COPPER HILL, VA :: Third generation racer Coleman Pressley, son of former NASCAR Sprint Cup driver and current Kingsport Speedway promoter Robert Pressely, will race in the NASCAR Whelen All American Series Late Model portion of the UNOH Battle at the Beach at Daytona on February 18th.
Pressley will take a Late Model Stock Car down with a Ford crate engine.
“The reason we picked a LMSC is because we ran it the last eight years and know what the adjustments are,” Pressley said. “The track is like running a big parking lot. You’re not going to have a lot of grip at all so you’re going to have to adjust the car to get some forward bite like Myrtle Beach. I don’t think there’s going to be too much difference in the cars.”
Being the son of a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series veteran, Coleman Pressley has been to Daytona before. But his only experience racing at the track comes through PlayStation videogames. The advantage for Pressley is that nobody has raced on the 4/10 mile course being set up along the Daytona Superstretch. Pressley thinks that doesn’t favor anyone in particular.
“Guys from Langley will have an advantage for the first three minutes but it will be equal after that,” Pressley explained. “The best drivers and cars will run well. There’s never been any rubber put on the track. It’s going to take a while to get it figured out. UARA and Kingsport guys may have an advantage because they run Goodyear but the good guys will run up front no matter what car or tire they have.
“Getting enough grip on the racetrack is going to be tough and that’s why it’s going to be like Myrtle Beach. The man who takes care of his tires the most will be the fastest driver. I think you’re going to see a big difference from Martinsville, where the best team, car and motor dominate, you’re going to see the little man have success (at Daytona).”
Pressley, who scored his first career Late Model Stock Car victory at Hickory Motor Speedway, says the UNOH Battle at the Beach is one of the biggest races he’s ever competed in, comparing the event to his first NASCAR Nationwide Series race.
“I consider this like my first Nationwide race or a race like Martinsville or the Bobby Isaac Memorial,” Pressley stated. “It’s Daytona; a win there is pretty sweet. Television coverage is good for anyone. Any time you can get free publicity – there are a lot of guys in the Late Model ranks who deserve to be racing in the higher levels. At least, for one night, they’re racing at Daytona and have a chance to win in front of a big crowd and television audience. For me, that’d be great. This could be the only opportunity you have to race at Daytona so you’ve got to take advantage of it.”
The car Pressley is taking down, a 2004 model car, is the same car he won the UARA-STARS Championship in 2010 with and the same car he has run at Martinsville with. His effort at Daytona will be sponsored by Celebrity’s Hot Dogs, Ben Barnes, Pepsi-Cola and Five-Star Race Car Bodies.
“I’m just really excited about it,” Pressley said in closing. “It’s going to be a cool deal.”
RACE22.com will continue to provide coverage leading up to the UNOH Battle at the Beach at Daytona, which will be run on February 18th, with driver interviews and preview stories. So, stick with RACE22.com, the Short Track Authority, as we continue to countdown to Daytona.
