USAR: Indianapolis (IRP): Urban Racing preview

Armed with new sponsors, Urban is prepared for IRP.

RICHMOND, VA (June 17, 2002) - Following a disappointing eighth place finish at Jennerstown and uncertainty about making the race at IRP, Forrest Urban, Jr. needed some assistance if his team was to make the trek out west to Indianapolis. Today, Urban has announced that Racers Pizza and Bernie's Garage Door Services, both out of Brownsburg, Ind., will sponsor his IRP efforts this coming weekend in the USAR Hooters ProCup Series, a race he is looking forward to competing in.

"We are really glad that Racers Pizza and Bernie's Garage Door Service have decided to come on board for this weekend at IRP," said an excited Urban. "We have been struggling lately with some bad luck and weren't planning on going to IRP until these two deals worked out. I think that we can get some good exposure for Racers Pizza and Bernie's Garage Door service and have a good run."

Urban currently sits fifth in the USAR Hooters ProCup North standings after his fourth top-ten run of the season. In each race this year, Urban has visibly had a top-five car but has run into bad luck on more than one occasion, having cut tires at both Illiana and Jennerstown and motor problems two consecutive weeks in a row at Salem and Holland. Even so, Urban is 221 points behind the leader, Brian Ross, and 40 points out of third.

"We have had some real good runs this year, even better than we had hoped for," explained Urban. "Before the year started, we were aiming to finish in the top ten in races. Now, we are aiming for top-fives. We have lost two third place finishes due to flat tires. If we could just find a little good luck, we might be able to end up in victory lane."

IRP might be the track where Urban breaks through and captures his first USAR Hooters ProCup win. Not having seen any of the tracks so far on the series schedule, Urban has raced at IRP before in NASCAR Busch Series competition. Additionally, Urban has competed at IRP while partaking in one of his hobbies, computer sim-racing, the same hobby that helps NASCAR drivers like Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Hank Parker, Jr., Shane Hmiel, and Steve Park gain an advantage over their competition.

"I think IRP will be a good race, that track is the biggest one we have raced on so far and is pretty wide. I think you will see some good racing, but not a lot of cautions. Hopefully we can come out of there with a top five or a win," explained the driver of the No. 46 Insurance Doctor/Racers Pizza Chevrolet. "IRP is the first racetrack all year that I have ever seen before. Hopefully that will help to even us out with some of the other guys who have. We tried to make the Busch race there in 2000. In the last practice, a car blew a motor right in front of me and I got into the oil and hit the wall. We tried to make a qualifying attempt, but car was still damaged from the incident."

Urban will be taking part in a 4-hour autograph session at Racers Pizza on Friday, June 21, 2002, from 5-9pm CT. Racers Pizza is located at 1447 East Main Street (US 136) in Brownsburg, Ind., about two miles west of IRP in the Shell service station complex. For more information, contact Racers Pizza at (317) 852-9100 or Tex Motorsports Promotions at (412) 225-0348. Urban Racing will welcome any additional marketing partners for the duration of the year. Interested parties can contact the team through USAR or through Tex Motorsports Promotions at www.asphaltracing.com/tex/ for more information.

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