NASCAR Driver to Pull ‘Double-Duty’ and Compete in Both NCWTS and NXS Races
“I’m thrilled to be making my XFINITY Series debut at Texas Motor Speedway!” said Black. “I’ve been to Texas a couple of times now and know the track’s racing style and characteristics, so I think it’s a great place for me to take this next step. I can’t wait to get out on the track!”
Black has two previous starts at the 1.5-mile track, both of which occurred in the NCWTS and resulted in Top-20 finishes. He now looks forward to adding two more starts at Texas this weekend as he is set to run both in the NCWTS race on Friday night and the NXS race on Saturday.
“I think running both races and getting all that extra seat time will be extremely beneficial for me,” explained Black. “I’ll get to experience different speeds and different racing lines throughout the weekend, which will really help me strengthen my driving skills. I’ll be interested to see if there is anything I can learn from the XFINITY side that I could bring back to the truck series to help give me just a little bit more of an edge on the competition.”
Despite the step up in competition levels and added pressure of running two races, Black remains confident in his abilities to secure solid finishes in both the WinStar World Casino 350 and O’Reilly Auto Parts Challenge this weekend.
“On the truck side, I’d love to secure a Top-10, Top-15 finish. I know we are more than capable of doing so, so I really expect the best this time around at Texas,” Black stated. “As for XFINITY, I really don’t feel any added pressure on the race. It’s a very competitive field, but I’m really excited to see how I stack up against them. I’m looking forward to running all the laps during Saturday’s race and seeing what I learn from those drivers.”
On the car sponsoring Black’s XFINITY Series debut will be Burnie Grill, an all wood self-burning grill. Burnie Grill provides powerful, portable fires that light with one match, ignite evenly and burn for hours. When done, the Burnie burns itself out, making it great for the environment.
“We are excited to be sponsoring Ray Black Jr. in his debut XFINITY Series race at Texas Motor Speedway,” said Carl Spadaro, owner of Burnie Grill, LLC. “You want your product to be placed with a good-minded and good-hearted person who has all the integrity to achieve, and in this case, win races. The Burnie Grill is also debuting in America and, like Ray debuting in the NASCAR XFINITY Series, both have a desire to compete in the challenge of building a world class brand and be the best in class in their respective industries.”
Black’s first race of the weekend, the WinStar World Casino 350, can be seen live on FOX Sports 1 or heard through MRN Radio on Friday, November 6 at 8:30 p.m. EST. Fans can then catch his NXS debut in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Challenge live on NBC at 3:30 p.m. EST. PRN Radio will be providing live race coverage on Saturday as well.
Keep up with Black’s busy weekend of racing by following him and his sponsor, ScubaLife, on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @TeamScubaRacing and @RayBlackJr. Learn more about Ray Black Jr. and Team Scuba by visiting www.rayblackjr.com and www.teamscuba.com.
About Ray Black Jr.:
Ray Black Jr. mostly grew up in Florida after relocating from Montgomery, Alabama at age 9. It was here that Black Jr. fell in love with deep sea diving after a couple of scuba trips with his father. His passion for motorsports came later at age 14 after playing some racing video games. He began competing in the Florida Mini Cup Racing Association (FMCRA), where finished in the Top-5 in every race and also secured the FMCRA Junior All-Star Championship. In 2013, Black, Jr. moved up to racing pro late models and then into the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2014. During that year, he got his first taste of true NASCAR racing when he competed in seven races for SS Green Light Racing. The 2015 season marks Black Jr.’s first full year in one of NASCAR’s
national touring series.
About ScubaLife:
ScubaLife is a social network focused on building an online community for divers of all levels of experience and passion. Its goal is to attract new divers and keep current divers active by creating a space for them to connect and share their experiences online. ScubaLife looks to promote the diving lifestyle as something fun and exciting for people of all ages. Users can connect with other divers, instructors and retailers within the community. Having grown up deep sea diving, Black Jr. and ScubaLife have an easy, natural partnership. ScubaLife will appear on Black Jr.’s No. 07 Chevy Silverado for the entire 2015 season.
About Burnie Grill:
Burnie Grill’s ingenious construction is borrowed from the ancient Nordic technique for burning wood stumps. This method has been used for centuries, unleashing powerful, portable fire that lights with one match, ignites evenly and burns for hours. Burnie is 100% All Natural Alder Wood, Zero Chemicals. When users are done, the Burnie burns itself out. No waste or cleanup, making it great for the environment. To learn more about Burnie Grill, visit www.burniegrill.com.
