It’s been a summer of learning for 16-year-old Toyota Racing Development driver Gracie Trotter, driving her TRD/Calico Coatings Toyota Camry in a variety of Super Late Model events while keeping up a full slate of Legends Car Semi-Pro starts.
Now that her drive to win the Legends Summer Shootout Championship is over, Gracie will turn her attention fully to the Late Model portion of her 2018 schedule, starting with this weekend’s “Throwback 276” CARS Response Energy Tour race at Hickory Motor Speedway.
“Hickory’s my home track, and we’ve run well there the past few times out,” Trotter noted. “We tested there last week and were quick. I’m still getting used to the power in our new ‘built’ motor. We’ve made some other changes to the car also, and we should be in great shape for Saturday night.”
Gracie’s #2 TRD/Calico Camry effort is led by veteran crew chief and team manager Bond Suss.
“Gracie’s still learning how to deal with a lot more power from the new engine, but it’s an important part of her learning curve,” Suss remarked. “She’s still trying to find the limits. But as always, she pays close attention, studies her data hard, and she’s consistent. And she always brings the car back in one piece, which is something a lot of young drivers don’t do. We should have a strong night at Hickory.”
This will be Gracie’s second CARS Tour start of 2018. She had a terrific outing in a 150-lap event at North Carolina’s Orange County Speedway back in April, lining up 21st on the grid and racing her way to 10th at the finish, on the lead lap.
“The CARS Super Late Model Tour is really tough,” Trotter said. “We found out we needed more, at Orange County. It was one of the things that got us going on the new motor and other changes we’ve made. I’m really looking forward to racing our new package at our home track.”
Gracie will face a 31-car field in Saturday night’s 138-lap main event. The event goes green at 8PM ET.
