Perry, Michigan (Thursday, August 11th, 2011): As Sammy Epling looks to make up for a lost month of racing, the consistent finishes continue to pile up for the Perry, Michigan driver. After sweeping the weekend of July 29-30th with his first two feature wins of the 2011 racing season, Epling was able to pile up two more solid finishes against two strong fields of cars.
The S.J.E. Motorsports Team returned to Mt. Pleasant Speedway in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan on August 5th to take on the traveling invaders of the Sunoco American Late Model Series. Going into this event and despite missing the last five Sunoco ALMS events, Epling came into the show 14th in the Sunoco ALMS Points Standings just 43 points out of the coveted top 10 and still in line for a nice paycheck at the end of the season courtesy of the 2011 Sunoco ALMS points fund.
An eighth place finish at the end of the night put Epling back into the coveted top 10 in the series points standings as he now sits 10th. "We should've been a lot better in the Feature than we were," The 41-year-old driver explained. Earlier in the night, he won the Heat Race and started the 40-lap main from the outside of the second row after the redraw. "We just missed the set-up and I couldn't get any kind of rhythm going at all. But it's still a top 10 finish, so we'll reluctantly take it. I know we're better than that though." He added.
Then the next night on August 6th, a short 45-minute venture west to I-96 Speedway in Lake Odessa, Michigan was in store for the team during the Relay for Life Celebration at the Races. After starting sixth in the Feature, Epling maneuvered his way up to as high as third and that's where he would stay in finishing in the last podium position.
"The car was a lot better than the night before, but still not quite up to what we expected. Especially at I-96! I think I kind of let one get away from us," Epling continued. Earlier in the race while battling for second, he dropped his right rear of the top of turn four and slid up high and falling back to fifth. He recovered to finish third. "It's a good finish, but we just expect better at our home track." He ended.
This Friday, August 12th, Epling and the team will return to Mt. Pleasant and then the next day on Saturday, August 13th, the team will head over to the Westside of the state of Michigan and to the 1/3 (0.333) mile high-banked dirt oval of Thunderbird Raceway in Muskegon, Michigan.
The following weekend is the World of Outlaw Late Models Series Michigan doubleheader weekend on a pair of 3/8s (0.375) mile semi-banked paved ovals beginning on Friday, August 19th at Winston Motor Speedway in Rothbury, Michigan and then on Saturday, August 20th at Merritt Raceway in Lake City, Michigan.
Then on Sunday, August 21st, Epling and crew will make it three races in three nights by participating in the inaugural Michigan Dirt Cup UMP Late Models event back at Mt. Pleasant. This event is part of the tracks' Extreme 100 special; Two 50-lap features with one for the UMP Late Models and the other for the UMP Modifieds.
As the 2011 racing season continues on, Epling's popular red #28 Mastersbilt from Mars UMP Late Model with a Pontiac GTO nose has sponsorship decals adorning it from his own business; S.J.E. Trucking as well as Shift Shop Transmissions, Fusion Graphics & Sign Company, Hedrick Precision Engines, NashCar Trailers, Huffy's Marathon of Perry, M.P.H. Promotions, SammyEpling.com, and S.J.E. Motorsports.
For more information about Sammy Epling and the entire S.J.E. Motorsports Team and to inquire about additional sponsorship opportunities for the 2011 racing season, log onto the teams' website at: www.sammyepling.com You can also follow the remainder of the 2011 season with Epling by becoming a fan on his Facebook Fan Page. Just go to: www.facebook.com and search "Sammy Epling / S.J.E. Motorsports" then click on "Like" today.
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