Keeping up with Colin Thirbly



Collin Thirlby In Search Of UMP DIRTcar Racing Series National Modifieds Championship In 2013
Aggressive 2013 Schedule Already in progress

Traverse City, Michigan (Wednesday, May 22, 2013): There's only one goal that 23-year-old Collin Thirlby has in mind when it comes to his aggressive 2013 schedule; That is the United Midwestern Promoters (UMP) DIRTcar Racing Series Modifieds National Championship. Since February when the Traverse City, Michigan driver began the current season in Florida during Speedweeks, it's been wide open ever since for him and his Thirlby Automotive Racing Team.

So far in 2013 in 19 events, Thirlby has scored three Feature Wins with the biggest coming at Peoria Speedway in Peoria Illinois back on April 14th for a $2,000 payday. His other two Feature victories have occurred at Montpelier Motor Speedway in Montpelier, Indiana on April 5th and at Quad City Speedway in East Moline, Illinois on May 12th, which is his most recent triumph. Up until recently, Thirlby has been showing the way on top of the UMP DIRTcar Racing Series National Modifieds Points Standings, but was passed by 2012 National Champion, Devin Gilpin after this past weekend.

"I'm pretty happy with how we've started the season so far. We started off in Florida with a brand new Diamond Race Car and ran pretty well with it. We made all the shows down there and came away with some knowledge that has helped us thus far. " Thirlby stated as he prepares for a four race weekend over the Memorial Day Holiday. "My expectations for the year are to finish in the top 10 in national points and get double digits in the win column." He added.

For the Memorial Day Holiday Weekend, Thirlby will be in action for four straight nights starting at M. Pleasant Speedway in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan on Friday, May 24th. From there it's on to Butler Motor Speedway in Quincy, Michigan on Saturday, May 25th while the third race of the weekend will be at the famed Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio on Sunday, May 26th. The fourth and final race of the weekend on Memorial Day Monday, May 27th is tentatively planned for either Lawrenceburg Speedway in Lawrenceburg, Indiana or Macon Speedway in Macon, Illinois.

The weekend of May 16-18th wasn't what Thirlby was hoping for as he explained; " I was passing for fourth at Charleston Speedway (Charleston, Illinois) on Thursday and a radiator mount broke and the radiator ended up going into the fan." Thirlby explained. Then on Saturday at Fairbury American Legion Speedway (Fairbury, Illinois) I was passing for the lead in the heat race when I clipped an infield tire and broke the bumper off and put a hole in the oil pan. We're definitely looking for some better luck this holiday weekend."

Thirlby started his racing career just three years go in 2011 when we began driving for Donnie Roberts of Homestead Motorsports. He was impressive right from the get-go by Winning the Rookie of the Year titles in the Michigan Dirt Cup (MDC) Modifieds Tour as well as at Mt. Pleasant Speedway.

In 2012, he ran an impressive 76 nights at 32 different race tracks while concentrating on points only within the MDC Mods Tour where he scored One Win at Butler Motor Speedway and finished fifth in points. He also grabbed three more Feature Wins with one more coming at Butler while the other two occurred at I-96 Speedway in Lake Odessa, Michigan. Overall he finished 32nd in the UMP DIRTcar Racing Series National Modifieds Points Standings

"I really need to thank Ryan and Heather Thomas at Diamond Race Cars. They have been a huge help to my racing operation both on and off the race track." Thirlby continued. "If it wasn't for those two, we wouldn't be doing near as good as we are at this point. Ryan went to Florida with us and was my crew guy almost the whole time we were down there. I don't know too many chassis builders that would do that." He ended.

For the remainder of the 2013 racing season, Thirlby’s familiar black #47 UMP Modified will carry sponsorship decals from: Thirlby Automotive as well as Homestead Motorsports, Corrigan Race Fuel, The Turn 3 Gang, Diamond Race Cars, Dargie Racing Engines, Malcuit Race Engines FK Rod Ends and M.P.H. Promotions.

Collin Thirlby T-Shirts are available for purchase at every track Thirlby will race at throughout the 2013 tour. To learn more about Collin Thirlby and the Thirlby Automotive  Racing Team and to find out about sponsorship opportunities for the remainder of the 2013 racing season, check out the Collin Thirlby Facebook Fan Page at: www.facebook.com/fansofcollinthirlby You can also go to the Thirlby Automotive website as well located at: www.thirlbyautomotive.com