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Sauter, AP Performance Chevy looking for that 'Hometown Edge' at Michigan. BROOKLYN, MI (August 11, 2002) - Tim Sauter and AP Performance Racing may have a hometown advantage entering the Cabela's 250 NASCAR Busch Series race at Michigan ...

Edited: Apr 16, 2008, 12:40 AM

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Sauter, AP Performance Chevy looking for that 'Hometown Edge' at Michigan.

BROOKLYN, MI (August 11, 2002) - Tim Sauter and AP Performance Racing may have a hometown advantage entering the Cabela's 250 NASCAR Busch Series race at Michigan International Raceway. After all, the track is in his "old neighborhood" of Windsor, Canada, where AP Performance Racing Teams was housed for nine years before moving south to Mooresville, NC last season.

"I spent a lot of time up there when we had our American Speed Association (ASA) team," said Sauter. "I can't tell you the number of times I traveled back and forth to Wisconsin to see my family. It's almost like home to me."

While Michigan really isn't home for Sauter, it technically is for Canadian businessman and AP Performance Racing owner Alec Pinsonneault. In addition to the many companies owned by the Windsor, Canada businessman, Pinsonneault's AP Development Company owns and operates US 131 Motorports Park. Pinsonneault bought the historic Michigan raceway located on US Highway 131 between Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids last year and has totally refurbished the track. Along with his son, Alan, the Pinsonneaults have turned US 131 Motorsports Park into one of the premiere drag strips on the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) circuit. The facility will host "A Night Under Fire", an exhibition of jet powered cars and AAA fuel altered vehicles Saturday evening, August 17, after the conclusion of the Cabela's 250 at MIS.

"We're very proud of what we have been able to accomplish at US 131 Motorsports Park," stated Alan Pinsonneault, AP Development Vice President of Motorsports Operations. "We have completed the first phase of the renovation and we'll continue to work to make the track one of the best in the country, just like we're working on making Tim and the AP Performance Racing one of the best teams in the NASCAR Busch Series. Right now, the team is focused on being competitive and bringing home Top-5 finishes. We want to be a championship contending team within two years."

"Thanks to Alec, our equipment and facilities are exceptional," stated Sauter, noting his No. 19 Chevy will carry the logo of US 131 Motorsports Park in the race at Michigan. "As a driver, this is the best situation I have ever been in. Alec and Alan Pinsonneault stand behind the team 100 percent. I don't believe you can find better people. They are like family to me. We look out for each other's best interest, which is why we have so good a relationship."

In an effort to secure a solid finish in the Michigan event, Sauter and the AP Performance team tested at the track a week ago. According to Sauter, he'd like nothing better than to put on a great show for Pinsonneault at his owner's "home track."

"We threw some different setups at the car during the test and learned how it responded," said Sauter. "I have watched a race at Michigan from the stands, but I have never driven there, so I really needed to test there. Everyone says it is like California with more banking and that's pretty much the way I felt after testing there. I got my best finish of my career at California in the spring, so hopefully that will translate to a great finish for Alec and the team this weekend."

Sauter and AP Performance Racing will be gunning for that top finish when they take the green flag in the Cabella's 250 Saturday, August 17, at 1:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The event will telecast live on TNT and broadcast worldwide on MRN Radio.

For more information on Tim Sauter and AP Performance Racing, please team visit www.timsauter.com.

AP Performance Racing debuted in 1992 as an American Speed Association entry with team owner Alec Pinsonneault as the driver. The Windsor, Ontario based team notched 16 ASA victories and a pair of division titles with Tim Sauter (1999) and Johnny Sauter (2001) delivering the championship trophies. Now housed in a state of the art facility in Mooresville, NC, AP Performance Racing will field a full-time NASCAR Busch Series effort in 2002 with Tim Sauter again handling the driving chores. AP Performance Racing is a division of AP Development. Also in the family of AP companies are Build A Mold, A.P. Tool and Gauge, Moldplas, Inc, Trimplas, LTD, Trimplas 2 and Trimplas 2000.

-appr-

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