will definitely help as the racing picks up this year.”
Ferns will return to action on Sunday, April 22, as she makes her debut with the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour at Plymouth Speedway in Indiana for Lorz Motorsports. Her next start in a midget will come on Friday, April 27 with the POWRi Midget Series at Jacksonville Speedway in Illinois.
“I can’t wait for the race at Plymouth,” stated Ferns. “I’ve been looking forward to that race for a long time. It will be good to see how the things I have learned in the midget and sprint car will carry over to the late model. It will be a new experience for me, and I know I’ll continue to learn every time I hit the track in the late model.”
Taylor Ferns and Ferns Racing would like to thank their valued partners: Dea Sunglasses, eBay Motors, Frameworks Marketing Group, Lucas Oil, K&N Filters, Lansing Sanitary Supply (LSS), Simpson Race Products, Indy Race Parts, ButlerBuilt, Allstar Performance, FK Rod Ends, Stanton Mopar, Lyn St. James Women in the Winner’s Circle Foundation, Race4Girls and Racing2Cure.