Dirty Dozen Late Model Series: Reid Lanpher
Southern Nat’l Motorsports Park Race Preview
THE STORY
MANCHESTER, Maine – Reid Lanpher of Manchester, Maine, will make his debut with JR Motorsports this Saturday, March 2, in the Southern National Motorsports Park Twin 125s – the first event of the 12-race “Dirty Dozen” Late Model series in Lucama, N.C. The 14-year-old Lanpher will drive the No. 8 JRM Chevrolet for the team owned by NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the .4-mile banked oval. It will mark Lanpher’s first career Late Model start after making a handful of appearances in a Super Late Model last season. The “Dirty Dozen” consists of 12 races – six each at Southern National and Motor Mile Speedway in Virginia.
THE FACTS
WHO: Reid Lanpher, Manchester, Maine
TEAM: No. 8 JR Motorsports Chevrolet
CREW CHIEF: Seth Kooika, Mooresville, N.C.
BEST CAREER SOUTHERN NATIONAL FINISH: N/A
LAST RACE AT SOUTHERN NATIONAL: N/A
WHAT: “Dirty Dozen” Southern National Twin 125s
WHERE: Southern National Motorsports Park, Lucama, N.C. (.4-mile banked oval)
WHEN: Saturday, March 2 – 9 a.m., practice; 12:15 p.m., qualifying; 2 p.m., race
Dirty Dozen Series
NEXT RACE: March 16, Southern National Twin 125s, Southern National Motorsports Park, Lucama, N.C. (.4-mile banked oval)
DID YOU KNOW?
Reid Lanpher became the youngest driver in history (14) to win an event at New Hampshire Motor Speedway when he won an Amsoil NELCAR Legends Tour race on the road course at the facility last May.
Reid Lanpher won the Super Late Model feature at the Wiscasset Speedway’s “Fall Brawl” last October, earning a victory in just his third career Super Late Model start.
Reid Lanpher will compete as a teammate at JR Motorsports to Josh Berry. Berry won the 2012 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series track championship at Motor Mile Speedway in Fairlawn, Va.
Just 14 years old, Reid Lanpher has already won Super Late Model, Modified, Legend, go-kart, Mini-Cup, motocross and snowmobile feature events in his career.
Reid Lanpher will also compete in PASS-sanctioned Super Late Model races this season with his family-owned team at both Oxford Plains Speedway and Beech Ridge Motor Speedway, as well as compete in select weekly NASCAR Whelen All-American Series races at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway.
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING
REID LANPHER, Driver of the No. 8 JR Motorsports Chevrolet, On heading to Southern National Motorsports Park for the first time with JR Motorsports this weekend: “I’m so excited to get going. Everything down there will be different for me – right from having the same crew every week that gets into a routine, to the track itself. It’s going to be the nicest (short) track I’ve probably ever raced on.
“I’m really looking forward to it. I can’t wait to go down there and see what I’m up against, see the competition. It will be pretty amazing.”
On what the challenges of competing on a track that he’s never been to before: “It’s going to be different for me. Usually, I’ve had the same car and just had to get used to new tracks in the Legends. But I’m excited about getting to do this.
“I’m going to have to get used to this car so quick. We’ll have a little testing (on Friday), and then right on to race day. I only got a handful of laps in the cars when I tested them before. The challenge for me is going to be how I can adapt to to all these new things so quickly.”
On his goals for the Twin 125s at Southern National: “My only goal this weekend is to have a decent finish, and to bring the car home in one piece. It’s really about getting the first race out of the way, learning as much as I can about the car and then moving on and concentrating on the second one.
“I just want to keep improving and getting faster. I’d love that for myself. I know I’m going to have a great car and the best equipment, so there are no worries there. I’ll try my best – I don’t know who is going to be there or how many cars are going to be there. But to finish in the top-half of the pack in my first time in the car would be really good, and there’s always a chance to exceed (that goal).”