Steve Burck Memphis preview

Burck to debut new primary sponsor ARC Specialties in Memphis

MILLINGTON, Tenn. - Entering his fifth season of competition, NHRA Top Alcohol Funny Car driver Steve Burck will start the 2006 season with a new chassis and new primary sponsor ARC Specialties. The team will debut the car at this weekend's Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Memphis Motorsports Park in preparation for next weekend's O'Reilly Spring Nationals at Houston Raceway Park, Burck's home track.

Burck, who co-owns Weldinghouse, Inc., a welding supply company, in Corpus Christi, Texas, jumped head first into the ranks back in 2000. With literally no driving experience at all, Burck stepped into what is commonly regarded as the toughest cars in all of drag racing to drive. After purchasing a car in 2000, Burck took it to local tracks, gradually driving the car farther down track, until he got his license later that year. The next year at his very first national event, with a make shift crew and little experience to fall back on, Burck made the semifinals at the O'Reilly Spring Nationals.

"When I first got into it, I just wanted to take baby steps and get used to the car," said Burck. "We just tried to progress from there. We gradually tried to update our equipment as our budget allowed."

Over the course of those four years, Burck updated his engine program with the results showing last season. The combination of a new state-of-the-art Brad Anderson engine combination and Crew Chief Tony Garanzuay netted Burck his first final round finish at the Shreveport, La., Div. 4 event and a fourth place finish in Division 4 standings. Now finally armed with a new chassis and new sponsor, Burck looks forward to this season.

"We're pretty excited to say the least," stated Burck. "We're real happy to bring ARC Specialties on board as our new primary sponsor. They've been involved with us since the beginning, so it's great to see them step up. We've got a trick new car with a new body, so we're excited about it's potential. The car has the modern aerodynamic advantages along with it is quite a bit lighter than our old car. We just hope to get it back running as good as the old car was fairly quickly and progress from there."

Dan Allford, President and founder of ARC Specialties, a manufacturer of custom automated and robotic equipment in Houston, is excited about stepping up to the primary sponsor role.

"After 3 years as a minor sponsor of Steve's funny car, we are proud to be Wrangler Racing's primary sponsor for '06," cited Allford. "There are a number of similarities between high speed robotic manufacturing equipment and racing. In both arenas, you use state of the art equipment to compete. Technology never stops advancing, so if you don't step up, you are left in the dust. We have even offered to let one of our robots drive, but Steve isn't going for it."

Along with the new equipment, Burck plans to make his most ambitious schedule to date this year.

"We're going to try to run about five to six nationals and six or seven divisionals," commented Burck. "We just want to make a good showing for ARC Specialties and our associate sponsors Weldinghouse, Rogers Precision Machine and Profax Quality Welding Products."

Qualifying begins on Friday for the alcohol cars with two more sessions on Saturday. Final eliminations will conclude the event on Sunday. Stay tuned to InsideTopAlcohol.com for the latest news in alcohol racing.

-sbr-