Sam Reakes Gets Strong Third Place Finish at Utica Rome Speedway; Will Return to Action August 10th and 11th at Albany-Saratoga and Canandaigua

Although Sammy Reakes and the rest of the Empire Super Sprints don’t have a home track, Utica Rome Speedway is the closest thing to it, as they are on the schedule four times throughout the 2012 season.  Reakes has been fast on two prior visits to the track this season, but has struggled to get the results they had deserved. Sammy was looking forward to getting back to the track for a third time this season, and hoping for better results.

On Wednesday night at Utica Rome Speedway, Reakes finished third in his qualifying heat, making the redraw for the A-Main.  Sam would start on the outside of the front row for the 25 lap event, but fell to fourth at the start of the race.  He fought back though, and by lap five he was back up to third.  He maintained that position throughout the rest of the caution free event.

“It is awesome to get a good finish here at Utica Rome tonight.  We haven’t had much luck here all season”, says Reakes after the race.  “We probably could have had a couple top ten finishes here earlier this year, but we had some late race problems that hindered us in the past”.

Sammy will have a couple weeks off before his next scheduled event as the Empire Super Sprints return to action at Albany-Saratoga Speedway in Malta, New York on Friday, August 10^th.  The following day, they make the long drive up I-90 to Canandaigua Motorsports Park on Saturday, August 11^th.

Sam Reakes would like to thank all of his sponsors for their support during a very exciting rookie season with the Empire Super Sprints.  These sponsors include Whittaker’s Cars and Trux, Around Town Plumbing and Heating, Town Mechanical, Alpine Stars, All Phase Construction, Advanced Hearing Aid Centers, Billings Automotive and Mike Woodring Racing.

For more information on Sam Reakes, including updated race schedule, photos, results and sponsor information, please visit our website, www.samreakes.com.

Sam Reakes Continues Can Am Success With Second Place Finish; 12th Place Finish in First Career Empire Super Sprint Start at Mohawk Raceway

This past weekend Sam Reakes IV traveled back Mohawk International Raceway on Friday night.  He made the trip just one month ago, but never made it on the track as they got rained out.  He returned this week to make his first ever Empire Super Sprint start at the Hogansburg, New York track.  On Saturday night, Reakes returned to Chapman’s Can Am Motorsports Park, the site of his first career win on their last visit to the track back in April.

At Mohawk Raceway, Reakes finished sixth in his qualifying heat race, placing him 16^th at the start of the 25 lap A-Main.  Reakes moved up to 12^th before the finish, gaining valuable experience on the fast half mile.

Reakes was looking forward to returning to Chapman’s Can Am Motorsports Park on Saturday night, looking to duplicate his performance from the ESS opener back in April where he led the entire distance from start to finish in a dominating performance after just a couple of starts with the Empire Super Sprints in 2011.  The night started well with a second place finish in his qualifier placing him in the redraw.  Sammy started the race from sixth place, and by lap two he was up to second.  The entire 25 lap distance went green to checkers, and Reakes was unable to mount a challenge for the lead.

“The car was good in the beginning but if faded there at the end,” said Reakes.  “I think I was over driving it when I got into lapped traffic, and the car was better than it showed but the Cobra (Chuck Hebing) got the better of the Honey Badger (Reakes) tonight.  We had three DNF’s in a row there, so to come back out to get a second to probably the best guy out there we’ll take it.”

After a week off with the Empire Super Sprints, Reakes will return to the track on Friday, July 20^th back at Mohawk International Raceway as a makeup show for their June 8^th rainout.

Sam Reakes would like to thank all of his sponsors for their support during a very exciting rookie season with the Empire Super Sprints.  These sponsors include Whittaker’s Cars and Trux, Around Town Plumbing and Heating, Town Mechanical, Alpine Stars, All Phase Construction, Advanced Hearing Aid Centers, Billings Automotive and Mike Woodring Racing.

For more information on Sam Reakes, including updated race schedule, photos, results and sponsor information, please visit our website, www.samreakes.com.

Sam Reakes Has Up and Down Day at Utica Rome Speedway; Preparing for Busy Week of Empire Super Sprint Racing

Although the end result wasn’t what Sam Reakes IV wanted at Utica Rome Speedway on Sunday night, he takes some solace in the fact that despite some bad luck the car was fast, and the only thing that spoiled what would have been a top ten run was issues with his brakes.

Reakes finished his qualifying heat race in fourth place, but a build up of mud in the right rear tire would have made for an even better finish.  In the redraw, Reakes selected the third starting spot, and lined up on the inside of row two for the 25 lap main event.  Sam fought brake issues throughout the evening, but was running solidly inside the top ten through lap 15.  Just a couple laps later, the maser cylinder went, causing him to fall back through the field to a disappointing 19^th place finish.

“The car was fast, and we were doing well despite the brake issues, and it looked like we were going to have a good top ten finish before the master cylinder went away with six laps to go”, says Reakes.

This coming week will be busy for Reakes with a race at Rolling Wheels Raceway in Elbridge, New York on Tuesday night with the Empire Super Sprints.  This coming weekend, the sprints return to Mohawk International Raceway in Hogansburg, New York on Friday night, and Can Am Motorsports Park on Saturday.

“I am really looking forward to racing at Rolling Wheels on Tuesday”, says Reakes.  “We won the championship there last year in the Sportsman division, and have had some success at the track in the past, and hopefully that will continue with the Sprint car”.

Sam Reakes would like to thank all of his sponsors for their support during a very exciting rookie season with the Empire Super Sprints.  These sponsors include Whittaker’s Cars and Trux, Around Town Plumbing and Heating, Town Mechanical, Alpine Stars, All Phase Construction, Advanced Hearing Aid Centers, Billings Automotive and Mike Woodring Racing.

For more information on Sam Reakes, including updated race schedule, photos, results and sponsor information, please visit our website, www.samreakes.com.