2009 NCWSE Todd Peck Car (Steve Dykes/Getty Images for NASCAR)by Peck Motorsports Media PR
The No. 96 Peck Motorsports truck in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is already one of the most eye-catching trucks in the series. With the logos of the Arthritis Foundation and Kids Get Arthritis Too logos on the hood and sides, the truck stood out in 2011 with more than 100 signatures from kids who suffer from juvenile arthritis.

Now, moving into the 2012 season, Peck Motorsports will display a one-of-a-kind transporter that will be solar-powered after being equipped with a Survivor Power System 1200 the latest Mobil power production utilizing Global Solar Power Flex technology over the winter months. It's the team's latest initiative in being a "green" leader in the sport. The panels will power the newly installed Finished Line LED lights and equipment inside the hauler.

The solar panels and LED lights were installed by Renewable Engineered Systems utilizing Global Solar Power Flex technology. The team also partnered with R-E-S to provide a Survivor Power System for their hauler and a portable Survivor Power System the team will use at the track.

"I always felt that we had a pretty cool race truck, but now we've really taken the next step with our race hauler," said driver and co-owner Todd Peck. "Renewable Engineered System and our friend Brian Brown have really helped us be a leader in being environmentally conscious when we go to the track and race. We think this is a big step for the sport and we're proud to be the leaders. We can't thank Global Solar and Finish Line enough for what they've done for our team."

The additions to the race hauler will make Peck Motorsports the most environmentally friendly race team in all of NASCAR. The additions of the solar panels and LED lights will help reduce the transporter's power consumption, save battery power on the transporter, promote a more efficient use of light energy, eliminate emissions and reduce production of carbon dioxide during the races. The team plans to debut these changes at the track later this summer at Iowa Speedway.

Doug Hornickel Photo - fastlapphoto.comby Kari Shear-Carlson
The Sandvik Coromat 150 presented by Cline Tool event at Iowa Speedway ended with a first time ASAMT event entry and first time Iowa Speedway visitor with the win. Jeff Choquette of West Palm Beach, FL started eighth and worked his way through traffic and a hard battle with Ross Kenseth to bring home the win on Friday, August 5th.

“I was so impressed not only with the competitors in the ASAMT, but the professionalism of the officials and the entire organization. The combination of the ASAMT and Iowa Speedway made this the top victory on my list,” said the winner. “I hope I earned my respect with the drivers and the organization,” he added.

The day started out at 6:00AM as haulers went through the tunnel under turns one and two and pulled into the infield to park. Drivers and teams started the sign-in process at 6:30AM and immediately unloaded and got into the tech line. It was a warm day, but thankfully the sun stayed behind the clouds all day so it was only the battle of humidity that kept everyone looking for rehydration.

It was no surprise that Tim Schendel topped the time chart in the first practice session with a 24.091 followed by Choquette with a 24.181 and Ross Kenseth with a 24.401. After a short rain shower, the second practice was cut a little short, but did not affect the teams too much. Kenseth came in with the fastest time of 24.211 followed by Schendel with a 24.279 and Cedar Rapids, IA driver, Griffin McGrath with a 24.330.

The ECHO Quick Cut Qualifier Award went to ASA Midwest Touring Star, Nathan Haseleu with a 23.813. Jeff Storm was having the best day he had had in a very long time. He was near the top and middle of the speed charts during practice and qualified second behind Haseleu with a 23.821. Choquette was third with a 23.850 followed by Jonathan Eilen and Bryan Reffner. The invert was ten putting last year’s winner, Chris Wimmer and ASA Midwest Touring Star Jacob Goede on the front row.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (center), driver of the No. 6 RickyvsTrevor.com Ford, celebrates with crew members in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Nationwide Series U.S. Cellular 250 at Iowa Speedway on Aug. 6 in Newton, Iowa. (Jason Smith/Getty Images for NASCAR)by Jim Pedley (Special to the Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service)
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Roush Fenway Racing teammate Carl Edwards insist they like each other. But for the second weekend in a row, they sure didn’t act like it.

Saturday night at Iowa Speedway, Stenhouse and Edwards banged doors, fenders and feelings as they fought for the victory in the U.S. Cellular 250 NASCAR Nationwide Series race.

Their final banging occurred a couple of hundred feet from the finish line on the last lap, and it produced a smoky, screeching, metal-bending finish as Edwards rammed Stenhouse’s car from behind and actually pushed it to the victory.

“Wow,” both drivers said after climbing from their cars.

Stenhouse’s car had blown an engine after exiting Turn 4 and had laid down a glaze of oil on the track.

Edwards said he tried to go around Stenhouse but couldn’t as his car slid on the oil and his windshield filled with smoke. Stenhouse admitted to watching Edwards speeding up on him and then blocking his teammate.

And then, Stenhouse thanked Edwards for smashing into the rear end of his RFR Ford.

“If he wouldn’t have hit us, we definitely would have ended up second,” said Stenhouse, whose victory was his second of the season at the seven-eighths-mile oval. “I knew we had enough momentum to get there (the finish line). I just wasn’t sure if we were going to be first or second. It worked out that we were first.”

Doug Hornickel Photo - fastlapphoto.comby Kari Shear-Carlson
The American Speed Association® Kwik Trip Midwest Tour presented by ECHO Outdoor Power Equipment and GrandStay Hospitality made their third visit to Iowa Speedway in Newton, IA tonight for the Sandvik Coromant 150 presented by Cline Tool. West Palm Beach, Florida driver, Jeff Choquette won in his first ever ASA Midwest Tour start and first ever visit to Iowa Speedway.

“It just can’t get any better than this. Iowa Speedway is a top-notch facility and the ASA Midwest Tour is the biggest thing going right now,” said a very happy Choquette from victory lane.

The Adrian Carriers, Liz Girl Logistics sponsored Chevy Impala started on the outside of the fourth row and made his way up to the top three in the first 15 laps. 2009 winner, Chris Wimmer started on the pole inside Jacob Goede. Tim Schendel who won the event in 2008 and also had fast time in both 2008 and 2009, went from fourth to first in three laps.

Schendel checked out from the rest of the field and looked like he was on his way to win number two. The two 25’s, Jeff Storm and Ross Kenseth, split Schendel down the middle after a restart for a spin brought out the caution. Jeff Storm had the race of his year going leading the field for many laps. Schendel had problems and had to come in to change a tire and start back at the rear of the field.

Once again Nathan Haseleu was silently making his way up through the field getting into the top ten. By this time, Jeff Storm, Ross Kenseth, and Jeff Choquette had started to pull away after about 30 laps.

Nick Panitzke was also having a great night, running in the top-ten for much of the night. Tim Schendel was methodically making his way back up through the field, but unfortunately finished his night in third after a huge battle between Haseleu and Kenseth at the end of the race.

Chuck Gonzalez Photoby Kari Shear-Carlson
Jeff Choquette raced in five Super Late Model events in 2010. He won four of them. The driver from South Beach, FL is making the 1500 mile trek to Newton, IA to race in the Sandvik Coromant 150 presented by Cline Tool as the ASA Midwest Tour returns to Iowa Speedway on Friday, August 5th. He will also follow it up when the American Speed Association® Kwik Trip Midwest Tour presented by ECHO Outdoor Power Equipment and GrandStay Hospitality returns to Hawkeye Downs on Friday, August 12th for the Keith Fleck Memorial/Miller 100.

This will be Jeff’s first time racing with the ASA Midwest Tour, but he has kept a close eye on the competition. “I was looking at the times from previous races and cannot believe how close they all are. The competition is tough, but that’s where a driver wants to run; where there’s competition,” Choquette said.

When asked what the biggest challenges were going to be, Choquette said that racing at a track that most of the drivers have raced at more than once is going to be one of the toughest adaptations. “Not too mention going up against drivers like Steve Carlson, Ross Kenseth, Tim Schendel and others,” he added.

Choquette recently made a trip to Iowa to test at Hawkeye Downs and watch a regular Friday night show, just to get a better understanding of the track. What he was not expecting to do was get behind the wheel of a Legend’s car for the night. But just like any driver, when asked, his response was, “As long as I’m breathing, I might as well race.”

It was Jeff’s first time behind the wheel of a Legend’s car, but no one would have ever known. He won the fast dash, his heat race and was running second when the feature was rain shortened. “People always used to tell me they were some of the hardest things to drive. I can believe it now. If you can learn how to drive a Legends car, you can learn how to drive anything. I was really surprised at how close it was to the iRacing game. I had a blast!” said Choquette.

Jeff also had the opportunity to go to the NASCAR Nationwide Truck Series race at Iowa Speedway the same weekend. “Watching the trucks actually helped a lot. Seeing the line they run makes a big difference in understanding the track a little better,” he said. “We could test for a month straight, but until I actually have to race against those guys at one of their tracks, I really have no idea how it is going to go,” admitted Choquette. “Racing at Iowa Speedway can be a once-in-a-lifetime chance, and I know that they have incredible fans out there.”

by Kari Shear-Carlson
August 1, 2011 - He finished second in 2008 and third in 2009, so it only makes sense that when the American Speed Association® Kwik Trip Midwest Tour presented by ECHO Outdoor Power Equipment and GrandStay Hospitality heads back to Iowa Speedway this Friday, August 5th, Jonathan Eilen will be looking to complete his podium finishes with a win.

Jonathan Eilen had raced at Iowa Speedway prior to racing there with the ASA Midwest Tour, but in his words, “didn’t have much fun at all and never cared to go back.” But when the ASA Midwest Tour added Iowa Speedway to the schedule in 2008, the Eilen Motorsports team returned to the 7/8’s mile a little more prepared.

In fact, Eilen was so prepared that he was on top of the leader board during much of practice in 2008 and finished second in the event. After such a great performance that first year with the ASAMT, Eilen’s perspective changed. “I just love that track. There’s something about it and I was more than excited about going back this year,” he said.

In 2008, NASCAR Sprint Cup stars, Matt Kenseth and Kyle Busch raced in the event. Eilen ran down Kyle Busch before the break and made the pass after the restart of the break. “Once I passed Kyle, I thought I had the field covered. Then all of a sudden Tim Schendel came out of nowhere and passed me for the lead,” said Jonathan. “It was still cool to have held off Matt Kenseth for second. We had a hard-fought battle for about 25 laps and I was able to keep him behind me.”