By Ferns Racing PR
SHELBY TOWNSHIP, Mich. — May 21, 2014 — Racing in the state of Indiana and the “Month of May” go hand-in-hand. Taylor Ferns had the opportunity to race with the Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis last weekend, and this week will compete with the series in the legendary Hoosier Hundred at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. The Hoosier Hundred has traditionally served as a lead-in to the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Ferns will hit the track aboard the Motor City Inc. Beast in the Hoosier Hundred for the Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series on Thursday, May 22 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis. Two laps of time trials will set the starting grid for the 100-lap event on the one-mile dirt oval.
“In a 100-lap race like that, you have to pace yourself enough so that you don’t use your tires and car up too quick,” said Ferns. “The first 60-70 laps you try to be conservative, and then the last 30 or so laps you just let it all hang out, because by that point you have used up most of your tires and the fuel has burned off. Running 100 laps may seem like a lot, but it goes by pretty quick once you get settled into a rhythm.”
Ferns has made two starts with the Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series this season. Last weekend, she finished 11th on the pavement at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis, battling a very tight race car, after qualifying sixth. She opened the 2014 Silver Crown campaign at the historic Terre Haute Action track in Indiana, last month, where she was caught up in an early-race accident that ended her night.
“You drive the Indy Mile very similar to the way you drive a Silver Crown car on the pavement,” she explained. “You have to keep the car nice and straight when you slow down to get into the corners. Keeping the car straight is important on the mile dirt tracks, because if you get sideways, you’ll probably be in the fence. Racing last weekend on the pavement was good preparation for the Hoosier Hundred.”
The native of Shelby Township, Michigan, has made one career start at the Indiana State Fairgrounds, and that was in last year’s Hoosier Hundred. She was caught up in an incident on lap-38 of that event. In her following two Silver Crown starts on one-mile dirt ovals in 2013, Ferns finished among the top-10, at both the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield and at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds. She qualified seventh at DuQuoin last year, which marked her best starting spot in the three, one-mile dirt races.
“Qualifying and starting toward the front is always important, because that gives you an upper hand from the get-go,” said Ferns. “If you start up front you don’t have to use your equipment up as much as people that are starting at the back and having to work their way through the field. Qualifying hasn’t really been my strong point, but we’ve been working on it since Turkey Night last year and I feel like I’ve been improving a lot in that area. Finishing all 100 laps is the main goal and also to rebound from last week and have a good finish.”
Entering the Hoosier Hundred this week, Ferns is just eight points out of the top-10 in points with the Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series. She plans to contest the full Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series schedule in 2014.
Taylor Ferns and Ferns Racing would like to thank their valued partners: Jimmy’s Towing Recovery & Transport, Indy Race Parts, 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, ButlerBuilt, Allstar Performance, Stanton Racing Engines, Hoosier Tire Midwest, Race4Girls and Racing2Cure.
Keep up to date
For the latest news, results and information on Taylor Ferns and Ferns Racing and to view a full 2014 schedule, visit TaylorFerns.com. Follow Taylor on Twitter at @TaylorFerns and like her on Facebook.