Of Beaches and Holidays

Everyone at Bill Martel Racing would like to wish you a happy holiday season.  The team is enjoying a few much needed days off to rest up, as they get ready to finish plans for the 2010 season.

The 2009 ARCA Daytona test was a very successful outing for BMR.  With team owner Bill Martel still at home recovering, the team was lead by veteran crew chief Teddy Brown all weekend.  "Not having Bill here was tough, but right now we just need him to get better." said Brown, "We want him to be all healed up for the season so he can be back down here when it counts in February." Teddy lead the crew through a light tech session on Friday, handling manly the overall car templates and the fuel cell certification for 2010.  With Kyle not available on Friday to drive the car, the team called upon Clayton Rogers to come on Friday and shake out chassis BMR005, and to see how good the baseline setup was.  "Having Clayton come down to help us out like that was a real good thing.  With Kyle not having ever driven on a superspeedway before, it was good to let an experienced driver just shake the car out, make sure nothing was loose, and it helped us take care of the body rub issues before Kyle got there, meaning all we had to do was get him seat time and experience", said Brown.  Rodgers tested the car in the afternoon session on Friday, turning a lap of 51.105 seconds at 176.108mph during the rain shortened session.

Saturday morning brought driver Kyle Martel to the speedway for the first time.  "Its such an inspiring place.  I mean, you look at the track itself, the history, the driving greats who have run here..... to just get my chance to compete just blows me away.  I really hope that we are able to add our names to that list of winners."  said Kyle.  The team's goals for Saturday was just to get Kyle as much seat time as possible, so ARCA would sign him off for race approval for February's Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200.  Kyle, however, had other ideas, quickly putting the #43 high up on the speed charts. Between the morning and afternoon session, Brown had this to say "I've never seen a driver take to this place that fast.  Kyle just got into the car and seemed to be able to feel it from the get go.  We gave him the best car we could, and he just ran with it."  The team spent all of Saturday and most of Sunday's sessions just refining the setup of the racecar, decided to call it a day early Sunday afternoon and head back North.  The team was in the top 15 on the leader board all weekend, with Kyle's average time and speed for the weekend being 49.545 seconds at 181.653 mph.

After turning over a hundred laps this weekend, Kyle was feeling pretty confidant on the team's return in February: "Man, what a weekend.  I've never felt so good inside a racecar before.  Heck, Teddy and the guys claim I fell asleep while in the car between practice sessions I was so relaxed in there!  But seriously, it was an amazing weekend.  I can't thank the guys that came down and the guys back in the shop enough for getting me this car. I don't really know how to say it.  But it felt "right" out there.  I just felt like I knew exactly what the car was doing every time we moved.  That Automotive Specialties engine just digs hard to pull this car around, and this test showed me alot about how these bigger cars drive, and in addition to helping us here, I think its going to help out intermediate program.  I feel like I know I can drive it in a little deeper, a little harder now and it will stick.  And drafting.  Drafting was cool.  We went out and working with Danica in the 88 alot- I think we can definitely work with her in February.  Its a neat feeling, the car sucking up to another like that.  But I think I know how to draft, how to pass, and I think we made some good friends to dance with when we come back in February.  To say I'm excited is an understatement.  I can't wait."


The team currently has support from Hanover Cold Storage, Finish Line Transit, and Mama Jeans Restaurant.  Sponsorship and product opportunities are still available in 2010 for the 43 car.  We have many packages available and they are all customizable based on price and exposure desired.  For sponsorship inquires contact Bill Martel at 717-821-8684.

For for media and public relations questions contact Chris Hofmann.  CLHofmann@gmail.com or 484-336-9010

 Kyle on track Saturday afternoon.

Clayton Rogers getting ready to go out Friday.

Daytona Bound!

First off, Bill is now out of the hospital, and is with family now while he recuperates.  The entire BMR organization would like to thank everyone sending cards, phone calls and well-wishes as our team owner continues to recover.

There is still a job to be done though, and crew chief Ted Brown has been leading the charge to get everything ready for the upcoming ARCA open test at Daytona International Speedway next weekend, Dec 18-20.  The team has been hard at work, preparing BMR005 for the test, as well as getting all the equipment and the tractor trailer ready to go.  "Testing is harder than a race weekend," said Brown, "when you race, you know what to expect.  When you test, and especially when you test somewhere for the first time, you bring a lot of spares.  We are taking containers of spare parts, as well as welders, and fabrication tools down to Daytona with us, so it makes packing the truck a lot trickier.  But I think we will be good.  The car is about 95% done, Kyle seems ready to get up on the wheel, and I'm looking forward to a successful test.  The plan is to work on going through templates and tech Friday, and once we know we won't have any issues, then spend Saturday and Sunday getting Kyle accustomed to the high speeds, get him licensed, and then work on fine tuning our setup."

BMR005 is about ready to go, a custom nose hung on her by Smith Fabrication of Mooresville, NC last month, with the BMR crew finishing the final fab work.  A fresh Hendrick Motorsports engine, prepared by Keith Dorton, arrived last week and has been installed for the test.  The team lans to load up this coming Wednesday and leave Thursday morning for the beaches of Daytona.  Check back next weekend for updates on how the team is doing.

BMR005 Coming out of the paint booth this week.

Get Well Soon Bill!

First off, apologies for the lack of updates.  Its been a busy month at BMR. On top of acquiring new parts, tools, and racecars, the team has had a slight setback this week.

Team owner Bill Martel is currently hospitalized at the Hershey Medical Center following injuries received in a large microburst / mini tornado that went through Lebanon County Wednesday evening.  The house that Bill and Kyle live in had one of the trees on the property fall through it.  Kyle managed to escape with out injury and will be staying with other family.  Bill was not so lucky.  The tree landed in the room Bill was in, and he is currently in the ICU at Hershey Medical Center and will be under observation as he continues to improve.  Please keep him in your prayers as he goes through this painful recovery.

As more information becomes available we will pass it along.

The team WILL still be attending the ARCA Daytona test December 19,20,21st to get Kyle his superspeedway license, and to prepare for the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 in February.

Shop Updates:

BMR004
All the bodywork has been finished on the primary downforce car, and she looks really good in her new flat black paint.  The car still needs some finish tin work, and valences but is close to being completed.

BMR005
Fabrication work continues along, as the team mainly just needs to finish painting the car, and plumb the engine, then set it up for the upcoming test.