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BUSCH: Chicagoland: Bobby Hamilton Jr preview
Bobby Hamilton, Jr. hopes to give Ed Rensi and Gary Weisbaum a homecoming victory parade at Chicagoland Speedway JOLIET, IL --- There is always a special feeling when competing in any sporting event in front of your hometown crowd. Saturday's ...
Edited: Apr 16, 2008, 12:40 AM
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Bobby Hamilton, Jr. hopes to give Ed Rensi and Gary Weisbaum a homecoming victory parade at Chicagoland Speedway
JOLIET, IL --- There is always a special feeling when competing in any sporting event in front of your hometown crowd. Saturday's Tropicana Twister 300 will serve as a homecoming race for two of the three Team Rensi Motorsports owners. Ed Rensi and Gary Weisbaum, co-owners along with Sam Rensi, are residents of the greater Chicago area. The pair would like nothing more than for their driver, Bobby Hamilton, Jr. to roll into victory lane on Saturday afternoon.
Ed Rensi, retired from McDonald's USA in 1988 after serving as President and Chief Executive Officer. Rensi currently resides in Downer's Grove, IL. Ed, along with brother Sam formed Team Rensi Motorsports in late 1998.
"It's very exciting to have Chicagoland Speedway as my home track," Rensi said. Bobby always runs well there and we are looking forward to a great weekend."
Gary Weisbaum is the President and CEO of Performance Promotions Group. Weisbaum became the third partner in Team Rensi Motorsports in 2000. He currently resides in Long Grove, IL.
"I am really excited to have the Team Marines Ford Taurus racing before the hometown fans," said Weisbaum. "NASCAR has really taken off in the Chicago area and it's been exciting to be a part of that energy.
The driver of the Team Marines Ford will enter the race as one of the leading drivers in the NASCAR Busch Series. Bobby Hamilton, Jr. has recorded four top-ten finishes in the last five races, including a win at The Kentucky Speedway.
Hamilton, Jr. recognizes the importance of recording a strong finish in the Team Marines Ford for his car owners.
"Just like Ed and Gary wanted me to run well at my hometown track in Nashville, I want to run strog for them in front of all their family and friends," Hamilton, Jr. said. "I have run well both times we have visited Chicagoland and now with Harold Holly (crew chief) in my corner, we should be able to run for the win on Saturday."
In addition to carrying the colors of The United States Marine Corps and Timberland Pro Series, a special decal will be on the side of the # 25 Ford Taurus. Organ Transplant Support, a Naperville, IL based organization will be featured. Ed Rensi's wife, Anne received a kidney transplant over two and half year's ago. Anne received her kidney at the University of Wisconsin in Madison.
"I am extremely proud to have Organ Transplant Support on our car this weekend," Rensi said. 'Organ donations and transplants are something very close to my heart and we want to do all we can to create additional awareness for the importance of organ donations and transplants."
The Tropicana Twister 300 will take the green flag Saturday afternoon at 2:30pm EDT. NBC and Motor Racing Network will provide live coverage of the event.
FAST FACTS
* ABC Auto Parts, based in Blue Island, IL will serve as an associate sponsor this weekend in the Tropicana Twister 300. In addition to having their logo on the # 25 Ford Taurus, they will entertain customers at the track this weekend.
* Last week's race in Daytona Beach provided the first real speed ump for the Bobby Hamilton, Jr. - Harold Holly combination. Hamilton suffered body damage on lap one and finished 22nd. Since joining The Team Marines Racing Team, Holly has led Hamilton, Jr. to four top-ten finishes in five races.
* Chicagoland Speedway has been host to two NASCAR Busch Series races. Hamilton, Jr. qualified fifth and sixth in those two races. An early race accident led Hamilton, Jr. to a 41st place finish in 2001. Hamilton, Jr. rebounded last season to record a ninth place finish. Harold Holly led Jeff Green to a sixth place finish in 2001 and helped Scott Riggs win the outside pole for last year's race.
* Bobby Hamilton, Jr, stands in seventh place in the NASCAR Busch Series Points Championship. He is currently 191 points behind first place Scott Riggs. Sixth place Brian Vickers stands 103 points ahead of Hamilton, Jr.
* Team Marines Racing Crew Chief Harold Holly will be featured as this week's special guest on INSIDE THE BUSCH SERIES on Speed Channel. The show will air on Monday night at 11:00pm EDT. Holly will help co-hosts Allen Bestwick, Hank Parker, Jr. and Randy Lajoie analyze the Tropicana Twister 300.
-trm/tmr-
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