For the third consecutive ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards race, newcomer Max Tullman (@MaxTullman) invades Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway eyeing his third consecutive top-10 finish in Thursday night’s General Tire 150.
With ARCA set to make their Charlotte return for the first time in nearly a decade and a half, sports car veteran Tullman brings new series marketing partner Rutgers with him.
For Charlotte, The State University of New Jersey, the Rutgers School of Business – Camden will be featured aboard Mason Mitchell Motorsports’ No. 78 Chevrolet.
The Rutgers School of Business – Camden is recognized as a regional leader in business education and a destination school of choice with national recognition for excellence in scholarship, teaching and community partnerships.
“I’m psyched about heading to Charlotte this week,” said Tullman who scored back-to-back top 10 finishes in his first two starts at Daytona and Talladega this year. “The opportunity to bring the Rutgers School of Business – Camden to stock car racing and in ARCA’s return to Charlotte is a huge opportunity for them and us.
“Rutgers is a fantastic university and being a nearby Pennsylvania native, I’m honored to have this chance to not only represent them – but encourage others to look at their award-winning classes, programs and activities.”
To help prepare for his first career 1.5-mile race in ARCA competition, Tullman joined the ARCA Racing Series during an open test on May 10. Tullman was joined by reigning ARCA Racing Series champion Austin Theriault who will serve as a driver coach for the Chester Springs, Pa. native in his third career ARCA start.
“The test was a huge asset for me and Mason Mitchell Motorsports,” Tullman added. “Charlotte Motor Speedway is completely different from any other track I have driven. It will certainly be a new experience and challenge.
“We learned a great deal at the test. From my comfort level on track, to the handling of our race car. I believe we have a good starting point for this week and I think you’ll see that we’ll only get stronger during the event.”
“The opportunity to work with Austin Theriault is really beneficial for me. He’s a great racer who is very knowledgeable and a thoughtful communicator, helping me advance my skills. He has a lot of experience on many different ARCA race tracks. Even though the series hasn’t raced at Charlotte for years, he was still able to help me with the preferred groove and what to expect when it comes to car handling.”
“With his guidance and the support of my crew chief Doug Richert, I think we can put our No. 78 Rutgers Chevrolet inside the top-10 again.”
Veteran Motorsports crew chief Richert, who led Dale Earnhardt Sr. to his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) championship in 1980 will continue to call the shots for Tullman in the 100-lap event.
“Doug and I have a great relationship, which I am very lucky and thankful for.” added Tullman. “He’s super sharp and really devoted on working to make me a better race car driver. I can’t ask for more than that. He understands the learning curve I’m going through, and his patience is second to none. At the end of the day, Doug’s approach is going to take us from contenders to winners.”
Charlotte jumpstarts a three-race stretch for Tullman. From Charlotte, the 20-year-old will tackle the 2.5-mile triangle of Pocono Raceway then the superfast 2.0-mile oval of Michigan International Superspeedway.
“It’s going to be a busy three-week stretch, but I’m amped up for it. Before we can focus on Pocono and Michigan, we must get through Charlotte. It’s going to be a tough race, but I’m confident in the ability of Doug and our Mason Mitchell Motorsports team.
“Charlotte is going to be a lot of fun and I’m excited to have Rutgers aboard!”
In addition to the General Tire 150, the IMSA Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge veteran will compete in a minimum of four other ARCA races at: Pocono (Pa.) Raceway (June), Michigan International Speedway, Chicagoland Speedway and Iowa Speedway respectively.
Announced last month ago, Tullman will also compete at Talladega in the fall driving the No. 20 Chevrolet in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series for Young’s Motorsports.
Additional stock car races are set to be added to Tullman’s schedule and will be announced in the immediate future.
Tullman will be a teammate to Quin Houff who returns to MMM for the second time this season in the No. 98 Chevrolet.
Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series spotter Tyler Green will continue to guide in Thursday night’s highly anticipated thriller.
The General Tire 150 (100 laps | 150 miles) is the sixth of 20 races on the 2018 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards schedule. Practice begins Thurs., May 24 with a two-hour practice session from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Timed qualifying is set for later in the day at 5:00 p.m. The race is set to take the green flag later in the day shortly after 9:00 p.m. The event will be televised live on FOX Sports 1 (FS1), while ARCARacing.com will stream live timing and scoring throughout the entire weekend festivities. All times are local (Eastern).
Max Tullman Inc. PR
