After a brief six-week sabbatical ARCA Menards Series rookie Christian Rose returns to battle in ARCA Menards Series East competition at Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway for Friday afternoon’s General Tire 125.
Rose returns to the seat of the No. 42 West Virginia Tourism Toyota Camry for Cook Racing Technologies, the most recent winning team in ARCA Menards Series West competition last weekend at Kern County (Calif.) Speedway.
Ahead of his inaugural battle with Miles’ Monster Mile, Rose hopes to find himself in contention to deliver the Mooresville, N.C.-based team back-to-back victories.
“I have been readily preparing for Dover since our last race at Five Flags Speedway,” said Rose. “The Cook Racing Technologies Racing team heads to Dover with some great momentum and I’m excited to take the reins of their racecar and contend for the win in Friday afternoon’s race.”
Despite his inexperience with Dover, Rose has been trying to master the one-mile concrete oval on a simulator knowing that each lap turned will hopefully ease the learning curve when he attacks the famed-Delaware Speedway for the first time in a combined practice and qualifying session early Friday afternoon.
“I’ve been talking to everyone I can possibly think of to get the lay of the land of Dover,” added Rose. “I know it will probably be one of the demanding races of the year for me, but I’ve also been told it can be an absolute blast.
“It’s going to be a challenge, but I proudly accept the challenge and just look forward to the track time on Friday and hope that all the laps in the simulator will be beneficial. I’m ready to get to work.”
Before the Martinsburg, West Virginia native thought he could turn his love for racing into a career, he was playing college baseball across the street from Dover Motor Speedway at Delaware State University.
With many great memories at the Dover, Del.-based campus, Rose is ready to make new memories on the other side of the street.
“I look to Dover as a hometown race for me,” added Rose. “It’s relatively close to home and I have a lot of good memories at Delaware State University, playing baseball. Driving to the track this week, those recollections will certainly come back but I’m ready for this next chapter racing across the street and making new ones.”
Dover kicks off a special weekend for Rose. In addition to making his Monster Mile debut on Friday afternoon, next Tuesday, May 3rd – he will be inducted into the University of Maryland Eastern Shore Wall of Fame for his Division 1 baseball achievements.
This season, Rose who competes in the ARCA Menards Series and the ARCA Menards Series East will continue to strengthen a relationship with the West Virginia Department of Tourism.
The West Virginia Department of Tourism promotes West Virginia as a leading four-season travel destination and a top state to live, work and retire.
Known as the Mountain State, West Virginia is one of the most scenic states in the United States and home to thousands of acres of parks and public lands, including America’s newest national park and 45 state parks and forests.
In addition to its majestic mountains and rolling hills, West Virginia is full of rich historic sites, enchanting art galleries, charming towns and an immense sense of belonging found only in its heaven-like landscapes.
In West Virginia, let country roads lead you far away from everything. And a little closer to heaven.
“My relationship with the West Virginia Department of Tourism is everything to me,” added Rose.
“Without them, I would not be able to race at Dover. It is my goal throughout the year to spread the mission of everything the West Virginia Department of Tourism means.
“We have had a lot of speed with our West Virginia Department of Tourism race cars this year, just don’t quite have all the results to show for it. We will get there though. Our Cook Racing Technologies team is too good not to have our luck turn around and post the finishes we know that we are capable of.”
This weekend at Dover, Rose will also boost his partnership with the Freedom Fighter Outdoors (FFO). FFO’s mission is to raise awareness and seek public aid for needs, services and activities for injured veterans.
Their events facilitate injured veterans in assisting each other through teamwork-based outdoor recreational activities by providing unique, once-in-a-lifetime outdoor activities. FFO honors and empowers our nation’s injured service veterans.
At Dover, Rose and the team welcome FFO representative Mike Ansul and Travis Coffey, a veteran of the United States Marine Corps.
“I am very proud of my relationship with Freedom Fighter Outdoors and to host both Mike and Travis this weekend at Dover,” sounded Rose. “I feel it is our duty to give back to those who have sacrificed so much to allow me to not only race but enjoy the freedom that we have.
“My involvement with Freedom Fighter Outdoors will continue to strengthen as our race season marches on and I look forward to showcasing that soon.”
Bruce Cook, owner of Cook Racing Technologies and crew chief of both Rose’s entries this week is excited to have the 26-year-old Rose back in his corner for another year of learning, racing and chasing checkered flags.
“Without a doubt, Christian is going to impress people this season,” sounded Cook. “We were able to get a top-10 finish at Five Flags Speedway. Certainly, we had our own challenges to finish inside the top-10, but I am confident that our mechanical gremlins are behind us and Christian will be able to adapt to Dover quickly.
“Hopefully, we can have a smooth Friday and Christian can earn his fourth career top-10 ARCA finish.”
Following Dover, Rose and CRT plan to compete in the ARCA Menards Series East event at Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville on May 7th.
Christian Rose Racing PR
