Midwesterner Sarah McCune to Race at Chicagoland
'This weekend is about turning heads and getting noticed'
JOLIET, Ill. - The Menards Infiniti Pro Series will host another bright,
capable and promising race car driver this weekend at Chicagoland
Speedway. Sarah McCune, a native of Perrysburg, Ohio, is the second
woman to join the MIPS ranks this season. She will wheel the #8 Trick My
Truck entry prepared by Sam Schmidt Motorsports on Sunday, Sept. 11, in
the Chicagoland 100.
McCune, who moved to Los Angeles, Calif., after being a cast member on the
2004 CMT "The Drive" TV Series, is a 26 year-old Indiana University
honors graduate with two Bachelor of Science degrees in Marketing and
Public Affairs. Her racing accomplishments are as strong as her academic
resume - McCune has titles, wins and numerous top-five and top-10
finishes in USAC, ARCA and NAMARS competition driving quarter midgets,
midgets and sprint cars.
In her racing career that began with quarter midgets when she was just 11
years old, McCune has earned a lot of respect. Racing around the
Midwest, she broke USAC track records formerly held by NASCAR greats such
as Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart. She is the only woman to set qualifying
records on dirt and pavement in USAC National midget events and, in 1991,
won a National Champion title. In 1997, she was the series runnerup in
the NAMARS Championship. These are just a few of the titles she's
earned along with her more than 50 race wins on dirt and paved tracks.
McCune's open-wheel credentials are very strong and she'll be looking
for big results in Sunday's race at Chicagoland.
Here are some thoughts from Schmidt and McCune heading into the
Chicagoland weekend:
SAM SCHMIDT, Owner, Sam Schmidt Motorsports:
"When I tested Sarah in 2003, I was very impressed with her smooth
driving style and maturity level. What made her performance even more
impressive was that she had never raced in an Infiniti Pro Series car
before. We're looking forward to good things this weekend."
SARAH McCUNE, #8 Trick My Truck, Sam Schmidt Motorsports Entry:
"I'm really excited to be able to race in the Menards Infiniti Pro
Series. It's a really good stepping stone to get into the IndyCar
Series. Sam's team has had a lot of success in the series, so I'm
looking forward to a good car and a great race.
"I've tested at Chicago, Kentucky and Texas, and I've proven that I
can test fast. This weekend, I want to back it up by proving that I can
race fast. I want to run full-time next year, and I need a sponsor to do
so. This weekend is about turning heads and getting noticed.
"Chicagoland is a really smooth race track, and it's got some banking.
I've always liked the tracks with more banking. I think it should be a
good weekend."
-ssm-
