RACE: ArmsUp Motorsports race reports 2006-08-17

"ArmsUp Motorsports Drivers Find Success in Two Places at Once"

"Jim Victor Claims First National Win, Brian Shepherd takes first National Podium"

SHEBOYGAN FALLS, Wis. -- ArmsUp Motorsports had another successful weekend at two different race tracks this weekend. Jim Victor, who has been so close to a win all season, won his first career SCCA National at the Gateway International Raceway last weekend. Meanwhile in Grattan, Michigan Brian Shepherd scored his first career SCCA National podium as he inches closer to a National Championship invite.

The format for the Gateway race had a regional event on Saturday and a National on Sunday. With the two race format, Victor had a chance to test his ArmsUp Van Diemen in race conditions in Saturday's regional. Victor scored the win giving the Iowa native confidence going into Sunday's national. After taking Sunday's pole, Victor drove a flawless race to score the national victory.

For Victor this was his first SCCA National win. Victor has been with ArmsUp Motorsports since 1998, at that time he was the lone driver. Victor has progressed each season and grown as a driver as the team has grown around him. After a pole in last season's June Sprints it was only time before he earned his first National win. Victor will now look to carry this momentum into the SCCA National Championship Runoffs.

Brian Shepherd also had a career weekend, scoring his first SCCA National podium at the rolling Grattan Raceway. Shepherd started off the weekend fourth in first qualifying. Between the Qualifying sessions, Shepherd and his ArmsUp Motorsports crew were able to find more speed which landed the Colorado Native third on the grid after qualifying two. In the race, the Colorado Community Bank backed driver, didn't put a wheel wrong and was able to take his first career SCCA National Podium.

"This was a fantastic weekend for our guys," said ArmsUp owner Gregg Borland from the Sheboygan Falls race shop. "It was great to see Jim get his first win, he has worked very hard to get to this level and I knew it was only a matter of time before he scored his first win. Brian also did a fine job this weekend. He keeps getting better and better this year and I think he still has a good shot at making the Runoffs."

ArmsUp Motorsports will be back at Road America August 26 -- 27 for a SCCA Double Regional.

-credit: www.ArmsUpMotorsports.com.