John Wes Townley
No. 7 Zaxby’s Toyota Tundra
Starts: 2
Avg. Start: 22.5 Avg. Finish: 17.5
Nationwide Series: Starts: 2 Avg. Start: 34 Avg. Finish: 26.5
ARCA Series: Starts: 1 Avg. Start: 5 Avg. Finish 12
Chassis: 003
RIGHT ON TRACK: The 2013 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season is unlike any other for John Wes Townley, driver of the No. 7 Zaxby’s Toyota Tundra. Townley continues to showcase his talent week-in and week-out. Coming off a third-place qualifying effort at Kentucky Speedway followed by an 11th-place finish, the Red Horse Racing team is ready for the short track of Iowa Speedway. Townley finished 11th at Dover International Speedway earlier this spring and is ready to collect his best Truck Series finish at the 0.875-mile track.
BACK TO HIS ROOTS: Isaiah Droud, tire guy and carrier for the No. 7 Zaxby’s Toyota Tundra  welcomes the trip to Iowa Speedway, which is a short three hours from his hometown of Lincoln, Nebraska. His background in Sprint Car racing around the local Iowa tracks led him to North Carolina in 2008. Completing courses at Performance Instruction & Training (PIT), Droud served as a race day pit crew member in 2011 and 2012. He now is a full-time employee at Red Horse Racing fulfilling duties as team decal guru and No. 7 Zaxby’s tire guy at the track.
NEW MENU ITEMS AT ZAXBY’S: Zaxby’s, a southeast favorite for chicken fingers and wings, has been indescribably good for more than 20 years. The Athens, Georgia based chain offers its guests prepared-at-order Chicken Fingerz, Traditional or Boneless Wings, sandwiches, Zalads and Zappetizers, along with a variety of nine sauces ranging from Wimpy and Tongue Torch to Nuclear and Insane. Mixing things up, guests can now enjoy Zaxby’s new Cobb Zalad through summer’s end. Additionally, Zaxby’s offers a new line of premium milkshakes including the popular Birthday Cake and Banana Pudding Milkshakes and the new Chocolate Cookie Milkshake. The company operates more than 575 locations in 13 states. John Wes Townley will compete with Zaxby’s serving as primary sponsor for the entire 22 Truck Series race schedule. For more information, please visit zaxbys.com, facebook.com/zaxbys or follow on Twitter @Zaxbys.
CHASSIS HISTORY: John Wes Townley and his No. 7 Zaxby’s Toyota Tundra team will utilize chassis No. 003 this weekend at Iowa Speedway. Townley raced chassis 003 earlier this season at Martinsville Speedway and it has since been rebuilt. The chassis was also tested at Greenville-Pickens Speedway earlier this year. Chassis No. 003 also competed in five races in 2012 including the win at Dover International Speedway, both Martinsville Speedway races, the series first visit to Iowa Speedway in July and Bristol Motor Speedway.
MEET & GREET: Townley, along with teammates Germán Quiroga and Timothy Peters will join the NASCAR Camping world Truck Series drivers for an autograph session on Saturday, July 13th from 2:30 – 3:15pm at Iowa Speedway under the Turn 4 grandstands.
REARVIEW MIRROR – KENTUCKY: It was another stand out race for John Wes Townley and his No. 7 Zaxby’s Toyota Tundra at Kentucky Speedway. Townley earned the third-place starting position for the UNOH 225, his second highest career start in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. He showed his driving craftsmanship on lap 81 when his Zaxby’s Tundra broke free entering turn three. With his Tundra sideways, Townley was able to recover and regain control without losing any momentum. At race’s end, it was an 11th-place finish for the No. 7 team. Moving up two positions from the previous race, Townley currently sits 15th in the driver point standings.
John Wes Townley on Iowa Speedway:
You’ve got five starts at Iowa Speedway in three different series. What is the secret to getting around Iowa Speedway?
“I’ve always liked racing at Iowa, it’s a fun race track. It’s one of those tracks where you need to be patient but you can be up on the wheel a little too. The key, like most short tracks is being able to hit your line every lap and be there at the end and put yourself in the right position where you can take your Zaxby’s Toyota Tundra to victory lane at race’s end.
What is different about your season this year than in years past?
“Everything has just really come together. A big part of it is the success is the equipment. The Red Horse Racing team is like nothing I have ever been involved with. To be able to turn my career around like this has been really amazing. It’s a great experience. It’s been a refreshing year for me, for sure.”
Timothy Peters
No. 17 Parts Plus Toyota Tundra
Starts: 5 Wins: 1 (2012) Top Five: 1 Top-10: 2
Avg. Start: 7 Avg. Finish: 13.2 Laps Led: 87
Chassis: 010
READY TO DEFEND: Timothy Peters is looking forward to the American Ethanol 200 presented by Enogen this weekend at Iowa Speedway. As the defending race winner, the No. 17 Parts Plus Toyota Tundra driver would like nothing more than to kick the team’s momentum into high gear with another trip to victory lane. Winning from the pole and leading 87 laps gave the Red Horse Racing driver another reason to enjoy America’s Place to Race.
WELCOME HOME: A win at Iowa Speedway is not just special for Timothy Peters but also two members of his Toyota Tundra team who call the 0.875-mile track home. Dennis Croxell, a mechanic both in the shop and at the race track – was raised in Eagle Grove, Iowa just two hours from the Speedway. Getting his feet wet, Croxell started racing behind the wheel participating in the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA). It was in 1996 when he made his move to the NASCAR circuit working in the Truck Series.
There is no better place for Ryan Mulder, front tire changer for Peters, to make his return than his home track of Iowa Speedway. Mulder broke his hand during a pit stop at Charlotte Motor Speedway and will be back changing tires at Iowa Speedway. Mulder knows what it means to win a championship, as his mother has two, both collected at Park Jefferson Speedway, a local dirt track in South Dakota, neighboring their hometown of Sioux City, IA. At the age of 16, Mulder got behind the wheel racing for three years before moving to North Carolina in 2008. After completing courses at Performance Instruction & Training (PIT) as a tire changer, Mulder began changing tires on the No. 7 Tundra in 2011 and the No. 11 Tundra in 2012.
PARTS PLUS: The No. 17 team returns to their orange and red paint scheme this weekend at Iowa Speedway. Parts Plus, who has served as primary sponsor for seven races this season, returns with Timothy Peters for the 200 lap race. The primary sponsorship has been activated throughout the first six races of the season. The Memphis-based warehouse distributor originated more than 56 years ago tracing back to a series of jobber programs. Since 2005, Parts Plus has been a member of the Automotive Distribution Network that has over 300 member distributors under five brand names and from over 400 separate warehouses across the United States, Mexico, Canada and Puerto Rico. For more information on Parts Plus and locations near you, visit PartsPlus.com.
CHASSIS HISTORY: Back-to-back races for Chassis No. 010 at Iowa Speedway this weekend; This chassis collected a sixth-place finish at Kentucky Speedway two weeks ago after claiming a sixth-place finish at Dover International Speedway. The brand new chassis had vital testing time during a two-day test at Texas Motor Speedway in April as well as time at the wind tunnel after a 10th-place finish at Kansas Speedway.
MEET & GREET: Peters, along with teammates Germán Quiroga and John Wes Townley will join the NASCAR Camping world Truck Series drivers for an autograph session on Saturday, July 13th from 2:30 – 3:15pm at Iowa Speedway under the Turn 4 grandstands.
REARVIEW MIRROR – KENTUCKY: Timothy Peters entered the UNOH 225 at Kentucky Speedway with a pep in his step after announcing a new primary sponsor for the 225-mile race. Tire Discounters and Valvoline NextGen served as co-primary sponsor on the No.17 Toyota Tundra giving Peters a new set of colors to represent in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series garage. Showing the green NextGen colors proudly, he qualified ninth for the 150-lap event. Peters was found inside the top-10 during the entire course of the race and made it up as high as second. When the checkered flag flew, Peters was scored in the sixth position – scoring his fourth top-10 finish of the season. His finish moved the Tire Discounters/NextGen Toyota tundra team up into the 10th-place in the driver point standings.
Timothy Peters on Iowa Speedway:
Eight races into the season; Would you say this is the toughest season of your career?
“No. It’s tough, don’t get me wrong. It’s just one of those years. They don’t call it racing for nothing. Last year we could do no wrong from the beginning through the summer stretch then towards the end we couldn’t do anything right. So now, maybe this is a sign of what is going to be our championship year because it seems like to date we can’t do anything right. Maybe now with the Parts Plus colors on our Toyota Tundra we can do everything right to get into victory lane from now until Homestead.
What is the key to success at Iowa Speedway?
“It seems like turns one and two are always everyone’s Achilles heel. If you have a shock package that can get you across those turns and still give you the attitude that you need for aero, that’s the guy that is going to come out on top. Because your aero package does play a big part there. Love going to Iowa; I was able to sit on the pole and win the race last year and hopefully we can go back and do that. The trophy sure is cool and the fans are great.”
Germán Quiroga
No. 77 OtterBox Toyota Tundra
-No Previous Starts –
Chassis: 002
SHORT TRACK PROMISES: For Germán Quiroga, his 2013 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Rookie of the Year season has a variety of firsts. The driver of the No. 77 OtterBox Toyota Tundra will visit the 0.875-mile track of Iowa Speedway for his debut at the track. Quiroga has found impressive speed with Red Horse Racing team on its short track program. The three-time Mexico Series Champion qualified fifth at Martinsville Speedway and finished 13th at Dover International Speedway after qualifying eighth.
CLOSE TO HOME: Team mechanic, Rick Bennett is looking forward to the visit to Iowa Speedway this weekend. Bennett grew up in Cedar Rapids just 90 minutes from the track. A racer himself, Bennett grew up racing on asphalt at Hawkeye Downs Speedway and is the only driver to have a win in every class there. He got his NASCAR break in 1999 when he moved to North Carolina and began working in the Truck Series.
OTTERBOX®: Red Horse Racing and Germán Quiroga are looking forward to continuing their success as OtterBox serves as primary sponsor on the No. 77 Toyota Tundra this weekend at Iowa Speedway. The company known for their protective solutions for the leading global handheld manufacturers, wireless carriers and distributors will sport a brand new paint scheme. For more information on OtterBox visit www.OtterBox.com.
CHASSIS HISTORY: Quiroga brings Chassis No. 002 this weekend to Iowa Speedway. The chassis earned a 13th-place at Dover International Speedway and was raced at Martinsville Speedway in April where Quiroga qualified fifth. In 2012 the truck saw action at Rockingham Speedway, Martinsville Speedway and Phoenix International Raceway and had its best finish (3rd) at Iowa Speedway in the series second visit to the track.
MEET & GREET: Quiroga, along with teammates Timothy Peters and John Wes Townley will join the NASCAR Camping world Truck Series drivers for an autograph session on Saturday, July 13th from 2:30 – 3:15pm at Iowa Speedway under the Turn 4 grandstands.
REARVIEW MIRROR – KENTUCKY: Germán Quiroga and his No. 77 Red Horse Racing team is currently on the momentum train. OtterBox signed on for a nine-race sponsorship package with Quiroga beginning at Kentucky Speedway. Quiroga proudly sported his new black and yellow colors at the 1.5-mile track and qualified in the eighth position. He adapted to the track, tuned in his Tundra and showed his patience bringing home his second consecutive top-10 finish. His eighth place-finish moves Quiroga up to 16th-place in the driver point standings, up three positions from the previous race.
Germán Quiroga on Iowa Speedway:
Has your teammate Timothy Peters given you the secret to winning at Iowa Speedway?
“I was watching the race the other night, actually and it looked like Timothy was really aggressive on the last restart. I’m confident that our Red Horse Racing Tundras will be very fast there. Hopefully we can score our best finish in the Truck Series at Iowa. It would be great for my team and my country to put the OtterBox Toyota Tundra in victory lane.
How comfortable have you been approaching the majority of the tracks this year for the first time?
“It’s getting better and better each time. I was telling Dan Stillman (crew chief) that I feel each weekend we have improved. We didn’t feel comfortable with an eighth place finish at Kentucky because we were top five in practice. We know what we can do to come back in the race and hopefully we will have a great race in Iowa.”
About Red Horse Racing:
Founded in 2005, Red Horse Racing is a professional racing team that strives for excellence on and off the race track. The Red Horse Racing team works to build and maintain solid, mutually beneficial relationships with its partners to win races and to represent itself in a professional manner. The team has 10 victories and 10 poles in its brief existence. Red Horse Racing ownership also operates Performance Instruction and Training (PIT), the number one pit crew training center in the world that also has many corporate training options that include team-building, lean manufacturing, motorsports demonstrations and more.
About Parts Plus:
Operating under the brands of Parts Plus, IAPA, Auto Pride, CMB and Network Products, the Automotive Distribution Network is one of the largest, most diverse program groups in the industry. For more information, contact Bob Barstow at Network Headquarters, 3085 Fountainside Drive, Suite 210, Germantown, Tenn., 38138. (901) 682-9090.
About Zaxby’s:
An alternative to fast food, Zaxby’s offers its guests prepared-at-order Chicken Fingerz, Traditional or Boneless Wings, sandwiches, Zalads and Zappetizers, along with a variety of nine sauces ranging from Wimpy and Tongue Torch to Nuclear and Insane. Childhood friends Zach McLeroy and Tony Townley hatched the Athens, Ga.-based chain in 1990 to provide a fun, relaxing atmosphere that would keep guests coming back for more. The company ranked number seven in the 2012 Top 10 Excellent Large Fast-Food Chains With 500 Or More U.S. Units Quick-Track study published by Sandelman & Associates. The chain also ranked number five in the nation for total sales and number one in the chicken segment in the 2012 Top 150 Fast-Casual Chain Restaurant Report published by Technomic. Zaxby’s operates more than 565 locations in 13 states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. For more information, please visit zaxbys.com, facebook.com/zaxbys or follow on Twitter @Zaxbys.
About OtterBox:
Starting with something as simple as a box, OtterBox® was founded in 1998 with a line of indestructible dryboxes. Today, OtterBox is the No. 1-selling case for smartphones* and offers an extensive lineup of premium screen protectors and other device-enhancing accessories that complement various consumer lifestyles.
OtterBox’s strong relationships with the leading mobile device manufacturers, retailers and wireless services providers delivers unrivaled value, world-class customer service and a continued commitment to premium product quality.
OtterBox has been a five-time honoree on the Inc. 5000 ranking of fastest growing private companies in the U.S., recognized by Forbes Magazine on “America’s Most Promising Companies” and is a repeat honoree in the Great Place to Work® annual survey published by FORTUNE Magazine. The family-owned, private company has global headquarters in Fort Collins, Colo. and offices in Boston, San Diego, Cork, Ireland and Hong Kong.
For more information, visit otterbox.com. We’ve Got Technology Covered.
