MESA, Ariz. (Dec. 12, 2019) – Upon completion of the final Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series event of the season, Daely Pentico and the Daely Pentico Racing (DPR) team immediately began to create a game plan for the 2020 season that will push them to move up the Pro 2 rankings.
While finishing higher in the standings and winning a championship is the DPR team’s ultimate goal, beginning the 2019 season with a fourth-place effort at California’s Glen Helen Raceway and finishing the year with an improved points finish from 2018 are signs that the team is headed in the right direction.
“I’d be lying to you if I said I’m completely satisfied with our results this year, but I know that this takes times and there is a learning curve involved,” said Pentico. “My desire to be successful and win will always drive me to push for more, but we must pay our dues, learn, and keep striving to be competitive and be the best team out there.”
Pentico’s day at the ninth and final race of the season at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park in Phoenix ended after only four laps, but any possible disappointment created by the early exit quickly diminished after realizing that the team had completed a successful season. Additionally, during the month of October the DPR crew teamed up with Radar Tires and Mr. Rooter Plumbing in Phoenix on a Breast Cancer Awareness-themed truck. The partnership was part of an effort that helped raise $1 million to fight breast cancer.
“I was thrilled to be able to use our Humblecock truck to help raise Breast Cancer Awareness along with Radar Tires and Mr. Rooter Plumbing,” said Pentico. “I’m always happy to assist whenever possible for such a worthy cause.”
The 2020 Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series will feature 11 rounds of racing for the season championship, and the DPR crew is hard at work preparing for an assault on the competition. The team is currently talking with potential partners to build a 2020 schedule, and it will announce its season plans early next year.
“I want to thank sponsors Humblecock, Radar Tires, Roush Competition Engines, Amsoil, Real Time Reviews, Fuel Rocket Websites, and Dynamic Motorsports for their support in 2019,” said Pentico. “None of this would have been possible without them, and we’ll continue to work hard to win and deliver for them.
“We are currently talking to new potential partners that will help us continue our ascend up the standings in 2020, and we invite any company who’d like to be a part of our growing team to contact us immediately,” said Pentico, who will attend this week's PRI Show in Indianapolis to meet with program partners and potential sponsors.. “I’m motivated by our strong efforts at the start of the 2019 season. I know our team is capable of competing for a championship, and we’re working hard to make 2020 a memorable season.”
To schedule a meeting or media interview with Pentico during the PRI Show, please contact Lhea Alisha at autonerdmedia@gmail.com.
Good Thursday Morning! It's my version of a Friday as I will be off tomorrow traveling to Indianapolis, Indiana to see sites at the PRI Show! So, you will have to wait for my return on Monday! In the meantime, here's a story worth an extra day to enjoy! I had a chance to sit down and review this project with our Ron Sharp. Here's the scoop:
The Roush Competition Engine's Group (led by Ron Sharp and supported by many others within the Roush - North Business), were given the chance to provide engine services to Pentico Racing. Based in the state of Arizona, this Family Racing Operation is moving up the ranks in OffRoad Racing with an impressive trophy collection. Father Dan and Son/Driver Daely Pentico spent some time in the Pro-Buggy Class before moving up recently to the Lucas MidWest Spec Pro-2 Truck Series. They selected "Roush" (aka Roush - North, the Competition Engine Group) to power thier Ford truck-based Pro-2 vehicle late last year to get themselves in a position to make a good full-season 2018 run. The high-level summary of the engine would be: SmallBlock Ford V8, 9.2" Deck, 410 cid, Daily Dry Sump Oiling System, Good-Guy Steel Crank and ConRods, Custom Aluminum GibTec Pistons, Brodix Spec Cylinder Heads, Jesel Mechanical Valvetrain Components, Roush-North HyVo Timing Chain (as described to me what a HyVo Timing Chain Set is would be, originally developed by the Roush-North Engineers for Jack's NASCAR Program back in the 1990's, extremely strong and very very low friction, it simply is the better solution to do this job. I guess I'll have to inquire about this later on if you are interested?). Back to the engine, there is a set of custom Roush billet aluminum valve covers with integrated spray-bar valvespring oiling, Edelbrock SuperVictor Intake manifold reworkd by the Roush-North Crew, Braswell 4bbl Carbureteor sits on top, Spark & Fuel calibrated by Roush, and a custom Roush FEAD (Front End Accessory Drive) is found turning all of the belts up front. So Says Ron Sharp, it easily passed 700+hp. When pressed how much past 700 hp it was, Ron politely declined and smiled... I tried! Anyway, the past year was the first full season for Daely Pentico in the Pro-2 Series and this young talent all of 18± years old showed just how much potential he has and his team has as they placed 5th in the championship this past year and took home 2018 Rookie of the Year Honors! Well Done! Sponsored by Humblcock Clothing and Mr Rooter, this team is gearing up for another run in 2019 and the Roush Competition Engine's Group is ready to support! They are also thankful for the opportunity to be a part of this team's growth and success and wanted to say THANK YOU TEAM PENTICO!!! Bring On 2019!
Pentico Racing is excited to announce its new partnership with AMSOIL. After running the product in their race vehicles for many years, it was destined for the two to pair up. DPR is looking forward to this opportunity for the 2019 race season and the ones after that!
Team DPR has set up to be a dealer with AMSOIL to sell products to other teams on a racer discount. “Short course racing has been in our schedule since 2007. It is great to finally be partnered with a quality company like AMSOIL”. Says Dan Pentico.
For more information about the 2019 race season for DPR, please visit our website or social media outlets.
Crandon, Wisconsin - After a longer-than-usual offseason thanks to changes in the sanctioning body for Midwest short course racing, Daely Pentico returned to racing at Crandon International Off-Road Raceway for the 25th Annual Forest County Potawatomi Brush Run races on June 16th & 17th. After a cross-country journey from Arizona to the scenic northwoods of Wisconsin, the recently-graduated racing phenom arrived eager for seat time in his Roush Competition Engines-powered PRO 2wd truck.
Unfortunately, Mother Nature once again left her mark on the Spring Crandon race, as heavy rains through Friday forced the cancellation of all practices and qualifying. Rain continued into Saturday morning, causing a delay to opening ceremonies. Racing was finally able to begin and several sportsman classes did vintage battle on the extremely muddy track. Go time drew near for Pentico and he loaded his new helmet with extra tear-offs and began to prepare for staging for the day's race.
But just before the PRO 2 race was slated to begin, the skies opened up once again and another round of heavy rain proved to be the death knell for Round 1 racing. Pentico and his competitors would have to wait until Sunday for their first bout of 2018.
Fortunately, the sun made a rare appearance in the midday on Sunday and began to dry out the hallowed dirt at Crandon raceway. Due to the Community Cup Challenge in the afternoon, the PRO 2 race was slated in the early part of the schedule. Because all practice and qualifying had to be cancelled, a random draw determined starting order for Sunday's race. As luck (or, lack thereof) would have it, Pentico drew the last place starting position out of the stacked 15-truck field.
Despite his disadvantage off the starting line, The Rookie came out of Turn One running midpack. He stayed out of trouble off the start and was 6th across the line on lap one.
I got a good jump on the guy next to me,” Pentico recalls. “So I just tucked in on the line that I knew, because the outside was way too muddy. Everybody on the inside had dry dirt, so they all faded in, and then I got snowplowed with dirt roosting me. I could not see all the way to the barn turn! I tried to hold my line, but I could not see… tear-off after tear-off after tear-off!
After a caution, Pentico moved up to 5th place before losing traction and going for a spin in the treacherously slick Calamity Corner before the finish line. The incident dropped Pentico to 9th place, but the race was far from over.
Pentico battled hard with class veteran Kevin Hanegraaf for several laps, swapping positions several times. In the melee, Roush teammate Keegan Kincaid passed them both in a masterful move. Pentico had to settle for 9th place at the halfway mandatory caution.
Gaining confidence and experience in the truck, Pentico turned it up in the second half of the race. The stacked PRO 2 field experienced heavy contact throughout the restart, but Pentico kept his HumbleCock Clothing Company-backed PRO 2 pointed straight and on all four of his Radar Tires. He picked of class veterans one by one, systematically getting by Keegan Kincaid, Eric Ruppel, and Mitch Dorr. He settled into 4th place and ran clean and strong through the finish, narrowly missing the podium in his first seat time of 2018.
Though it was only his second time on the Crandon track, an interesting course adjustment gave Pentico an advantage over his competitors. Due to track conditions and the tightened schedule, the PRO 2's ran an abbreviated track that even some of the most accomplished drivers in the class had never experienced.
Everyone was saying, it's never happened with the PRO trucks!” remarked Pentico. “But every class I've been in out here I've raced the short track… so I'm used to it. I knew where the line was coming out of that last turn that they usually don't take.
Pentico also participated in the weekend finale, a PRO 2 vs PRO 4 shootout known as the Forest County Potawatomi Community Cup Challenge. He took off with a head-start that the PRO 2s received and once again came through Turn One mid-pack. Unfortunately an incident in the barn turn set him back early:
I tried to get on the inside, and I spun out. But I kept the momentum going - immediately threw it into reverse, as soon as it was uphill, so it would come down and not get stuck!
Pentico spent much of the race gaining positions through the heavy PRO 2 traffic. But then things got a little hairy.
The PRO 4s came up and they didn't want anything to do with us,” laughed Pentico. “I got hit in the back and apparently broke the rear housing.
Pentico came into the back loop of the track at 90mph and hit the brake pedal to prepare for the turn, but it hit the floor!
Going through Turn One, tapped out… then jump… jump… knowing that I didn't have brakes, was so sketchy! [My spotter] was like, ‘Use the cushion for brakes! Use the cushion for brakes!
Despite the mechanical challenges, Pentico finished the race in seventh overall, and 4th among the PRO 2s, for his second top-5 finish of the weekend. Though the weather quashed much of the scheduled track time and kept everyone guessing, the weekend was a very positive experience for the DPR racing team.
We're pumped to be teamed up and hanging out under Kincaid's pit; that's a big deal for us. Overall, being in a PRO pit with all the people around it, and all the knowledge from Keegan and Jeff [Kincaid]... not used to all that attention!
The Rookie's first full season in PRO 2 continues on July 13-14 at ERX Motor Park in Elk River, Minnesota. Pentico will look to build on their Round 1 success and get on the podium for the first time in 2018! Follow along as the action unfolds and stay tuned for more updates.
Daely Pentico Racing would like to thank their 2018 partners: HumbleCock Clothing Company, Radar Tires, Roush Competition Engines, Ultra Wheels, Xcess Industries, 2X Motorsports, Real Time Reviews, Kincaid Motorsports, & Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Phoenix, AZ.
Elk River, Minnesota - After a strong Crandon debut cut short by inclement weather, Daely Pentico and the Humblecock Clothing sponsored DPR team headed to Elk River, Minnesota to do battle at the Midwest Short Course League's shortest but most punishing track: ERX Motor Park. The three-year-old world-class one-mile short course track features a split lane, sandy traps throughout, and so many jumps you could swear you spend more time in the air than on the dirt. These features combined with major elevation changes has drivers battling the course just as much as the other drivers, and fuel pressure struggles proved to be a recurring theme for PRO 2 competitors throughout the weekend.
Once again, Mother Nature threatened the schedule for Rounds 3 and 4, as several bouts of rain forced the cancellation of Thursday's badly-needed practice round. Fortunately, Friday morning's storms ducked south of Elk River and conditions were hot and sunny for the rest of the event, allowing the rest of the event to proceed as scheduled.
On Friday morning, Pentico qualified 6 th fastest out of a stacked 12-truck field in his first time on the track in a PRO 2. A favorable inversion draw had The Rookie starting on the pole in his #36 Humblecock PRO 2, alongside the #9 of Chad Hord. Taking advantage of his inside position, Pentico powered his Roush Competition Engine to the inside of turn one and seized the holeshot. But it was unfortunately a short-lived lead, as Pentico caught the dirt entering Turn 2 and rolled the truck all the way over!
I had clean air, all I had to do was run with it!” Pentico recalled. “I came into Turn 2, and then I just dropped into all the loamy dirt. There were a bunch of ruts because we didn't blow any if it out yet. So I just grabbed it, and it started to roll. Upside down in midair I threw it back in to 2 nd gear, hoping it would come down on all fours. When it did and I felt it come past the balance point, I hammered it!
Daely spectacularly completed a full rotation smooth enough to keep his truck intact. He ended up facing forward right on the back bumper of his teammate, Keegan Kincaid.
I went through the dust cloud, and I saw ‘Traxxas.' I was like, 'Sweet, right behind Keegan, we're good to go!'” Pentico said.
Pentico came out of the incident in 5 th place and settled into the race, chasing the leaders for multiple laps. Round 1 winner Mike Vanden Heuvel had an incident and fell back, and a multi-lap battle ensued between him and Pentico. Eventually Vanden Heuvel got by and Pentico remained in 5 th at the Competition Caution.
Shortly after the restart, Kincaid pulled off with fuel issues and Pentico moved up to 4 th place. He ran strong and gave Chad Hord a run for 3 rd place, but had to settle for one spot off the podium.
I started having fuel issues [towards the end of the race,]” Pentico said. “We were sitting waiting forever in staging before the race because of so many yellow flags in the UTV race. I almost ran out of fuel – if I had run one more lap I would have run out.
With some track time under his belt, Pentico posted the second-fastest time of Saturday morning's qualifying. After the inversion he started on the second row for the main event. Right off the start he tucked ahead of Kincaid and roosted Chad Hord on his way by, settling into 2 nd place in the first turn. He caught up to the leader Mike Vanden Heuvel and was pushing for the lead when a caution brought the race to a pause.
Shortly after the restart, Pentico once again hooked a rut and found himself up and over on the “k-turn” before the finish line. A caution flag was waved and safety crews got Pentico back on all fours. He was able to race on, and he caught up to the field for another restart.
They were like, ‘dude, you need to keep it on all fours today!' And I was like… ‘no promises!'” Pentico joked later. “They said, ‘we're going to use one body for the whole season' and I said ‘that's not gonna happen.' Seems like I have to get one flip at every track. I don't know why, that's just how it's always been. I got crazy side-bite, my Radar Tires were hooking up, so I can't blame them!
Pentico found himself at the back of the pack but didn't lose determination. Over the next few laps he took advantage of mistakes and systematically made his way around his competitors. With three laps to go, another caution brought the pack back together and gave Daely, who was running 5 th at the time, the chance to make a late push for the podium.
Pentico was shuffled into the roost on the restart, but quickly regained ground and made a double pass in the “Talladega Turn” to move up to 4 th . He passed Mark Peterson to move into 3 rd , but then Keegan Kincaid crashed hard off the blind jump in front of the crowd. Pentico had to react quickly to avoid hitting Kincaid and making a bad situation much worse.
I'm bummed about Keegan, my teammate, that was a gnarly crash,” Pentico said. “I just hear ‘yellow, yellow, yellow' while I'm in the air – and I was like “Where's this yellow?” I nose-dived down and I saw him flipping – I was like “oh no!” Had to drift out of the way – it was crazy.
The field was reset to the last completed lap, so Pentico was up to 3 rd but back behind Peterson. With one lap to go, Pentico ran out of time to make passes but scored his first podium of the season in come-from-behind fashion.
I'm really stoked to be up here; I haven't been up here since last year in the super buggy,” Pentico celebrated on the podium. “I got a win and a second then, so I'm pretty pumped to come home with hardware this season. I powered through all the way from the back to the front and had good battles with everyone, these guys are the best in the business.
I don't know what didn't happen in this race: carnage everywhere, dust, dirt, I was short-shifting… it was erratic. I was having so much fun!
Despite the calamity so far this season, Pentico has strung together three consistent finishes. Consistency wins championships, and Pentico's early season success has him sitting 2 nd in the PRO 2 championship points! He'll look to improve his position when the Midwest Short Course League heads to the U.P. for Rounds 5&6 at Bark River International Raceway on August 10-12.
"The Rookie" will look to keep his momentum rolling on August 10-12 at Bark River International Raceway in Upper Michigan. Can Pentico get his first win of the season and seize control of the PRO 2 championship race? Follow along as the action unfolds and stay tuned for more updates.
Daely Pentico Racing would like to thank their 2018 partners: HumbleCock Clothing Company, Radar Tires, Roush Competition Engines, Ultra Wheels, Xcess Industries, 2X Motorsports, Real Time Reviews, Kincaid Motorsports, & Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Phoenix, AZ.
Bark River, Michigan - After a strong Crandon debut cut short by inclement weather, Daely Pentico and the Humblecock Clothing sponsored DPR team headed to Elk River, Minnesota to do battle at the Midwest Short Course League's shortest but most punishing track: ERX Motor Park. The three-year-old world-class one-mile short course track features a split lane, sandy traps throughout, and so many jumps you could swear you spend more time in the air than on the dirt. These features combined with major elevation changes has drivers battling the course just as much as the other drivers, and fuel pressure struggles proved to be a recurring theme for PRO 2 competitors throughout the weekend.
As has become the norm in 2018, rain cancelled practice for the PRO 2 field on Friday night, and so Daely would have to jump right into qualifying. Despite his inexperience, he logged the 5th fastest lap time in the ultra-brief two-lap session against the highly-experienced field of 12 competitors. A 4-truck inversion meant Pentico would start on the inside of row three.
The green flag flew and Pentico got through the bark River horseshoe (which is treacherous with Lap One traffic) and settled into 5th. Andrew Carlson had the lead but got squirrely on lap one, bottling up traffic behind him. Pentico slung his truck up and around the banking in an effort to keep up with and pass his teammate, Keegan Kincaid.
The top 5 separated themselves from the pack, and Pentico followed the experienced drivers, stayed out of trouble, and learned how to navigate the course in his PRO 2. A couple laps in, top qualifier and series points leader Chad Hord lost power steering and Pentico moved up to the 4th position. He stayed in 4th through to the competition caution.
Unfortunately Keegan Kincaid had a tire going down at the halfway point, and so he ducked in to the hot pits for a change. Pentico inherited 3rd place and set his eyes on Andrew Carlson in second.
It didn't take long for Pentico to continue his march for toward the front. Carlson over-rotated exiting the left-hand turn after the whoops section, and Pentico was right there to power into second. Meanwhile Kincaid, who was back with a new tire, had come all the way up from last to third on the restart lap!
My spotter was like, 'Dude, this is a man possessed. He's coming hard,'" Pentico said of Kincaid after the race. "'Just run your race, run your lines, he's got to go around you. He's not going to take you out.
Pentico ran strong and held off his mentor and teammate for several laps. He ran cool and collected, holding the primary line, and forcing Kincaid to try a plethora of unconventional lines in an effort to pass. They never touched once, and with just one lap to go Kincaid finally edged out Pentico exiting a left turn. Pentico had to settle for third, but was excited to score his second straight podium.
Last year I raced super buggy here, and had the second-fastest PRO 2 time in my buggy. So we were just banking off that since we didn't get any practice," Pentico said on the podium. "I want to inch my way up to the front, but I'm still learning - a lot of these guys have a lot of laps on this track. I'm stoked to be up here!
In Sunday morning's qualifying session, Pentico showed how much he could improve with just one day of experience on a track. His lap time improved a full four seconds, good enough for 4th. A favorable inversion had him starting in the pole position for Sunday's main event!
Unfortunately Sunday's run was not as smooth as Saturday's. Chad Hord had the favorable line through the horseshoe turn off the start, and Daely got shuffled to second. Kincaid and Pentico were running side-by-side and they ran out of space in the second turn, making contact and sliding into the outside banking together. Fortunately, they both held on to their spots and took off to chase down Hord.
Pentico held on to second over Kincaid for the first full lap. Then, going downhill into the back section of the course, Kincaid looked to pass Pentico on the inside of the turn, and when Pentico straightened out his truck, they made contact and Keegan nearly went off course. The incident slowed both drivers down enough for Andrew Carlson to blast into the picture, and he slid in front of Pentico in the Cemetary Turn.
Though the contact with Kincaid was without malicious intent and looked to be a normal racing incident, race officials gave Pentico a Black Flag, and he ducked into the hot pits to serve a time-based penalty on lap four. When he emerged, he had dropped to seventh place and had his work cut out for him with heavy-hitters loading up the front.
Pentico passed Eric Ruppel quickly after the restart and moved up into sixth place. He wasn't done yet, and went to work on Midwest racing veteran Mitch Dorr. It was a fierce battle, but Pentico finally made it around and moved into 5th. Shortly after, Chad Hord got a flat tire, and Pentico on his tough Radar Tires powered into 4th place. The checkered flag flew, and Pentico finished the weekend with a cool 4th place to go along with his Saturday podium.
Daely Pentico and the Humblecock Clothing-backed #36 have moved all the way up to second in the championship points standings. With just 8 points separating Pentico and leader Mike Vanden Heuvel, anything could happen over the final three races. Will Pentico score his first PRO 2 win in 2018? Can he steal the championship in his rookie year? Stay tuned to find out!
"The Rookie" will look to become the first ever PRO 2 champion of the Midwest Short Course League when Crandon International Off-Road Raceway hosts the triple-header championship rounds on Labor Day Weekend: August 31st-September 2nd.
Daely Pentico Racing would like to thank their 2018 partners: HumbleCock Clothing Company, Radar Tires, Roush Competition Engines, Ultra Wheels, Xcess Industries, 2X Motorsports, Real Time Reviews, Kincaid Motorsports, & Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Phoenix, AZ.
Crandon, Wisconsin - When the 2018 Midwest Short Course League season started, Daely Pentico was on few people's radar as a championship contender in the ultra-competitive PRO 2 class. But by the time the series rolled into Crandon for finale, everyone knew his name. Thanks to an ultra-consistent result sheet of three podiums and three 4th place finishes, The Rookie came into the final 2 points races at Crandon just 8 points behind leader Mike Vanden Heuvel.
The long weekend kicked off with a special Crandon Tradition. Pentico got a police escort to downtown Crandon, where race vehicles lined the streets and set the route of the annual Labor Day Parade. Candy was thrown, music was played, and Crandon history and family was celebrated in the community's signature way.
After everyone had processed back to the track, Pentico geared up for Friday's race: a make-up points round from rained-out Round 1 action. The race was an ultra-short 8-lap shootout on the abbreviated track in front the of fans, so Daely had no time to waste if he wanted to finish up front.
Pentico got a great start, coming around the hallowed Crandon Turn One in third with hard chargers Chad Hord and Mike Vanden Heuvel in tow. Pentico had faster times than Andrew Carlson, who held the second spot, but couldn't make a pass stick on the tight track. Lap after lap, Pentico held off the highly-experienced drivers behind him, hanging tough and grabbing his third podium of the year. By finishing two spots ahead of Vanden Heuvel, he cut the championship points deficit down to four!
I had a good jump off the start and able to work my way up to third place quickly, and just run solid, smooth, consistent lines to bring it home," said Pentico. "The race was only 8 laps since it was a make up race from spring Crandon. I was pumped on my podium finish, it chipped off a few more points towards the championship!
Pentico qualified 5th fastest on Saturday out of a stacked 18-truck field. To win the points championship, he would have to beat Vanden Heuvel by three positions in Saturday's race. He got another good start, coming through Turn One in 5th. He tucked in behind Mike Vanden Heuvel and went to work, looking for an opportunity to pass.
I was really confident for Saturday. We lined up in-between Hord and Vanden Heuvel - both guys I for sure had to beat to win the championship. Got a decent start off the line but that meant it was gonna be 4 wide at 100+ mph into Turn One. We all banged doors a little bit then the dust cleared and I was in 5th behind the current points leader!
Unfortunately Daely's championship hopes would come to an end a few laps later, as a tire popped off the bead after a sideways landing in the barn turn. The tire shredded as Pentico made his way to the hot pits for a change, and caused further damage to the truck:
The tire snapped my brake line and loosened my shock reservoir," Pentico recalls. "I ended up pulling off and finishing the day with a DNF
Fortunately for the Humblecock Clothing-backed Daely Pentico Racing team, the weekend was not over. Crandon World Cup Sunday featured two more chances for Pentico to show his stuff, starting with a East vs West PRO 2 World Championship race. Pentico and the Midwest PRO 2's got a head start over their higher-horsepower West-Coast counterparts and tried to stay ahead of them for as long as possible.
Sunday was all about the money!" said Pentico. "I knew I had some heavy competition for it and the gloves were off but I still had a shot at the East vs West Pro2 World Championship. We didn't qualify since we were still getting the truck ready from Saturday, so I started last.
I worked my way up through the field over the first few laps, then the west coast guys showed up," said Pentico. "I ran some clean laps with CJ Greaves until he got by. Then Deegan came into the gravel pit low and I was running up on the cushion. Our paths started to merge coming out of the turn and his rear tire drove up my front tire and onto my hood, we separated and I kept forward. The next lap he caught back up and we split around a slower car and Deegan got the better line and finally got me. It was a fun race and pretty hectic racing some of the drivers I've looked up to forever! Brian and I laughed off the incident later at the autograph signing, so we were good.
Finally, it was time for the AMSOIL Cup: The weekend finale that pits the Midwest and West PRO 2s against the PRO 4's in a triple-staggered-start. Pentico took off with the Midwest PRO 2s and got a great start, falling in to the top 4. He passed Andrew Carlson in the opening laps to move up to 3rd. As the race went on, a few more of the higher-horsepower trucks made their way by. Pentico ran strong through the finish:
The AMSOIL Cup race was gnarly; my lap times were the fastest all weekend," said Pentico. "I tried to hang with all the boys in PRO 4 when they'd get around me; didn't think I'd be able to stay that close to them through the turns but we were all inches off of each other setting up the corners, it was rad! I learned from the best and had my highest ranking spot in PRO 2 Midwest lineup all year with a second behind Hord and 7th overall!
It was an up and down weekend at Crandon, but overall the season was a huge success for the DPR Racing Team. Pentico proved he could run with the best of them in PRO 2, and won yet another Rookie of the Year award in the process. The #36 PRO 2 will certainly be one to watch next season!
Really amazed at how this season went for us with so much to learn with no seat time at all going into the season," said Pentico. "I'm stoked to end up top 5 overall and to get my 6th Rookie of the Year award out of the 8 years I've been racing! Should be the last one in my career... unless I go to PRO 4!
Daely will head back West to compete in the LOORRS finale - the Lucas Oil Challenge Cup race at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park in Chandler, Arizona on October 20-21.
Daely Pentico Racing would like to thank their 2018 partners: HumbleCock Clothing Company, Radar Tires, Roush Competition Engines, Ultra Wheels, Xcess Industries, 2X Motorsports, Real Time Reviews, Kincaid Motorsports, & Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Phoenix, AZ.
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