TBK-Light.com

By Marty O'Brien, mobrien@dailypress.com | 757-247-4963
2:14 p.m. EDT, April 2, 2012

Sprint Cup series car owner Joe Falk said on Monday that he expects Elliott Sadler, Austin Dillon and C.E. Falk to be among those who will drive the No. 33 Chevrolet for his team in upcoming races.

Joe Falk is purchasing the No. 33 team from legendary Cup owner Richard Childress. Falk said that Hermie Sadler, who drove to a 31st-place finish in the team's first race on Sunday at Martinsville, also figures to drive some more races.

Falk, the 1976 Langley Speedway track champion and a Cup car owner from 1997-2000, said his new Cup team will race weekly. Falk added that he is not ready yet to announce who will drive the Cup car on April 14 in Texas, but that Emporia native Sadler is a possibility.

He said his team will be housed in the same Mooresville, N.C., garage as his Camping World Truck Series team. While Falk partners with Hillman Racing in the trucks series, his Cup team will be independent.

"We're doing this as a development deal with Richard Childress Racing," Falk said.

So Childress' grandson, Dillon — who won two Camping World Truck races last year and has three Nationwide Series top-fives in five starts this season — will get some Cup starts for Falk. And Falk's nephew C.E., who tied a Langley Speedway track record with his third consecutive Late Model title in 2011, should get a start.

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Joe Falk said that C.E., 24, is well thought of at RCR racing and is at the top of the list of drivers the team would consider for an opening.

"It would be great to see C.E. compete (in the Cup car) at the next Martinsville race," Joe Falk said. "I think he'll do fine, because he's matured a lot.

"He's well spoken and he knows how to win and how to lose. Racing can be a cruel sport, where there's a lot more downs than ups."

C.E. Falk has experienced plenty of ups, including his victories in the Late Model openers this season at South Boston Speedway and Motor Mile near Radford. With Langley Speedway opening this week, C.E. Falk can complete a unique state trifecta by winning the Late Model opener.

"I don't know if anyone has ever done that before," said C.E. Falk, who has won 38 Late Model races the past three-plus seasons.

C.E. Falk is expected to contend for an unprecedented fourth consecutive Late Model title this year at Langley, which opens its 62nd season with six races on Saturday. He and former Nationwide Series standout Elton Sawyer are the only drivers to win three Late Model titles in a row at Langley.

Should C.E. Falk debut in the Cup race in October at Martinsville, he'll become the first Langley driver to do run in Cup since Denny Hamlin. Hamlin began his stock car racing career by winning the 1997 Mini-Stock title at Langley Speedway.

Eating with the team at Outback. Thanks for the free Bloomin' Onion Ryan Newman. I guess yesterday wasn't a total wash.

But that didn't keep him from reaching 212, enough to break the 1984.232 mph track qualifying record set by Ryan Newman in 2005. Gordon topped off at nearly 215 mph

I'd expect NASCAR to put a blade on the roof before a restrictor plate.

Great job @MISpeedway on ur new surface. Track was awesome and fast today. Top speed was close to 215MPH!

pretty happy with the test day in Michigan. they did a great job with the repave.

"I feel the decision to pave in October, giving it some time to set was very beneficial," Keselowski said. "The track should be ready to go in record time for a repave. It should be in great shape when we come back here for the race."

I really did laugh, then thought WTF does nobody proof read stuff nowdays?

Nice 3.62 second lap there by Newman.

The Truck and Nationwide races there are going to own so hard.