From Ferns Racing PR
Shelby Township, MI — (April 4, 2014) — Taylor Ferns raced at four of the most historic dirt tracks in the country last year with the Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series, in the form of the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds in Illinois, Eldora Speedway in Ohio, the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield and the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis. She’ll add another legendary venue to the list this weekend as she kicks-off the 2014 Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series season at the famed Terre Haute Action Track in Indiana.
The 100-lap Sumar Classic is scheduled for Sunday, April 6 at the half-mile Terre Haute Action Track for the Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series. Time trials will open the event and set the starting grid for the main event.
“It has been a long time since the Chili Bowl, so I am more than ready to get back in a race car this weekend,” said Ferns. “I’ve been watching videos online from races at Terre Haute to see the lines people run and to get a feel for the track. I try to always do as much ‘homework’ as I can to learn about tracks I have never been to, so that I am a little more prepared when I get there.”
Ferns has finished in the top-five in each of her last two Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series starts and has been among the top-10 in each of her last four races with the series. The winningest female driver in USAC history finished a career-best fourth at Eldora last fall during the Four-Crown Nationals, which was her most recent start with the series.
Prior to that, Ferns finished fifth at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds over Labor Day weekend. She also garnered top-10 finishes during the 2013 Silver Crown campaign at the Illinois State Fairgrounds and on the pavement at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis. Ferns ended up eighth in the 2013 Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series championship standings, despite not competing in all of the races.
“We had a really good run in our last Silver Crown race at Eldora and that was my first time at Eldora, so it was pretty special to me,” she noted. “Hopefully the first time at Terre Haute we can have a good run and be there at the end. I really want to get back in the winner’s circle this year and have good finishes for my team.”
The 18-year-old made her Traxxas Silver Crown Series debut in 2012 on the pavement at Iowa Speedway, finishing eighth in that event. Ferns made three Silver Crown starts that year and followed it up with six appearances with the series last year. She is set to run the full Silver Crown schedule this season in the No. 35 Motor City Transport Inc. Beast with a Toyota engine under the hood.
“As I’ve raced heavier cars more, I have gotten a better feel for the Silver Crown cars,” explained Ferns. “Running the ARCA car last year really helped. A big key was learning how to keep my momentum up and also the reaction of the Silver Crown cars. The Silver Crown car is so much heavier than a Midget, so it took a little learning to see how it would respond in certain situations. I think all of that showed in my finishes last year as we got better each time we ran a Silver Crown race.”
Along with contesting the full Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series schedule in 2014, Ferns will also race select Honda USAC National Midget Series races and will fill in the rest of her schedule by competing in numerous 410 winged sprint car races across the Midwest.
Taylor Ferns and Ferns Racing would like to thank their valued partners: Motor City Auto Transport Inc., National Auto Placement, Project Podium, Women’s Sports Foundation, Lyn St. James Women in the Winner’s Circle Foundation, FK Rod Ends, Lucas Oil, K&N Filters, Lansing Sanitary Supply (LSS), Simpson Race Products, Indy Race Parts, ButlerBuilt, Allstar Performance, Stanton Racing Engines, Hoosier Tire Midwest, Race4Girls and Racing2Cure.
2014 “Women in the Winners Circle Project Podium” Grant Award Winner
Taylor Ferns was one of a select group of aspiring female race car drivers to be awarded a “Women in the Winners Circle Project Podium” grant for 2014. She received $5,000 to put toward her 2014 racing endeavors.
Ferns applied for the Women’s Sports Foundation’s Women in the Winners Circle Project Podium Grant online and following a formal application process and judging selection process lead by Motorsports professionals, was one of eight total drivers chosen to receive a financial grant for the 2014 racing season. Along with receiving the $5,000 grant, Ferns will also have access to the Women’s Sports Foundation Motorsports Mentors throughout the year.
“It’s a great honor to receive the grant,” said Ferns. “The Women’s Sports Foundation is involved in every sport you can think of and helps women excel in sports. For the Foundation to be involved in motorsports and award it to me is pretty special. I can’t thank them enough.”
The original project created in 2007, was founded by seven-time Indy 500 starter and winning sports car racer Lyn St. James. The project was created to champion young and talented women drivers who compete in all forms of racing.
For more information, visit www.WomensSportsFoundation.org