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Alli Owens Returns to Racing and Will
Participate in ARCA Test at Daytona
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News
At Daytona, these
women show plenty of drive
Owens Overcomes Two Lap
Deficit to Finish 14th
Owens
Out to Make Lasting Impression at
Chicagoland
Alli
Owens: Danica Mania!!!
A comes before D
at Daytona - 2010
Owens Fastest Female in
Daytona
Test
Owens
Comments on Danica's
Announcement
Alli Owens to
start 29th in Saturday's
ARCA 200
Alli Owens to join in
Volusia County's NGWSD Celebration
Schedule
Contact:
www.alliowens.com
or E-Mail
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Women in
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Bio
DOB: September 2, 1988
Hometown: Daytona Beach, Florida
Race Driver
Single
Type of Racing: Stock Car
Race Series: NASCAR Whelen All American Series
Hickory Motor Speedway, NC
Introduction: This young racer grew up racing
BMX bicycles and Quarter Midget cars. With the help
from her family and some close racing friends, she
started racing stock cars on the half-mile dirt
track in Barberville, Florida.
Alli finished the 2003 season 6th in
championship points out of a field of 27 cars. Alli
compiled of pretty impressive list of statistics
logging 2 wins, 6 top fives and 8 top ten finishes.
On May 10, 2003 she won the heat race and feature
race all in the same night. Alli has also battled
her way from 25th position to 3rd that had the fans
on their feet cheering for her. To win at this
level so fast is not a common occurrence.
But Alli has already proven that she is anything
but common. All this was accomplished while she was
thirteen and fourteen years old racing
against adult men.
Racing Goals: After spending some time in the
Whelen Series and getting seat time in the Hooters
Pro Cup series, Alli would like to move into the
Craftsman Truck Series.
Has 12 career ARCA RE/MAX Series starts in 2008.
Career-best finish 15th at Rockingham Speedway,
Kentucky Speedway and Chicagoland Speedway. Also
finished 18th at Kansas Speedway, 22nd at Toledo
Speedway, 24th at Michigan Int'l Speedway &
Pocono Raceway, 27th at Iowa Speedway & New
Jersey Motorsports Park, 29th at Nashville
Superspeedway and 41st at Daytona Int'l Speedway
& Talladega Superspeedway. Career-best
qualifying run 11th at Chicagoland. Also qualified
14th at Kentucky and Kansas. Finished 24th in ARCA
RE/MAX Series driver points '08. Veteran of
NASCAR-sanctioned late models, FASCAR Late Model
Series, mini stocks, pure stocks, quarter midgets
and BMX competition. Had 6 top-5 finishes and 9
top-10 finishes in NASCAR-sanctioned late models in
2007 with best finish of 3rd at Hickory Motor
Speedway after qualifying outside pole. 2005 Late
Model Rookie of the Year at New Smyrna Speedway.
Also finished 3rd in overall track points at New
Smyrna in 2005. 2004 mini stock Rookie of the Year
at New Smyrna and finished 3rd in overall points.
Graduate of Finishline Racing School "Race to Win"
advanced course in 2004. Started racing BMX when
she was 8 years old. Spokesperson for Race Against
Drugs in 2003. Volunteer motivational speaker at
public schools and rehab centers for the National
Crime Prevention. Graduated with honors from
Atlantic High School in 2006.
History
In 2004 she moved up to racing Mini Stocks
on asphalt and went on to finish 3rd in
championship points and took Rookie of the
Year honors.
In 2005 Alli moved up to asphalt Late Models and
raced on a ½ mile asphalt track. She finished
the year, 3rd in points and was again awarded the
Rookie of the Year title.
In 2006 she ran several races in the Florida
Goodyear Challenge series while preparing for her
move to North Carolina.
At the end of 2006 The National Labor Management
Cooperation Committee (NLMCC), The National
Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) and the
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
(IBEW) have signed on to be the sole sponsor for
Alli Owens Racing.
Current Season: Alli will be racing a full
season in the NASCAR Whelen All American Series at
Hickory Motor Speedway in North Carolina and
possibly a few Hooters Pro Cup races.
Snippets
This was February 16th during the NASCAR Camping
World Truck Series practice. Alli was the fastest
Ford and the fastest female there. A change in
restrictor plate on qualifying day because NASCAR
said the trucks were going too fast, killed her
chance to get in the race. She missed qualifying by
two positions. Too bad. She would have done
well.
* * *
Owens Poised for First NASCAR Start
* * *
Alli Owens raises enough funds to make NASCAR
debut: Gets help from fans and local businesses.
* * *
Alli Owens, who lost primary sponsorship at the
end of the 2010 season, is looking to make her
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut this
February at her home track, the Daytona
International Speedway during Speedweeks. Owens
currently has a commitment from one team owner to
race if she can raise $35,000.
* * *
Owens Overcomes Two Lap Deficit to Finish 14th
* * *
Alli Owens started the ARCA Daytona 200 in
19th and worked her way up to 3rd for a number of
laps near the end, then it looked like she dropped
power significantly and finished in 23rd.
* * *
Alli's 2-lap Qualifying for the 2010 ARCA
Racing Series at Daytona February 6th, placed
her 19th out of 47 and 2nd out of 6 women.
* * *
"A" comes before "D" at Daytona.
Alli tested for the 2010 ARCA
Racing Series at Daytona. She was the fastest
woman and 3rd out of 60 drivers.
* * *
Alli Signs with D'Hondt for 2009
ARCA RE/MAX series.
* * *
The ARCA 200 on Feb. 9, 2007 at Daytona
International Speedway will be Owens' first race
with equipment out of the DGM stable.
* * *
Alli took 3rd at Hickory Motor Speedwya on July
28, 2007.
News
Alli Owens Returns to
Racing and Will Participate in ARCA Test at
Daytona
Alli Owens is back. The new mother will return
behind the wheel of Andy Belmont's No. 1 BABY
JOCK-sponsored car for ARCA Series testing at
Daytona International Speedway December 16-18. The
session will mark Owens' first time on a race track
since February 2011.
Owens decided to take the 2011 season off to get
married and start a family. In October she gave
birth to a healthy baby girl named Braelynn and is
anxious to get back in the seat of a competitive
race car for 2012.
"I can't put into words how great it feels to
know that I'll be testing at Daytona," Owens said.
"I've been so anxious to return to the track. Now
that I'm settled in with being a wife and mother,
it's time for me to go racing again. I'm so excited
to be a mom and get back in the driver's seat.
"While I was away, I did everything I possibly
could to prepare for my return. I've been
exercising and working on my fitness so that I'll
be at the top of my game. I've been calling on
companies and organizations to secure a
sponsorship. Hopefully it will all come
together."
Owens' plans beyond Daytona are not complete.
She is still seeking sponsorship support in hopes
of running the 2012 season in one of racing's top
national touring series. Owens anticipates that
motherhood will be appealing to potential sponsors
and that it will open new doors to the sport.
"I know there are a lot of companies out there
that have wanted to get involved in racing, but
didn't have the right fit for a driver. Now they
have the right outlet," Owens said. "There are so
many companies that are relevant to women,
especially mothers, that would be perfect for the
sport. This is a great opportunity for them to
share their brand with a whole new audience."
Owens has three partial seasons of ARCA
competition under her belt, having driven for Mario
Gosselin in 2008, D'Hondt Motorsports in 2009, and
Venturini Motorsports in 2010. In 2009 Owens
captured the outside pole at Daytona International
Speedway for the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200.
At Daytona, these women
show plenty of drive
Look, if you had one shot, or one opportunity to
seize everything you ever wanted in one moment
would you capture it? Or just let it slip? --
Eminem, "Lose Yourself"
After three top-10 finishes in 32 ARCA races
over three seasons and getting dropped by her
sponsor, Port Orange's Alli Owens made a
huge leap of faith, in fact several huge leaps of
faith.
Faith that her fundraising will shake loose
enough money for her to make a serious run at
Friday night's NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
season-opener at Daytona. It has raised $27,5000 --
crumbs compared to the $100,000-plus bankrolls
enjoyed by some of her well-heeled competitors.
Faith in her ability to qualify on speed for the
race. She's got the faith. Whether her cobbled
together and serviced by crew members working for
next to nothing Ford has the speed to make the
field remains to be seen.
Faith that she's going to be able to withstand
the disappointment of not making the race,
something she didn't soft pedal. "It would be
catastrophic," she said.
Across the row of haulers in the makeshift truck
garage, Jennifer Jo Cobb, carrying a tray of
coffee cups and food, was spending time with one of
the two teams she hopes to race for this week and
in the process become part of history on the big
track.
If she qualifies Friday for Saturday's
Nationwide Series race -- she's locked into the
truck race -- Cobb will become the first woman to
run two NASCAR races on the same weekend at
Daytona.
Also, making the Nationwide race would
jump-start Cobb's drive to compete in the series
fulltime and make a run at rookie of the year
honors.
Cobb, 37, is the more experienced of the two,
having run five Nationwide races, 29 in the trucks
and nine in ARCA dating back to 2002. Her only top
10s (three) came in ARCA in 2004.
And experience is second only to results when it
comes to cutting it in the top levels of stock car
racing. And the only way to get experience is to
race and that's what Owens and Cobb will be seeking
to do this week.
How much they want to race is personified by the
tremendous lengths the 22-year-old Owens has gone
to since losing her ARCA sponsorship last December
and how she has rallied from the bitter
disappointment of being cast adrift.
Cobb, too, is well scarred in that vein and
summed up her feelings bluntly.
"Success is the best revenge," she said with a
smile.
That success -- or better yet that opportunity
-- is something Owens wants so bad it is driving
her as hard as she has driven her race cars in the
past.
And once Owens' fans became aware of her plight,
they raised about $7,500 and she took if from
there, using her marketing skills and her intense
desire to race to raise the money she needed.
You better lose yourself . . . the moment you
own it, you better never let it go. You only get
one shot, do not miss your chance to blow This
opportunity comes once in a lifetime.
Once she realized that the chance at a NASCAR
ride was in front of her, she seized it and has
lived it.
"Determination, it was more like here's my one
shot that I have," she said. "I had to be at the
shop (Ray Hackett Racing in North Carolina) with
these guys, I was running to give them parts, I was
turning wrenches on it. This is my effort.
"Ray Hackett has been awesome. He has the
trailer, the truck and the motor. Other than that,
I had to assemble these guys, put them together,
get them coordinated to work (all) out of my own
pocket.
"It's been hard work. And I think that it's this
effort that really showed myself and my family and
my fans that this is for real, this is what I want
and this is how bad I want it." You can do anything
you set your mind to, man
Yet the specter of failure cannot be ignored.
Even though Owens has qualified for the outside of
the front row at Daytona in ARCA and even though
she knows she can handle Daytona, racing is racing
and anything can happen.
And as much as she would prefer it not be, the
possibility of not making the race has been on her
mind.
"I've thought about that," she said. "I've never
had to be the back runner that had to worry about
making the show.
"It's hard not to think about that. I've got to
think about it. (Tuesday) night when I did I just
envisioned myself hearing over the radio 'OK, you
just got bumped, we've got to go home.' It will
destroy me as a person because I've never not made
a race."
And should she make it?
"Maybe it will hit then," she said. "It hasn't
hit me now because I haven't had enough time to sit
and be a driver. I've been all aspects of this
besides an owner."
Thanks to her perseverance and her pluck, Owens
has the support.
"A whole bunch are doing this because how cool
and powerful this story is," she said. "I'm just
the one that's lucky enough to be the person that
they're all rallying behind.
"It's the story and the fact that we all got
into this sport because we love it and here's the
true time to show that." This soul's escaping,
through this hole that is gaping This world is mine
for the taking.
That's Cobb's thinking as well. Her time is at
hand and so very close -- she only needs to
out-qualify one car to make the Nationwide race --
and she plans to grasp it and use it as a stepping
stone to bigger things: racing in the 2012 Daytona
500.
That would certainly be a high point for Cobb,
who began racing at the bottom of the totem pole in
local racing in 1991 and experienced all the lows
that racers do.
"I have always said . . . God planted a seed in
my heart when I was a young girl that this is what
I was meant to do. Through all those times, trust
me I had those moments where I'm like 'are you sure
this is what you want me to do?'
"I had that moment, that phase where I had to
make sure, I had to give it up, I guess. I had to
tell myself that it was over, that's it, I'm
quitting.
"When the next opportunity came along that
showed me, no, you're not meant to quit, you're
meant to persevere. I have learned to look at the
times that I fail as building points. I've learned
to look at them as that I can be a good example for
people who are struggling at something else in
life. So that's what I really want my career to
show, that I wasn't handed it on a silver platter .
. . that you still can earn and work hard for stuff
and make your dreams come true."
Just as the young woman across the row of
haulers, who is attempting to do just that.
Owens Poised for First
NASCAR Start
Social media, grassroots effort raised sponsorship
funding
If anyone doubts that Alli Owens has some of the
most dedicated fans in racing, the evidence can be
seen on her race truck. After losing her primary
sponsor at the conclusion of last season, Owens
faced the daunting task of finding the funds to
compete in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
(NCWTS) race at Daytona International Speedway
(DIS). Owens turned to her social media resources,
which proved to be a winning move. The support of
her fans has afforded Owens the opportunity to make
her first NASCAR start in this week's NextEra
Energy Resources 250.
Owens' grassroots effort rallied her fans and
local sponsors to contribute to her cause. Within
weeks, Owens raised enough money to subsidize her
No. 76 Ray Hackett Racing Ford F-150 at the famed
Florida race track. Local Daytona establishments
Mullinax Ford, Rue and Ziffra, P.A., Giles Electric
Company, AXA, Miller Electric Company, NECA North
Florida, Bob Evans of Port Orange, IBEW Local
Chapters 756, 915, 1205, 613 and 222 all
contributed to the cause. She has rewarded her
supporters by placing their indivdual names on her
truck.
"It has been overwhelming to see the support of
my fans," Owens said. "When I lost my primary
sponsor during the off season, I didn't know if I'd
be able to race at all this year. I'm so fortunate
for my fans. They're truly the best. I can't thank
them enough for all of their dedication. It means
the world to me. I've had kids, adults, friends,
strangers and everyone in between donate money for
me to race. Their names will all be on my truck and
I'm going to do everything I can to bring them a
win."
No stranger to DIS or restrictor plate racing,
Owens sat on the outside pole in 2009 for the ARCA
event at DIS. In 2010 at DIS, she ran inside the
top five for the majority of the ARCA race before
being shuffled out of the draft in the closing
stages of the event. Owens recorded her best ARCA
finish at Talladega Superspeedway in 2009,
finishing in the top-10.
With sponsorship in place, Owens is ready to
focus on the task at hand.
"I'm so excited to make my first NASCAR start,"
Owens said. "Growing up in Daytona, I've dreamed of
this since I was a kid. It took a lot of hard work
and effort to get to this point and I can't wait to
hit the track."
Alli Owens Raises Enough
Funds to Make NASCAR Debut: Gets Help from Fans,
Local Businesses
A little over a week ago, Alli Owens announced on
her social media channels that she intended to make
her NASCAR debut in the Camping World Truck Series
at her home track, the Daytona International
Speedway. To do so, Owens asked her fans to raise
the additional capital needed to fulfill the
monetary commitment to run the race. With the help
of those fans, a few local businesses and a new
website, Owens announced today she will indeed make
her debut in NASCAR during the NextEra Energy
Resources 250 driving for Ray Hackett Racing, an
experienced team based out of Salisbury, N.C.
Owens was able to raise the funds after getting
support from Mullinax Ford, a dealership from New
Smyrna, Fla.; local Daytona Beach area chapters of
the IBEW and NECA to promote www.thequalityconnection.org,
a website dedicated to the National
Labor-Management Cooperation Committee of the
Electrical Construction Industry; and also her
fans, who helped her raise enough funds to complete
the sponsorship needed.
"It's amazing that in such a short period of
time everything has come together like it has,"
said Owens. "I went to Twitter and Facebook and put
the word out there that we needed help. Almost
immediately we had people jumping on board. It's
been humbling, and I'm so truly grateful for the
businesses and fans who have helped me."
Owens has three top-10 finishes in the ARCA
Series and started on the outside pole at Daytona
in the series in 2009. Owens will be the only
female competitor from Daytona Beach competing at
Speedweeks in 2011.
"I'm really honored to race for the city of
Daytona Beach, the local IBEW and NECA chapters,
Mullinax Ford and my family in the area," said
Owens. "Growing up, the Daytona International
Speedway meant everything to me. It still does, and
I'm ready to make a successful NASCAR debut there.
It's going to be a special day."
Owens will stay in North Carolina to help with
the team the remainder of this month and into
February. She will travel with the team to Daytona,
where their first practice is scheduled for
Wednesday, February 16.
Additional sponsorship opportunities are still
available for Owens in 2011. For more information,
please visit www.AlliOwens.com
Alli Owens Goes to Social
Media to Help Race Daytona Even Reaches Into
Own Wedding Fund
Alli Owens, with a little help from her friends, is
looking to make her NASCAR Camping World Truck
Series debut this February at her home track, the
Daytona International Speedway during Speedweeks.
Owens, who lost primary sponsorship at the end of
the 2010 season, has asked local companies and her
friends, via Facebook and Twitter, to help raise
the $35,000 needed to compete in the event. Owens
currently has a commitment from one team owner to
race if the funds can be collected.
Owens has also dedicated her website to her fans
to help donate and show them what they will receive
in return for different levels of sponsorship. So
far, Owens has collected over $3,000, and has even
taken $1,000 from her own wedding fund to help her
race. Owens plans to get married this spring in
victory lane at the Daytona International
Speedway.
"I'm just really grateful for all my fans right
now," said Owens. "We have some support from some
local businesses, but we need to raise a little bit
more to make this happen. My fans have been such
great supporters of mine throughout my career that
we decided to reach out to them and communicate
with them every day using Facebook and Twitter.
It's been great. Every day, almost every hour I can
update everyone on our progress. It's been a great
tool and something the fans have been excited
about.
Owens has three top-10 finishes in the ARCA
Series and started on the outside pole at Daytona
in the series in 2009. She's looking to make her
first NASCAR start in Daytona, no matter at what
cost, including dipping into her wedding fund.
"Yeah, maybe our honeymoon will be cut a bit
short," said Owens. "But, my husband-to-be has been
very supportive of my efforts. He knows how much
this means to me to race at Daytona and make my
first NASCAR start."
Fans who are interested in helping Owens reach
her goal may log onto www.alliowens.com
where they can donate via paypal.
Owens Overcomes Two Lap
Deficit to Finish 14th
Alli Owens drove the wheels off her ElectrifyingCareers.com
Chevrolet in Friday night's Ansell Protective
Gloves 150 at Chicagoland Speedway. Owens was on
her way to a top-10 finish when her No. 15
Venturini Motorsports-fielded Monte Carlo snapped
loose and spun out on Lap 59. The incident sent her
two laps down to the field, but Owens wasn't about
to give up. She demonstrated her trademark
determination and earned her way back on the lead
lap. The team rallied to take the checkered flag in
14th-place.
Owens started the race out like a ball of fire.
After qualifying in 16th-place, she pedaled her way
into the 13th position before making her first pit
stop, Lap 33. The ElectrifyingCareers.com crew took
advantage of the yellow flag to change Owens' tires
and top off the fuel cell. The No. 15 machine was
too free for Owens' liking, so the crew made a
track bar adjustment to tighten up the car. The
crew bolted off a lightning fast stop and returned
Owens to the track in 11th-place.
The race returned to green on Lap 44. Owens was
knocking on the door of the top-10 and drew
alongside of the No. 36 car. The 36 car drove to
Owens' outside and loosened up her car, causing it
to loop around. Owens managed to keep it off the
wall and not hit anything. Other than flat-spotting
the Hoosiers, the ElectrifyingCareers.com Chevy was
unscathed. Owens brought her car to the attention
of her team. The crew changed her tires and made
another track bar adjustment to tighten up the car.
Owens returned to the track in 19th-place, two laps
down to the field.
Owens was down, but definitely not out. She took
the green flag on Lap 64 and raced into position to
receive the Lucky Dog pass. A fortuitous caution
flag waved on Lap 67 and allowed Owens to get one
of her laps back.
Green flag action returned on Lap 71 with Owens
in 18th-place. As per the ARCA rulebook, she had to
start at the tail-end of the longest line. No
matter, Owens made up the deficit and once again
raced into position to receive the Lucky Dog pass.
Another caution flag waved on Lap 87 and gave Owens
the break she was looking for. Owens returned to
the lead lap in 16th-place.
Owens took the green flag on Lap 91 with nine
laps remaining. Track position was her enemy, as
she restarted from the tail-end of the longest line
again. Although she was a straightaway behind the
cars ahead of her on the leader board, Owens caught
the field and picked up two positions before taking
the checkered flag.
"It was a great effort by our team tonight,"
said Owens. "Our ElectrifyingCareers.com Chevy was
a little bit free when the race started. We made an
adjustment in the pits and it seemed to help. We
were working our way through the field and it
looked like we had a top-10 in the bag. When the 36
car drove along my outside, it just sucked my car
around. I just spun out without warning. We had a
really good car though, and we were able to get
back on the lead lap. I wish the race was a little
longer because we were hauling the mail when it
ended. We were running down the cars in front of us
and just ran out of time. I think we had a seventh
or eighth-place car, but just didn't have enough
laps to catch them."
Owens Out to Make
Lasting Impression at Chicagoland
Ready for Return After Watching Races from
Couch
The Ansell Protective Gloves 150 at Chicagoland
Speedway is the final race planned for Alli Owens
on the 2010 ARCA Series schedule. Owens, along with
the No. 15 ElectrifyingCareers.com
team, is looking to make a lasting impression, one
that she hopes can extend her season.
Driving for Venturini Motorsports, Owens has
competed in eight previous ARCA events this season.
Her best finish came at Salem Speedway, where she
finished ninth. She has recorded two top-15
finishes and four top-20s.
Owens has two ARCA Series races under her belt
at Chicagoland Speedway. Owens drove to a
15th-place finish in 2008 and a 19th-place finish
in 2009.
Owens Comments on Chicagoland Speedway:
"Being out of the seat for a while has been
really challenging. I hate watching races from the
couch. I'm really looking forward to this week,
especially being at Chicago. It's a
mile-and-a-half, which Venturini Motorsports has
been really strong at. We're going to have a lot of
support from the crowd there. International
Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Locals 134
and 176 with the Local JATC and NECA contractors
are big backers of our program and they come out
every year. It's one of those tracks that we really
look forward to, not just because we're fast, but
because of the great support, too.
"Mile-and-a-half tracks have been a strong point
for us, mainly because it's all about the car and
the aero package. Here at Venturini Motorsports,
they have the ElectrifyingCareers.com Chevrolet
hooked up. I'm really excited about it. I've been
working on my consistency this season. I've run
well at Chicago before. I've qualified well there.
Hopefully my past experience at the track, and what
I've learned this year, will pay off.
"My last race was at Pocono. We had a great
showing during practice. Unfortunately we didn't
have the car for the race to seal the deal.
Hopefully we'll be strong throughout the week and
I'll be running up front with my teammates and
battling for the win.
"This is the last race we have sponsorship for
this season. I'd love to find an organization that
can help us compete in some more races this year.
We've got five more races, ones that are really
strong tracks for this team. Hopefully we'll make a
statement at Chicagoland that will catch someone's
eye."
Heartbreaking Finish
for Owens at Daytona
Alli Owens put on an outstanding performance in the
season-opening Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 at Daytona
International Speedway, unfortunately the record
books won't reflect it. In front of her hometown,
and on racing's grandest stage, Owens ran her No.
15 ElectrifyingCareers.com Chevrolet in the
top-three for the majority of the event and was
poised for a career-best finish. However, Owens'
promising run came to an end when she was shuffled
out of the draft in the final ten laps and spun out
after driving through fluid on the track. Owens and
her Venturini Motorsports crew settled for a
23rd-place finish.
Owens started the race from the inside of row
10. Not wanting to force the issue too early, Owens
settled into the 25th position after the green flag
waved. She was content clicking off laps before she
found a partner to draft with to the front.
Things took an interesting turn on lap five.
Owens reported that her seatbelt had become loose
and she needed to make an unscheduled pit stop for
the team to re-secure it. Owens went one lap down
as her team fixed the problem, but an auspicious
yellow flag waved while the No. 15 car was on pit
lane. Owens was awarded the "Lucky Dog" pass and
returned to the field on the lead lap. Owens lined
up in 28th-place for the ensuing restart.
The race went green on lap 16. A wreck brought
out the caution flag before the field completed one
circuit. TheElectrifyingCareers.com Chevy moved up
three positions prior to the yellow halting the
race. The No. 15 team decided to make Owens' one
scheduled pit stop during caution period, so the
ElectrifyingCareers.com Chevy came down pit lane
for service. The crew changed four tires and topped
off the fuel cell. Owens returned to the track in
28th-place.
Green flag action resumed on lap 24. Another
caution flag waved on lap 26, with Owens holding
down 23rd-place. The majority of the field chose
this caution period to make pit stops, but Owens
stayed on the track and moved up to 3rd place.
On lap 31, the race returned to green. With
Owens sniffing the lead, the No. 15 car held strong
in the third position. Owens' spotter issued
constant reminders for Owens to hold the No. 15
machine on the yellow line, and Owens followed
instructions to the tee. Owens fended off several
challenges from other cars who aimed to pass her on
the outside. Owens remained in the top-five for the
next 40 laps and appeared ready to top her previous
best finish of sixth-place.
On lap 71, with nine laps remaining, Owens was
bumped from behind and knocked out of the bottom
groove. Owens was passed by several competitors
before she could settle back in line. As she was
fighting to rejoin the leaders, the car in front of
Owens dropped fluid on the track and the No. 15 car
ran through it. Owens spun out and blew a tire in
the process. She was forced to make a trip down pit
lane for her crew to change her tires. She rejoined
the field on the final lap of the event. After a
hopeful start, Owens crossed the finish line in
23rd-place.
"We had an amazing car today," said Owens after
the race. "I was biding my time in third-place. I
was just waiting for the final few laps to make a
move for the lead. I had no doubt that the
ElectrifyingCareers.com car was going to win the
race today. Everything was shaping up for us.
Unfortunately I got knocked out of the bottom
groove in the final 10 laps. I was trying to work
my way back into the lead draft when I ran through
some fluid that another car dropped on the track. I
spun out and that took away any chance of a decent
finish.
"My team did an awesome job today. I wish we had
a finish that reflected the hard work and effort
that they put into my car. If we keep this up, I
know that it won't be long before the
ElectrifyingCareers.com car lands a win."
Alli Owens: Danica
Mania!!!
I can't believe Daytona has come and gone already.
I know things have been crazy over the off season
around the shop, but nothing compares to the
unbelievably hectic Daytona ARCA week. Last year
was stressful with all the normal daily activities,
but this year after adding on all the "Danica
Mania" frenzy it was double the head ache. Don't
judge this weeks column already and think I'm
Anti-Danica, because I'm not, in fact after meeting
her she is a very nice person and we get along
fine.
Since my whole race week was filled with
"DANICA" questions, I feel like I really need to
get it all off my chest and move forward. As soon
as I heard that she was thinking about crossing
over to stock cars, I was pretty unsure of my
feelings towards it. I mean lets face it there are
more female drivers who struggle to find half
decent opportunities vs. Danica's fortunate
partnership with GoDaddy.com. I didn't want the
under dog stories of women racers to be over looked
by a commercialized figure. I hoped she was doing
this because she had a love for NASCAR and wasn't
just doing it because she could and knew she would
get a lot of media from it.
With all those emotions I realized that it was
making me a better racer. I spent more time at the
shop studying these cars and learning to read wind
tunnel notes, chassis dyno numbers, and pull down
rig notes. I wanted to be the "the racer" not "the
girl". When It came time for the test and I saw all
the cameras, TV crews, newspapers, and magazines I
knew that we were in for a long drawn out Daytona
race event. Everyone on my team kept a level head
and made sure we focused 100% on us and our goal.
The hype was around the #7 garage and left the #15
garage working hard. We were the black horse.
When it came time for practice we jumped inside
the top 10 quickly and maintained a good time all
throughout the testing session. The hype was still
around the GoDaddy pits. It was about that time
when I realized that it didn't matter how well we
did, we will not be able to get the spotlight shed
on our team, which my guys deserved. It made me
think, there were five other women in the field,
and we all are hanging on shoe strings to make it
in this sport financially. Take me out of the
picture and look at Leilani Munter. She has
struggle for the past three years to get in a car
and race competitively. She found a sponsor and got
in a good piece of equipment and not once did she
get acknowledge about it. It just bothers me that
so many people asked us women what it is going to
take for women to be successful in this sport and
it's simple, let the rest of the world know that
there are more women out there capable of being
great drivers.
I noticed I had an anger being built up toward
Danica and was totally frustrated about her being
there. I felt like I was racing in the DANICA 200
instead of the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200. We have
struggled for 3 years to run a full season in ARCA
and finally are with a good time and was a threat
all week long and never once got good recognition
for it. For a struggling driver it truly hurt my
feelings. It wasn't until after the race and
talking to Danica that I realized I liked her as a
person and it was the media that I was unhappy
with. The whole DANICA MANIA was influencing my
opinion on her. For that I truly apologize, but as
for the media and everyone else, please realize
that she is the same as the rest of us out there
under a helmet and strapped into a car. I think her
off track brand and image is speaking louder than
her on track performance, but let it stay off track
people. Open your eyes and realize for the majority
of the ARCA race TWO women were proving a point. WE
DESERVED TO BE HERE!
For myself and the whole Venturini Motorsports
team I want to thank everyone who support the #15
ElectrifyingCareers.com Chevy on Saturday. I also
want to thank a broadcaster that referred to me as
"Ol' what's her name" because he helped make my
skin a little thicker and now pushed me harder to
make sure that he and everyone else will NOT forget
my name! To all the girls out there who are trying
to make it in this world of racing, all I can say
is dig deep and keep on keepin' on!
I want to thank Tony Eury Jr, Kelly Earnhardt,
and Danica Patrick for taking the time after the
race to invite me into their hauler and talk about
the race. I grew a new respect for that whole
program. That right there meant a lot to me and I
won't ever forget it. Can't wait to race against
you all again!
Source: www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=326082510265
Owens Fastest Female in
Daytona Test (12-26-09)
The recent ARCA Racing
Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards open
test at Daytona Int'l Speedway put a big spotlight
on Danica Patrick. Arguably, and moreover, it was
Patrick who put the spotlight on ARCA.
In addition to the Danica Mania, the test also
revealed the fastest female among the nine gals
that tested - that being Daytona Beach, Florida's
Alli Owens, who was third quickest overall in the
draft. In fact, Owens, in her Venturini Motorsports
Chevrolet, was consistently in the top-three on the
tower all weekend among the 60 men and women that
took part in the high-profile extravaganza.
Owens Comments on
Danica's Announcement
Alli Owens is entering her third consecutive year
of ARCA racing in 2010. She also commented on
Danica Patrick's announcement today.
"I'm thrilled that another woman will be racing
stock cars," said Owens, who is planning a partial
ARCA Series schedule in 2010 driving for Venturini
Motorsports. "Someone of Danica's popularity and
talent will no doubt be a great addition to NASCAR
and ARCA. I think Danica will show girls that the
door is wide open for them to pursue opportunities
in motorsports. Lots of kids think that racing
isn't for girls, but Danica and I are proving that
we have what it takes to mix it up with the boys.
It's great for racing and great for women
everywhere.
"Almost all of the top (Sprint) Cup Series teams
have entries in the ARCA Daytona race. It will be a
proving ground for Danica for sure. Here first
taste of stock car racing won't be easy. She's
going to have to learn the ins and outs of stock
car drafting. So much of her success will come down
to who's willing to race with her, and that's a
matter of earning her competitors' respect. She'll
need to show them that she can push them to the
front and they'll be happy to return the favor.
Once you put your helmet on, it doesn't matter if
you're a girl or a boy. It only matters if you can
draft with the cars around you.
"Stock cars don't have near the downforce that
IndyCars do. The toughest obstacle for Danica will
be learning how far she can push her car and what
its limits are. It seems like even the most
talented open wheel drivers have a hard time
adjusting to stock cars. Most of the guys that come
from the IndyCar Series take a few spins because
they're used to a car with much more control. I
think Danica has a ton of talent and is obviously a
great driver, but it's probably going to take more
than a season before she feels comfortable wheeling
a stock car. If Danica comes into stock car racing
committed to learning the cars and what it takes to
make them competitive, and is committed to learning
how to communicate with her crew, she'll persevere.
It will be a long road, but she can do it."
Source: images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.arcaracing.com/images/stories/Drivers/Driver_Candids/owenscandid09.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.arcaracing.com/news.php%3Fcontentid%3D9106&usg=__HLV8FEJeU_Q-b0bAqMl5-yhfSJA=&h=372&w=345&sz=28&hl=en&start=55&tbnid=qAvECN6t0JVjOM:&tbnh=122&tbnw=113&prev=/images%3Fq%3DARCA%2Bracing%26gbv%3D2%26ndsp%3D20%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26start%3D40
Alli Signs with D'Hondt
for 2009 ARCA RE/MAX series
DHondt Motorsports (DMS) has signed twenty
year old Alli Owens to drive in the 2009 ARCA
RE/MAX Series. Her ARCA sponsors National
Electrical Contractors Association (NECA), and the
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
(IBEW) are also making the move and will sponsor
the #19 Toyota Camry.
We are proud to have Alli join
DHondt Motorsports said team owner
Eddie DHondt. This is a great
opportunity for all of us. We are all looking
forward to representing and promoting
ElectrifyingCareers.com and helping Alli reach the
next steps of her own career goals.
I am excited about advancing my career
with DHondt Motorsports, said Owens.
This organization puts first class race cars
on the track and they race to win. With the years
of experience they have in NASCAR racing, I look
forward to my first opportunity to get behind the
wheel of the #19 ElectrifyingCareers.com car at
Daytona International Speedway.
Look for Alli Owens and the DMS team to make its
debut in testing sessions at Daytona International
Speedway December 19th thru 21st, 2008.
Kyle Busch drove the DHondt Motorsports
#29 Camry to a second place behind Marcos Ambrose
in the teams only Nationwide appearance this
year.
For more information please visit www.alliowens.com
Owens has good reason to
smile
Alli Owens has been smiling so much since Friday
that her cheeks hurt.
"After this is over, I'm going to have to get a
massage," the South Daytonan said as she gently
rubbed each side of her face.
It's been that kind of weekend for Owens, who
said her first smile was cracked Friday while on
Daytona International Speedway's superstretch
during her first lap of ARCA testing. The smile has
been a fixture since.
"On my first lap, by the time I got to the
backstretch, I already knew my car was the best
stock car I'd ever driven," she said. "My crew had
told me to go out and take it easy, shake the car
down for the first couple of laps, but it felt so
good I had my foot in it by the end of the
backstretch."
Running a Chevrolet prepared by Lake Wales-based
DGM Racing, the Atlantic High grad posted top-16
times in the 178-180 mph range through the weekend.
She clocked the 16th best (178.359 mph) speed of
the 38 cars testing Sunday -- bettering nine-time
and defending ARCA champion Frank Kimmel's
25th-fastest time. Sunday afternoon was devoted to
drafting.
"I've been as high as fourth or so at one point
during the weekend," Owens said. "It just feels so
good to be able to run so well here. I've dreamed
about being at Daytona for longer than I can
remember."
At DGM's helm is three-time ARCA race winner and
occasional NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Mario Gosselin.
Gosselin finished 13th in the 2007 ARCA 200 after a
Lap 60 spin following a battle with eventual
race-winner Bobby Gerhart.
The ARCA 200 on Feb. 9 will be Owens' first race
with equipment out of the DGM stable, which brought
four cars to the weekend test.
"I knew she was gonna be just fine after her
first run Friday," Gosselin said. "After that, Alli
came in wanting to know how soon she could get back
out. If she had've come in ghost-white and had a
death-grip on the steering wheel, then I would've
known we'd need to work on her skills a little
more. She's a racer, that one."
A crowd of family and friends were on hand
Sunday to cheer Owens on.
"Like most racers, Alli's had her share of ups
and downs," father Mike Owens said. "It's just good
to see her have such a really great weekend."
Inspired by the successful test, Owens has
started looking to February's Speed Weeks.
"It's nice to know we'll be coming here for
Speed Weeks with top equipment," Owens said. "I'm
very grateful for my sponsors, family and friends
for their support. From racing at New Smyrna
Speedway to going to school here -- even while just
driving down Interstate 95 -- I can't tell you how
many times I've thought and dreamed about running
right here at Daytona."
Alli Owens to start 29th in
Saturday's ARCA 200
After a nail biting qualifying session for
Saturdays ARCA 200 at Daytona International
Speedway, Alli Owens breathed a sigh of relief.
Driving her No. 12 ElectrifyingCareers.com
Chevrolet, Owens turned a lap of 178.137 mph, which
translates to a 29th starting spot. We made
it in and thats the most important
thing, said Owens. Ive been
dreaming of this day for a long time. This is
awesome. My phone has been blowing up with so many
people calling to congratulate me. Owens, a
rookie in the ARCA RE/MAX, will line up behind her
teammate and team owner Mario Gosselin. The
lap was very good, added the 19-year-old.
Im starting behind Mario so we are
going to be doing a lot of drafting together. I
have faith in him, my team and the car. I know we
are capable of making it to the front. The
race will be broadcast live on SPEED at 4:00 p.m.
ET.
Alli Owens to join in
Volusia County's NGWSD Celebration
A strong supporter of women in sports, ARCA RE/MAX
Series driver Alli Owens will join in the Volusia
County School Districts National Girls &
Women in Sports Day (NGWSD) Celebration. The
second annual event will be held at DeLand
High School on February 6, from 3:00 6:00
p.m. Nearly 600 middle and high school girls will
join in the celebration which offers recognition of
college-bound student athletes and awards for
extraordinary Volusia County girls. Owens, a
professional race car driver and native of Daytona
Beach, will be an award presenter. As a
female in a very male dominated sport, I understand
to challenges faced by women in sports, said
Owens, a 2006 graduate of Port Orange High School.
I work hard to be a positive role model. I
hope, through my example, I can help others reach
their dreams. Owens is living her dream. The
19-year-old, who has always aspired to race at
Daytona International Speedway, is entered in the
February 9 running of the ARCA 200. Driving the No.
12 ElectrifyingCareers.com Chevrolet, she will
compete in her first race on the famed 2.5 mile
superspeedway. I hope by competing at Daytona
I can offer inspiration to these outstanding
girls, added Owens. The Volusia County School
Districts NGWSD Celebration is one of more
than 1,000 events taking place across the country
for NGWSD. Congress has proclaimed this national
day each year since 1987. It recognizes the
progress of girls and women in sports and the
benefits that sports and fitness activities can
bring to the lives of all girls and women. The day
is organized nationally by the Girl Scouts of the
USA, Girls Incorporated, National Association for
Girls and Women in Sports, Womens Sports
Foundation and the YWCA of the USA. For more
information on this event, visit www.volusia.k12.fl.us/equity/ngwsd.htm
A (Allie) comes
before D (Danica) at Daytona
The recent ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX
and Menards open test at Daytona Int'l Speedway put
a big spotlight on Danica Patrick. Arguably, and
moreover, it was Patrick who put the spotlight on
ARCA.
In addition to the Danica Mania, the test also
revealed the fastest female among the nine gals
that tested - that being Daytona Beach, Florida's
Alli Owens, who was third quickest overall in the
draft. In fact, Owens, in her Venturini Motorsports
Chevrolet, was consistently in the top-three on the
tower all weekend among the 80-plus men and women
that took part in the high-profile
extravaganza.
Owens's top speed of 182.957 mph certainly
bested every other gal in the garage including
Patrick, Milka Duno, Leilani Munter, Jennifer Jo
Cobb, Ashley Parlett, Jill George and Angela and
Amber Cope.
"I really felt we were pretty much the fastest
car overall," Owens said. "And that was pretty
awesome. It was exciting to see how strong my car
is. I drafted with my teammates most of the time
and we were the class of the field. Mikey (Kile),
Steve (Arpin) and I are going to be a force to
reckon with in this race. My car is really good
when it's pulling other cars along. I have no doubt
that we'll be the ones to beat when February rolls
around.
"The best part of the whole test was after
Steve, Mikey and I went out and drafted and put up
the top three numbers on the board; it was right
then when the team really all came together."
Despite Danica being the majority of the focus
during the Daytona test, Owens was also determined
not to let that distract her from doing her
job.
"I was there before Danica decided to make the
switch to stock cars," Owens said. "She carries the
hype with the media and brings a lot of eyeballs
that were never around racing before. She's going
to be the platform that I either have to follow or
I have to over-accomplish or live up to.
"I wasn't used to seeing all the hair blowing in
the pit area," Owens added with a laugh.
Owens, who drove Eddie D'Hondt's Toyota in last
year's race, qualified second at Daytona, but was
eliminated early on in a multi-car pile-up. Owens
also admitted that switching from Toyota to Chevy
for 2010 was a little nerve-wracking, considering
her teammates were in Toyotas.
"I was really nervous about bringing the
Chevrolet out; especially since the Toyotas were
the fastest on the speed charts."
Owens was racing a Chevy rather than a Toyota
because having an American manufacturer was
important/paramount to her primary, long-standing
sponsor, ElectrifyingCareers.com.
"We never fell out of the top five the entire
test. It was huge for us; not just for me, but for
all of us. It's so awesome. I've never had
teammates before."
Although making the change was stressful, Owens
has no regrets with the move to her new team. "It's
just good being with a family-oriented and
family-based race team.
"They get down to business and they are racers,"
Owens added. "It was such an easy transition, and I
couldn't have picked a better team to race
with.
"There is no doubt that they (Billy Venturini
and the team) believed in me from day one."
Owens's plan is to run full-time in the ARCA
Racing Series in 2010. She currently has confirmed
sponsorship with ElectrifyingCareers.com for six
races and her team is working hard to secure
funding for the rest of the season.
"I want to run the full season of ARCA. I've had
a couple of opportunities in Truck and Nationwide
but I want to run a full season of something, and
that's ARCA."
Owens's first race will be the Lucas Oil Slick
Mist 200 at Daytona February 6, 2010, LIVE on SPEED
at 4:00 PM ET.
One needs not tell Owens how important this race
is, and what it could mean for the hometown
driver.
"I want to win so bad; Billy wants me to win.
It's almost hard to imagine how big a win would be
at Daytona. It's my hometown; it's Daytona, the
crown jewel of stock car racing."
And to add to the enormity that is Daytona, if
Owens were to win at the "World Center of Racing",
she'd officially become the first female winner in
ARCA Racing Series history, all 58 years of it.
In the offseason, she has been keeping busy with
charitable work. This month, she is raffling off a
custom-made motorcycle that she helped design, with
the proceeds going to the ROAR Global Foundation to
build a library for children in Sri Lanka.
"I'm totally excited about this," Owens
continued. "ROAR is all about empowering women to
go out and do things and experience sports that are
more male-dominated. So, it's a perfect
connection."
Owens is also involved with the Children's Sleep
Apnea Foundation, as well as several other
children's charities. "We're doing a lot with the
children. This offseason is all about the
kids."
Prior to getting down to racing business in the
New Year, Owens is looking forward to spending the
holidays with her family.
"I never get to go on family vacations because
of my racing schedule. So me, my mom, my dad, and
my brother are going to spend Christmas in New York
City. We're going to ice skate, go to Central Park,
Times Square, the Statue of Liberty, and Ground
Zero. We're going to do it all."
Once Owens returns to the track in 2010, her
goal is singular. "Realistically, we're going to
win a race. Our cars are too good and our team is
too good not to win.
"I'm looking to break my own stats and break
through my own way.
"Those are my goals. I want to win."
Source: www.arcaracing.com/news.php?contentid=9153
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