Concord, North Carolina (August 15, 2017) – Six-time ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards winner Tom Hessert will return to Venturini Motorsports’ lineup driving the No.25 Musselman’s BIG CUP Apple Sauce Toyota at the Illinois State Fairgrounds dirt mile on Sunday, August 20.
Finishing second in last season’s Championship Point Standings, Hessert drove to victory lane the last time the ARCA Series competed on dirt – winning the night race at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds “Magic Mile.” Hessert, a native of Cherry Hill, NJ, and perennial series competitor since 2008, will make just his third season start and first since Talladega.
“It’s been a long time coming but I’m super excited to be back at the track,” said Tom Hessert who finished fifth and ninth in his only two starts of the season. “We’ve had a different type of schedule this year – It’s been special spending all this time with my family but I’m ready to get back to the track – It almost feels like I’m going to the track for the first time.”
“Dirt racing is one of my favorites. We won last year at DuQuoin and have had a lot of top-five’s over the years at both dirt tracks so it makes it a lot of fun. We’re bringing back our race winning car from last year and anytime you have a comfort level going into a race it makes you feel better – I’m really comfortable at Springfield and would love to add my name to the list of winners. I can’t wait to get back with my guys. I’m ready for the weekend.”
In sixteen previous dirt track starts Hessert has put together an impressive record. Highlighted with his win at DuQuoin last season, Hessert has finished in the top-5 in half of all dirt races – including an impressive seven finishes in the top-3.
Joining VMS prior to the 2016 season, this weekend’s race at Springfield marks Hessert’s 182nd career series start. Hessert’s all-time series career stats include 6 wins, 54 top-5 and 108 top-10 finishes.
The 55th running of the Herr’s Potato Chips 100, one of the capital city’s largest sporting events, takes center stage on the world’s fastest mile dirt track Sunday afternoon August 20 alongside the 165th annual Illinois State Fairgrounds.
Herr’s Potato Chips 100 Schedule
Practice for the Herr’s Potato Chips 100 is scheduled from 9-10 a.m. with General Tire Pole Qualifying following at 11 a.m. The 55th annual Herr’s Potato Chips 100 starts at 1:30 p.m. All times are local Central.
Live on MAVTV
The Herr’s Potato Chips 100 will be live on MAVTV. ARCAracing.com will feature live timing and scoring and live chat of all on-track activity throughout the afternoon.
Follow Tom Hessert on social media by visiting @TomHessert on Twitter.
ABOUT MUSSELMAN’S APPLE SAUCE
A family tradition, deeply rooted in quality.
Musselman’s BIG CUP satisfies appetites of teens and adults with active lifestyles, while Musselman’s Squeezables is the healthy snack Mom can provide to her children who are on-the-go.
Musselman’s was founded in Biglerville, PA, in 1907 by Christian and Emma Musselman. The original plants in Biglerville and Gardners, PA, provided much needed canned goods for the servicemen during WWI including corn, tomatoes, and of course apples. They focused on the processing of the abundant local fruit in the area, producing apple sauce, apple juice, and their now-famous Musselman’s Apple Butter.
In 1984 the C. H. Musselman Company was purchased by a cooperative of local fruit growers (Knouse Foods, Inc.). The Musselman’s name, which reflects quality, tradition and value was preserved and remains a thriving brand today under the ownership of the growers who still tend to their fruit orchards. Knouse Foods, Inc., established as a growers’ co-op in 1949, has a long history of providing outstanding fruit products. They believe making healthy, delicious fruit products is more than just a job; it’s a way of life. And that’s why the growers who have spent their entire lives nurturing their orchards and harvesting their fruit also own the company. That pride and care are the key ingredients that make Knouse fruit products the very best.
