Listen to Doug Wolcot and Tayler talking during the Memphis Race.
Late Race Spin Spoils Top-10 Finish for Tayler Malsam at Memphis
The 20-Year-Old Rookie Starts Last and Comes Home with a 16th-Place Finish
MILLINGTON, Tenn. (June 29, 2009) – Sometimes things just don’t go as planned. Tayler Malsam’s first trip to Memphis Motorsports Park wasn’t exactly ideal, as temperatures ranged over 100 degrees at the drop of the green-flag for the 11th race of the 2009 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season. Before the 20-year-old’s qualifying effort Saturday afternoon, the No. 81 One Eighty Toyota Tundra had no brake pressure, but the Randy Moss Motorsports team was able to get the problem resolved enough for the Raybestos Rookie of the Year contender to make a run. Unfortunately, the trucks were under an impound situation after qualifying, which meant that Malsam and the One Eighty team would have to start at the rear of the field for the start of the 200-lap event.
Malsam quickly moved his way toward the front of the field and was running in the 26th position by lap five. As the second caution of the race came out on lap 52, Malsam was posted in the 17th position. Crew chief Doug Wolcott called his driver to the attention of his One Eighty pit crew on lap 53 for two right side tires, a strategy used to gain track position. The following lap, the No. 81 Toyota returned to pit road for fuel. The Seattle, Washington native was in the seventh position for the restart on lap 58. Fighting a loose handling condition at the halfway point on lap 100, the rookie dropped to the ninth position.
A caution on lap 110 allowed Malsam to make his final pit stop of the race. Wolcott once again called Malsam to pit road on lap 111 for four fresh tires, followed by another stop the next lap for fuel and a track bar adjustment. Various pit strategies were played out on pit road forcing Malsam to restart on lap 117 from 14th-place. Gaining three positions by lap 150, the No. 81 One Eighty Toyota was battling for a spot in the top-10. It was in the final five laps of the race while battling for a top-10 finish that Malsam and another competitor made contact, spinning both trucks out and bringing out a caution. This late race spin caused Malsam to finish in the 16th position, recording only his second finish outside the top-15 all season.
"Our One Eighty Toyota Tundra was good for most of the day,” said Malsam. “We had brake problems during qualifying which put us to the back for the start of the race. Doug (Wolcott, crew chief) and all of these guys worked really hard this weekend and it sucks when you have something go wrong there in the final 10 laps of the race. But we will put this one behind us and move forward."
With his 16th-place finish at the Home of the Blues, Malsam dropped one position to seventh-place in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship point standings. He currently sits 64 points behind fifth-place David Starr and only 50 points behind sixth-place Brian Scott.
Malsam and the No. 81 One Eighty Toyota Tundra team will take a well-deserved two week break, but will return to racing action at Kentucky Speedway on July 18, 2009 for the running of the Built Ford Tough 225 presented by the Greater Cincinnati Ford Dealers. The green flag will drop at the 1.5-mile track shortly after 7 P.M. Eastern. SPEED will have live coverage of the 150-lap race with pre-race coverage, beginning at 6:30 P.M. Eastern. Select affiliates of MRN Radio and Sirius-XM NASCAR Radio Channel 128 will also have the live radio broadcast, beginning at 6:30 P.M. Eastern.
Memphis Motorsports Park
The MemphisTravel.com 200 presented by O’Reilly Auto Parts
Saturday, June 27, 2009
MALSAM AT MEMPHIS: This Saturday’s race at Memphis Motorsports Park will be Malsam’s first at the 3/4-mile oval. The 20-year-old has visited the city of Memphis before, as he has taken a tour of Elvis Presley’s homestead, Graceland, but Malsam has never ran laps around the Tennessee short-track.
CHASSIS CHOICE: This weekend, crew chief Doug Wolcott and the No. 81 One Eighty team will unload Randy Moss Motorsports chassis No. 40. Saturday’s race will be the first time that Malsam has raced this particular Toyota Tundra.
FRESHMAN LEADER: Malsam currently leads the Raybestos Rookie of the Year point standings, holding a seven-point lead over second-place Johnny Sauter. The Seattle, Washington native has received the Rookie of the Race honors twice this season at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Also, Malsam is the highest rookie in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship point standings, as he sits in the sixth-place.
TEN DOWN, FIFTEEN TO GO: As the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series has completed their first 10 races of the 2009 season, Malsam and his One Eighty team have captured five top-10 finishes, along with nine top-15 finishes. He has completed 99.8% (1511 of 1514) of laps competed and has recorded zero DNF’s (Did Not Finish).
DID YOU KNOW?: Malsam is a huge Elvis Presley fan. Also, the top rookie enjoys listening to Johnny Cash, Social Distortion, Jay-Z, and Jeremy Burk. And Malsam likes all Christmas music too.
PREVIOUS RACE RECAP: Last week, Malsam and his No. 81 One Eighty team recorded their fifth top-10 finish of the season at The Milwaukee Mile, with a seventh-place finish at America’s Legendary Oval. Fighting a tight-handling Toyota, Malsam showed patience during his first race at the one-mile track and came home with another solid run. Malsam moved up one position in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship point standings, as he is currently in sixth-place, only 14 points behind fifth-place David Starr.
CATCH THE ACTION: The MemphisTravel.com 200 presented by O’Reilly Auto Parts from Memphis Motorsports Park will take the green flag this Saturday, June 27th at 6 P.M. Eastern. Race coverage will be televised live on SPEED, beginning at 5:30 P.M. Eastern, and heard live on select affiliates of MRN Radio and Sirius-XM NASCAR Radio Channel 128, beginning at 5:30 P.M. Eastern.
MALSAM (On racing at Memphis Motorsports Park): “I’m very excited about heading to Memphis this weekend. I know that Doug (Wolcott) and my guys on this One Eighty Toyota team are going to bring a great truck to the racetrack. I’ve never raced at the track before, so I’m going to have to learn my way around the place, but I’m confident that we can finish in the top-10 and maybe in the top-five. We are right there on the edge of finishing in the top-five for the first time and I don’t see why Memphis can’t be the place that we do it at. I’ve been to Graceland before and I really enjoy listening to Elvis’ music, so to have a chance to win that one-of-a-kind trophy is awesome. I would love to have that at my house.”
NCWTS Rookie Leader Tayler Malsam Continues to Impress
Seattle Native Surges to Sixth in NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Points
STATESVILLE, N.C. (June 24, 2009) - Experience is a great teacher and few racing series place a higher premium on experience than the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS). So, how then to explain Tayler Malsam, the 20-year-old Seattle rookie, who is currently sixth in the NCWTS series championship point standings?
Malsam is a true NASCAR rookie with just one prior season of stock car experience (ARCA) and two NASCAR Truck Series starts before 2009. It was only a short four years ago when Malsam climbed into a kart for the first time at the age of 16.
Despite a ban on NASCAR testing, Malsam, driving the No. 81 One Eighty Toyota Tundra for Randy Moss Motorsports, already has five top-10 finishes with an average finishing position of 11.3. He has completed 1509 of 1512 laps, finishing on the lead lap in nine of the season’s first 10 races.
In the last five races, Malsam has finished eighth at Charlotte, 12th at Dover, ninth at Texas, sixth at Michigan, and seventh at Milwaukee to put himself in the lead for the NCWTS Raybestos Rookie of the Year standings. Before the 2009 season, he had never previously raced on four of those tracks.
“Most of the veterans in the garage area have made hundreds of starts in all three NASCAR series,” said Malsam. “I’ve only competed in 12 races, so every time I get to another track, I’m learning. Just being around these guys, especially Mike (Skinner, teammate), I learn a ton.”
“You can’t even say that these guys have forgotten more than I could possibly know because they never forget anything,” said Malsam. “They remember everything and that helps them in track set-ups, changing conditions and race strategy. They race hard every lap and they never give an inch. They make you earn it.”
“Our hope was to get Tayler racing for top-10 finishes by the mid-point of the season and then try to start edging him into top-fives in the races during the second half of the season,” said Randy Moss Motorsports team co-owner David Dollar. “Tayler is really coming on and has exceeded all our expectations. He is a team owner’s dream by taking care of his equipment and bringing the trucks home each week in one piece. We still want to win the Rookie of the Year title but we are also hoping to get him into Victory Lane before the season ends.”
“Tayler has a lot of talent, but what really sets him apart is that he is very patient and he really looks out for his crew,” said crew chief Doug Wolcott. “Our entire Randy Moss Motorsports team enjoys being around him. He really stands behind the guys even when we have trouble in the pits. He’s on the radio telling them it’s okay and gets back on track and races hard to gain the spots back.”
Malsam is not the only young gun trying to build his record in the NCWTS. He currently leads the Raybestos Rookie of the Year awards ahead of Johnny Sauter, James Buescher, Motocross legend Ricky Carmichael and J.R. Fitzpatrick.
Malsam’s early success has drawn notice in the NASCAR garages and sponsor suites. “We have some exciting options developing for next year but my job is to stay focused on this year,” said Malsam. “We need to start turning some of those top-10 finishes into top-fives and then try to put ourselves in position to win a race.”
Tayler Malsam Records Seventh-Place Finish in First Trip to Milwaukee
The 20-Year-Old Gains Two Positions to Sixth-Place in Championship Point Standings
WEST ALLIS, Wisc. (June 22, 2009) – In his first trip to The Milwaukee Mile, Tayler Malsam showed once again why he is leading the Raybestos Rookie of the Year Point Standings. Overcoming a tight-handling Toyota Tundra, Malsam kept running his race and received a lucky break on lap 128 as numerous competitors were trapped one or more laps down for making green-flag pit stops, leaving only half of the field on the lead lap. For the final 70 laps of the 200-mile event, the 20-year-old ran in the top-eight positions, eventually bringing his No. 81 One Eighty Toyota Tundra home in seventh-place. This was Malsam’s fifth top-10 finish of the 2009 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season and he currently sits sixth in the Championship Point Standings.
After rain cancelled qualifying and postponed the race on Friday, Malsam started from the ninth position on Saturday afternoon, under hot conditions. The Seattle, Washington native quickly felt his Toyota handling tight and came to pit road as the caution flew for the first time on lap 38. Crew chief Doug Wolcott called for four fresh tires on lap 40, followed by fuel and a track bar adjustment the next lap. Unfortunately, the track bar wrench broke while making the adjustment, forcing Malsam to return to pit road on lap 42 to remove the broken piece. While on pit road, the One Eighty pit crew put two left side tires on the Tundra. On lap 44, Malsam restarted from the 22nd position.
Still fighting tight handling conditions while running in 20th-place, Malsam returned to pit road under caution on lap 54 for an adjustment and to top off with fuel, which proved to be a wise move for the One Eighty team. Five laps later, the Raybestos Rookie Leader restarted in the 18th position. A long green-flag run came over the 33-truck field and the extra fuel that Malsam received allowed him to stay out on the track longer than some of his other competitors. The caution flew on lap 128, placing half of the field a lap down and allowing Malsam to have track position for the first time in the race. On lap 129, Wolcott called the No. 81 Toyota to pit road for four ties and then the following lap for fuel.
Malsam restarted the race on lap 133 from the fourth position and ran in the top-eight for the remainder of the race. Showing his talent even when the truck wasn’t to his liking, Malsam came home in the seventh position.
"Our No. 81 One Eighty Toyota Tundra wasn't to our liking today,” said Malsam. “We were just really, really tight no matter what adjustments we made. But, like always, my Randy Moss Motorsports team never gave up. Doug (Wolcott, crew chief) and everyone on this team gave it all they had. To come away with another top-10 finish at a track that I haven't raced on before is awesome and a testament to this team. We will take this run and head onto Memphis next week."
After recording his ninth top-15 finish of the season, Malsam gained one spot to the sixth-position in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship point standings. He is currently only 14 points behind fifth-place David Starr. In addition, Malsam held his lead in the Raybestos Rookie of the Year Point Standings.
This Saturday, June 27, Malsam and his No. 81 One Eighty team will look to end their five-week stretch with a win as they head to the Home of the Blues for the running of the MemphisTravel.com 200 at Memphis Motorsports Park. Malsam will look to rock and roll to Victory Lane as the green flag waves shortly after 6 P.M. Eastern. The 200-lap race will be televised live on SPEED starting at 5:30 P.M. Eastern. It can also be heard live on select affiliates of MRN Radio, along with Sirius-XM NASCAR Radio Channel 128.
The Milwaukee Mile
Copart 200
Friday, June 19, 2009
MALSAM AT MILWAUKEE: Friday’s race at The Milwaukee Mile will be Malsam’s first race at the track known as American’s Legendary Oval. Malsam will look to follow up his sixth-place finish at Michigan International Speedway with another solid performance at the one-mile oval.
CHASSIS CHOICE: This weekend, crew chief Doug Wolcott and the No. 81 One Eighty team will unload Randy Moss Motorsports chassis No. 118. This will be the second race for this Toyota Tundra, as the Seattle, Washington native drove this chassis to a 14th-place finish at Martinsville Speedway in March. Prior to Martinsville, this Tundra was a Bill Davis Racing truck, driven by Malsam’s current teammate Mike Skinner.
ROOKIE UPDATE: Malsam currently leads the Raybestos Rookie of the Year point standings, holding a two-point lead over second-place Johnny Sauter. The Seattle, Washington native has received the Rookie of the Race honors twice this season at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Also, Malsam is the highest rookie in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship point standings.
DID YOU KNOW?: In the last seven races, the worst Malsam has finished has been a 14th-place run at Martinsville Speedway.
PREVIOUS RACE RECAP: Last week, Malsam and his No. 81 One Eighty team recorded their fourth top-10 finish of the season at Michigan International Speedway, with a sixth-place finish at two-mile D-shaped oval. It was the 20-year-old’s career best finish in his 11 NCWTS starts. Malsam is currently tied with Terry Cook for seventh-place in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship point standings, only 23 points behind fifth-place Kyle Busch.
CATCH THE ACTION: The Copart 200 from The Milwaukee Mile will take the green flag this Friday, June 19th at 9 P.M. Eastern. Race coverage will be televised live on SPEED, beginning at 8:30 P.M. Eastern, and heard live on select affiliates of MRN Radio and Sirius-XM NASCAR Radio Channel 128, beginning at 8:30 P.M. Eastern.
MALSAM (On racing at The Milwaukee Mile): “I’ve never raced at Milwaukee, so the learning process is going to be the same as all of the other tracks that I’ve raced on for the first time this season. My One Eighty, Randy Moss team has done a fantastic job of getting me everything that I need on the track. We had a great run last week in Michigan and we’re right at the door banging for a top-five finish. I think it is getting really close to our first top-five and once we get it, I think we are capable of getting a win.”
Tayler Malsam Captures Career Best Finish with a Sixth-Place Run at Michigan
The 20-Year-Old Breaks into the Top-10 in Championship Point Standings
BROOKLYN, Mich. (June 15, 2009) – In only his second trip to the Irish Hills of Michigan, Tayler Malsam recorded his career best finish in his 11 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts, with a sixth-place run Saturday afternoon at Michigan International Speedway. The 20-year-old driver overcame ignition box troubles in the first five laps of the race and right front damage from a multi-truck wreck on lap 34 to capture his fourth top-10 finish of the 2009 season.
Malsam qualified in the 14th position and quickly realized a problem on board his No. 81 One Eighty Toyota Tundra. On lap five, the Raybestos Rookie of the Year Contender had to switch ignition boxes as his first box expired. As a result of switching boxes, Malsam was running in 22nd-place on lap six. The first caution of the afternoon came out on lap 10 and crew chief Doug Wolcott called Malsam to pit road for a track bar adjustment and fuel.
Road block number two for Malsam came on lap 34 as a multi-truck incident caused the One Eighty Toyota to receive right front damage. After the Randy Moss Motorsports crew repaired the damage, Malsam restarted the 100-lap race from the 20th position. Within 15 laps, the Seattle, Washington native broke into the top-10. For the final 50 laps, Malsam steadily moved up within the top-10 positions, getting as high as fifth on lap 73. The rookie battled teammate Mike Skinner in the final laps of race and brought home a sixth-place finish. This was Malsam’s career best finish in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.
After recording his eighth top-15 finish of the season, Malsam broke into the top-10 in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship point standings, as he sits tied with Terry Cook for the seventh position. He is currently only 23 points behind fifth-place Kyle Busch. In addition, Malsam took back his lead in the Raybestos Rookie of the Year standings, as he leads second-place Johnny Sauter by two points.
This Friday, June 19, Malsam and his No. 81 One Eighty Toyota Tundra team will head to the oldest active track in the world for the one day show at The Milwaukee Mile. The green flag will drop at America’s Legendary Oval just shortly after 9 P.M. Eastern. SPEED will have live coverage of the 200-lap event, starting at 8:30 P.M. Eastern. Select affiliates of MRN Radio and Sirius-XM NASCAR Radio Channel 128 will also have the live radio broadcast.
For more information about Tayler Malsam and Randy Moss Motorsports, please visit www.taylermalsam.com and www.randymossmotorsports.com.
Tayler Malsam Quotes:
How was your race?
“Just got to give credit to this team. These guys have been working their butts off in the shop and out here. It was an ignition box and then getting in that accident, they got us back out there fast so it’s all these guys. I’m just holding it down.”
It appeared that your truck got better as the race went on.
“Doug (Wolcott) kept throwing changes at it and kept working. We kept loosening her up and loosening her up and making the high side work again.”
What did you need to finish a little better?
“I think we just needed more laps. I think we were getting tight with that front fender knocked in. Overall it was a good day.”
What happened in that accident?
“I don’t know. I just saw smoke and they said, ‘Watch out’ and the next thing I know we were hitting someone. It was all good though.”
How important is it to score another top-10 as you continue the learning process?
“It’s huge. I mean, the guys are working their butts off at the shop and stuff and to keep running good for them is all I can do. These guys keep working out here and at the shop and top-10s and top-fives and everything leads to a win. Hopefully all the stars will line up one night and we get one of these. I need to thank everyone at Randy Moss Motorsports and Toyota and send a big thank you to One Eighty for everything that they do and for the amazing food that they sent us this weekend.”
Michigan International Speedway
Michigan 200
Saturday, June 13, 2009
MALSAM AT MICHIGAN: Malsam will be returning to Michigan International Speedway for his second race at the 2.0-mile D-shaped oval. Last year in the ARCA RE/MAX Series, Malsam competed at the Michigan track, where he qualified in the 24th position and finished in 18th-place as a result of an ill-handling racecar.
CHASSIS CHOICE: This weekend, crew chief Doug Wolcott and the No. 81 One Eighty team will unload Randy Moss Motorsports chassis No. 103. This Saturday’s 100-lap event in the Irish Hills will mark the first race for this Toyota Tundra with Malsam behind the wheel.
ROOKIE UPDATE: Malsam currently sits second in the Raybestos Rookie of the Year point standings, only four points behind leader Johnny Sauter. The Seattle, Washington native has received the Rookie of the Race honors twice this season at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Also, Malsam is the highest rookie in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship point standings.
DID YOU KNOW?: The highest finishing position by a Raybestos Rookie at Michigan in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is second. Kurt Busch holds the honor as he claimed the runner-up finish in 2000.
PREVIOUS RACE RECAP: Last week, Malsam and his No. 81 One Eighty team recorded their third top-10 finish of the season at Texas Motor Speedway, with a ninth-place finish at 1.5-mile oval. It was the 20-year-old’s first trip to the Fort Worth track and clutch issues plagued the rookie for the final 40 laps of the race. Malsam currently sits 11th in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship point standings, only six points behind 10th-place Rick Crawford.
CATCH THE ACTION: The Michigan 200 from Michigan International Speedway will take the green flag this Saturday, June 13th at 2 P.M. Eastern. Race coverage will be televised live on SPEED, beginning at 1:30 P.M. Eastern, and heard live on select affiliates of MRN Radio and Sirius-XM NASCAR Radio Channel 128, beginning at 1:30 P.M. Eastern.
MALSAM (On racing at Michigan International Speedway): “Going back to Michigan again this year is exciting. It’s always nice when I can have some laps on the track before I get there to race, but no matter what my guys on this One Eighty team do a good job of putting a solid Toyota Tundra under me. I didn’t have a great run there last year in the ARCA car, but I’m looking forward to going there this year with these Randy Moss Motorsports guys. We are definitely capable of getting another top-10 finish and maybe even our first top-five finish of the season.”
Tayler Malsam Two-Steps to a Ninth-Place Finish at Texas Motor Speedway
Despite Clutch Issues in the Final 45 Laps, the 20-Year-Old Claims Third Top-10 Finish
FT. WORTH, Texas (June 8, 2009) – Making his first trip to Texas Motor Speedway, Tayler Malsam had confidence that his Randy Moss Motorsports team could claim another top-10 finish in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. And together, the 20-year-old and his One Eighty crew did just that. Despite a poor qualifying effort, the No. 81 Toyota steadily moved towards the front of the field and a pit strategy call by crew chief Doug Wolcott catapulted the Tundra into the top-five with 70 laps to go. Unfortunately, clutch issues plagued Malsam for the remainder of the race, which relegated him to a ninth-place finish at The Great American Speedway. This team effort was the third top-10 finish of the 2009 NCWTS season for Malsam.
Starting from the 24th position, Malsam gained five places by the completion of lap one. The Raybestos Rookie of the Year candidate picked off spots one at a time and by lap 42 when the first caution of the race flew, Malsam was in the 14th position. Wolcott called Malsam to pit road for four tires and the RMM Tundra returned to pit road the next lap for fuel and a track bar adjustment. A quick stop by the One Eighty pit crew resulted in the Seattle, Washington native restarting from 12th-place on lap 47.
An unusual long green flag run spread out the field and caused the teams to start making green flag pit stops. Wolcott left Malsam on the track for as long as possible, moving the rookie to the fourth position on lap 99. Three laps later, Malsam brought his Tundra down pit road just for fuel. As most other competitors decided to make two stops under green, Wolcott only brought Malsam to pit road once, placing the One Eighty Toyota in third-place. A second and final caution came out just in time for Malsam on lap 123, as it allowed him to come to the pits for four fresh tires and return the next lap for fuel.
Unfortunately, under the caution Malsam noticed clutch issues which made the No. 81 Tundra hard to get momentum on restarts. Making a smart decision for the rest of the field, Malsam went back to the tail-end of the lead lap in the ninth position to restart the race on lap 128. Finishing the 167-lap race strong, Malsam two-stepped his way to a ninth-place finish and captured his third top-10 finish of his young Truck Series career.
“I just can’t say enough about my guys on this One Eighty, Randy Moss Motorsports Toyota Tundra team,” said Malsam. “They worked a lot of hours this past week to bring this truck to Texas and it definitely paid off. Our Toyota was awesome tonight and Doug (Wolcott) made a great call under the green flag pit stops to only come in once. I definitely had to take care of the tires, but it all worked out. Just at the end there, we had some clutch issues which put us back farther than we deserved. To come home with another top-10 finish though is great and we will go get them next week in Michigan.”
After his strong but disappointing top-10 finish, Malsam gained one position to 11th-place in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship point standings. He is currently only six points behind 10th-place Rick Crawford.
Texas Motor Speedway . WinStar World Casino 400 . Friday, June 5, 2009
ONE EIGHTY RETURNS: One Eighty will continue their sponsorship of Malsam’s No. 81 Toyota Tundra this Friday at Texas Motor Speedway. The familiar colors of One Eighty Racing have been on Malsam’s Randy Moss Motorsports truck every race this season. The Raybestos Rookie of the Year leader has recorded two top-10 and six top-15 finishes in the first seven races and is currently 12th in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship point standings. For more information about One Eighty, please visit www.oneeightytwist.com.
MALSAM AT TEXAS: Friday’s race at Texas Motor Speedway will be Malsam’s first race at the Fort Worth track. Malsam’s last race at a 1.5-mile oval (Lowe’s Motor Speedway) resulted in his highest finish of the season – an eighth-place effort.
CHASSIS CHOICE: This weekend, crew chief Doug Wolcott and the No. 81 team will once again unload Randy Moss Motorsports chassis No. 126. This Toyota Tundra has been raced five times so far in the 2009 season, at Auto Club Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway, Kansas Speedway, Lowe’s Motor Speedway, and most recently at Dover International Speedway. The highest finish in this chassis came at Lowe’s, where Malsam posted an eighth-place finish.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR UPDATE: After his 12th-place finish at Dover International Speedway, Malsam held his lead in the Raybestos Rookie of the Year point standings. The Seattle, Washington native is currently tied with Johnny Sauter with a total of 71 points. Malsam has won the Rookie of the Race award twice in the first seven races of the season, as he captured the honor at Atlanta Motor Speedway and most recently at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
AUTOGRAPH SESSION: Malsam and his Randy Moss Motorsports teammate Mike Skinner will join other NASCAR Camping World Truck Series drivers to sign autographs on Friday afternoon from 4:30 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. CT in the TM Interactive area.
CATCH THE ACTION: The WinStar World Casino 400 from Texas Motor Speedway will take the green flag this Friday, June 5th at 9 P.M. Eastern. Race coverage will be televised live on SPEED, beginning at 8:30 P.M. Eastern, and heard live on select affiliates of MRN Radio and Sirius-XM NASCAR Radio Channel 128, beginning at 9 P.M. Eastern.
MALSAM (On racing at Texas Motor Speedway): “Well, I’ve never raced at Texas before so I have some learning to do when I get there. From what I’ve heard, Texas is no different than Atlanta or Lowe’s – they all seem to be shaped the same. The only difference is that the bumps in the track are in different places, but overall they are pretty much alike. Texas is a fast racetrack and I know that my One Eighty guys are working hard to give me the best Toyota out there. We are taking the same truck that we ran so well with at Lowe’s, so I’m really looking forward to this weekend and hopefully getting our first top-five finish of the season.”
Tayler Malsam Recovers from Tire Problems at The Monster Mile for a 12th-Place Finish
The Raybestos Rookie of the Year Candidate Grabs Sixth Top-15 Finish of the Season
DOVER, Del. (June 1, 2009) – For the second race in a row, Tayler Malsam proved why he can contend with the veterans each week in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Early in the 200-lap race at Dover International Speedway, Malsam felt his right rear tire going flat and had to bring his No. 81 Toyota Tundra to pit road under green-flag conditions. Despite being two laps down, the Raybestos Rookie of the Year contender patiently raced his way back on the lead lap and was running in the sixth position when Malsam brought his Tundra down pit road for the final time. Unfortunately, a mistake on pit road cost Malsam numerous spots, which resulted in a 12th-place finish for the Randy Moss Motorsports team.
For the third time out of seven races, the Truck Series race was postponed due to weather, so the No. 81 One Eighty team was forced to race on Saturday evening instead of the scheduled Friday time. Starting from the 20th position, Malsam knew that he would have to be patiently aggressive to get to the front of the field at the track known as “The Monster Mile.” From the very beginning of the race, tire problems were at the forefront of every team’s mind, including the One Eighty crew. The third caution of the race came out on lap 35, as race leader Ron Hornaday blew a tire. Crew chief Doug Wolcott called Malsam to the attention of his pit crew for right side tires only on lap 36. The Seattle, Washington native restarted from 13th-place.
On lap 47, NASCAR called a competition caution, while Malsam was in the 16th position. Wolcott called Malsam down pit road on lap 48 for left side tires and the 20-year-old returned to pit road the following lap for fuel. Restarting on lap 52 from the 11th position, Malsam steadily picked off competitors and broke into the top-five on lap 61. Unluckily, eight laps later Malsam radioed to his crew that his right rear tire was going down, which forced the No. 81 Toyota to pit under green-flag conditions. As a result of the green- flag stop, the rookie fell two laps down.
Malsam battled to get into the “lucky dog” position for the next 40 laps. On lap 102, the tide started to turn for the One Eighty Toyota, as it received one of its laps back, as a result of the “lucky dog” pass. Continuing to fight for positions, Malsam was in position to regain his status on the lead lap when the caution flew once again on lap 134. The next lap, Wolcott once again called Malsam to pit road for four fresh tires, followed by another stop for fuel. Restarting from the 17th position on lap 140, the Raybestos Rookie was determined to have a strong finish. Over the next 45 laps, Malsam picked off competitors one at a time and on lap 185, the No. 81 Tundra was running in the ninth position. Wolcott radioed Malsam to pit road for the final time to take right side tires, but a loose lug nut caused the truck to come back down pit road and lose the track position that Malsam had gained. During the final 10 laps, Malsam picked up as many spots as possible, but as the checkered flag flew, the No. 81 team was left with a 12th-place finish.
After recording his sixth top-15 finish of the season, Malsam remains in the 12th position in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship point standings. He is currently 18 points behind 10th-place Johnny Benson. In addition, Malsam held his lead in the Raybestos Rookie of the Year standings, as he is tied with Johnny Sauter with a total of 71 points.
Tayler Malsam and his No. 81 One Eighty Toyota Tundra team will two-step into Texas Motor Speedway this Friday, June 5th for a Lone Star State Showdown. The WinStar World Casino 400 will begin at 9 P.M. Eastern, with SPEED carrying live television coverage. Select affiliates of MRN Radio and Sirius-XM NASCAR Radio Channel 128 will have live radio coverage of the 167-lap event, starting at 9 P.M. Eastern.
Tayler Malsam Quotes:
How was your race?
“We had an easy top-five truck today. The Randy Moss Motorsports team did a good job. We just had a miscue on pit lane and the right rear went down and we went two laps down and got back into the top-10. It just stinks for all the guys. It wasn’t meant to be.”
What is the main thing you learned today that will help you when you come back here?
“Definitely just watch for tires, I guess, and watch out for wrecks. Just be consistent and stay out of trouble, pretty much.”
Have you ever been in a situation where you have to take care of the right front and race hard at the same time?
“Yeah we do it in dirt cars all the time; you watch the right rear and stuff. You have to watch it but it’s hard to when you’re trying to run for fifth, fourth, or for the win, depending on what truck you’re in. It’s definitely frustrating. It’s like trying to tell you to save fuel. It’s kind of hard to do.”
Dover International Speedway, AAA Insurance 200
Friday, May 29, 2009
ONE EIGHTY TWIST: One Eighty will continue their sponsorship of Malsam’s No. 81 Toyota Tundra this Friday at Dover International Speedway. The familiar colors of One Eighty Racing have been on Malsam’s Randy Moss Motorsports truck every race this season. The Raybestos Rookie of the Year leader has recorded two top-10 and five top-15 finishes in the first six races and is currently 12th in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship point standings. For more information about One Eighty, please visit www.oneeightytwist.com.
MALSAM AT DOVER: Friday’s race at Dover International Speedway will be Malsam’s first race at the track known as The Monster Mile. Malsam will look to follow up his top-10 run at Lowe’s with another solid performance at the one-mile oval.
CHASSIS CHOICE: This weekend, crew chief Doug Wolcott and the No. 81 team will unload Randy Moss Motorsports chassis No. 126. This Toyota Tundra has been raced four times so far in the 2009 season, at Auto Club Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway, Kansas Speedway, and most recently at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. The highest finish in this chassis came at Lowe’s, where Malsam posted an eighth-place finish.
LEADER OF THE PACK: After his eighth-place finish at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, Malsam expanded his lead in the Raybestos Rookie of the Year point standings. The Seattle, Washington native currently holds a five point lead over James Buescher. Malsam has won the Rookie of the Race award twice in the first six races of the season, as he captured the honor at Atlanta Motor Speedway and most recently at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
THE FIRST SIX: Through the first six races of the 2009 NCWTS season, Malsam and his No. 81 One Eighty team have accumulated two top-10 finishes, a 10th-place finish at Daytona International Speedway and an eighth-place finish at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. In addition, Malsam has recorded five top-15 finishes, only finishing outside of the top-15 once (24th at Auto Club Speedway).
SUMMER STRETCH: Friday’s 200-lap race at The Monster Mile starts a five-week racing stretch for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Malsam and his No. 81 Toyota team will travel for the next five weeks across the United States and look to stay atop of the Rookie point standings.
DID YOU KNOW?: Crew chief Doug Wolcott led rookie Scott Speed to Victory Lane in last year’s NCWTS race at Dover International Speedway. Wolcott and the No. 81 One Eighty team will look to make it back-to-back wins for rookies this weekend.
CATCH THE ACTION: The AAA Insurance 200 from Dover International Speedway will take the green flag this Friday, May 29th at 5 P.M. Eastern. Race coverage will be televised on a tape-delayed basis on SPEED, beginning at 8 P.M. Eastern, and heard live on select affiliates of MRN Radio and Sirius-XM NASCAR Radio Channel 128, beginning at 5 P.M. Eastern.
MALSAM (On racing at Dover International Speedway): “It was a huge race for us in Charlotte and it’s especially huge going into Dover. Doug (Wolcott, crew chief) has an amazing setup there. They won at Dover last year with Scott Speed as a rookie, and I really believe that we can go there and definitely get a top-five if not have a shot at the win. These guys that work on my One Eighty Toyota do such a great job and they deserve all of the credit. I've never raced at Dover before, but with a good set-up and my team behind me, I know we can perform very well."
MALSAM (On leading the Raybestos Rookie of the Year point standings): "To be leading the Raybestos Rookie of the Year points is a huge accomplishment. At the beginning of the season, one of our goals was to win the Rookie honors and we are on our way to do just that. But by no means is the season over - we have a long way to go and as long as we keep doing what we are doing right now, I think we have a great shot at winning the Rookie award. Runs like we had at Charlotte - never giving up until the race is over - that is what makes us such a competitor, not only in the Rookie points, but in the top-10 drivers championship points. We have had some really good trucks these past couple of races and haven't gotten the finishes that we think we should have, but we are going to keep working on it and hopefully before too long, we will be in Victory Lane."
Tayler Malsam Battles Hard for 8th-Place Finish at Lowe’s Motor Speedway
The Rookie Overcomes Spin and Captures Second Top-10 of Season
CONCORD, N.C. (May 17, 2009) – During Friday night’s North Carolina Education Lottery 200, Tayler Malsam and his Randy Moss Motorsports team showed the resilience and determination it takes to compete up front in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS). Running consistently in the top-15, Malsam went for a ride through the infield grass on lap 34, just as his teammate Mike Skinner hit the wall hard and slid down the track on his side. The No. 81 One Eighty Toyota Tundra crew went to work under caution to fix the damage that Malsam received and for the remaining 100 laps, the Seattle, Washington native steadily battled his way through the field to come home with an eighth-place finish. This was the second top-10 finish of the season for Malsam and the 20-year-old remains the leader in the Raybestos Rookie of the Year point standings.
Due to qualifying being rained out, Malsam started the 201-mile race from the 12th position. The No. 81 Toyota quickly moved and remained in the top-10 when the first caution of the night came out on lap 27. Malsam, who was good in the high groove, was called to pit road on lap 28 by crew chief Doug Wolcott for four fresh tires and the following lap, the One Eighty Tundra returned to pit road for fuel. The Raybestos rookie restarted the race on lap 34 from the 14th position, but within one lap, Malsam had received contact from a fellow competitor which sent the No. 81 Toyota through the infield grass. After a red flag period, the pit crew went to work to fix the damage that Malsam had received and he restarted the race on lap 41 from the 21st position.
During the next 40-lap green flag run, Malsam worked his way up to the 12th position. On lap 83, green flag pit stops began and Malsam broke into the top-10. Four laps later, the caution flew before the No. 81 One Eighty team made their trip to pit road. The Raybestos Rookie radioed to his crew that his truck was “so much fun to drive” and on lap 88, Wolcott called Malsam to the attention of his crew for four tires and an air pressure adjustment. The next lap, Malsam returned to pit road for fuel. The green flag waved on lap 95 to restart the race, with Malsam in the third position.
Malsam continued to run in the top-five for the next ten laps and when the checkered flag flew on the 134-lap event, Malsam came home in the eighth position. This was Malsam’s second top-10 finish, fifth top-15 finish, and his second time capturing the Raybestos Rookie of the Race award in the 2009 NCWTS season.
After his solid finish, Malsam stayed in the 12th position in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship point standings. He is currently 17 points behind 10th-place Brian Scott. In addition, Malsam held his lead in the Raybestos Rookie of the Year standings, expanding his lead to five points over second-place James Buescher.
Tayler Malsam and his No. 81 One Eighty Toyota Tundra team will take a well-deserved week off, before returning to racing action at Dover International Speedway on Friday, May 29th. The AAA Insurance 200 will begin at 5 P.M. Eastern, with SPEED carrying television coverage on a delayed basis, starting at 8 P.M. Eastern. Select affiliates of MRN Radio and Sirius-XM NASCAR Radio Channel 128 will have live radio coverage of the 200-mile event, starting at 5 P.M. Eastern.
Tayler Malsam Quotes:
How was your race?
“This One Eighty Randy Moss crew did it all today. When I got caught up in that first accident, they got us back out there and I just drove the wheels off for these guys. I can’t thank them enough. This is a huge, huge race for us. I hate to see it for Skinner to go out like that. He had a fast truck too. It just shows that Randy Moss Motorsports is here and here to stay because we both ran up front all night.”
What happened when you spun on the frontstretch?
“We were just running the high line. The No. 11 truck decided to come up into us and just spin us out. But that’s racing. It shows that this One Eighty crew can get it back together and we can come back there and finish in the top-10.”
You were very fortunate to not hit anything.
“Yeah, definitely. I thought we knocked the whole front end in when we hit the wall over there but we were good. It was a good fun race. I just can’t thank my guys enough.”
What did you need for the truck to finish a little bit better?
“On the long runs we were killer but just got a little tight on that last session. This truck was amazing. You couldn’t ask for a better one.”
You ran well and had a good finish here at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. How important is this or you and the team?
“It’s huge especially going into the next race at Dover. Doug (Wolcott, crew chief) has an amazing setup there. They won at Dover last year and tonight was a big step for us.”
Did you see Mike Skinner’s accident?
“I was spinning backwards so I don’t know what happened to him. I heard he flipped and I heard he’s okay. He’s a little sore but glad to know that he’s okay.”
Pre-Race Notes and Quotes
Lowe’s Motor Speedway
North Carolina Education Lottery 200
Friday, May 15, 2009
FAMILIAR COLORS: One Eighty will continue their sponsorship of Malsam’s No. 81 Toyota Tundra this Friday night at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. The familiar colors of One Eighty Racing have been on Malsam’s Randy Moss Motorsports truck every race this season. The Raybestos Rookie of the Year leader has recorded one top-10 and four top-15 finishes in the first five races and is currently 12th in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship point standings. For more information about One Eighty, please visit www.oneeightytwist.com.
MALSAM AT LOWE’S: Friday’s race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway will be Malsam’s first race at the North Carolina 1.5-mile oval. Malsam has raced at two other 1.5-mile tracks this season (Atlanta and Kansas) and claimed 13th-place and 11th-place finishes respectively.
CHASSIS CHOICE: This weekend, crew chief Doug Wolcott and the No. 81 team will unload Randy Moss Motorsports chassis No. 126. This Toyota Tundra has been raced three times so far in the 2009 season, at Auto Club Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway, and most recently at Kansas Speedway. The highest finish in this chassis came at Kansas, where Malsam posted an 11th-place finish.
TOP ROOKIE: After his 11th-place finish at Kansas Speedway, Malsam took the lead in the Raybestos Rookie of the Year point standings. The Seattle, Washington native currently holds a one point lead over James Buescher. Malsam has won the Rookie of the Race award once in the first five races of the season, as he captured the honor at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
MEDIA AVAILABILITY: Malsam, teammate Mike Skinner, and co-owners Randy Moss and David Dollar will all be available to the media on Friday evening at 5:00 P.M. Eastern in the Media Center.
AUTOGRAPH SESSION: Malsam and his teammate Mike Skinner will both participate in a Toyota Autograph Session on Friday afternoon from 1:30-2:00 P.M. Eastern at the Toyota PitPass Display. Come out and meet both drivers and get an autograph!
CALLING ALL JUDGES: Not only will Randy Moss Motorsports co-owner Randy Moss be in town for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race on Friday, May 15th, the NFL All-Pro wide receiver will lend his judging expertise as a celebrity judge for Saturday’s Pennzoil Victory Challenge. Moss will join 16-time World Wrestling Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair, SPEED's Jimmy Spencer, plus Eddie Montgomery and Troy Gentry of the award-winning country music group - Montgomery Gentry, as a judge. The event will take place on the front stretch of Lowe's Motor Speedway immediately preceding the Sprint Showdown. SPEED Channel will carry the event live beginning at 6:00 p.m.
CATCH THE ACTION: The North Carolina Education Lottery 200 from Lowe’s Motor Speedway will take the green flag this Friday, May 15th at 8 P.M. Eastern. Race coverage will be televised live on SPEED, beginning at 7:30 P.M. Eastern, and heard live on select affiliates of MRN Radio and Sirius-XM NASCAR Radio Channel 128.
MALSAM (On racing at Lowe’s Motor Speedway): “I’m excited to race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway this Friday. My No. 81 One Eighty team has been working hard back at the shop the past couple of weeks that we have been off and we are taking the truck that we raced at Kansas to Charlotte. We had an awesome Toyota in Kansas, but had a little mishap on pit road that cost us some spots on the race track. The guys have been working on their stops and this week, we are going to come out and race hard to get another top-10 or even a top-five finish.”
Tayler Malsam Scores 11th-Place Finish in Kansas
The 20-year-old Takes the Lead in the Raybestos Rookie of the Year Standings
KANSAS CITY, Kans. (April 29, 2009) – Weather was the main topic when the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series rolled into Kansas Speedway. The extended weekend started off with heavy winds, but strong thunderstorms and rain moved in the area on Saturday. Tayler Malsam and his No. 81 One Eighty Toyota Tundra team were determined to have a solid showing at the 1.5-mile oval and take over the points lead in the Raybestos Rookie of the Year standings. Malsam quickly showed that he had a stout truck, but a pit road infraction on Monday’s race conclusion pushed the rookie to the back of the field. The Seattle, Washington native worked his way through the field, but when the race was called for rain, 35 laps short of the conclusion, Malsam had to settle for an 11th-place finish.
Qualifying in the 10th position, Malsam quickly maneuvered to the sixth spot by lap seven. Running solidly in the top-10, the caution flag waved for the second time on lap 37. Crew chief Doug Wolcott called Malsam to pit road on lap 39 for four tires and an air pressure adjustment. Malsam returned to the attention of his crew the following lap for fuel. The 20-year-old restarted the race on lap 43 from the 17th position. Just as soon as the trucks went back racing, the caution flag waved again for rain on lap 46. Attempting to dry the track, Malsam and the rest of the field made numerous caution laps before NASCAR made the decision to postpone the race until Monday.
After a day off, Malsam and the No. 81 One Eighty team were ready to finish their charge to the front on Monday morning. Unfortunately, rain storms were still in the area and pushed back the completion of the race until shortly after 2 P.M. CT. Malsam restarted the race on lap 62 from the 11th position and by lap 76, the No. 81 Toyota was running in sixth-place. Finding different grooves in the race track, Malsam broke into the top-five by lap 109 and radioed to his crew that his truck was “very fast.” Caution flew on the track on lap 113 and Wolcott brought Malsam down pit road once again. On lap 114, Malsam received two fresh right side tires, but as he was exiting his pit stall, the rear tire rolled out of the pit stall, which resulted in a tail end of the longest line penalty. The next lap, Malsam returned to his crew for fuel and restarted the race from the 17th position.
Within one lap, Malsam had moved up three positions, running in the 14th-place. The Raybestos Rookie of the Year contender kept picking off positions and when the caution flew for the final time for rain on lap 123, Malsam was sitting in the 11th position. After attempting numerous times to dry the track, NASCAR called the race, which left Malsam sitting with a solid but disappointing finish.
“My No. 81 One Eighty team gave me an awesome truck this weekend,” said Malsam. “We were heading to the front quick, but when we had that pit road mishap it just put us to the back of the pack. We could have easily finished in top-three and might been able to have a one-two finish for Randy Moss Motorsports. I’ve happy for Mike (Skinner) and all of those guys on the No. 5 team, just wish we could have been up there with him. But we will shake this off and go get them in a few weeks at Charlotte.”
With his 11th-place run, Malsam gained three spots, moving into the 12th position in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship points standings. He currently sits 17 points out of 10th-place and 85 points out of the fifth spot. In addition, Malsam has taken over the lead in the Raybestos Rookie of the Year point standings. He sits atop of the chart with a one-point lead over James Buescher.
Looking to rebound after a long weekend in Kansas, Tayler Malsam and his No. 81 Randy Moss Motorsports team will head to Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina on Friday, May 15th for the North Carolina Education Lottery 200. SPEED will have live television coverage of the 134-lap event, beginning at 8:00 P.M. Eastern. In addition, select affiliates of MRN Radio and Sirius-XM NASCAR Radio will have the live radio broadcast.
Tayler Malsam – No. 81 One Eighty Toyota Tundra
Pre-Race Notes and Quotes
Kansas Speedway . O’Reilly Auto Parts 250
Saturday, April 25, 2009
ROUND FIVE WITH ONE EIGHTY: For the fifth consecutive race, Tayler Malsam and the No. 81 Randy Moss Motorsports Toyota Tundra will sport the colors of One Eighty. One Eighty Racing has sponsored the Raybestos Rookie of the Year contender in the four races that have taken place so far in the 2009 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, where Malsam has recorded one top-10 and three top-15 finishes. For more information about One Eighty, please visit www.oneeightytwist.com.
MALSAM AT KANSAS: Malsam will be returning this week to a track where he has seen and raced on before. Last year in the ARCA Re/Max Series, Malsam drove the No. 4 Dodge Driver Development Dodge for Cunningham Motorsports at the 1.5-mile track and was running consistently throughout the race. Starting from the ninth position, Malsam was running sixth at the halfway point, until he received contact from another competitor. The contact resulted in a cut tire and Malsam lost a lap due to coming to pit road. After regaining his lap back, the Seattle, Washington native finished the race in the 14th position.
CHASSIS CHOICE: This weekend, crew chief Doug Wolcott and the No. 81 team will unload Randy Moss Motorsports chassis, No. 126. This Toyota Tundra has already been raced twice this season at Auto Club Speedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway, where Malsam collected a 24th-place and 13th-place finishes respectively.
CATCHING UP BACK HOME WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS: As the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series had a few off-weeks, Malsam headed home to Washington to reconnect with family and friends. On April 15th, One Eighty Racing held an Open House in Bellevue, Washington to support Malsam and Randy Moss Motorsports. This event was held at One Eighty’s Mediterranean-inspired restaurant, Toscano, and drew more than 500 friends, family, potential sponsors, and Northwest NASCAR fans. Malsam, crew chief Doug Wolcott, and Randy Moss, NFL All-Pro Wide Receiver and co-owner of RMM, were on hand to discuss the 20-year-old’s progress so far, share plans for the future, and sign a few autographs. Local media captured the event and Malsam and Moss were special guests on KCPQ-TV’s Q it Up Sports.
RACING OUT WEST: While on the West Coast for the One Eighty Open House, Malsam took the opportunity to race the No. 26 Rudeen Racing 410 and 360 Sprint Car at the opening night of Skagit Speedway, located in Burlington, Washington. Malsam captured two top-five finishes, as he finished fourth in the 410s and third in the 360s after starting from the rear of the field. Malsam will continue to race the No. 26 Sprint Car throughout the year.
RAYBESTOS ROOKIE OF THE YEAR UPDATE: Malsam currently sits second in the Raybestos Rookie of the Year standings, tied with James Buescher and only four points behind leader J.R. Fitzpatrick. Malsam has captured Raybestos Rookie of the Race honors once at Atlanta Motor Speedway. In addition, Malsam is currently 15th in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship point standings, leading all rookie contenders.
CATCH THE ACTION: The O’Reilly Auto Parts 250 from Kansas Speedway will take the green flag Saturday, April 25th at 6 P.M. Eastern. Race coverage will be televised live on SPEED, beginning at 5:30 P.M. Eastern, and heard live on select affiliates of MRN and Sirius XM Satellite Radio.
MALSAM (On racing at Kansas): “Definitely going to Kansas where I’ve raced before, I feel more comfortable than I did going to Martinsville. We had a good run going in the ARCA car last year until we got wrecked, but we still finished in the top-15. Kansas is a really good track that I’m excited about going back to. Anytime you can go back to a track that you have raced on before, it gives you more confidence and you’re not spending most of the practice getting used to the track.”
MALSAM (On veteran teammate, Mike Skinner and overall performance so far): “Having Mike as a teammate helps because I can ask him any rookie question and he’ll know the answer since he has been doing it for so long. He has been a help on and off the track and then helping me know what do at this point on the track and what to do at that part of the track. So far, our season has gone very well. I think we could have been better in places but we are up to par in the direction that we are going.”
Tayler Malsam Survives First Martinsville Race with a 14th-Place Finish
The Raybestos Rookie of the Year Candidate Records Third Top-15 Finish of Season
MARTINSVILLE, Va. (March 31, 2009) – Tayler Malsam and his No. 81 One Eighty Toyota Tundra team were ready to go racing on Saturday afternoon, but mother nature had other plans as a rain storm postponed the running of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) race at Martinsville Speedway until Monday. As the weather had made a one eighty twist to bright, clear skies, Malsam ran a solid and consistent race to finish on the lead lap in the 14th position in his first career race at the track known as the “paperclip.” This finish was the third top-15 finish of the season for the 20-year-old rookie and his Randy Moss Motorsports (RMM) team.
Starting the 250-lap race from the 18th position, Malsam was caught on the outside groove and quickly dropped back to the 25th position. As the first caution of the afternoon waved on lap 15, crew chief Doug Wolcott called his driver to the attention of the pit crew to top off the No. 81 One Eighty Toyota with Sunoco racing fuel and to make track bar and wedge adjustments to help the handling conditions. As the majority of the field stayed on the track, Malsam restarted on lap 35 from 29th-place and moved up to 25th-place by lap 50, when the field was under caution for the third time. Wolcott called Malsam to pit road once again for right side tires and a spring rubber adjustment.
Malsam was running in the 26th position as the green flag waved to restart the race on lap 54, and within
20 laps, the No. 81 Tundra had moved into the top-15. The Raybestos Rookie of the Year candidate ran among the top-15 until lap 154, when Malsam came down pit road for his final stop of the afternoon to put four fresh Goodyear tires on his Toyota. As various pit strategies were played, Malsam restarted from the 21st position and reported to his crew that his truck was better than most of the trucks in front of him. Showing his talent, the rookie wheeled his way through the field to 12th-place with 30 laps to go in the race.
As the laps were ticking away, Malsam was rooted out of the way by a fellow rookie competitor and pushed back to 18th-place. The No. 81 One Eighty Toyota was pushing off the center of the corner, but Malsam didn’t allow the beating and banging to hinder his performance. Over the final 20 laps, Malsam drove back up to the 14th position, capturing his second consecutive top-15 finish.
“My Randy Moss Motorsports team gave me a pretty good One Eighty Toyota Tundra today,” said Malsam. “It seemed like a long 250 laps out there. Martinsville is one-of-a-kind and I knew there was going to be a lot of beating and banging happening. We were fighting a tight, loose condition all day and the adjustments that Doug (Wolcott, crew chief) made on each stop were helping us. I think we should have finished a little higher up but to come home with a top-15 finish on the lead lap for my first race at Martinsville isn’t too bad. We will enjoy some time off and get ready to go back racing.”
Malsam moved up one position to second in the Raybestos Rookie of the Year standings, only three points behind leader J.R. Fitzpatrick. In addition, Malsam is 15th in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship point standings, dropping two positions despite his top-15 effort. The Pacific Northwest native is only 26 points out of 10th-place and 99 points out of the fifth position.
Tayler Malsam and the No. 81 Randy Moss Motorsports team will take a three-week break, before heading to tornado alley and racing at Kansas Speedway on April 25, 2009. SPEED will have live television coverage of the 167-lap race, as the green flag is schedule to be waved shortly after 6:00 P.M. Eastern. Select affiliates of MRN and Sirius-XM NASCAR Radio will also have the live radio broadcast.
ONE EIGHTY RETURNS: Once again this weekend, the familiar colors of One Eighty will be back on board the No. 81 Randy Moss Motorsports Toyota Tundra. One Eighty Racing has sponsored the first three races of the 2009 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season, as Malsam has finished 10th at Daytona, 24th at California, and most recently 13th at Atlanta.
MALSAM AT MARTINSVILLE: Tayler Malsam, a 20-year-old rookie, has never before raced at Martinsville Speedway. Friday morning’s practice session will be the first laps that Malsam has completed at the legendary Virginia short track.
CHASSIS CHOICE: This weekend, crew chief Doug Wolcott and the No. 81 team will unload Randy Moss Motorsports chassis, TRD 118. Last year, this chassis was one of Mike Skinner’s trucks at Bill Davis Racing. Malsam’s first laps in this Tundra took place at a test session earlier in the week.
TESTING, 1, 2, 3: Malsam and the No. 81 One Eighty Toyota team tested their Martinsville chassis Tuesday, March 24th at the Motor Mile Speedway in Radford, Virginia. The laps paced at the test session where the first laps that Malsam has completed in this Tundra chassis.
OFF-WEEKEND….WHAT OFF-WEEKEND?: As the Truck Series was off two weekends ago, March 13th and 14th, Malsam went to Chico, California to run the World of Outlaws 23rd Annual Mini Gold Cup at Silver Dollar Speedway. Malsam, who began racing sprint cars early in his career, drove the No. 26 Rudeen Racing 410 Sprint Car to a third-place finish in the C-Main on Friday night and a 17th-place finish in the C-Main on Saturday night. Malsam raced with veteran Sprint Car drivers, such as Steve Kinser and winner Joey Saldana. The Seattle, Washington native will race sprint cars numerous more times throughout the year.
RAYBESTOS ROOKIE OF THE YEAR UPDATE: Malsam currently sits third in the Raybestos Rookie of the Year standings, only two points out of second-place and three points behind leader J.R. Fitzpatrick. Malsam captured Raybestos Rookie of the Race honors for the first time at Atlanta Motor Speedway, as he wheeled his One Eighty Toyota to a 13th-place finish.
ROUND ONE: Saturday’s race at Martinsville Speedway will mark the first short track race for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series this season. This will also be race one of the season at Martinsville, as Truck Series action will return to the Virginia short track on Saturday, October 24th.
MARTINSVILLE MILESTONE: Martinsville Speedway is one of just three tracks that have hosted a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race every year since the inaugural season in 1995. Also, this weekend’s Kroger 250 will the mark the 15th season of Truck Series racing at Martinsville.
CATCH THE ACTION: The Kroger 250 from Martinsville Speedway will take the green flag Saturday, March 28th at 2 P.M. Eastern. Race coverage will be televised live on FOX, beginning at 1:30 P.M. Eastern, and heard live on select affiliates of MRN and Sirius XM Satellite Radio. Both practice sessions on Friday will be televised live on SPEED at 11 A.M. and 1:30 P.M. Eastern respectively, along with qualifying on Saturday morning at 9:00 A.M. Eastern.
MALSAM (On racing at Martinsville): “I’m pretty excited to go short track racing for the first time this year in my One Eighty Toyota. I’ve never raced at Martinsville Speedway before, but I’ve seen races there and I know it is going to be hard, beating and banging short track racing. We are testing at Motor Mile Speedway before we head to Martinsville, so we will be able to shakedown the truck and start getting a feel for it. The Toyota that we are taking this weekend is one of Mike’s (Skinner) trucks from last year, so I know that it is going to be a good piece that we can run up front with. All of my guys have been working really hard these past couple of weeks and I know we all are ready to get back to the track.”
MALSAM (On racing in the World of Outlaws Race in Chico, Cali.): “It’s always fun to go back and run Sprint car races on the West Coast. Being from Seattle, I actually raced Sprint cars before I started racing stock cars, so it’s kind of like going back to where I got started. We didn’t have the results that we really wanted this past weekend in Chico (California), but I will be racing in a Sprint car quite a few more times this year so we will have some more chances to finish better and definitely get some wins before too long. It’s always neat to be able to race against the best drivers in Sprint cars, just like it’s fun racing against the Cup drivers. But that’s one of the nice things about the Truck Series schedule – it allows us to go out and race other series on our off-weekends and still have time to come back to North Carolina and get ready to go Truck racing again.”
ABOUT ONE EIGHTY: One Eighty, founded in 1976, encompasses hospitality, senior housing, and international brands, all of which require their customers to “Twist Your Thinking.” One Eighty’s hospitality brand has three divisions – Edibility, PrimeFit, and Twist Travel, which offer a bold take on their individual specialties. Edibility includes retirement community food services, corporate and social event catering, restaurant development and management, culinary classes, and signature food items. Also, PrimeFit and Twist Travel take a similar cover-the-all bases approach. For more information about One Eighty, please visit www.oneeightytwist.com.
ABOUT RANDY MOSS MOTORSPORTS: Randy Moss Motorsports ownership consists of Randy Moss, New England Patriots All-Pro Wide Receiver; and David Dollar, a long-time participant in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. The team fields the No. 81 Toyota Tundra and the No. 5 Toyota Tundra full-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. For more information about Randy Moss Motorsports, please visit www.randymossmotorsports.com.
Tayler Malsam Finishes Solidly in the 13th Position in First Trip to Atlanta
The 20-year-old Captures Raybestos Rookie of the Race Honors
HAMPTON, Ga. (March 8, 2009) – Tayler Malsam saw Atlanta Motor Speedway for the first time as he drove through the infield tunnel on Friday morning. Since the 20-year-old had never been on the 1.54-mile quad-oval before, both of Friday’s practice sessions were used to get Malsam adjusted to one of the fastest tracks on the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) circuit. Driving the same No. 81 One Eighty Toyota Tundra that raced two weeks ago at Auto Club Speedway, Malsam knew that the truck was capable of running well and up front. The Raybestos Rookie of the Year Contender battled hard throughout the American Commercial Lines 200 on Saturday afternoon and came home on the lead lap in the 13th position, capturing the Raybestos Rookie of the Race honors for the first time in his young career.
After qualifying in the 29th position, Malsam had his work cut out for him throughout the 130-lap race. Staying calm and confident, Malsam steadily moved his way up through the field and when the first caution came out on lap 29, the No. 81 One Eighty Toyota was running in the 20th position. Crew chief Doug Wolcott called Malsam to the attention of his Randy Moss Motorsports (RMM) team for four fresh tires and an air pressure adjustment on lap 30 and on the following lap, the Seattle, Wash. native returned to pit road for fuel. The RMM pit crew picked up five positions and on lap 34, Malsam restarted the race from the 15th position.
For the next 34 laps, the field was under a green-flag run in which the No. 81 One Eighty Tundra was fighting a loose condition and battling in the top-20. As the leader was quickly approaching Malsam, a timely caution for debris came out on lap 66 and allowed the rookie, who was running in the 16th position, to stay on the lead lap. Malsam radioed to Wolcott that the truck was good on long runs, but it needed help on the short runs. Wolcott once again brought Malsam down pit road for four tires and track bar adjustments on lap 68. The One Eighty Toyota returned to the pits the next lap for fuel and returned to the track in 13th-place.
A few laps after the restart, another wreck happened right in front of the No. 81 Toyota and Malsam skillfully maneuvered his way through without getting any damage to his truck. Wolcott told Malsam to stay out, which allowed the Raybestos Rookie of the Year contender to restart from the 11th position on lap 79. Malsam raced in the top-15 for the majority of the next green-flag run and on lap 110, the leader put him one lap down. However, good luck was on the northwest driver’s side as the caution waved for the fourth time on lap 113 allowing Malsam and the RMM team the get the “lucky dog” pass and return to the lead lap. Lap 116 saw Malsam return to pit road to the attention of his pit crew for four fresh tires, returning the following lap for fuel. Malsam took the green flag for the restart from the 13th position on lap 119.
For the final 11 laps, Malsam wheeled his One Eighty Toyota around the difficult track and came home in the 13th position. This impressive run was the second top-15 finish for the No.81 Randy Moss Motorsports team. Malsam also captured the Raybestos Rookie of the Race award, as he was the highest finishing rookie. Leaving the infield of Atlanta Motor Speedway after Saturday’s race, Malsam had achieved his goals for the weekend: finish the race in the top-15, on the lead lap, and without any damage on his truck.
“This One Eighty Randy Moss Motorsports team did awesome,” said Malsam. “I screwed up in qualifying and just wasn’t good in practice but these guys stuck behind me and gave me a truck that I could race with and I gave them what I had. I wasn’t very good on restarts but Doug (Wolcott, crew chief) and the guys just made an awesome truck for us. Yesterday in practice, the truck was probably there, I just wasn’t there. I couldn’t figure out the track, I couldn’t figure out what I needed to do. But once we got out here in the race and got some laps under our belts, it was really good. I’m really proud of these Randy Moss guys and this One Eighty Tundra was awesome today. It’s hard sometimes to learn tire management, but with Slugger (Labbe, spotter) up on the tower and Doug (Wolcott) on the box, it’s pretty easy. They kind of explain everything in a 20-year-old’s mind so it makes it a little bit easier for me. I couldn’t be more proud of my guys and we will go get them Martinsville now.”
Malsam is currently third in the Raybestos Rookie of the Year standings, two points behind second-place and only three points behind leader J.R. Fitzpatrick. Also, Malsam picked up three positions in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship point standings and now sits in the 13th position, 35 points out of the 10th position and 87 points behind fourth-place.
After a two-week break, Tayler Malsam and the No. 81 Randy Moss Motorsports Toyota Tundra team will return to racing action at Martinsville Speedway for the running of the Kroger 250 on Saturday, March 28, 2009. Malsam will be making his first start at the “paper-clip,” as the NCWTS tackles their first short-track race of the season. FOX will have live television coverage of the 250-lap race, beginning at 2:00 P.M. Eastern. Select affiliates of MRN Radio, along with Sirius-XM NASCAR Radio will also have the live radio broadcast.
Pre-Race Notes and Quotes Atlanta Motor Speedway
American Commercial Lines 200
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Welcome Back, One Eighty: For the third consecutive race, One Eighty will be the primary sponsor of the No. 81 Randy Moss Motorsports Toyota Tundra for this weekend’s race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. One Eighty Racing has sponsored the first two races of the 2009 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season, at Daytona International Speedway and Auto Club Speedway, where Malsam finished 10th and 24th respectively.
Clay Shoot for Charity: This Thursday, Tayler Malsam will participate in Speedway Children’s Charities’ Annual Clay Shoot and Barbecue at the Cherokee Rose Sporting Resort in Griffin, Ga. The Seattle, Wash. native will learn from the best as the Olympic Shooting Team will be on hand to train the participants. Malsam will use his competitive nature to raise money for local children’s charities, as this event is sponsored by the Atlanta chapter of SCC. For more information about Speedway Children’s Charities, please visit www.speedwaycharities.org.
And the Winner Will Be…: Last week, Ray Dunlap and the rest of the SPEED Channel NCWTS team predicted their championship and Raybestos Rookie of the Year award winners. SPEED personalities, Adam Alexander and Rick Allen both picked Malsam to win the prestigious Rookie award. The 20-year-old will look to prove Alexander and Allen correct, as he currently sits third in the standings, only nine points behind leader J.R. Fitzpatrick.
Boss in Town: Randy Moss, NFL All-Pro Wide Receiver and co-owner of RMM, is scheduled to be at the American Commercial Lines 200 this Saturday at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Malsam and teammate Mike Skinner will look to take their Tundras to Victory Lane and give their owner his first trip to the Winner’s Circle.
Malsam at Atlanta: Malsam has never before raced at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Friday’s morning practice sessions at the 1.54-mile quad-oval will be the first laps on the fast-banked track for the Raybestos Rookie of the Year contender.
Tayler Malsam on Racing at AMS: “Well, I’ve never raced at Atlanta so I really don’t know what to expect overall. Because I have raced at other mile and a half tracks, I do have some experience on similar tracks, but what I’ve heard is that Atlanta is a little different than other intermediate tracks. Atlanta is a very fast track and there have been close finishes before there, so the racing should be really exciting for the fans. Doug (Wolcott, crew chief) and all of my Randy Moss Motorsports guys have been working really hard and I know they are going to give me an awesome One Eighty Toyota. I’m really looking forward to racing this weekend.”
About One Eighty: One Eighty, founded in 1976, encompasses hospitality, senior housing, and international brands, all of which require their customers to “Twist Your Thinking.” One Eighty’s hospitality brand has three divisions – Edibility, PrimeFit, and Twist Travel, which offer a bold take on their individual specialties. Edibility includes retirement community food services, corporate and social event catering, restaurant development and management, culinary classes, and signature food items. Also, PrimeFit and Twist Travel take a similar cover-the-all bases approach. For more information about One Eighty, please visit www.oneeightytwist.com.
About Randy Moss Motorsports: Randy Moss Motorsports ownership consists of Randy Moss, New England Patriots All-Pro Wide Receiver; and David Dollar, a long-time participant in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. The team fields the No. 81 Toyota Tundra and the No. 5 Toyota Tundra full-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. For more information about Randy Moss Motorsports, please visit www.randymossmotorsports.com.
Pit Road Melee Relegates Tayler Malsam to a 24th-Place Finish at California
FONTANA, Calif. (February 23, 2009) – Tayler Malsam had never raced at Auto Club Speedway until he arrived in Southern California for the second round of the 2009 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) season. The Raybestos Rookie of the Year contender quickly learned how to get around the 2.0-mile D-shaped oval, posting solid lap times in both practice sessions. Malsam used the experience he had gained in practice to race in the top-15 with other veteran drivers, but under the first caution, Malsam and another rookie competitor made contact on pit road, causing front-end damage to the No. 81 One Eighty Toyota Tundra. After Malsam’s Randy Moss Motorsports (RMM) team had repaired the damage, a tire rub caused the right front tire to blow out, relegating Malsam to a 24th-place finish in the San Bernardino County 200 on Saturday afternoon.
Malsam qualified in the 11th position to start the 100-lap race and fought a loose condition in the entry and center of the corners. By lap 20, the 20-year-old rookie had found his groove in the California track and was posting lap times faster than the second-place truck. On lap 25, the first caution came out as Malsam’s RMM teammate Mike Skinner and another competitor made contact on the track. The entire field took the opportunity to come on pit road and take four tires on lap 26 and come back in the following lap for fuel. As Malsam was exiting his pit stall on lap 27 for his fuel pit stop, the No. 81 One Eighty Toyota received contact from another rookie who was entering his pit stall. This contact caused front-end damage to the Tundra, forcing Malsam to sit on pit road while the truck was repaired. The Seattle, Wash. native returned to the track in the 23rd position to restart the race on lap 31.
Carefully racing around the west coast track and running solid lap times despite the damage, Malsam passed numerous trucks to move into the 17th position, until the right-front fender damage caused a tire rub, forcing the One Eighty Toyota to come down pit road under green for right side tires. As the second and final caution came out on lap 44, crew chief Doug Wolcott called Malsam to pit road for left side tires and fuel on the following lap. The rookie restarted the race in the 24th position, two laps down as the field finished the race under green-flag conditions. Wolcott took a chance to see if Malsam could make it to the end of the race without stopping again, but on lap 96, with four laps to go, the No. 81 Tundra ran out of gas and had to come down pit road to get a quick splash of Sunoco fuel. After an eventful 100-lap event, Malsam finished the race in a disappointing 24th position, three laps down.
“We got caught up in that new pit rule,” said Malsam, after the race. “I don’t know if I like it or not. My No. 81 One Eighty Toyota was good. The truck was probably a top-five truck easily. After we got a lap down, I was just hanging out and didn’t even want to run because that right-front blew once, I was afraid it was going to blow it again. Doug Wolcott (crew chief) and this One Eighty Toyota team did a great job. All these guys killed it out there and Randy Moss Motorsports put another fantastic truck under us. It was just not meant to be today for us.”
Malsam is currently tied for third in the Raybestos Rookie of the Year standings, nine points behind leader J.R. Fitzpatrick. Also, Malsam dropped to the 16th position in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship point standings, 37 points out of 10th-place and 145 points behind leader Kyle Busch.
After a well-deserved one week break, Tayler Malsam and the No. 81 Randy Moss Motorsports Toyota Tundra team will returned to action at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Saturday, March 7, 2009. The American Commercial Lines 200 will begin shortly after 2:00 P.M. Eastern. All of the fast-paced action on the 1.5-mile oval can be seen live on SPEED, beginning at 1:30 P.M. Eastern. Select affiliates of MRN Radio and Sirius-XM NASCAR Radio will also have the live radio broadcast.
Auto Club Speedway
San Bernardino County 200
Saturday, February 21st, 2009
One Eighty Racing on Board in California: One Eighty will once again be the primary sponsor for the No. 81 Randy Moss Motorsports Toyota Tundra for this Saturday’s race at Auto Club Speedway in California. Last week, One Eighty was on board for Malsam’s 10th-place finish at Daytona International Speedway. For more information on One Eighty, please visit www.oneeightytwist.com. Also, One Eighty will continue its partnership with Tayler Malsam and Randy Moss Motorsports throughout the 2009 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season.
Home Sweet Home…Close Anyways: It’s hard to think that this week’s race is one of the closest “home” tracks for Tayler Malsam. Malsam’s hometown of Seattle, Wash. is nearly 1,000 miles from Auto Club Speedway, but the California track is the second closest track to Malsam’s family home. (Note: The closest NCWTS track to Seattle is Las Vegas Motor Speedway, which is 875 miles away.) Sponsor, One Eighty’s headquarters are also located in Seattle, Washington.
Tayler Malsam on Racing Close to His Hometown: “I really enjoy racing on the West Coast since it is a little closer to Seattle. It is still a pretty good ways away from my hometown, but I will have a lot of family and friends at this weekend’s race. It is kind of amazing that drivers from the Pacific Northwest like Kasey Kahne and Greg Biffle have done so well in NASCAR when the nearest tracks are so far away. I hope to follow their paths and compete in the Sprint Cup Series.”
Truck Racing on FOX Sports: This Saturday afternoon the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will have one of two races broadcasted live on national television, FOX. The next race televised on FOX will be held at Martinsville Speedway on March 28th.
Raybestos Rookie of the Year Update: Tayler Malsam currently sits second in the NASCAR Raybestos Rookie of the Year, seven points behind J.R. Fitzpatrick. Malsam ran very consistent during his first NASCAR restrictor plate race weekend – clocking the seventh fastest, second fastest and 13th fastest times in the three practices sessions, before qualifying in the 11th position and finishing in 10th-place.
Malsam at California: Malsam has never raced at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California. The Rookie of the Year candidate will see the banks of the 2.0-mile D-Shaped oval for the first time on Thursday as the NCWTS takes the track for their first practice session. The 20-year-old has competed on the infield road course at the West Coast track, when he raced a TR open wheel car. In addition, Malsam has raced at nearby Irwindale Speedway and at numerous California sprint car tracks.
Tayler Malsam’s At-Track Crew:
Doug Wolcott................................Crew Chief
Andrew Emrick.............................Truck Chief
Matthew Aschbrenner..................Front Tire Changer
Matthew House.............................Front Tire Carrier
Steve “Hank” Hill...........................Jackman
TBD...............................................Rear Tire Changer
Michael Hubert..............................Rear Tire Carrier
Steve Fielder................................Catch can
Bryan Griffin................................Gasman
About Randy Moss Motorsports: Randy Moss Motorsports ownership consists of Randy Moss, New England Patriots All-Pro Wide Receiver; and David Dollar, a long time participant in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. The team fields the No. 81 Toyota Tundra and the No. 5 Toyota Tundra full-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.
Tayler Malsam Captures Top-10 Finish at Daytona
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (February 15, 2009) – Rookie Tayler Malsam had a week of firsts at Daytona International Speedway – his first race with Randy Moss Motorsports, his first NASCAR restrictor plate race, and his first top-10 finish in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS). After overcoming a pit road miscue, patiently working his way through the field, and running up front with Truck Series veterans, Malsam and the No. 81 One Eighty Toyota Tundra team claimed a 10th-place finish during the NextEra Energy Resources 250 at the famous 2.5-mile tri-oval on Friday night.
After qualifying in the 11th position, Malsam quickly moved into the top-10 by the end of the first lap. Crew Chief Doug Wolcott called Malsam to the attention of his Randy Moss Motorsports (RMM) pit crew for the first time on lap 33, but as the Seattle, Wash. native came down pit road, he missed his pit and went back on the track without any services completed to the truck. As the whole One Eighty team stayed calm, Malsam made three more pit stops for fuel and tires and restarted from the 25th position on lap 38.
Drafting with fellow Toyota teammates, Malsam steadily worked his way back into the top-10 by lap 48, never dropping out for the remainder of the 100-lap race. As the competition on the track picked up, the 20-year-old moved like a veteran to stay in contention for a solid finish, barely missing a multi-truck incident that happened right in front of the No. 81 Toyota. Malsam brought his truck back to pit road on lap 52 for tires and on the following lap, he came in for fuel. The One Eighty Tundra stayed in the top-five for the next green flag run, proving that Malsam could run with the tough NCWTS veterans. On lap 69, Malsam brought the RMM truck to pit road for the final stop of the night, taking four tires. The next lap the team put fuel in the truck, allowing Malsam to make it to the end of the race without stopping again.
The Raybestos Rookie of the Year contender went on to finish in the 10th position and record his highest Truck Series finish of his career in only his third NASCAR start.
"I'm very proud of all of my guys on this Randy Moss Motorsports team," said Malsam. "The No. 81 One Eighty Toyota Tundra was awesome tonight. The truck drafted really well and it felt good to run up front with the Truck Series veterans. I made a mistake on that first pit stop but no one on this team gave up; Doug (Wolcott, crew chief) and Slugger (Labbe, spotter) helped me get back through the field and we made the best of situation. I want to say thank you to Dan and all of the people at One Eighty for coming on board this week and I'm glad that we could give them a solid top-10 run."
Malsam currently sits second in the Raybestos Rookie of the Year point standings, seven points behind J.R. Fitzpatrick. Also, Malsam is 10th in the NCWTS championship point standings, 61 points behind leader Todd Bodine.
Tayler Malsam and the No. 81 One Eighty Toyota Tundra team will be back in action this Saturday afternoon, February 21st at Auto Club Speedway in California. The San Bernardino 200 will begin shortly after 3:00 p.m. Eastern. FOX will have live television coverage of the 100-lap event, while select affiliates of MRN Radio and XM-Sirius NASCAR Radio will have the live radio broadcast.
Daytona International Speedway
NextEra Energy Resources 250
Friday, February 13th, 2009
Randy Moss Motorsports Welcomes One Eighty Racing: The No. 81 Toyota Tundra will have primary sponsorship from One Eighty, part of the One Eighty family of brands, this week at Daytona. For more information on One Eighty, please visit www.oneeightytwist.com. In addition, One Eighty will continue their partnership with RMM for the entire 2009 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season.
Tayler Malsam on His First NASCAR Daytona Race: “I’m really excited to get my first NASCAR start at Daytona. I ran the ARCA race at Daytona last year, so I have some experience drafting on the track. Daytona is such a famous track and it’s always fun to race at. I’m excited to be with Randy Moss Motorsports – we have great equipment that is capable of winning. It is going to be a good time on Friday night.”
Tayler Malsam on His 2009 Goals: “Our goal for this year is to come out from the start and contend for top-10 runs. The top-10 runs will turn into top-five runs, and then we can be a contender for wins. We definitely want to win at least one race during the season and of course claim the Raybestos Rookie of the Year award.”
Tayler Malsam on Driving for Randy Moss Motorsports: “It’s an honor to drive for owners like Randy Moss and David Dollar. They both have accomplished so much in their careers – of course with Randy in the NFL and David in racing. Randy knows the adrenalin that you get as an athlete right before your event starts, and David knows what it takes on the ownership side to be competitive. I have a great group of guys around me, including my crew chief Doug Wolcott, the best equipment from Toyota, and we are going to have a very successful year.”
Happy Birthday…Times Two: As the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series kicks off its 2009 season on Friday, February 13th, co-owner Randy Moss will be celebrating his birthday. Malsam and his teammate Mike Skinner would like nothing more than to deliver Randy his first win as an owner on their boss’s birthday. In addition, Malsam, 19, will be celebrating his 20th birthday on Sunday, February 15th.
Malsam at Daytona: Malsam has one career start at Daytona International Speedway – the 2008 Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) race, where he qualified 21st and finished in the 18th position.
Autograph Session: Tayler Malsam will take part in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series autograph session on Friday, February 13th at 5 P.M. in the Sprint Fan Zone at Daytona International Speedway. Come out and get an autograph from the Raybestos Rookie of the Year contender!
ONE EIGHTY RACING TO BACK MALSAM’S NASCAR TRUCK ROOKIE BID
RMM Announces Primary Sponsor for No. 81 for First Two Rounds of 2009 Truck Series Season
STATESVILLE, N.C. (February 7, 2009) - Seattle’s Tayler Malsam is living his dream and with each day, the dream is becoming reality.
Last week, Randy Moss Motorsports (RMM) named Malsam, 19, as driver of the No. 81 Toyota Tundra for the full 2009 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season.
Today, One Eighty Racing, a part of the One Eighty family of brands, announced it will kick-off Malsam’s rookie year by sponsoring him in the first two rounds of the 2009 season, including the NextEra Energy Resources 250 on February 13 at Daytona International Speedway and the second race at Auto Club Speedway on February 21. One Eighty will also continue their relationship with Randy Moss Motorsports through the entire NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season.
One Eighty Chairman and CEO Dan Madsen believes that human capital is a company’s number one resource. Madsen also believes that giving employees the freedom to chase their passion makes them happier, more engaged, creates better work and makes the company more successful.
“With One Eighty Racing we are continuing to help people follow their passions,” said Madsen. “What immediately attracted us to Tayler was his passion for racing and his character. He has a great team around him and we are proud to be a part of it. His performance on the track was just the icing on the cake. We believe he has an outstanding shot at winning the Raybestos Rookie of the Year award and we are excited to help Tayler reach that goal.”
“One Eighty is a company that doesn’t follow convention or industry norms,” continued Madsen. “We believe business can and should be done differently. That same twisted thinking applies to One Eighty Racing. It’s time to twist things up a bit. We won’t be happy being just another new name in the racing world; we want to be recognized as innovators in the business of racing.”
“It is an honor to have support from people like Dan Madsen and One Eighty,” said Malsam. “I can’t tell you how excited I am to have all the pieces come together and am ready to hit the track in Daytona.”
“We are very pleased to have One Eighty on board with us for the first couple of races,” added co-owner Randy Moss. “They obviously see the same potential in Tayler that we do. Dan has the same mindset as Randy Moss Motorsports does – people are the key ingredient to success. RMM is surrounded with great people and that is what it takes to win races and championships. The goal will be to get a good solid run in for One Eighty next Friday in Daytona.”
Helping to mentor Malsam’s bid for Raybestos Rookie of the Year honors will be his Randy Moss Motorsports teammate, former Truck Series champion Mike Skinner, who is one of the most successful drivers in series history.
For more information about One Eighty, please log onto www.oneeightytwist.com.
RANDY MOSS LOOKS TO ROOKIE CLASS AND VETERANS FOR DRAFT PICKS FOR 2009 NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES SEASON
Randy Moss Motorsports taps Rookie-of-the-Year Contender Tayler Malsam and former Truck Series Champion Mike Skinner to drive for RMM in 2009
STATESVILLE, N.C. (January 29, 2009) – As the 2008 NFL season comes to a close, New England Patriots wide receiver Randy Moss is getting ready to kick off his first full season as a NASCAR team owner. Moss and co-owner David Dollar have tapped Raybestos Rookie-of-the-Year contender Tayler Malsam to drive the No. 81 RMM truck and former Truck Series Champion Mike Skinner to drive the No. 46 RMM truck in the 2009 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season.
Malsam is coming off of a successful year in ARCA RE/MAX competition where he finished ninth overall in the series championship point standings. In addition, the 19-year-old made his Truck Series debut in August at Bristol Motor Speedway and finished 21st in the 2008 season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Skinner, the 1995 Truck Series Champion, brings a world of experience and knowledge to Randy Moss Motorsports. In ten NCWTS seasons, the veteran has accumulated 25 wins, along with 80 top-five and 114 top-ten finishes. In 2008, Skinner finished sixth in the championship point standings with one win, 5 top-five, and 18 top-ten finishes.
“We are very pleased to have both Tayler and Mike come on board at Randy Moss Motorsports for the 2009 season,” stated team co-owner Randy Moss. “Tayler has shown a lot of promise in his performance on the track in 2008 and we look forward to helping him to continue to grow as a driver in 2009. Mike will be able to help mentor Tayler while going for his second championship all at the same time. It’s the perfect combination.”
“We have set a plan in motion to have a championship caliber team in 2009,” added co-owner David Dollar. “We see a lot of potential in Tayler and are excited to have him be a part of that plan. Having Mike come on board puts the last piece of the puzzle together for us to be able to run for the championship. We look forward to Tayler running for Raybestos Rookie-of-the-Year and both he and Mike making a run for the 2009 championship.”
Moss is no stranger to success in competition as he was a key player in the New England Patriots 2007 record season when they went undefeated on their way to the Super Bowl.
“Our goal for the 2009 season is to be successful on track and contend for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship,” continued Moss. “We have all the pieces to be able to reach that goal and are looking forward to getting on the track in Daytona.”
Malsam, a product of the Pacific Northwest dirt Sprint car competition, shares the same enthusiasm as Moss. “I am excited to join Randy Moss Motorsports for the 2009 season,” said Malsam. “David Dollar and Randy Moss have put together a championship contending team and it’s exciting to be a part of their organization. Randy has a great passion for racing. He understands teamwork, commitment, competition and his enthusiasm is very contagious. David is one of the most experienced team owners in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and has the wins to prove he knows what it takes to put together a successful team.”
“I’m really excited to work with Randy Moss Motorsports,” stated Mike Skinner. “David Dollar has been in this business for a long time and I think that his management skills are definitely head and shoulders above a lot of the others out there. It’s a great opportunity for all of us. Hopefully between David and myself and Randy, working with really good people we can get the sponsorship that it takes to be competitive and to continue on with a program that’s been in place since 1996.”
“Being able to bring Toyota over there is the biggest thing to me,” continued Skinner. “I’ve had a great relationship with Toyota and the Tundra brand and support from them since the Truck Series started with Toyota in 2004. To be able to keep that marriage alive and keep Toyota as our partners, that means a lot. That’s what I bleed, that’s what is in my veins. Hopefully we can get this race team very, very competitive and get the championship.”
Randy Moss Motorsports hopes to find themselves in NASCAR’s version of the end zone, Victory Lane, many times throughout 2009 as they make a run for the championship title.
Announcements regarding crew chiefs and sponsorship for the 2009 RMM team will be made in the near future.
Tayler Malsam's Homestead Recap
Race: Ford 200
Location: Homestead-Miami Speedway
Date: Friday, November 14th, 2008
Start Position: 22nd
Finish Position: 21st
Laps Completed: 137 of 137
Making his debut in a Bill Davis Racing Toyota Tundra, 19-year-old Tayler Malsam qualified in the top 25 for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Malsam took the green flag from the 22nd position and never fell out of the top 25, earning a 21st-place finish in only his second NCTS start.
The NCTS teams participated in two practice sessions Thursday afternoon, and the young driver spent that time getting himself acclimated to both the track and the truck. With a team led by veteran Crew Chief Gene Nead, the No. 24 Tundra posted solid times during both practice sessions. Malsam was the 30th of 37 competitors to take to the track for qualifying Friday evening and earned a solid 22nd-place starting position after posting a speed of 163.830 mph around the 1.5-mile oval.
The green flag waved for the start of Friday night’s race, and Malsam communicated to Nead during an early caution period that the Stocks for Tots/North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame Toyota Tundra was handling well. Malsam spent the early laps getting used to the machine under race conditions. A yellow flag waved on lap 42 of the 137-lap race, which gave Nead the opportunity to bring the truck in for a scheduled pit stop. Nead called for four fresh tires, fuel and a track bar adjustment during the ensuing stop, and Malsam lined up for the lap 46 restart in the 22nd spot.
Malsam continued to drive a smart race and posted his fastest lap of the event on the 104th circuit. Malsam’s BDR teammate Mike Skinner brought a caution after experiencing a blown tire. Nead opted to leave Malsam on the track, as the truck seemed to perform better on older tires. Many of Malsam’s competitors made pit stops, and the No. 24 truck lined up for the lap 129 restart in the seventh spot. While racing for position with Jack Sprague, the two trucks made contact on the backstretch. Malsam was able to keep his truck off the wall and remain on the lead lap, but he was forced to make a pit stop for four fresh tires. After a green/white/checkered flag finish, Malsam earned a 21st-place finish
Malsam looking forward to NASCAR truck finale at Homestead-Miami
By Scott Whitmore
Herald Writer
Tayler Malsam recently logged 300 virtual laps to prepare for his third attempt at making a NASCAR race.
The 19-year-old Mill Creek resident will make his debut with Bill Davis Racing this weekend in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series 2008 season finale at Florida’s Homestead-Miami Speedway, a track he’s never raced at before.
To help him prepare, Malsam turned to his game console, running an entire virtual race on the mile-and-a-half oval.
“I’ve been hanging out in Charlotte (N.C.),” Malsam said by phone on Tuesday. “I went go-karting twice this week, spent some time at the (BDR) shop and played some Xbox, just waiting until we leave for Homestead.”
Malsam, who is originally from Sammamish, announced on Nov. 4 that he would drive full-time for BDR, a veteran team based in High Point, N.C., in the NASCAR truck series — new sponsor Camping World takes over from Craftsman — in 2009.
Having down time is an unusual circumstance for Malsam, who logged thousands of airline miles from February to October crisscrossing the country to race.
“Last time I was on a track was go-karting (on Monday),” Malsam said with a laugh. “Before that — it’s been a while. It’s definitely been different for me.”
This year Malsam raced sprint cars on the West Coast for Monroe-based Rudeen Racing, late-model stock cars in the Midwest and on the East Coast in the ARCA Re/MAX Series, and he made his NASCAR truck series debut.
As a rookie, he finished ninth in the 2008 ARCA season standings while racing for Cunningham Motorsports. Malsam made his NASCAR debut in August at Bristol, Tenn., in a truck prepared by Cunningham subsidiary CHS Motorsports, a newly-formed race team that planned on competing full-time in the truck series in 2009.
Malsam had hoped to attempt five truck series starts with CHS in 2008, and then drive for the team full-time in 2009. But just two races into his partnership with CHS, Malsam began to re-think his plan.
He finished 36th at Bristol after cutting a tire and wrecking, and then just missed making the Oct. 18 race at Martinsville, Va., driving 37th quickest in trying to qualify for the 36-truck field.
“They’re a great team but they’re not ready for the truck series yet,” Malsam said of CHS. “We wanted a team that was good right off the bat. We started talking to BDR and they liked us, and we liked them.”
“Seemed like a no-brainer to go with a team running for a championship,” he added.
Heading into the season finale at Homestead-Miami, BDR driver Johnny Benson has just a three-point lead over Ron Hornaday Jr. of Kevin Harvick Incorporated. The next driver, Todd Bodine, is 143 points back and out of the hunt for the series championship.
BDR flew Malsam to Arizona for last weekend’s truck series race at Phoenix International Raceway, and he was able to spend some time with Benson.
“I talked to (Benson) about Homestead and listened in on his radio while he was on the track,” Malsam said. “He was really helpful, and it was pretty interesting to see how he dealt with things — a lot of stuff happened in that race.”
Benson’s path to the championship seemed to be clear of obstacles after Hornaday wrecked on the first lap of last Friday’s Lucas Oil 150 in Phoenix. Hornaday returned to the track after making repairs, but he was many laps down.
But then Benson wrecked mid-way through the race and also had to pull off for repairs. The two rivals finished 25th (Hornaday) and 26th (Benson), setting up a down-to-the-wire finish this weekend.
Malsam will drive the No. 24 Stocks for Tots Toyota Tundra this weekend at Homestead-Miami. Stocks for Tots was created to bring together stock car racing and its fans while raising awareness of child abuse.
As of Tuesday there were 37 trucks on the preliminary entry list for the Homestead race. As a new entry with no owner points, Malsam will need to qualify on time to make the 36-truck field.
Veteran crew chief Gene Nead was assigned by BDR to head up Malsam’s pit crew for the Homestead race. Nead has worked with several truck teams as well as NASCAR Cup-series owner-driver Robby Gordon. A permanent crew chief will be assigned to Malsam for the 2009 season.
Although he hadn’t spent much time with his interim crew chief as of Tuesday, Malsam said Nead “used to run sprint cars, so I know we’re going to get along.”
Malsam added that he intended to continue racing sprint cars for Rudeen Racing next season when the truck series schedule allows.
BDR has had a great deal of success since entering the NASCAR truck series in 2004. The team has accumulated 24 wins, 97 top-five, and 156 top-10 finishes in the past five seasons.
As it has for many NASCAR teams, the slumping economy has impacted BDR. The team lost sponsorship for its Cup series car and it is searching for sponsorship for its four trucks.
On top of that, Benson announced prior to the Phoenix race that he would not return to BDR for the 2009 season. Although Benson did not elaborate on his future plans, rumors of him retiring or signing with another team have since surfaced.
None of that seemed to bother Malsam.
“There’re a lot of rumors — we know Benson is probably not coming back but I don’t know the details,” Malsam said. “I know (BDR is) running four trucks for sure next year … I don’t have any worries about if BDR is going to be around.”
Joining Malsam in BDR’s truck garage next season will be veteran Mike Skinner and Brian Scott, a truck series rookie this season who will move over from Xpress Motorsports. Once Benson’s situation is resolved, BDR will address a driver for the fourth truck.
TAYLER MALSAM JOINS BILL DAVIS RACING’S TRUCK SERIES PROGRAM
HIGH POINT, N.C. (Nov. 4, 2008) - Fresh off a top-10 finish in his rookie season in the ARCA RE/MAX Series, Seattle’s Tayler Malsam has signed with Bill Davis Racing to pilot a fourth Toyota Tundra in the 2009 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.
Malsam, 19, will drive a Toyota Tundra truck for the High Point, N.C. team whose NASCAR Truck Series success has been unrivaled since entering the series in 2004. The Toyota Tundra outfit has accumulated 24 wins, 97-top five, and 156-top 10 finishes in the last five seasons. No other team in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series garage has been able to match these results.
“Bill Davis Racing is one of the most experienced and successful teams,” said Malsam. “One of the things that drew us to BDR was the presence of outstanding veteran drivers as well as young talent.”
In preparation for the 2009 season, Malsam will attend this week’s event in Phoenix with the team in anticipation of making his first start for BDR at the 2008 NASCAR Truck Series season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
“Tayler has shown a great deal of talent in his first full season in the ARCA RE/MAX Series,” commented team owner Bill Davis. “He has the ability to go a long way in this sport because he possesses all the assets teams are looking for in a driver. He can get it done on the track and he has the ability to represent both Bill Davis Racing and his sponsors with both integrity and class.
“We feel confident we have the best program in the garage to showcase the talent Tayler has. We are looking forward to getting him to Daytona to see what he can do.”
In the Fast Lane: Seattle's Tayler Malsam, 19, turning heads
By HOLLY CAIN
SPECIAL TO THE P-I
IF IT WERE up to his father, Tayler Malsam would likely be preparing for a career quarterbacking his hometown Seattle Seahawks. Instead, Malsam, 19, spends his Sunday afternoons racing stock cars at 200 mph and dating a Seahawks cheerleader.
"I remember when I was real young trying to get my dad to get me a race car, and he just wanted to throw the football instead," Malsam said with a laugh.
Ultimately, he got that car -- a go-kart and then a sprint car -- and is quickly establishing himself on the national level, earning a job this season competing in the ARCA Re/Max Series, a well-regarded stock car developmental series.
Malsam finished ninth in the ARCA championship -- part of a rookie class that also included former Formula One driver Scott Speed and motorcycle champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr., all hoping to advance into the elite NASCAR ranks.
The success has already moved Malsam up the development ladder. He'll make his second start in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series on Saturday in Martinsville, Va., and hopes to secure a full-time job in the NASCAR truck ranks next season.
"I have a feeling something good will come out of this," Malsam said. "I'm real excited about next year."
By conservative estimate, Malsam has made 50 cross-country trips in the past six months, flying from Seattle to East Coast race hubs. It's taught him the fine art of stealing catnaps in airport lounges and how to sleep in crowded, noisy airplanes.
Mostly, it has reaffirmed his commitment to pursue a racing career.
"I'm having so much fun, sleep's not an issue," Malsam said from his Mill Creek condo on Tuesday -- only hours after arriving home from the ARCA series finale in Toledo, Ohio, and a NASCAR test session outside Charlotte, N.C.
"I really do enjoy the traveling, and the coolest thing is meeting all the people across the country."
Still, two 3,000-mile days a week make for an exhaustive travel schedule and create logistical obstacles that 99 percent of aspiring NASCAR racers don't face.
But Malsam's always been a little unconventional -- a 19-year old whose iPod is filled with Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley music and who lists pyrotechnics as a hobby.
Being from the Northwest, Malsam knew he had to go about things differently to make a racing name for himself -- NASCAR wasn't going to come calling even with the recent success of Washingtonians Kasey Kahne of Enumclaw and Greg Biffle of Vancouver.
"It's not the normal sport to pursue when you're from out here," Malsam said. "We're kind of like Area 51. You're on a different map from everyone else."
But like Kahne -- the 2004 Sprint Cup rookie of the year -- and Biffle, a two-time NASCAR champ and current Cup championship contender -- Malsam is proving the region is full of quality racers, if not big on quantity.
His three top-five ARCA finishes driving the No. 4 Dodge Development car for Cunningham Motorsports caught the eye of one of racing's legendary operations -- Penske Racing, which hired him as a development driver.
"I think he caused people to take notice," nine-time ARCA champion Frank Kimmel said. "This series is so competitive now with the Cup teams coming in and bringing their young drivers that if Tayler had had this season five years ago, he would have been second or third or contending for the championship."
Malsam knows the more success he has, the fewer trips he'll be making back home. He sleeps on a couch in a team member's apartment in Charlotte when his schedule makes getting home impossible. Soon he may have to get a place of his own.
"When I was starting out and racing down in California, everyone kept telling me I could make it, that I should really try," Malsam said.
"Right now there's a whole lot of options, so I'm letting them fall into place and hopefully the right one falls."
MALSAM WRAPS UP ROOKIE ARCA SEASON NINTH IN CHAMPIONSHIP!
Tayler Malsam is not a “rookie” anymore, at least not in the ARCA RE/MAX Series.
Malsam, 19, wrapped up his rookie season of ARCA competition with an eighth place finish Sunday in the Hantz Group 200 on the half-mile oval at Toledo Speedway.
Driving the #4 Dodge Development car for Cunningham Motorsports, Malsam’s eighth place finish left him to the ninth position in the 21-race ARCA RE/MAX Series championship in his first season of stock car racing.
“We had a lot of ups and downs during the season,” said Malsam. “I have to thank the Cunningham team for all of their hard work and support. The competition in ARCA is really good and when you are racing against drivers like Scott Speed; Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.; Justin Allgaier and Frank Kimmel, you learn a lot,” said Malsam.
“I also want to thank the ARCA officials and the fans. There aren’t a lot of drivers from the Pacific Northwest in the ARCA series and our nearest race is over a thousand miles from home.”
Malsam won’t be without “rookie stripes” for long as he will be wearing them again in his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series return this Saturday, October 18th at Martinsville Speedway. Malsam will drive the # 41 Dodge for the fledgling CHS Motorsports team at the Kroger 200 at the .526 mile Martinsville (VA) Speedway. The race will be broadcast live on SPEED TV at 2:30pm Eastern.
Highlights of Malsam’s “rookie” ARCA campaign included:
A third place finish at the difficult 2.5 mile Pocono tri-oval, a track with three distinctly different turns and banking, making car set-ups especially difficult.
A third place on the only road course of the season, the new 2.3 mile Thunderbolt Raceway at the New Jersey Motorsports Park
A fifth place finish on the one-mile dirt oval at Springfield, Illinois.
An eighth place finish on the one-half mile paved oval at Toledo.
His first top-ten finish, a tenth place at Iowa Speedway in April.
Malsam qualified fifth at New Jersey; sixth at Kentucky Speedway and seventh at Pocono.
He moved into the top-ten in the ARCA RE/MAX Series championship at the Rockingham 500 on May 4 and remained there through the final 17 races.
MALSAM HEADS FOR ARCA FINALE
Seattle Rookie Looking to Retain Top Ten Spot
Seattle rookie Tayler Malsam heads to Toledo Speedway for the 21st and final race of the 2008 ARCA RE/MAX Series looking to secure a spot in the top-ten in the final championship standings. Malsam has lived in that neighborhood for the past 16 races.
Malsam broke into the top-ten in the ARCA RE/MAX Series standings at the fifth event of the season in May. He has remained there ever since, rising as high as sixth in the points after 19 races, before heading into least week’s race at Talladega which saw an early exit drop him to the ninth spot heading into Toledo.
Malsam, 19, would like nothing better than a strong finish at Toledo to go with his third place finishes both on the speedway at Pocono and on the road circuit at New Jersey plus a fifth place on the dirt oval at Springfield, Illinois.
“We really want to close out the ARCA season with a good finish,” said Malsam. “We have had an up and down season with the #4 Dodge Development car, but the Cunningham Motorsports guys have never stopped working. Clinching a top-ten spot in the final standings would be a good way to recognize the efforts that everyone has put into the series.”
Having made his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut at Bristol, Malsam will enter five NCTS events following Toledo as part of the Penske Racing Development team, driving a Dodge Ram truck for the newly formed CHS Racing.
MALSAM FLIES TO THIRD IN NEW JERSEY
Strong Run Vaults Seattle Rookie to Sixth in Championship
Tayler Malsam, the 19 year-old Seattle rookie, made his ARCA RE/MAX Series road course debut in great style on Sunday, matching his season’s best performance with a third place finish at the Loud Energy 150 at the New Jersey Motorsports Park.
After earning a season-best fifth position in qualifying in the #4 Cunningham Motorsports Dodge Development car, Malsam was part of an early race, four car break-away that included road-race aces Andy Lally, Scott Speed, and Parker Kligerman.
When pit stops shuffled the leaders shortly before mid-race, Malsam was all over the back of the second place car of Roush- Fenway Racing’s Colin Braun (co-driving with series championship contender Ricky Stenhouse) when rain arrived. After several caution laps, the race was flagged to a finish after 48 of the 67 scheduled laps of the new 2.3 mile road course.
“The Cunningham team did an awesome job all the way around,” said Malsam, a Penske Racing Development driver. “We were in the top group all weekend, and all through the race. Realistically, I think we were the third best car and we got third, so that is fair. We were quicker than (race winner) Justin (Allgaier) and Colin, but Lally was on fresh tires coming after us when the rain hit.”
Knocked off course in the first practice session of the weekend, Malsam ran fifth in the final practice and posted the fourth best lap of the 39 starters in the race.
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The third place finish matches Malsam’s ARCA career best third place in the Pocono 200, and moves Malsam from the tenth spot in the 2008 ARCA RE/MAX Series season standings all the way up to sixth. There are just two races remaining; the ARCA RE/MAX 250 at Talladega, this Friday, October 3 and the finale at Toledo on October 12.
MALSAM HITS THE ROAD
ARCA Holds First Road Course Event
Racing in the Midwest-based ARCA Re/Max Series means that Seattle’s Tayler Malsam has been hitting the road or more precisely the skies all year. However, the next stop on the ARCA series means literally hitting the road, as in a road course, as ARCA holds its first-ever road course race September 28 at the New Jersey Motorsports Park.
Malsam, 19, knows how to turn right as well as left. He began his racing career in karts and Formula TR Series road course racing before moving to Midgets, Sprint cars and, most recently, stock cars.
To prepare for ARCA’s first-ever road course event, Malsam expects to test his #4 Cunningham Motorsports Dodge for two days next week.
“This will be a new experience for everyone,” said Malsam. “ARCA has never raced at a road course before, and this is a brand new track. No one has a lot of history and I am sure there will be some “ringers” but it is a new challenge and it should be fun.”
Malsam is looking to wrap up his rookie-season with a top-ten spot in the 21-race series. Following a 20th place finish at Salem, IN, Malsam and the #4 Cunningham Motorsports Dodge are currently 10th in the ARCA Re/Max Series championship standings with just three races; New Jersey; Talladega, and Toledo remaining.
Malsam recently made his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS) debut at Bristol. He will return to the seat of the #41 CHS Dodge Ram truck for additional 2008 events following the October 12th ARCA season finale at Toledo.
MALSAM DRIVE AT CHICAGOLAND STALLS OUT
Top-Ten ARCA Points Battle Resumes Saturday at Salem
A rare engine failure caused by radiator damage from an accident just six laps into the race cost Seattle’s Tayler Malsam plenty Saturday at the ARCA Chicagoland 200.
As a result, Malsam was scored 39th in the 41 car field and lost ground, dropping from seventh to eighth place in the ARCA RE/MAX Series championship standings with four races remaining. Just 75 points now cover the span from sixth to tenth place, with a pair of drivers tied for ninth just 20 points behind Malsam.
“We hoped for better things at Chicagoland,” said Malsam, age 19. “Now, we have to shake that off and get ready for Salem.”
The 200 lap event, Saturday, September 13th, on the flinty 0.555 mile banked Salem Speedway is known for heavy traffic and tight quarters. Ten cars, including Malsam’s, were eliminated in accidents during the April event at Salem. “We need to get a good starting spot, handle well in traffic, and try to avoid all the accidents,” said Malsam. “That sounds like a simple plan, but it is very tough to execute.”
MALSAM RIDES THE ROLLER COASTER AT DuQUOIN
Tire Wear Takes Toll
Hoping to match his fifth place finish at the most recent event on the 2008 ARCA RE/MAX Series at Springfield, Tayler Malsam rode the proverbial roller coaster at the Southern Illinois 100 at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds on Labor Day.
Starting 22nd in the 38-car field, Malsam, 19, dropped two additional spots at the start, before climbing all the way to ninth place on lap 39 of the 100 lap race on the one mile dirt oval.
That was to be the high water mark, as a badly worn right rear tire led to a fall all the way back to the twentieth position, as Malsam fought the deteriorating condition during a long, green flag run. “The right rear was basically gone by mid-race, so all that we could do was hang on and hope for a caution flag,” said Malsam. “I hated giving up all those spots we had worked so hard to get, but there was no choice.”
Finally able to pit for a fresh tire during a caution at lap 71, Malsam cheered his Cunningham Motorsports Dodge Development team by reclaiming seven spots in the final stages of the race to finish thirteenth. That late rally helped the Seattle rookie maintain his seventh position in the 2008 ARCA RE/MAX championship standings with just four races remaining.
Next stop for Malsam and the #4 Dodge Driver Development car from Cunningham Motorsports will be the Chicagoland ARCA 200 on the 1.5 mile tri-oval speedway at Joliet, Illinois on Saturday, September 6th.
MALSAM MAKES NASCAR TRUCK DEBUT
Cut Tire Ends Bristol Race Early
Tayler Malsam’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut in the #41 CHS Dodge Ram ended early at the O’Reilly 200 at Bristol Motor Speedway on Wednesday evening.
One of seven drivers needing to qualify on time to make the field, the 19 year-old Malsam made it into the race with three spots to spare. He then drove from his 33rd starting position up to 26th at the quarter race mark on lap 50.
A few laps later, his race was over as a cut tire slid him into contact with another car and the outer wall. “It looks like the brake duct was rubbing on the right front tire and finally cut it down,” said Malsam. “We were doing pretty well. We were running the high line and we were able to start picking some people off. It was fun!”
“Obviously, we are all disappointed. This was the first race for the CHS Motorsports team and for me and it was cut short. The upside is that we qualified, moved up several spots and got our first taste of Bristol and the series,” said Malsam. The CHS team and Malsam are part of the Penske Racing Development program. “We have a big learning curve, but we showed that we can race here,” said Malsam.
Malsam returns to the ARCA RE/MAX Series on Labor Day, September 1st at the Southern Illinois 100 at the DuQuoin Fairgrounds. Malsam finished fifth in the most recent ARCA event, and is currently seventh in the series championship
The next NCTS start for Malsam and the #41 CHS Dodge Ram will be the Kroger 200 at Martinsville (VA) Speedway on October 18th.
Malsam Magic on Illinois Mile
Takes Fifth at Fairgrounds, Moves up In ARCA Points:
Seattle--Tayler Malsam, made his first visit to the one-mile clay oval at the Illinois State Fairgrounds count as the Seattle rookie took his #4 Cunningham Motorsports Dodge from a 14th place starting position to a top-five finish here at the 15th stop on the 2008 ARCA RE/MAX Series.
“We had a good car, maybe not the fastest car over one lap, but on the longer runs we were pretty consistent and I could drive the car through traffic,” said Malsam, a part of the Penske Racing Development program. “Give the credit to the team, they did an awesome job,” said Malsam, whose single best race lap was only 19th fastest in the 36 car field.
After dropping to 17th in the early going, Malsam cut and diced his way through the field to claim his second ARCA top-five finish. He was tenth at lap 40; ninth at lap 60, eighth at lap 70 and sixth on lap 84. He moved into the top-five on lap 92 of the scheduled 100 laps and saw it through a final green/white/checker overtime finish.
“We gave him a car that he could race, and Tayler drove the wheels off that race car,” said Cunningham Racing boss Kerry Scherer. “He was fun to watch.”
The fifth place finish moves Malsam up to seventh place in the ARCA RE/MAX Series championship with six races remaining. The next ARCA stop is the Southern Illinois 100 on the one-mile clay oval at DuQuoin, Illinois on Labor Day, September 1st.
In the meantime, Malsam will make his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut this Wednesday, August 20th in the O’Reilly 200 at the famed Bristol Motor Speedway.
TAYLER MALSAM TO MAKE NASCAR TRUCK SERIES DEBUT
Truck Will Salute Hydroplane and Raceboat Museum
(Seattle) --- Tayler Malsam announced today that he will make his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut at the O’Reilly 200 at Bristol Motor Speedway on August 20th. The debut will include a special salute to the Pacific Northwest.
Malsam will drive the #41 Dodge Ram pickup for CHS Motorsports as part of the recently announced Penske Racing Development program.
A Penske Racing Developlment driver, Malsam, 19, is currently eighth in the ARCA RE/MAX series championship where he drives the #4 Dodge Driver Development car for Cunningham Motorsports.
As a salute to the Pacific Northwest, Malsam’s truck will debut with graphics featuring the Hydroplane & Raceboat Museum. Located in suburban Seattle, the museum is the nation’s only public, not-for-profit museum dedicated to powerboat racing.
The truck and its debut markings were unveiled in Seattle at the Hydroplane & Raceboat museum gala on July 31.
“Boat racing has been a big part of the Northwest scene for a long time, said Malsam. “Chip Hanauer, a consultant to our team, is an absolute legend in the Northwest and there are races up here every year in Pasco and Seattle. I think hydroplane drivers are completely crazy, but we wanted to recognize the museum and featuring their name and logo in my first race is a good way to help promote the museum and let NASCAR fans know where I’m from.”
The O’Reilly 200 at Bristol Motor Speedway will be broadcast live on Speed TV at 7:30pm (Eastern) on Wednesday, August 20th.
PRESSURE FUELS DISAPPOINTMENT FOR MALSAM
Seattle’s Tayler Malsam enjoyed the first half of Saturday’s Pennsylvania 200 at Pocono Raceway, the 13th stop on the 21 race 2008 ARCA RE/MAX series, it was the second half that brought disappointment.
Starting 16th in the 80 lap (200 miles) race on the challenging 2.5 mile tri-oval, Malsam, 19, and the #4 Dodge Driver Development car of Cunningham Motorsports, picked up two spots in the opening laps and gained two more before the race was ten laps old. By the mid-race mark at lap 40 Malsam was into the top-ten and up to ninth place and moving on lap 42 when his car suddenly lost fuel pressure, dropping him well off the pace and into the pits.
Malsam returned in the 32nd spot, but two laps behind the leaders. He rallied to finish 22nd in the big 41 car field, but it was not the result that he and the team expected.
“We were right on our plan,” said Malsam, who finished third in the ARCA Pocono 200 here in June. “We wanted to be in the top 10 by mid-race. We had a good car and a good shot at a top-five finish, but all the sudden the car lost power. You can make up some positions from one-lap down, if you catch a yellow and can get back on the lead lap, but two laps down, with the race half over, we were pretty much stuck down the order.”
The only good news for Malsam is that he retains his eighth position in the ARCA RE/MAX standings heading to next weekend’s Toyota ARCA 150 at the Nashville Superspeedway.
“We just haven’t been able to catch a break lately,” said Malsam who was knocked out of the top-ten twice by contact at the previous race. “The team is working really hard and we’ve had good cars in the race. We are going to keep focused and working hard and hope that the results start falling into place.”
MALSAM BATTLES BACK AT BERLIN
Tayler Malsam had an eventful race at the Berlin Raceway ARCA RE/MAX 200 The 19-year-old Pacific Northwest native qualified in 11th place and finished 12th, but that does not really tell the story of his race on the 0.44 mile western Michigan circuit, the shortest track on the ARCA series.
Running fourth at lap 60, Malsam dropped to 15th place after a spin ten laps later. He then climbed all the way back to sixth place at lap 164 of the 200 lap event before being tagged by another car on lap 170 and dropping to an eventual 12th place finish.
“We had a solid top-ten car, maybe even a top-five if the race stayed green,” said Malsam of his Cunningham Motorsports. #4 Dodge Driver Development entry. “We were really good on the longer runs, but with 11 cautions in the race, there just weren’t many long runs.”
“Different guys were taking tires on the cautions and trying to blast back through the field while their tires were fresh. That created more cautions,” said Malsam. “I got tagged on lap 170 and dropped all the way to 16th. There weren’t many laps left and there was another caution after that, so we gained back what we could to finish 12th.”
Malsam remains solidly in the eighth spot after 12 of 21 races in ARCA RE/MAX series championship.
Short-track racing is a big part of the ARCA RE/MAX Series and Malsam, 19, has valuable experience in both Midget and Sprint cars, including a NW Sprint Car win earlier this season. “I’m used to the traffic and the pace of the short tracks,” said Malsam. “The stock cars are bigger, heavier and racing on pavement rather than dirt, so I’m picking up on the different style and getting a little more confident every race.”
Next stop for Malsam is the Pennsylvania 200 on Saturday, August 2 at the challenging 2.5 mile tri-oval Pocono Raceway. Malsam enjoyed his best run to date, finishing third in the previous Pocono event on June 7th. “We had a great run at the first race at Pocono,” said Malsam. “We hope to pick up where we left off at Pocono.”
MALSAM FIGHTS BACK AT KENTUCKY
After a great test at the 1.5-mile Kentucky Speedway earlier this month, Tayler Malsam and his Cunningham Motorsports #4 Dodge team returned with high hopes for the Kentucky 150, the 11th stop on the 2008 ARCA Re/MAX Series. Those hopes stayed high as Malsam featured on the timing screen for much of the single 2-hour 15-minute practice.
Malsam’s hopes vanished when simulating a qualifying run with fresh tires late in the session; he spun and hit the turn two wall, damaging the car.
As the sole practice session was virtually over, Malsam’s crew only had time to quickly unload their back-up car, which was set –up for shorter tracks, and prepare for qualifying.
Under ARCA rules, Malsam was relegated to the end of the qualifying line for a single qualifying lap. With no practice time in the back-up car, he earned the 30th starting spot on the 41-car field, but under the series impound rules, only minor adjustments could be made to the car before the start of the 150-mile race just two hours later.
Malsam turned his fastest lap of the race on lap 94 of the scheduled 100 laps and was able to stay on the lead lap for the entire race to finish 19th. That drive allowed him to maintain his eighth spot in the ARCA RE/MAX Series championship.
“We came here wanting to be aggressive and we had a car capable of running up front said Malsam. “We went that last fraction over the edge in practice and we paid a big price for it. I am grateful to the team for all their extra work to get the back-up car ready and to keep fighting for every position.”
Mid Season Grades: Tayler Malsam
TOLEDO OH (7-9-08)--Driving for the Cunningham Motorsports Dodge Development Team, Tayler Malsam has quietly worked his way to eighth in the ARCA RE/MAX Series point standings through patience and consistent finishes. Midway through the 2008 race season he has finished outside of the top-20 on just one occassion and only has three finishes outside of the top-15. The 19-year-old West Coast-based driver is one of six SunTrust Rookie of the Year contenders currently in the top-ten in the series point standings.
Malsam is the next featured driver in arcaracing.com's "Mid Season Report Cards", which recaps the 2008 performance of a different ARCA RE/MAX Series driver and team each day, focusing on the top-15 championship point contenders.
Tayler Malsam's Season Stats at a Glance:
Tayler Malsam
DOB: 2/15/1989
Hometown: Sammamish, Washington
Profession: Race Driver
Marital Status: Single
No. of Children: No Children
2008 STATS:
Date Track Start Finish Laps Led Laps Completed Reason Out
2-9 Daytona Int'l Speedway 21 18 0 74/80 Running
4-13 Salem Speedway 12 31 0 30/204 Accident
4-19 Iowa Speedway 11 10 0 250/250 Running
4-25 Kansas Speedway 9 14 0 100/100 Running
5-4 Rockingham Speedway 11 14 0 308/312 Running
5-10 Kentucky Speedway 6 11 0 112/112 Running
5-18 Toledo Speedway 14 13 0 204/204 Running
6-7 Pocono Raceway 7 3 0 86/86 Running
6-13 Michigan Int'l Speedway 23 18 0 100/100 Running
6-29 Cayuga Speedway Park 14 11 0 257/257 Running
Mid Season Report Card:
Professor Driver Grade Team Grade Analysis
B- B- Tayler is another one of the young open wheel drivers making the transition to stock cars. He's been pretty consistent with 7 top 15 finishes in the first 10 races. He had a great 3rd place finish at a very difficult Pocono race track. He needs to bump up the top 15's to top 10s. Sometimes it's difficult to differentiate between the driver and the team. In this case the team has only fallen out of one race and that was due to an accident. Finishing races will continue making this team better.
B+ B I see a lot of promise in this young driver and more top-5 and top-10 finishes will come with experience. Tayler has been very fortunate to be able to draw on the resources of everyone at Cunningham Motorsports, especially Mark Gibson.
C + B- Can be fast, as proven in Pocono. Winning in his 410 dirt sprint car in the Northwest this season has provided a bit of relief to the scrutiny of a factory-assisted, now Penske-affiliated team. Driver is young, learning and will need to be a little more aggressive in the ARCA RE/MAX Series. Adding Paul Andrews to the mix as a consultant has been a plus. Consistency will come, need to string together top-10's.
C + B- Top ten qualifying efforts at Kansas, Kentucky and Pocono show Tayler's strength on the super speedways. This Dodge development team has been able to keep the race car on the track with a high laps completed ratio. Cunningham Motorsports has put reliable equipment on the race track and Tayler has made the most of it. Salem's 31st place finish is by far the worst of the year.
B- B Tayler Malsam's best finish was a strong third at Pocono. A wreck took him out at Salem. He's had one other top ten. Consistent finishes in the top eighteen account for the rest of his 2008 so far. A Dodge development driver and part of a team that now has Penske Racing affiliation, may up the pressure on the 19 year old, but he's staying consistent. Cunningham Motorsports gets a bit of a bump in grade because of the new Penske connection.
Tayler Malsam B B I give myself a B and I give the team a B. We are both doing great and both have lots of room for improvement.
Arcaracing.com's "Mid Season Report Cards" recaps the 2008 performance of a different
MALSAM CAN’T WAIT FOR KENTUCKY
Seattle—Tayler Malsam, driver of the #4 Dodge Driver Development ARCA car for Cunningham Motorsports, is home in Seattle enjoying a well earned mid-season break. There is just one problem. He cannot wait for competition to resume in the 2008 ARCA RE/MAX Series, July 18th at the Kentucky Speedway.
“We just had an awesome test (July 1) at Kentucky,” said Malsam, 19, a Dodge factory driver who currently sits eighth in the series championship. “The Cunningham team did a great job and we were super-fast.”
“The best news is that our car was very consistent,” said Malsam. “Most cars set their best time when they simulated a qualifying run, but we ended up third fastest and we never simulated qualifying.” Twenty cars participated in the official ARCA test.
Malsam’s team, Cunningham Motorsports, recently announced an alliance with Penske Racing and is becoming Penske’s official development team.
An ARCA rookie, Malsam qualified seventh at the 1.5-mile Kentucky Speedway earlier this season and, but for a pit miscue, would likely have been in contention for a top five finish. Now, he says; “I can’t wait to get back here for the race.”
In the meantime, he will spend part of the mid-season break vacationing with family and friends in the Pacific Northwest. “There is only one thing that could be more beautiful than the Northwest this time of year,” said Malsam, “and that would be a great run at Kentucky when we come back.” Speed TV will carry the live broadcast at 8:00pm EDT.
MALSAM MOVES NORTH IN POINTS
Seattle Rookie Now 8th in ARCA Standings
Seattle---Tayler Malsam, 19, heads to the mid-point of his rookie ARCA Re/Max season now eighth in series points, having inched up the standings with a solid 11th place finish in yesterday’s Cayuga ARCA 200 in Ontario, Canada.
“We had a field trip,” said Malsam of Sunday’s race. “We started 14th and fell all the way down to18th place early on, but we worked out way back up. We got into the top 10 by mid-race and eventually we were all the way up to fourth place. Realistically, we probably should have been eighth,” said Malsam.
“We were best on long runs and we stayed out in P8, but there were a lot of yellows, and then two green-white-checker restarts so the guys with fresh tires got back around us at the end,” said Malsam of his 11th place finish.
Malsam and his #4 Dodge Driver Development Cunningham Racing will be testing Tuesday (July 1st) at the 1.5 mile Kentucky Speedway in preparation for his next stop, the Kentucky ARCA/ReMax 150 on July 18th. The race is the 11th in the 21 race series and serves at the season mid-point.
“This is the first track that we will race for a second time this season, said Malsam. “We had a fast car at the first Kentucky race,” said Malsam, who qualified seventh at Kentucky in May. “We want to build on that and move up some more.”
MALSAM HEADS TO CANADA
Seattle----Seattle’s Tayler Malsam heads to the northern shores of Lake Erie for Sunday’s ARCA Re/Max 250 at Ontario’s Cayuga Raceway. The .625-mile paved oval is the 10th stop on the 2008 ARCA Re/Max series.
Malsam finished 11th at the three-day long “Dirt Cup” last weekend, at Washington’s Skagit Speedway, qualifying 4th and 6th on the first two nights in a rugged field loaded with Sprint tour regulars. He now turns his focus solely to ARCA stock cars and the Cunningham Motorsports #4 Dodge Driver Development Dodge.
An ARCA rookie and Dodge factory driver, Malsam, 19, is currently ninth in the ARCA driver’s standings and looking to move up as the series approaches the mid-point of the 21-race schedule.
“We have a lot of fun racing Sprint cars, but right now all of my focus is on the ARCA car and working with our Cunningham Motorsports team to get ourselves consistently into the top five,” said Malsam.
Coming off a career best third place ARCA finish at Pocono; Malsam moved from the 23rd starting position all the way up to 8th at the most recent race at Michigan, before dropping ten spots after the last pit stop.
“My background is mostly on short tracks, but, for some reason, we have done better on the bigger tracks like Pocono; Kentucky and Michigan than on the short tracks,” said Malsam. “We have some ideas, but we need to do a better job on the short tracks if we want to move up in the points.”
So, what is the biggest difference between the 410 sprint car and his #4 Cunningham Motorsports Driver Development Dodge? “I don’t think the team would like it if I started doing wheelies in the ARCA car!” laughs Malsam.
It's been quite a ride for young race car driver
Just 19 years old, Tayler Malsam already is an accomplished racer who will be competing in his third Dirt Cup (Everett Herald Sports Section front page 6.19.08)
By Scott Whitmore
Herald Writer
It isn't hard to find Tayler Malsam on a racetrack: look up front where the leaders are running.
Finding him off the track is a more difficult proposition, as the 19-year-old has spent the year crisscrossing the country to race.
As a rookie in the ARCA RE/MAX series, Malsam has raced stock cars for Cunningham Motorsports in Kentucky, Iowa, Kansas, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigan since beginning the season in February in Daytona, Fla.
Between his ARCA starts Malsam has raced midget cars in the Midwest or flown west to race sprint cars in California and at Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma and Skagit Speedway in Alger.
"I have no idea where he is half the time," said Marsha Malsam, Tayler's mother. "Until about three weeks ago he did all his own flights, hotels and everything. He can't even rent a car because he's not old enough."
At least Marsha Malsam knows where her oldest child will be this weekend: racing a 410 sprint car for Rudeen Racing in the 37th annual Jim Raper Memorial Dirt Cup at Skagit Speedway in Alger. It will be the third time competing at the Dirt Cup for Tayler Malsam, who was raised in Sammamish and recently moved to Mill Creek. He finished 13th in the C main of the 2006 edition, but advanced to the Dirt Cup A main in 2007, coming in ninth.
Although he has found success in stock cars -- he is currently ninth on the ARCA RE/MAX points list and is a candidate for the series' rookie of the year -- Malsam said he welcomes the chance to race sprint cars.
"I prefer 410 sprint cars, they're my favorite … a good race in a stock car is pretty fun," he said. "But you can't do a wheelie in a stock car."
Malsam's rise in racing has come quickly. While some of his peers began racing quarter-midgets at the age of 5, Malsam didn't get behind the wheel of a go-kart until he was in high school.
And that came about in an unexpected way.
Although his mother said Malsam "did all the traditional sports" growing up, he was born with a muscular problem in his legs that later affected his physical development and led to arthritis in both feet.
At 15, Malsam had corrective surgery on his feet, ankles and calves. He had a cast on one leg for six months and a cast on the other leg, which was in worse shape at the time of the surgery, for eight months.
Malsam recovered from the surgery and remains physically active outside of a race car, but Marsha Malsam said her son will probably have pain in his feet for the rest of his life.
The loss of foot speed also limited his ability to be competitive in many sports.
"That was one of life's servings there … We told him, 'You need to find something you're passionate about,'" Marsha Malsam said. "Within two days he was enrolled in a men's go-karting league."
Although there were no racers in his immediate family -- parents Marsha and Steve Malsam; sisters Nadalie, 18, and Makenzie, 15; and brother Kollin, 11 -- Tayler Malsam had a grandfather, an uncle and an aunt that raced snowmobiles.
Another uncle, Kevin Rudeen, had raced sprint cars at one time and started Rudeen Racing, later becoming Malsam's sprint car team owner.
In his first year racing go-karts in 2005, the then-16-year-old was the only Northwest driver to qualify for the Rotax Nationals, finishing 18th out of 100 racers from around the country.
The next year Malsam moved up to racing in the open-wheel Formula TR series in California, Oregon and Arizona, and then sprint cars in California and locally at Skagit and Grays Harbor.
While taking part in his first late-model races in 2007 at Irwindale Speedway in California, Malsam ran into Bob Perona, a driving coach he knew from his Formula TR days. The two "bonded real quick," said Malsam, who asked Perona to work with him.
Perona agreed and shortly thereafter arranged a test drive with Cunningham Motorsports, which has competed in NASCAR and ARCA since its founding in 1996.
"It was his first time in that type of stock car but he nailed it," Marsha Malsam said of the test. "We didn't know what to expect."
Tayler Malsam made his ARCA debut in a Cunningham car in October 2007 at Toledo Speedway in Ohio. He finished a disappointing 33rd after starting eighth, but team managers at Cunningham saw his potential and signed Malsam to run the full 2008 ARCA schedule.
ARCA is the second largest sanctioning body for stock cars after NASCAR, and has been used by many drivers as a stepping stone into NASCAR.
Breaking into NASCAR in either the Craftsman Truck or Nationwide series is Malsam's plan for the immediate future, with his ultimate goals being to race in the top-tier Sprint Cup series and own a World of Outlaws sprint car team.
Those plans got a boost earlier this month when Cunningham signed a developmental partnership with Penske Racing, the team that won the 2008 Daytona 500 and is owned by the legendary Roger Penske.
"It's so new, it has been quite a ride," Marsha Malsam said of her son's racing career. "It's a thrill to see your kid do something he is passionate about and enjoy."
MALSAM’S MAGIC RUN STALLS AT MICHIGAN
Seattle---Coming off a career best, third place finish at last week’s Pocono 200, Seattle’s Tayler Malsam appeared headed to another strong ARCA Re/Max series finish at the Michigan 200, Saturday.
“We focused on our race set up and made long runs during the practice,” said Malsam. “That hurt us in qualifying, but we had a great run going in the first half of the race.” Starting 23rd in the 41 car field, Malsam made an impressive green flag run all the way to eighth place by lap 55 of the 100 lap event only to fade to an 18th place finish.
That run stalled out after a pit stop during a caution flag on lap 59. “After the pit stop, we suddenly had a ton of understeer in the car. It was so bad that all we could do was go to damage control mode and try to hang on to the finish and get points,” said Malsam.
A Dodge factory development driver, Malsam, 19, entered the race eighth in ARCA Re/Max championship standings and dropped just one spot to ninth.
Malsam will take advantage of a mini-break in the ARCA schedule to compete in the prestigious "Dirt Cup" sprint cars races at Skagit Speedway this coming week. A field of 60 cars, including many of the top drivers in the Western states is expected. Malsam has a win and two seconds in recent Northwest Sprint competition.
MALSAM MAKES A LEAP
Takes Third at Tough ARCA Pocono Battle
Long Pond, Pa--- Tayler Malsam continued his relentless march to the front in 2008 ARCA/ReMax series competition, scoring an exciting third place finish at the Pocono 200, Saturday in Long Pond, Pa.
Driving the #4 Dodge Driver Development car for Cunningham Racing, Malsam qualified seventh and ran inside the top-ten for the entire race, including the six extra laps of an exciting “green-white-checkered” finish to claim his career best, third place, finish in just his ninth ARCA start.
“Pocono is a driver’s race track and definitely one of the most difficult tracks on the ARCA series,” said Malsam’s competition manager Bob Perona. “Pocono is a big, fast, tough, 2.5 mile speedway, with three distinctly different turns and a big challenge even for veteran drivers. For Tayler to come here, never having seen the track, and to qualify and run in the top group all day long in a 38 car field is just outstanding. This is a tribute to Tayler and the entire Cunningham Dodge team.”
Malsam Makes Most of Break in ARCA Schedule
Seven Races and an ARCA Test Fill Sammamish Rookie’s Dance Card
Sammamish, WA---After six races in as many weeks, the ARCA Re/Max schedule offers teams and drivers a rare break until the next event, the Pocono 200 at Pocono (PA) Raceway on June 7th.
Tayler Malsam, a 19-year old ARCA rookie driver from Sammamish Wash., sees that schedule in a very different light. Malsam expects to race in four USAC Midget events through the Midwest; plus three Northwest Sprint events in addition to driving his #4 Dodge Development Charger for Cunningham Motorsports in the ARCA test at Michigan International Speedway in that span.
“I love to race, and at this stage of my career the more seat time and the greater the range of experience the better,” said Malsam, a Dodge factory development driver who is currently ninth in the ARCA Re/Max point standings.
Malsam got his adventure off to an impressive start, winning the pole for the Skagit, Wash. 360 Sprints on May 24. After damaging the rear suspension, brakes, and cutting a tire when he was clipped by another car at the start, Malsam found himself at the back of the 25-car field. He wasn’t there for long, as he made great use of the “high line” and rallied to an exciting second place finish.
The next evening, Malsam started 11th and finished second in the 360 Sprints at Elma, Wash., giving him a first and two seconds in his three 2008 NW Sprint starts to date.
From there, it was off to the two-mile oval at the Michigan International Speedway for an official ARCA test on Wednesday, May 28, with his Dodge Driver Development Dodge Charger from Cunningham Motorsports.
The following morning, Thursday, May 29, Malsam and competition manager Bob Perona flew to Indianapolis to collect the team’s USAC Midget car and then drove to Beaver Dam, Wis. for the USAC Midget feature. After Friday’s race there, Malsam will return to Seattle early Saturday for another Sprint race at Skagit that evening.
Malsam’s Pocono race week is slated to begin Tuesday, June 2, with three USAC Midget races in as many nights at Williams Grove; Grande Valley and Big Diamond, before heading to Pocono for Friday’s ARCA practice and qualifying for Saturday’s race.
“I’m not going to become a better driver sitting home, said Malsam. “Every time I get in a race car, means another chance to learn."
MALSAM READY FOR TOLEDO RETURN
Sammamish, WA---In a season where everything is new, the Pacific Northwest’s Tayler Malsam, driver of the #4 Dodge Development Cunningham Motorsports Dodge, finally sees something familiar this week, the Toledo Speedway, the sixth stop on the 2008 ARCA/ReMax Series championship.
The half-mile Toledo oval is the only ARCA track where Malsam has previously raced. He made an impressive ARCA debut at Toledo last fall, qualifying eighth and running as high as seventh before being sidelined by a brake failure.
Returning to Toledo for his seventh career ARCA start, Malsam, of Sammamish, Wash. said: “We had a really good run at Toledo last year and we should run well here again. We have learned a lot since that race and we are growing as a team with every race. In addition to the ARCA races and tests, I raced sprint cars and midgets all winter, so that race here last fall seems like a million years ago,” said Malsam. “But, I still remember it all and hope we can move ourselves up the line this time.
Qualifying a career best sixth for last week’s Kentucky 150 at the 1.5 mile Kentucky Speedway, Malsam, a Dodge factory development driver, is on a roll, gaining positions and momentum at each recent event.
He now stands 10th in the ARCA series points as he continues to climb up the fiercely competitive 40-plus car ARCA grids where the last two races have been captured by drivers with the Joe Gibbs Racing; and Roush Fenway NASCAR teams.
The Hantz Group 200 will be held on Sunday, May 18th @ 11am pacific time. Follow the race via live scoring on ARCARACING.COM
MALSAM MOVES INTO TOP TEN IN ARCA POINTS
Sammamish, WA---Five races into the 21-race 2008 ARCA/REMAX Series; Pacific Northwest rookie ARCA driver Tayler Malsam is now ninth in ARCA series points, scoring a 14th place finish in the 50-car field at the longest ARCA race of the season, the Carolina 500 (km). The race marked the return of racing at the legendary one-mile Rockingham (NC) Speedway.
After scoring his first top-ten finish at Iowa; Malsam, driver of the #4 Dodge Development/ Cunningham Motorsports Dodge ran in the top five in the main practice session at Kansas and then did it again in the final practice at Rockingham. He ran as high in sixth in both races before brushes with competitors fighting for position dropped him back to 14th place finishes in each.
Facing fields including veterans such as nine-time ARCA series champion Frank Kimmel; NASCAR regular Ken Schrader, and top development drivers from NASCAR teams including: Joe Gibbs Racing; Roush-Fenway; Bill Davis Racing and Richard Childress Racing, Malsam, age 19, has proven his mettle.
“Our goals for the first half of the season are for Tayler to qualify in the top 10 and start running in the top five and Tayler is already doing that,” said Cunningham Motorsports President, Kerry Scherer.
“As a team, we are putting pieces of a weekend together, but now its time to put entire race weekends together. We’ve played catch–up on the set up at a couple of races like Rockingham where we were 27th in practice, 11th in qualifying and fifth in final practice said Scherer.
“The next two races should be good tracks for us,” said Scherer. “Tayler ran very well in our test at Kentucky which is a 1.5-mile track, just like Kansas which was his best run. Toledo was Tayler’s very first ARCA race last fall and he had a great run there, too.”
MALSAM READY TO ROCK IN ARCA’S CAROLINA 500 AT “THE ROCK”
Fresh From Skagit Sprint Win, Its ‘Rock or be Rocked’ at Rockingham
(Sammamish, WA)---Tayler Malsam is preparing to face one of the biggest challenges of his ARCA RE/MAX Series rookie season, a daunting 312 laps of the one-mile oval in Rockingham, NC, known affectionately as; “The Rock.” The Carolina 500 race is this Sunday (May 4) and will be broadcast live on Speed TV at noon (Eastern).
The appeal of an iconic track returning to competition after a four-year hiatus, combined with a record purse, will produce one of the largest and deepest fields in ARCA history.
Malsam,19, of Sammamish, WA is the factory driver of the #4 Dodge Driver Development Dodge for Cunningham Motorsports. He topped the charts for over an hour in the only practice session at the most recent ARCA event at Kansas City. Malsam was running sixth just after the midway point of the race when he was clipped by the fifth place car and lost a lap to a cut tire. Malsam battled back to regain the lead lap and finished 14th in the 40 car field.
The next day, Malsam returned to the Pacific Northwest to dominate the 360 Sprints in the 2008 season-opener at Washington’s Skagit Speedway. “It was nice to get a win at home,” said Malsam, “now we need to work our way into the top-five in ARCA.”
As he heads to Rockingham, Malsam sees just two options: “it is either rock or be rocked,” said Malsam. “We need to find a good set-up and get in the right rhythm with the track and traffic. We’ve struggled a little at the start of the last two races but made some changes that improved the car a lot. This week, we want to start the race with a good set up and keep hooked up for the entire race. This is a very long race and the traffic will be really tough. There will be times we need to be patient, but there will also be times that we have to be ready to rock.”
Fresh From First Top-10; Rookie Malsam Plans Triple-Play Weekend
Heads for Kansas ARCA; then Oregon Sprints
(Sammamish, WA) - Following his first top-ten ARCA RE/MAX Series finish in the Iowa 250, 19-year-old Tayler Malsam (Mall-sum) of Sammamish is looking to carry that momentum into the next stop, the Kansas Lottery $150 Grand at the 1.5 mile Kansas Speedway, this Friday, April 25th.
Malsam fought back from an early two-lap deficit to finish on the lead lap and claim the 10th spot in the 41-car field in just his fourth Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) start.
A prime launching pad to NASCAR, the 21-race ARCA RE/MAX Series is a fiercely competitive stock car series featuring a unique combination of highly experienced veterans and a number of factory supported promising young talents. Malsam is a Dodge Development Driver in the #4 Dodge entered by the well respected Georgia-based Cunningham Motorsports.
“Our goal for Iowa was to be on the lead lap at the finish and get our first top-ten finish,” said Malsam.
“Tayler drove an outstanding race at Iowa,” said Bob Perona, competition director for Malsam Motorsports. “We missed the set-up a little bit and Tayler had to pass 16 cars just to get that second lap back. He did it in a calm, methodical way that took patience and persistence. Now we can go to Kansas and work to climb up the ladder.”
“Kansas should be an even better race for us,” said Malsam, who topped the speed charts during the most recent Kansas ARCA tests. The race will be televised on Speed Channel at 8:30 PM (EDT) on Saturday, April 26th.
Weather permitting; Malsam plans to fly back to the Pacific Northwest early Saturday in time for a 410 winged sprint race on the dirt at Cottage Grove Ore on Saturday evening.
ARCA schedule (April-May, 2008)
April 25 Kansas Lottery $150 Grand, Kansas Speedway, Kansas, KS*
May 4 Carolina 500, Rockingham Speedway, Rockingham, NC*
May 10 Drive Smart Buckle-Up Kentucky 150, Kentucky Speedway
May 18 Hantz Group 200, Toledo Speedway, Toledo, OH
* Broadcast on Speed Channel.
ARCA RE/MAX Series Set To Return To Action With Test At Rockingham
It's hard to believe that it's been more than a month since the ARCA RE/MAX Series has been in action, but business is about to pick up as the open test for the ARCA RE/MAX Series at Rockingham Speedway kicks off this Friday and Saturday preparing the team's for one of the most anticipated events on the '08 schedule.
New to the 2008 schedule, Rockingham has the potential to shine into the spotlight as one of the most premier events this season. With a 50-car starting field expected, the biggest purse in ARCA RE/MAX Series history not to mention a former ARCA champion and current car owner Andy Hillenburg promoting the event, there's no reason why hype shouldn't be surrounding the May 4th North Carolina 500K event.
Currently 38 drivers are entered for the two-day test. Some of the best-of-the-best inside the 56-year tour will participate in the Easter weekend session.
Here's a breakdown of some of the drivers and team's set to tackle the Rockingham mile.
4 Tayler Malsam, Dodge Motorsports-Cunningham Motorsports Dodge Charger - With Mark Gibson help making the calls, Malsam has no reason to worry. While the ARCA RE/MAX Series hasn't raced at Rockingham for decades Gibson can connect with his many acquaintances in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for some assistance. On the other hand, Gibson may not need some assistance at all. Rockingham will be a test for Malsam but I like his chances.
Former Skyline student gains race car notoriety
Keeping up a family tradition (front page article in the Issaquah Press)
By Carmell Emory
"In the Rudeen Racing No. 26 car, out of Sammamish, Washington, it's Tayler Malsam!"
The name rings loud across the stands of Skagit Speedway in Alger, a Northwest Washington community south of Bellingham. The presence and talent of the Rudeen team is well-known around this three-tenths-mile dirt track, and is gaining strength around the nation.
Malsam, 18, is at the beginning of what is likely going to be a long and prosperous career in racing, not only because he has a true passion and talent for the sport, but because it is in his blood.
Grandfather Kent Rudeen was born and raised in Spokane and raced for the Triber Tiger snowmobile race team. The adrenaline rush caused by speed and smart tactical driving was passed down to Rudeen's son and daughter, Kevin and Gwen. Both fell in love with the snow sport and traveled on the race circuit around the Northwest and Canada for more than 10 years.
Although Rudeen infected his family with racing fever, he believes that Malsam has taught him some racing moves and is very excited for his grandson, adding that he "is proud of the way Tayler conducts himself on and off the track."
Kevin took his racing passion to the next level and went from racing snowmobiles to sprint cars. The 1,200-pound cars put out 900 horsepower and can reach speeds of 150 mph.
Kevin has been involved in sprint car racing for 15 years, as well as starting his race team Rudeen Racing. The race team started off small with one car in his garage, growing to a nationally-known name after racing in the World of Outlaws for several years.
Many prominent drivers have been seated in the famous No. 26 car including Kasey Kahne, Bud Kaeding and 2004 Dirt Cup winner Shane Stewart. Over the years, the team has won many championships and continues to add to its collection.
Malsam, nicknamed "Youngblood," was born and raised on the Eastside. He attended Skyline High School until his junior year in 2006, when parents Steve and Marsha Malsam pulled him out due to a heavy racing schedule. Malsam then attended Chrysalis, a private school that accommodates traveling students.
"I love to travel and be out on the road because you get to see something new every day," he said.
He was happy to get out of Sammamish and experience the racing lifestyle. When he's not on the racetrack, you can find him doing other extreme sports such as racing dirt bikes and wake surfing.
Malsam's racing career has gotten off to an exciting start as a rookie. Most youth get into the racing scene as young as 8 to 10 years old. At that age, Malsam was watching his uncle race every weekend at the Skagit Speedway, dreaming about the day he could do the same.
His first time on a track was on Monday nights, racing go-karts in an adult league, although he was only 16. His father dedicated his extra time to racing with his son and saw a natural talent in him.
That natural ability and Malsam's passion for racing had them reaching for the next level. He competed in the Rotax Go-Kart series, making it to the nationals in his first season, the only Northwest driver to do so.
Malsam's talent and passion did not go unnoticed by his uncle, and he soon found himself racing a second car for the team. The young rookie proved to be an asset, advancing to the famed No. 26 car in less than a year.
In both the 360 and 410 sprint cars, Malsam has raced at Skagit Speedway, Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma, Irwindale Speedway in California, and many other areas around the country.
Crew chief for Rudeen Racing, Shane Anderson, has worked with the team for three years.
"It's been a pleasure working with the Rudeen family and watching Tayler grow as a driver to the next level," Anderson said.
One of Malsam's biggest accomplishments was last August at the legendary Knoxville Sprint Car Nationals in Iowa, where the ultimate sprint car racing takes place. Malsam took the title, having the fastest lap time a rookie has ever recorded, 15.044 seconds, around a half-mile track.
A successful first year of racing has once again pushed Malsam to the next level. After testing the Cunningham Motorsports ARCA Dodge this past July, Malsam was signed up to run the full 2008 series, where his driving coach, Bob Perona, believes that "racing, you see, is about the package."
The ARCA series is the professional training ground of stock car racing and can give that one special driver the opportunity to advance to NASCAR. For now, this Dodge Development Team wants to get Malsam to the level of a paid driver on one of the Nextel Cup teams. He will get that chance this season by racing in 23 races at some of the most famous racetracks in history, in four Nextel Cup cars.
So is this young kid from Sammamish the next Kasey Kahne? The next Earnhardt? His coach and team think so.
Perona admits that when he first met Malsam, nothing jumped out at him. However, his opinion changed just one year later when he saw Malsam again.
"I knew right away that Tayler was something special and unique," Perona said.
Carmell Emory writes for Fire Down Productions.
ARCA's article on Tayler . . .
TOLEDO OH (3-3-08) - Ken Schrader was one of the first superstars to break through to the big time world of stock car racing via the rough and tumble world of open wheel racing. The Fenton, Missouri native, unquestionably, helped paved the way for the likes of Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Ryan Newman, Kasey Kahne, and others who honed their skills in midgets and sprints.
One of the next, young open-wheel warriors who hopes to spring board into the highest levels of stock car racing is 19-year-old Tayler Malsam, one of the new faces on the ARCA RE/MAX Series tour. See Homepage Video
Malsam, who's been racing winged sprints on the West Coast for several years, caught the eye of the Cunningham Motorsports stable, the flagship Dodge Development team in the ARCA RE/MAX Series.
"It worked out that I got the opportunity to test with Cunningham Motorsports at Peach State Speedway last year," said Malsam, who hails from Sammamish, Washington. "We did well enough that we got the okay from Kerry Scherer (Malsam's ARS car owner). Next thing I know, we've signed a deal to run the whole year."
After debuting the #4 Cunningham Motorsports-Dodge Development Dodge at Toledo Speedway in October of 2007, Malsam made his superspeedway debut in last month's 45th running of the ARCA 200 at Daytona.
"Although our finish (18th) didn't show it, we had a great run going at Daytona. We got caught up in that big wreck and went a lap down. But after some great pit stops, we got our lap back and were working our way back to the front when we cut a right rear tire. After all that, we had some overheating issues. But, we learned a lot and it was definitely the most fun I've had racing in a while. Loved all the drafting; and I can't wait for Talladega."
But there's a lot of racing to be done in between now and Talladega. And for Malsam, who cut his teeth in winged sprint car racing, the up and coming racer will climb back into his sprint car to fill the gap leading up to the ARCA RE/MAX Series' next event at Salem Speedway on April 13th.
"I'm gunna be running some sprint cars the first couple of weeks in March. We're planning on running the Mini Gold Cup in Chico, California with the Golden State Series. Then we're going to fly back home to Washington the next morning. We're going to a function in Seattle in support of Juvenile Diabetes. We'll have one of the ARCA cars on display and auction some tickets off for the ARCA race at MIS. But the whole reason we're going is to try and raise money for Juvenile Diabetes."
In addition to running the sprint car, March means more ARCA RE/MAX Series testing for Malsam and the Cunningham Motorsports Dodge Development team.
"We're doing the Rockingham test (March 21, 22), then we're scheduled to test at Salem on the 26th."
From a 1,200 lb sprint car to a 3,400 lb stock car, Malsam's going to be getting a lot of both in the near future.
"You're definitely up on the wheel more in a sprint car, and in and out of the gas a lot more. You drive them a lot differently. You're driving sideways in a sprint car; but in the stock car, you're driving straight. But the quick reflexes and throttle control it takes to run a sprint car only helps when you get in a heavier stock car, I think.
"But yah, they're a lot different; there's no doubt about that. In a sprint car you're racing as hard as you can from the drop of the green flag. In a stock car, you have to learn to pace yourself.
"I can't wait to go to Salem; I've heard it's fast and fun."
And whether it's in an open-wheel machine or a stock car, Malsam likes to go fast and have fun.
"If I'm not in a racecar, I'm on something that goes. I like to snowmobile, dirt-bike, skateboard, you name it. My dad says I probably shouldn't do it; he's concerned I'm going to get hurt. I can understand that. He's got so much invested in me when it comes to my future. But all this stuff is just too much fun. You just have to use good judgment. There's a difference between stupid fun and smart fun."
Malsam's plans in '08 include the full ARCA RE/MAX Series schedule and lots of open-wheel racing in between.
"I'm going to run the sprint car next weekend; and I'll probably be in a sprint car every weekend I'm not in the ARCA car. I'm also running a dirt midget in about 12 races - USAC and some other divisions.
"I'm working out every day with a personal trainer lifting weights, cardio, racquetball - staying busy with that too. My dad's a real estate developer, and I help him in the off-season too. If I'm not doing that, I'm in the sprint car shop getting ready for our next race."
Despite a very busy open-wheel schedule in 2008, Malsam's main focus will be the Kerry Scherer-owned no. 4 Cunningham Motorsports-Dodge Development Dodge; especially if he hopes to get to that next level where the likes of Gordon, Stewart, Newman and Kahne play for big dollars and big press.
Having said that, Malsam's got a lot to work with in the ARCA RE/MAX Series ranks. Not only will he be training with a first-class, high-quality team, he'll have the knowledge of veteran series driver Mark Gibson to work with all year.
"Mark's going to be my crew chief all year. Everything I've learned in a stock car, I've learned from him. I talk to him all the time; I just talked to him yesterday as a matter of fact. He's helped me a lot. We communicate really well. We're both super calm and quiet, so we're on the same page. Except he was a lot more nervous on raceday (at Daytona) than I was. I had to calm him down," joked Malsam. "But I understand how valuable he (Gibson) is to the success of our team. He's got more experience in that garage than 90% of the people there. I have a lot of respect for him, and I listen to everything he tells me. I'd be a fool if I didn't."
A great start for Malsam, despite a disappointing finish
Seattle, WA, (2-11-08) - Tayler Malsam did everything right during his Daytona debut in the ARCA RE/MAX 200. The talented rookie from Sammamish Washington was cool, consistent, and fast, making his way from his 21st starting position into the top 11 and setting a blistering pace in his #4 Cunningham Motorsports Dodge. But bad luck can befall some really good cars at Daytona and on lap 30, the “big one” all but ended the day for the Dodge development driver.
But with some masterful driving and excellent work from his Cunningham Crew, Malsam was able to salvage an 18th place finish, and more importantly, the confidence to know that he was in contention all the way.
“We had an awesome car today and I really have to thank my Cunningham Motorsports crew for all the work they have done, not just this weekend but throughout testing as well”, said Malsam, who at 18 years old is one of the rising stars in stock car racing. “I also want to thank Ilmor Engineering for giving me an awesome engine this weekend, this car was really a rocket and I know we could have been there for the win”.
In one of the closest qualifying sessions in recent history at Daytona, Malsam had a solid lap that put him 21st on the grid out of 64 qualifiers. But happy hour practice is where the car really showed its race pace, posting a lap good enough for 2nd on the sheet and giving the team a lot of confidence going into the race. “We knew the car was maybe not the best qualifier, but we have been working tirelessly on this race car all weekend and I was certain we had a great car for the race”, said Bob Perona, team engineer for the #4 Dodge. “We were really pleased with where we were starting and knew that if we stayed consistent and kept out of trouble we had an easy top 5 finish coming our way”.
Malsam was quick to move from 21st to 13th in the first 20 laps of the race, and after a fast stop from his pit crew, he was in position to be solidly in the top 5 cars. “We were just running around on the bottom taking our time”, said Malsam. “The car was a lot faster than most of the cars around me, but I was being patient, knowing that the race was coming to me”.
Then on lap 30, 2nd and 3rd place tangled causing a huge chain reaction crash. Malsam tried desperately to keep the Cunningham Dodge out of harms way, but another car turned down into him trying to avoid the carnage and caused major damage to the front end of the #4 car. “I didn’t see it start, but Gordon my spotter was quick on the radio and I just tried to back it down and get to the inside”’ said Malsam. “I was as much worried about getting hit from behind as I was getting into the wreck in front of me. The 75 car, which was next to me on the outside, locked up his brakes and turned in front of me and I had nowhere to go. The car took a pretty good hit”.
With some stellar pit work the Cunningham crew was able to make repairs and despite going a lap down, and overcoming a flat right rear tire, a spirited drive from Malsam got the #4 car back on the lead lap and into the top 12 cars. “The car was still really fast, and I have to thank Ilmor for giving me a motor that could push that brick through the air. I was able to be really fast in the draft, and even continue to pass, which helped us get back into position. I really thought at that point we were headed for a top 10”.
But it was not to be, with the extensive damage done to the radiator inlet the car began to overheat and only 5 laps from the finish the engine expired, ending the day for good.
Despite the difficult finish, the #4 Dodge team is extremely optimistic about the season, and Tayler Malsam feels ready to run for the championship this season. “It was so much fun out there today, running in traffic, bump drafting, it was all I could have hoped it would be”, said Malsam. “I wanted to finish better of course, but I think this race showed a lot of what I can do and what this team can do in difficult situations, and we are going to be a tough team to beat all season
Malsam qualifies 21st for his first race at Daytona; 2nd fastest in happy hour practice.
Seattle, WA 2-9-08 - The Cunningham Motorsports team was forced to endure a long and stressful qualifying session yesterday, awaiting their opportunity to make their run after watching 59 cars go a little faster than they expected. Everyone on the #4 Dodge crew was a little nervous, that is except the driver, Tayler Malsam, who at only 18 years of age was calm and collected and ready to put his car firmly in the show. When it was all said and done Malsam ran a 50.354, good enough to start 21st in one of the most competitive qualifying fields in recent memory. Good enough to give the team a collective sigh and allow them to focus on the race Saturday.
“I told my crew chief Mark Gibson not to worry, I knew we had the car”, Said the rookie from Sammamish Washington who will be competing in his first race at Daytona. “It was a good lap and now we can get to the business of racing.”
And the business of racing is what this team is looking forward to, feeling that they might not have the best qualifying car in the field, but certainly one of the best race cars. That feeling was supported by a strong showing in happy hour practice this evening where Malsam was 2nd fastest in drafting practice, a better gauge of how competitive the car is going to be in the race than qualifying.
“The car is really good in the draft, really stable”, said Malsam. “In a pack we were really fast, and I am looking really forward to getting the green flag tomorrow. I think we have a great chance at bringing this car to the front.”
Malsam showed that he is going to have one of the fast race cars in tomorrow’s race; the question now is whether or not this youngster from the Northwest can bring his car to the front and battle for the win. He is certainly going to be one of the ones to watch.
Malsam shows top 10 speed at Daytona
Seattle, WA – 18 year old Tayler Malsam got his first taste of Daytona International Speedway this weekend and came away feeling pretty good about his chances when the ARCA Re/Max series makes its season opening trip to the 2.5 mile Super-speedway in February. “We really worked hard on the race car this weekend, and the entire Cunningham Motorsports team did a great job putting together a really fast package” said Malsam, who will begin his rookie season in the ARCA Series at Daytona. “We rolled off the trailer with a good car, but we made a lot of progress as the weekend went on and by Sunday we were able to show our speed”.
Tayler was 9th quick overall by the end of testing on Sunday. “We struggled a bit on Saturday trying to find exactly the right package, but by Sunday the car was really good both by itself and in the draft, which is important for us, because we want to qualify toward the front for this race.” Said Tayler, who also commented on his first laps at this historic racetrack, “It was pretty special to get to drive here finally. The next step is to win here, and hopefully Ill get the opportunity to do that in February.”
Tayler Malsam ready for his first taste of Daytona
Seattle - Rookie racer Tayler Malsam has already learned about short track ARCA racing at Toledo Speedway, The high speed thrills of speedway testing at Kentucky Speedway, and the high banks and flat out action of Talladega, but this weekend Malsam will finally experience the famed 2.5 mile Daytona Super-speedway when he tests his #4 Cunningham Motorsports Dodge this weekend among a field of more than 60 racers in preparation of the February main event.
“I’m really excited about testing at Daytona this weekend”, said Malsam “We have a couple of cars and the team has been working very hard to bring a package that is going to qualify and race well. There is so much history at this place, and I’m just glad to finally get the opportunity to drive here.”
Malsam has already been fast in pre season testing, showing the speed that made him one of the crowd favorites in his 360 and 410 sprinters on the west coast last season. Tayler qualified 8th for his first ARCA race last September at Toledo and raced solidly in the top 10 before he was sidelined with a brake problem. He was also quick at Kentucky, driving the #4 car to times that would have put him on pole for either of the two races there last season. This weekend he will be looking to keep that performance going.
Assisting Malsam at Daytona will be new teammate and 9 time series Champion Frank Kimmel, who will be driving with Cunningham Motorsports for the test and the race at Daytona in February. “It’s going to be great having Frank as a teammate”, said Malsam, who hopes to learn a lot from the reigning ARCA Champion. “Hopefully Frank can help me shorten my learning curve and get to the front quickly”.
The official ARCA Daytona test session will be held this weekend from Friday, December 14th through Sunday December 16th.
Tayler Malsam attends PRI show, visits Nextel Cup shops in Charlotte.
Seattle – Tayler Malsam got his first look at a Nextel Cup shop from the inside this weekend when he visited both the Hendrick Motorsports and Ganassi Racing shops in Charlotte, North Carolina, immediately following two days at the Performance Racing Industry Show in Orlando.
“This was a great weekend, a lot of fun and an awesome experience”, Said Malsam, driver of the #4 Cunningham Motorsports ARCA race car. “The PRI show was huge, and I was happy to have the #4 car there and to show support for G-Force Safety Equipment, they are a fantastic company”.
Following the PRI show, Malsam traveled to Charlotte North Carolina, Home of many of the NASCAR Nextel Cup teams, where he had the opportunity to get up close and personal with the cars he hopes to be driving in the future. “I was really impressed with both the Hendrick and Ganassi race shops. I really have to thank both organizations for giving me the opportunity to see what goes into a Nextel Cup program. Hopefully I’ll get the opportunity to drive for one of those teams in the future.”
Malsam, who will be driving the #4 Dodge as a rookie this season in the ARCA ReMax Series, is busy preparing for the coming season. “I have stepped up my fitness program and I am focusing on what I need to do to be a race winner this season. I know the entire Cunningham team is as ready as I am for Daytona. Should be fun!”
Malsam shows his speed at Thunderbowl raceway
Tulare, CA - In an up and down night of 360 sprinter racing, Rudeen Racing’s Tayler Malsam showed his speed, qualifying 2nd out of 83 cars, and then showed his grit, coming from 20th in the B Main to finish 9th and then running away with the C main victory. Malsam was looking for bigger better things with a front row qualifying spot, but after trouble with his car in the heat race, Tayler found himself playing catch up all night and was unable to transfer to the main.
“We had a great car in qualifying,” Said Malsam, who knows a great qualifying car. Earlier this season, Malsam set the fastest qualifying lap ever by a rookie at the Knoxville Nationals. “I was able to run it wide open and use the curb well, we just didn’t seem to get any luck after that”.
Facing a 6 car invert in the heat race, which had him starting 6th on the outside of row 3, Malsam struggled with the handling on his car and was unable to secure the transfer to the main. Following a scoring mistake, Malsam was forced to start 20th in the B main where even a broken shock couldn’t keep him from showing his race craft. Tayler moved through the field to finish ninth with a spirited drive in a banged up race car, but it wasn’t enough to get the transfer to the main, and Malsam was disappointed to be out of the mix. “We had the speed all night,” said Malsam “It just seemed like everything conspired against us and we weren’t able to get the result that we deserved. We should be strong tomorrow night and I am going to give it my all just like I do every race. Hopefully we will have some better fortune.”
In the C main, Malsam took the lead early and never looked back, winning in dominating style. It was only a glimpse of what could have been however, and the Rudeen Racing crew can only regroup and hope for a better night on Saturday, when Tayler will once again get a chance to show his remarkable speed.
2008 ARCA RE/MAX Series Schedule Released
The Rock, a Road Course & Repeat Trip to Canada Spice Up 08 Tour
TOLEDO OH (11-9-07) - The ARCA RE/MAX Series, long recognized as the most versatile touring series in motorsports, has released its 2008 schedule to include 21 events in 13 states and Canada. A diverse combination of superspeedways, short tracks, dirt tracks and a return to road course racing for the first time since 2001 will help steer the tour into its 56th consecutive season of competition.
Click here to check out Tayler's 2008 ARCA season.
Malsam quick at Kentucky as preseason testing begins with Cunningham Motorsports
Seattle, WA - Even though its only November, Tayler Malsam and his team are feeling pretty good about their 2008 aspirations following a very successful run at Kentucky earlier this week. Malsam, who had a great run at Toledo in his first ARCA race, qualifying eighth before a brake failure sidelined him, made his first trip to a speed way on Tuesday. A tire failure on his number 4 machine almost cost him the day, but after some minor repairs Malsam was back at it, setting a time of 30.403, good enough for the front row at both Kentucky races last season.
“I really liked this racetrack”, said Malsam, who was visiting a mile and a half speedway for the first time Tuesday, “Its fast and you’ve really got to finesse the race car. I feel like we made some great strides today and there was more to be gained. We will be good here when come back for the races next season.”
Crew chief Mark Gibson was impressed with his 18 year old driver. “Tayler did a great job today, and his feedback was excellent.” Said Gibson, “The car was a little banged up after we had a tire go down but it didn’t seem to cost us any time on the race track. I think there were a few more tenths to be had out of the car if we tried a qualifying run, but we had a fender rubbing and it wasn’t worth the possible downside.”
The Cunningham Motorsports team ended up with less than 50 laps on the day, but Malsam was a quick study and the test was an overall success. The next stop for Malsam and the number 4 crew will be Daytona International Speedway for three days of testing on the high banks.
Tayler Malsam will be contesting his rookie season in the ARCA ReMax Series in 2008 after success in both late models and dirt sprint cars.
Busy off season ahead, for Tayler Malsam
With winter quickly approaching, Tayler Malsam is looking at a full slate of activity this 07-08 off season. After a strong showing at his first ARCA Re/Max Series race last month, Tayler looks forward to his last sprint car race of the year and several stock car tests. On November 6th & 7th Malsam will join Cunningham Motorsports at Kentucky Speedway to test his #4 Dodge/Fire-Down Graphics ARCA car which he will be piloting full time in 2008. Tayler will then return home to Seattle and switch helmet bags, trading his stock car helmet for his dirt covered sprint car lid. On November 15th & 16th the Tayler will compete in the 14th Annual Trophy Cup in Tulare, CA. The 18 year old will be behind the wheel of his #26 Rudeen Racing sprinter as he takes on the best of the west at the dirt high banks of Thunderbowl Raceway. After the completion of his sprint car season, Tayler will then jump back into his #4 Dodge sponsored ARCA car and head to the legendary Talladega Superspeedway to shake down one of his new cars for the upcoming season. Next the Sammamish, WA native will head south to sunny Florida were Tayler will take place in a three day long test session at the hallowed grounds of Daytona International Speedway on December 14th-17th . All of Cunningham’s testing is leading up to the first ARCA Re/Max Series race of the year at Daytona in February. That race along with several others will be televised live on the Speed Channel.
Malsam shows his speed at Toledo
Seattle, WA - Point proven. Although it was an up and down weekend for Tayler Malsam in his first ARCA ReMax start, the driver of the #56 Cunningham Dodge showed that he is going to be a consistent front runner next season in his rookie campaign. Malsam, who qualified 8th out of a very competitive field of 48 cars, recorded the 4th fastest lap of the race and impressed in the opening laps challenging the front cars and running solidly in the top 10 before a brake problem eventually sidelined the car.
“I am really happy with the weekend, if not the result”, said Malsam of his first race in the highly competitive ARCA ReMax Series, “We showed that we have the speed to compete here and I feel like I had a top 5 in the car if we did not have brake problems. It’s unfortunate because I was really looking forward to finishing strong in my first race, but the team did such a great job and I am really looking forward to competing for the championship next season”.
Malsam started right behind 9 time and current series champion Frank Kimmel and maintained his 8th place starting position for the first 30 laps before brake problems started to take their toll. After the second caution Malsam did everything he could to keep the #56 Dodge in the top 10, but with no brake pedal pressure he slipped back toward the back of the lead lap before being spun by another competitor. “There wasn’t much I could do, I was lifting at the middle of each straight and trying to just drive the car with no brakes, but it really put me at a disadvantage”, said Malsam. By the 100 lap mark, the right front wheel was literally on fire and the crew decided to retire the car after 106 laps feeling it was too dangerous to continue without any brakes.
Malsam will compete in a full ARCA ReMax schedule with Cunningham Motorsports in 2008.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE PICTURES FROM THE RACE.
Coming soon video of Tayler's pit stop.
Malsam Debut at Toledo
October 10, 2007
Tayler Malsam
Statham, GA (October 9, 2007) – Tayler Malsam is a name that is recognized on the West Coast and if another notable name like Kasey Kahne sounds familiar then you have an idea of what type of racing Tayler Malsam has been around. Tayler will make his debut this weekend in the #56 Firedown Graphics Dodge Charger at the Toledo Speedway in the Hantz Group 200 by Belle Tire. Tayler an open wheel racer has raced with the best and knows how to go flat out to grab the checkers. The Cunningham Motorsports team are preparing three entries this weekend with teammates Justin South in the #59 HD Supply Lumber and Building Materials Dodge and Ray Mooi will be piloting the #4 Dodge Motorsports Dodge Charger and with Tayler Malsam making his first start in the ARCA REMAX Series it should be a winning weekend for the organization. Tayler will be assisted by Robert Perona known as one of the best driving assistants in the business for this weekend. The team is looking forward to a great weekend and good race in Toledo.
"The Toledo track is cool, I really enjoyed the test there a couple of weeks ago. I am really looking forward to the event and with a few goals in mind. I want to finish the race and hopefully shoot for a top ten and stay out of everybody else’s accidents. I know this racing is a lot different compared to what I have been racing in the open wheel series, but I am really confident and have worked hard to be in shape for 200 laps at Toledo. Normally, we run a ten lap heat and take a break, so I know that I am going to have to be on my toes the whole time. It will pretty cool if everything works out. Hopefully the high line will come into play and I can get a good run in for the whole Cunningham Motorsports gang,” said Tayler.
Tayler Televised live on SPEED
Watch Tayler's 1st ARCA race at Toledo Speedway Sunday Oct. 14, LIVE on SPEED Channel 11am (pacific time). Tayler will be driving the Dodge #56 car. The Dodge team will be debuting a new paint scheme by FIRE-DOWN graphics.
Cunningham Motorsports Ready for ARCA Championship Weekend
Tests at Toledo This Week with Tayler Malsam
TOLEDO OH (9-18-07)-The future of Cunningham Motorsports is 18-year-old Taylor Malsam. The Seattle, Washington native and West coast sprint car racer will compete for the 2008 ARCA RE/MAX Series Championship in the Cunningham Motorsports No. 4 Dodge Development Team Charger. But before making a charge for the '08 title, Malsam is headed to Toledo Speedway for ARCA Championship Weekend. He is scheduled to drive the No. 56 Dodge for Cunningham Motorsports in the October 14th Hantz Group 200 presented by Belle Tire.
The team spent portions of this week testing at Toledo in preparation for the 200-lap Hantz Group 200 short track thriller, which rolls off LIVE on SPEED at 2 p.m. Eastern on Sunday, October 14th.
"We are proud to have produced some excellent race car drivers, and we certainly believe that Tayler is going to be a fantastic driver and compete for the championship," said Cunningham Motorsports' Kerry Scherer. "His is a smart and talented young man and we look forward to having him in the 4 car next season."
Malsam has been impressive in 2007 in both Sprint cars and Late Models on the West coast, posting excellent results in his No. 26 Rudeen Racing/FIRE-DOWN Graphics Sprint Car, as well as his No. 26 Late Model at Irwindale Speedway.
"I can't wait to race on the speedways" said Malsam, "the ARCA car is so powerful, and the team just seems like a natural fit for me."
This week's Toledo Speedway ARCA RE/MAX Series test, combined with a recent test at Peach State Speedway in Georgia and an aggressive racing schedule on the West coast are serving as training for Malsam, as he prepares to make both his ARCA RE/MAX Series debut and a run at the 2008 championship.
"Tayler has been racing non stop it seems this season, and he has continued to impress me with both his speed and knowledge,"said Bob Perona, who serves as Malsam's racing coach. "I have no doubt that Tayler is going to have some great results next season. He is definitely one of the up and coming stars of stock car racing."
Along list of drivers have used the No. 4 Cunningham Motorsports Dodge Development car to gain ARCA RE/MAX Series experience on both short tracks and speedways, including Josh Wise, Scott Lagasse, Jr., Juan Montoya, Tim Andrews, Rob Bunker, Chase Miller and Ray Mooi, among others.
Watch Tayler Malsam and the Cunningham Motorsports Team during ARCA Championship Weekend at Toledo Speedway. The Hantz Group 200 presented by Belle Tire rolls off LIVE on SPEED on Sunday, October 14th at 2 p.m. Eastern.
Tickets to the Hantz Group 200 prestented by Belle Tire are available in advance by calling Toledo Speedway (419) 727-1100.
TAYLER MALSAM MAKES HIS PRESENCE KNOWN AT BROWNFIELD MEMORIAL
It's been a busy week for Tayler Malsam. He returned home to Seattle on Wednesday after fitting the seat for his ARCA car in Athens,Georgia. On Thursday, Tayler then spent the day being filmed and interviewed for a multi-media DVD, which you can see clips of on Tayler's website. Malsam then turned his attention to last weekends NSCS "Fred Brownfield Memorial Race" at Gray's Harbor Raceway in Washington. Tayler started the night off right by setting quick time in his Rudeen Racing / Fire-Down Graphics #26 car. His time of 12.339 was two-one hundredths off the track record. In his heat race action, Tayler passed two cars to finish 4th, advancing him to that nights feature event. Under the Friday night lights,using the high side of the track, Malsam took his blue and black Maxim to a sixth place finish. In night two of the "Fred Brownfield Memorial Race", Malsam and the Rudeen crew layed down another fast qualifying effort, putting Tayler 8th quick on the board. After a late spin in his heat, Tayler had enough points in the two day program to move him into the dash, were he finished 5th. The young 18 year old driver from Sammamish, WA strapped on his helmet hoping to get his hands on the $10,000 A-Main purse. After the dust settled on the 40 lap A-main, Tayler and his Rudeen Racing team drove to a 4th place finish. Tayler is now in Toledo,Ohio testing his #4 Dodge ARCA car. Next week after a short stop in Indianapolis, Tayler will test on the 33 degree banked corners at the famed Talladega Superspeedway,getting himself ready for next year's full ARCA schedule. To keep up with Tayler Malsam news, purchase official merchandise, and watch new race video, continue to check out www.taylermalsam.com .
ITS GOOD TO BE HOME . . .
Tayler Malsam had a great night last Saturday pulling double-duty at
his first race back home from his Midwest tour. The 18 year old
driver from Sammamish, WA drove his #26 Rudeen Racing/ Fire-Down Graphics 360 and 410 sprint cars both into top 10 spots at Skagit Speedway. Malsam finished 6th in his Coca-Cola/Speedmart 360 sprinter before switching over to its big brother to finish 3rd in the evenings 410 main event. Tayler rolls into this weekends World of Outlaws races at Skagit Speedway and Grays Harbor Raceway with much anticipation and confidence.
TAYLER MALSAM AWAITS SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE KNOXVILLE NATIONALS
After finishing 7th in the Front Row Challenge, Tayler Malsam and his Rudeen Racing/Fire-Down Graphics car headed into this years Knoxville Nationals with some momentum. After laying down the fastest time in his hotlap session, the 18 year old Sammamish, WA driver qualified 14th out of Thursday's 50 car field. Malsam drove from the back of his heat to a 7th place finish. Tayler then started mid-pack in a star studded B-Main and drove the Rudeen #26 car to a 12th place finish, which left Malsam 25th in points by the end of thursday night.
click HERE to see pictures from the Knoxville Nationals
Tayler Malsam to compete for the 2008 ARCA ReMax Championship with Cunningham Motorsports.
8.2.07 Seattle, WA - After an impressive test with Cunningham Motorsports, it was announced today that 18 year old Seattle Washington driver Tayler Malsam will run the full schedule in 2008 with the ARCA Dodge development team. Malsam, who will drive the #4 Dodge, has been impressive in 2007 in both Sprint cars and Late Models and he is looking forward to this opportunity. “I can’t wait to race on the speedways”, said Malsam, “the ARCA car is so powerful, and the team just seems like a natural fit for me.”
Cunningham boss Kerry Scherer is optimistic about Tayler’s future, “We are proud to have produced some excellent race car drivers, and we certainly believe that Tayler is going to be a fantastic driver and compete for the championship. His is a smart and talented young man and we look forward to having him in the 4 car next season”.
The announcement comes on the heels of a very busy and very successful 2007. Malsam has been running extremely strong in Sprint cars on the west coast, racking up some excellent results in his #26 Rudeen Racing/FIRE-DOWN graphics machine, as well as having great success in his #26 late model at Irwindale speedway. Coach Bob Perona believes this experience will lead to wins at the ARCA level. “Tayler has been racing non stop it seems this season, and he has continued to impress me with both his speed and knowledge”, says Perona. “I have no doubt that Tayler is going to have some great results next season. He is definitely one of the up and coming stars of stock car racing”.
Driving the #4 Cunningham Dodge is certainly a great opportunity for Malsam to showcase that talent. As the Dodge Development car, some big names have come through the Cunningham Program, including Josh Wise, Scott Lagasse, and Juan Montoya to name a few. These are big shoes to fill, but Malsam has shown the ability and poise that it takes to get the job done, and the entire Cunningham Motorsports team believes it has a winner for 2008
Malsam Revs Up for Midwest Swing . . .
7.22.07 After this weekends race Tayler Malsam and crew will pack-up the Rudeen Racing/Fire-Down Graphics #26 car and head back east to Iowa, where Malsam will try to pilot his Coca-Cola/Speedmart/Shark Racing Engines rocket to victory lane in the Knoxville 360 Nationals. After the 360 Nationals Malsam heads to Southern Iowa Speedways famed Front Row Challenge to try his hand in the $5,000 to win or $50,000 Front Row Challenge event. After Monday nights show Malsam may even take off the wing and enter Southern Iowa's non-wing event the following night. All of this leading up to Taylers entry in the 47th annual Superclean Knoxville Nationals where he'll go neck and neck with the country's best on the super-fast half-mile, attempting to bring home a victory for the Rudeen/Fire-Down team. Stay tuned during the first week of August to TAYLERMALSAM.COM for the launching of his brand new website and a HUGE announcement about Tayler's racing plans next year.
Tayler Malsam takes home top ten at Calistoga half mile.
5.27.07 Calistoga,CA - With a 2nd place finish at Skagit Speedway the weekend before, Tayler Malsam made his first trip down to the historic Calistoga Speedway in California, looking for some half mile experience. There he picked up his first top ten finish with Golden State 410 Sprint Series.
On Saturday night, the 18 year old drove his Rudeen Racing / Fire-Down Graphics #26 car into a 12th place qualifying spot. Transferring out of his heat Tayler drove the Malsam Motorsports / Coca- Cola sponsored 26 car to an 11th place finish in the A-main.
Sunday night , Tayler was fast right out of the box qualifying 6th at a time of 17.031 seconds around the big dirt half mile. As his confidence built, Tayler took home a 2nd place finish in the heat which set him up to start on the pole of the dash . After getting a great start ,former King of California Champions Brent Kaeding and Jonathon Allard passed the # 26 car to give Tayler a solid 3rd place finish in the dash. Malsam then drove his Maxim Chassis / Shark Racing Engines 410 sprinter to a 7th place finish. “Our goal was to get some ½ mile experience and come out of here with a good finish, and we did both of those this weekend” said Malsam.
This weekend Tayler and his Rudeen Racing / Fire –Down Graphic team will head to Irwindale Speedway where Malsam will trade dirt for asphalt as he jumps into his # 26 stock car. Young Tayler will try to continue his early success at the famed southern California oval.
Malsam Breaks through with a top 5 finish in the Northwest Sprint Challenge Series at Skagit Speedway
5.11.07 Skagit Speedway, WA - Tayler Malsam has been close in the past, finishing in the top ten on his last two visits to Skagit Speedway in his 360 and 410 Sprinters, but this weekend he delivered the goods finishing forth on Friday in one of the strongest fields in the Northwest. Malsam backed that up with a solid qualifying performance on Saturday on his way to another top ten finish as he placed ninth in the 40 lap main.
“I felt pretty solid all weekend”, said Malsam, who at 18 is one of the young guns in the Northwest sprint car field. “I just tried to be consistent and tidy and hit my marks”.
Malsam started the weekend with a 6th place qualifying time on Saturday, enough to put him in the trophy dash if he advanced through his heat. Easier said than done though, as Malsam spun out of 4th in the heat’s 3rd lap, making it look like he would have to go through the B-main to advance to the main event. But a spirited charge from the back of the pack in only 7 remaining laps secured him a spot in the Trophy dash, and more importantly, a guaranteed top 6 starting position for the Main. “Tayler was overdriving the car a bit for the first couple laps”, said crew chief Shane Anderson. “But once he settled down he climbed right through the field”
After a 5th place finish in the Trophy Dash, Malsam made quick use of his inside starting position to grab 4th place, and after trading the position a few times, he settled in and never relinquished the spot until the checkered flag. “Tayler really felt like he had something to prove on his home track”, said a happy Steve Malsam. “It was great to get a result like this and show how capable he is.”
In Saturday’s qualifying, Malsam bettered his performance of the day before by posting the 3rd quick time, but a tight car in the heat race cost him a shot in the trophy dash and sent him through the B-main to secure a spot in the 40 lap main event. He made the transfer spot by finishing 3rd, but missed his opportunity to secure a 7th place starting position when he failed to finish 2nd or higher. “We missed a bit on the set up in the first heat, and that sent us backward a bit”, said Anderson. “Tayler did a great job of recovering with the best finish he could in the B-main”.
In the Main, Malsam made steady progress through the 20 car field to finish 9th, another top 10, but not the result he wanted coming of his 4th place finish the night before.
Malsam is back in action on May 19th at Skagit raceway where he is looking to improve on his success of last weekend.
Tayler Malsam Season Outlook
Tayler Malsam enters the 2007 racing season at Grays Harbor Raceway confident, excited, and with a few races under his belt. Tayler has already raced several different races in several different race cars. He started the season of racing at the famed Chilli Bowl in Tulsa,OK. Tayler then jumped into his #26 Malsam Motorsports stock car at Irwindale Speedway in California. The season opener at Irwindale brought great results, qualifying in the 2nd position and finishing 2nd after a 40 lap battle with the leader, impressive in only his 4th race in a stock car race. The next week was more of the same, qualifying 3rd right out of the box. In the main event, while fighting for 2nd and 3rd position Tayler was struck sending him spinning and ending his hopes for a win. Tayler “ Youngblood ” Malsam then returned to dirt, racing at Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico,CA and also Kings Speedway in Hanford, CA. Both events, Tayler raced against some of the best in the west with the Golden State Sprint Series of California. All these races have lead up to Tayler returning to Grays Harbor Raceway piloting the famed Rudeen Racing # 26 car. Tayler looks to fill some big shoes and make a name for himself. Tayler and the Rudeen Racing/ Malsam Motorsports team plans to run around 50 to 60 races including pulling double duties at Skagit Speedway, competing in the newly formed NSCS Series, and traveling back to the famed Knoxville Raceway for the Knoxville Nationals and the 360 Nationals. Team # 26 also has up to 12 races planned at Irwindale Speedway as Tayler chases Rookie of the Year honors at the southern California track.