Things just keep getting better for a stock car driver from Summerland.
Sarah Cornett-Ching has been racing since she was 12-years-old, and it all culminated Saturday at one of the grandest race tracks in all the land – Daytona International Speedway in Florida.
The 23-year-old spent the past week preparing for the Lucas Oil 200. And while she managed to complete 76 laps en route to a 31st place finish out of 40 cars, the real excitement may have come a few days earlier when she signed a multi-year contract with Race 101 to run in the ARCA series.
"I'm ecstatic, I can't wait," said Cornett-Ching, who is still in Daytona with her family. "It just means I'm going to get to do a lot more racing in the ARCA series and hopefully move up to the next class which is the truck or the Xfinity series."
Owner Tony Blanchard got to know Cornett-Ching during her time at the Race 101 driving school in North Carolina a few years ago. The two have stayed in touch and it appears to have paid off with a multi-year contact.
Photo: Facebook
In a Race 101 press release about the signing, Blanchard praised his new driver, saying they will enter her in numerous racing events in both 2015 and beyond.
"We know we have something special in Sarah," says Blanchard.
"This is a determined young woman with enormous natural talent, great technical knowledge when it comes to fabrication and with enough charisma to take her a long way in this sport. Sarah put her head down to make Daytona happen, and her tenacious nature is exactly what we want behind the wheel of our equipment."
The team had some engine trouble during Friday morning’s qualifying session, but were able to swap motors to get her in the race for Saturday.
She described the race as a great learning experience.
"The actual finishing position is not great, but I had a really great learning weekend, and I couldn't have asked for anything else from my crew," she said.
It’s been a whirlwind past few months for the certified welder, who had to step away from racing while she worked in remote areas to save money in order to get back behind the wheel.
"I felt ready to go racing as a career in 2011," says Cornett-Ching. "Things didn't work out, and looking back I'm fine with that. I've grown as a person since then, and I feel like everything I have done to make this happen has made me who I am.
"Just last month I was clawing for funds to come and race at Daytona, now we're in a position where we have the means to put in a back-up engine and still go racing."
After she watches the upcoming Daytona 500, Cornett-Ching will head to North Carolina for some testing in Blanchard's super late model.
The next track she will be running is Talladega, with testing in April and the race in May.
"It's all pretty cool. Definitely exciting," she said.
Cornett-Ching has also developed BBAG (Beat By A Girl) Racing which she hopes to take with her to the next level.
Sarah Cornett-Ching has been racing since she was 12-years-old, and it all culminated Saturday at one of the grandest race tracks in all the land – Daytona International Speedway in Florida.
The 23-year-old spent the past week preparing for the Lucas Oil 200. And while she managed to complete 76 laps en route to a 31st place finish out of 40 cars, the real excitement may have come a few days earlier when she signed a multi-year contract with Race 101 to run in the ARCA series.
"I'm ecstatic, I can't wait," said Cornett-Ching, who is still in Daytona with her family. "It just means I'm going to get to do a lot more racing in the ARCA series and hopefully move up to the next class which is the truck or the Xfinity series."
Owner Tony Blanchard got to know Cornett-Ching during her time at the Race 101 driving school in North Carolina a few years ago. The two have stayed in touch and it appears to have paid off with a multi-year contact.
Photo: Facebook
In a Race 101 press release about the signing, Blanchard praised his new driver, saying they will enter her in numerous racing events in both 2015 and beyond.
"We know we have something special in Sarah," says Blanchard.
"This is a determined young woman with enormous natural talent, great technical knowledge when it comes to fabrication and with enough charisma to take her a long way in this sport. Sarah put her head down to make Daytona happen, and her tenacious nature is exactly what we want behind the wheel of our equipment."
The team had some engine trouble during Friday morning’s qualifying session, but were able to swap motors to get her in the race for Saturday.
She described the race as a great learning experience.
"The actual finishing position is not great, but I had a really great learning weekend, and I couldn't have asked for anything else from my crew," she said.
It’s been a whirlwind past few months for the certified welder, who had to step away from racing while she worked in remote areas to save money in order to get back behind the wheel.
"I felt ready to go racing as a career in 2011," says Cornett-Ching. "Things didn't work out, and looking back I'm fine with that. I've grown as a person since then, and I feel like everything I have done to make this happen has made me who I am.
"Just last month I was clawing for funds to come and race at Daytona, now we're in a position where we have the means to put in a back-up engine and still go racing."
After she watches the upcoming Daytona 500, Cornett-Ching will head to North Carolina for some testing in Blanchard's super late model.
The next track she will be running is Talladega, with testing in April and the race in May.
"It's all pretty cool. Definitely exciting," she said.
Cornett-Ching has also developed BBAG (Beat By A Girl) Racing which she hopes to take with her to the next level.
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