Grant Quinlan set to roll in Bristol K&N Pro Series debut with Rette Jones Racing

Tim Disspain April 12, 2018

Set to make his first NASCAR K&N Pro Series East (NKNPSE) start of the season, Canadian Grant Quinlan (@GQuinlan28) hopes to deliver Rette Jones Racing (RJR) a strong performance in Saturday afternoon’s Zombie Auto 150 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway.
Quinlan will drive the No. 30 JRI Shocks | Superior Tool & Mold Ford Fusion, replacing Tyler Dippel who left the organization following the series season-opener at New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway in February.
Rette Jones Racing co-owner Mark Rette says the driver change will have little effect on their performance and Quinlan should contend for the team’s first K&N East victory.
“We’re excited to have Grant aboard for Bristol,” said Rette. “He is a fast, knowledgeable driver who understands the fundamentals of short track racing. Grant delivered our best finish in K&N competition with a second at Columbus Motor Speedway in 2015 and I believe he can pick it up one more notch and get us in Victory Lane Saturday afternoon.”
Although Quinlan, 19, has never competed at the “World’s Fastest Half-Mile” he is leaning on the experience of Rette and his RJR team to help quickly adapt and become a player in the series’ second race of the season.
“This is another great opportunity for me and I’m extremely thankful,” said Quinlan, a native of Maidstone, Ontario Canada. “I enjoy short track racing. It’s my roots and it’s where I’ve made a name for myself in the ARCA | CRA Series over the years.
“Bristol though is no picnic. It’s a very demanding short track, where handling and speed are critical to success. Rette Jones Racing has shown a lot of speed over the years on the short tracks and Bristol in particular, so I’m hoping that we can continue that path with our No. 30 JRI Shocks | Superior Tool & Mold Ford this weekend.”
Heading to “Thunder Valley,” Quinlan has six K&N Pro Series East starts to his credit with one top-five and two top-10 finishes to his resume, including an eighth-place finish in his most recent K&N race at New Jersey Motorsports Park last September.
Moving forward, Rette says his team plans to continue to operate full-time in the K&N Pro Series East – and hopes to offer drivers like Quinlan and others the opportunity to contend for wins in strong, proven equipment.
“Rette Jones Racing has always had a fast product,” he said. “I’m very proud of what my partner Terry Jones and I have built over the last several years. We’ve qualified well, led laps and produced numerous top-five and top-10 finishes.
“Even though we’re still looking for our first checkered flag in K&N competition, I’m confident that all the stars will align, and we’ll get our first win as an organization sooner rather than later.”
Rette heads to Bristol with confidence after his team participated in a Goodyear tire test at Gateway (Ill.) Motorsports Park earlier this week. The 2009 ARCA championship crew chief reunited with his championship driver Justin Lofton who tested the team’s No. 30 Ford Fusion in preparation for the Midwest Melee on Aug. 24.
“It was as if we never missed a beat,” Rette explained of working with Lofton. “We learned a lot during the test and Justin’s feedback allowed us to get even quicker during the two-day test. Hopefully, Justin we’ll be able to compete in the race – but that’s still uncertain. We’ll see.
“The car is going to be fast though and that’s all thanks to Justin and my guys.”
In addition to JRI Shocks and Superior Tool & Mold, Quinlan Excavating and Contracting, Huntilar Corp., Goodridge Fluid Transfer Systems, Ford Performance and Jones Group International will serve as associate marketing partners for Saturday’s 150-lap contest.
The Zombie Auto 150 (150 laps | 79.95 miles) is the second of 14 races on the 2018 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East schedule. Practice begins for the two-day show on Fri., Apr. 13 from 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Group qualifying is set for later in the day at 6:00 p.m. The race will take the green flag just after 4:00 p.m. on Sat., Apr. 14 following the NASCAR Xfinity Series Fitzgerald Glider Kits 300. The event will be televised on a tape-delayed basis on NBC Sports Network with an air date on Fri., Apr. 20 at 1:00 a.m. ET.
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Tim Disspain

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