GUELPH, ON- Pro Late Model veteran Steve Laking is gearing up for another strike on his bucket list, as he prepares a single-team Canadian invasion of Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway’s All-American 400 this weekend.
The November 1st event will pit Laking against the elite of the Pro Late Model division, with an entry list boasting 60+ drivers representing speedways and tours from Michigan to Texas and virtually everywhere in between.
“It’s always an honour to race with elite-level competition,” says the personable Laking. “When you take a look at the entry list, it’s like a who’s-who of this division. The top guys from the Midwest are here and the top guys from the South, it’s going to be a lot of fun to see where we stack up alongside them”
“For our team, racing has always been more about the experience than the results,” continues Laking. “We’re not worried about winning the race on Saturday, we’re more concentrated on enjoying the time together and getting the hang of a new speedway for us”
“I’m lucky enough to be surrounded by an incredible group of people, to be able to experience an event of this magnitude with them makes it all the more special”
While Laking honed his skills on the bullrings of Southern Ontario, he’s no stranger to high-speed facilities, having made the trip to New Smyrna Speedway last February.
“Nashville doesn’t really compare to anything we have in Ontario,” explains Laking. “It’s similar to an expanded version of New Smyrna. Long straightaways and big, sweeping corners. It looks incredibly fast. I can’t wait to get on track”
While the All American 400 has traditionally been a Super Late Model event, the speedway made the decision to run it as a standalone Pro Late Model race in 2014.
“As soon as the decision was announced to make this a Pro Late Model race, I knew we had to give it a shot,” smiles the Guelph, ON driver. “We’ve been fortunate enough to have competed at some incredible facilities over the last couple of seasons, and I’m confident that Nashville will rank pretty high on that list by the time it’s all said and done.”
Steve Laking’s entry into the All American 400 would not be possible without the support of Laking Motorsports, Spira Fire Protection and MacKay Enterprises. The former ALSTAR regular will rely on a stout team of Ontario regulars for pit-side support throughout the weekend, with a team led by setup wizards Greg Gibson and Brian MacDonald.
Fans of Laking can monitor his progress all weekend long, thanks to the All American 400’s live streaming Pay Per View option on www.xsan.tv.
By Spencer Lewis (@itsspencerlewis)
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