Kansas 150 at Kentucky Speedway: As the season comes to a close so will the ARCA life of Roush Chassis #461 better known as “Black Betty”. Thomas “Moose” Praytor took Betty for her first spin in 2014 at the ARCA Mobile 200 and was the car he recorded his best career ARCA finish in. “Betty and I have made a lot of miles together and with ARCA changing the wheel base rule in 2018 this will be the last time I get to drive her in an ARCA race,” said Praytor.
October is Breast Cancer awareness month and Praytor has joined forces with Mobile Sportscaster Randy Patrick to help raise money for the American Cancer Society’s “Real Men Wear Pink”. The Randy Patrick quarter panels have turned into a drinking/fund raising game in Mobile. If you see “Randy Patrick” on FS2 broadcast you take a drink and make a donation. Hopefully by the end of the race you will have had enough to drink to make a big donation!
ARCA CHAMPIONSHIP STANDING: 7th
CAR: Roush Chassis #461,”Black Betty”-Black Betty has been the team’s short track stalwart and was the 2nd car the team purchased. Praytor drove the car to his career best ARCA finish of 7th at the ARCA Mobile 200 and Betty has been utilized tne times in 2017, Salem, Toledo, Madison, Iowa, LOR, Winchester, Road America, Kentucky, Salem & Elko. Betty is a 105” car and this is her last year for ARCA competition, Praytor is attempting to finish the season with his favorite car.
Kansas 150 is a hectic 2 day event starting off with inspection on Thursday. Friday kicks off with a 2 hour practice session starting at 9:30, followed by General Tire Pole qualifying at 2:30. The race to checkered flag, and the end of the season will begin at 7:30 CDT. Live timing and scoring for practice, qualifying and the race will be on ARCAracing.com. The race will be televised live on Fox Sports 2.
What to look for this weekend: With Kansas hosting the finale everyone will be fighting for their spot in the Championship standings. In the middle of the Championship fighters will be young guns only going for the win, it’s always wild!
Kansas Speedway Track Specs:
1.5 Mile Tri-Oval
Banking-17-20 Degrees in Corners, 9-11 Degrees in Tri-Oval and Back Straight 5 degrees
PRIMARY SPONSOR: DK-LOK Fittings & Valves dklokusa.com
ASSOCIATE SPONSORS: G-Force, Nudraulix, REALTOR, Rettigs Auto Body, APS Automotive Painters Supply, Dueitt’s Battery Supply, Airgas, MAECO Fabrication, John Thompson & Associates, Judy’s Place, Greer’s Food Market, AQUASALT, Wade Distributing, Campbell, Duke & Campbell, Omni Fitness, Golden Flake, Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, Praytor Realty
DK-LOK USA: Founded in 1986, DK-LOK Fittings and Valves supply industrial applications from analytical and process instrumentation, gas, power generation, petrochemical processing, ship building to semiconductor manufacturing. DK-LOK tube fittings, instrument pipe & weld fittings, and valves are manufactured to stringent industry standards. With the use of only the highest grade raw material and 1/1000″ tolerance control on each and every part, DK-LOK assures a leak-tight seal in all process, power, and instrumentation applications. DK-LOK USA is a Mobile, Alabama based firm operating nationally and internationally.
THOMAS “MOOSE” PRAYTOR: Praytor, the current Ironman of the Series made his 100th ARCA start at Road America in 2017 in a string that went all the way back to his first ARCA start in the inaugural ARCA-Mobile 200 at Mobile International Speedway in 2012. In his first season he saw action with Andy Belmont Racing and Venturini Motorsports. Mobile, Alabama’s Max Force Racing teamed with Hixson Motorsports in 2013 & 2014, the pairing finished 9th and 7th in the ARCA Series Championship standings respectively. In 2015 Praytor and his family owned Max Force Racing team struck out on their own from Mobile, Alabama earning another top 10 in the Championship standings coming in 8th. 2016 was a break out season for the Moose garnering his first top 5 finish in the Championship Standings. ARCA awarded Praytor the H.G. Adcox Sportsmanship Award in 2013.
Away from the track Praytor was one of AJ McCarron’s centers through grade school and high school winning a state title in 2007. For the last 5 years the duo have teamed up with a specially prepared McCarron replica racing helmet that Praytor wears then donates to the Alabama Institute of Deaf & Blind for their annual Race Fever auction. During the week Thomas becomes Professor Praytor teaching and testing CDL students at Bishop State College. For more on the Moose- www.thomaspraytor.com.