Set to make his second NASCAR K&N Pro Series East (NKNPSE) start at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway this weekend, sports car veteran Max Tullman (@MaxTullman) is hoping for a thunderous performance in “Thunder Valley.” |
For Saturday afternoon’s Zombie Auto 150, Tullman, 20, will reunite with Jefferson-Pitts Racing (JPR) aboard the No. 27 Zoomi | Myota Ford Fusion where the duo hopes to capture their second consecutive top-10 performance in K&N East competition. Although Tullman, an ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards rookie has never been to the World’s Fastest Half-Mile, he is relying on his team and crew chief Doug Richert for guidance and support. “I’m very excited to be back in a K&N car this weekend at Bristol,” said Tullman. “To have the opportunity to race at Bristol – to reconnect with JPR while having the ongoing support of Zoomi and Myota, I hope that we’re able to make some great progress throughout the weekend and end the race with a strong finish.” With just one short practice session set for teams on Friday afternoon to adapt to Bristol’s 0.533-mile oval, Tullman says he’ll spend a lot of time with Richert – who guided seven-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion Dale Earnhardt Sr. to his first Cup victory at Bristol in 1979. |
“I couldn’t think of anyone to go to Bristol for the first time with other than Doug,” added Tullman. “He is so knowledgeable and has seen Bristol go through its changes over time and I think he can be an asset for me getting comfortable and getting our No. 27 Zoomi | Myota Ford handling well. “While I’ve never raced at Bristol, I’ve talked to a lot of my friends that have and I know that handling is just as crucial to speed and comfort. 150 laps go quick at Bristol, so I think once we get up to speed, we’ll shift our concentration to qualifying trim and then focus on race runs. “The closer we start at the front – the better chance we have of avoiding any chaos and can focus on bringing home JPR and our partners a strong result.” Bristol is just the latest stock car race added for Tullman who continues to carve a path towards competing in NASCAR’s top-three national series. Last month, Tullman and Mason Mitchell Motorsports announced an increased schedule after the duo delivered a solid outing in their ARCA debut in Feb. 10 race at Daytona International Speedway, where he qualified fourth, led 10 laps and finished sixth aboard the No. 78 Zoomi | Myota Chevrolet. In addition to the General Tire 200 at Talladega Superspeedway later this month, the IMSA Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge veteran will compete in a minimum of five other ARCA races at: Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway, Pocono (Pa.) Raceway (June), Michigan International Speedway, Chicagoland Speedway and Iowa Speedway respectively. Additional stock car races are set to be added to Tullman’s schedule and will be announced in the immediate future. 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. Max Tullman Inc. PR |