16-year-old Dominique Van Wieringen sets sights on Two Track Championships in 2012

     DeWitt, Michigan (Thursday, March 15^th, 2012): When Amherstburg, Ontario / Canada driver, Dominique Van Wieringen began her racing career in full-sized stock cars in 2011, expectations were for her to gain valuable experience and valuable seat time and anything else would be a bonus. What ended up happening was a rookie season that would be a successful year for an accomplished and experienced driver let alone a rookie!

 During her first season behind the wheel of a full-sized stock car, the 16-year-old Canadian teenager finished fifth overall in the season long points chase in the premier division at the ¼ (0.250) mile semi-banked paved oval of Spartan Speedway in Mason, Michigan, the Outlaw Super Late Models. She shared the 2011 Rookie of the Year title with fellow freshman, Scott Sigman and also walked away with the 2011 Most Improved Driver Award.

 Now with a full season behind her, all of the focus shifts to her sophomore campaign as her 2012 plans call for her to return to the Chad Finley Racing Driver Development stables with a focus on chasing after the 2012 Track Championship at Spartan as well as at the fast 3/8s (0.375) mile high-banked paved oval of Springport Motor Speedway, located northwest of Jackson in Springport, Michigan on Saturday nights.

 In addition, she’ll also run for the 2012 Sunday Slugfest Title, an Outlaw Super Late Models mini-series exclusively held at Spartan on special Sunday afternoons. The mini-series includes an appearance by the ARCA Gold Cup Outlaw Super Late Model Series on Sunday, May 27^th as that event, a 100-lap main, not only serves as the Slugfest Series opener, but will also be the ARCA Gold Cup’s second race of the season.

      "We hope to continue to improve and gain valuable experience for the future. We’ll definitely gain more experience by adding Springport to our schedule in addition to Spartan.” Stated Van Wieringen as her and the CFR Racing Team continue preparations for the upcoming season which sits at 23 events with the possibility of more being added later in the season at other facilities in addition to Spartan and Springport.  

“We don’t expect to come right out and win races, but we do expect to get better every week out. Last year was really great, I learned a lot during the season and I think I improved a lot faster than everyone thought I would.” She continued. “We’re all hoping to contend for both track championships and the competition at both places will definitely be tough. I really look forward to the challenge.” Added Van Wieringen.  

The highlight of her rookie season was in only her sixth career start behind the wheel of a full bodied racecar and on that memorable Friday night, July 15^th, 2011 as she would fight off two-time track champion, Jimmy Gallagher to score her first career feature win.  

“That was totally unexpected for me, it surprised me when the two cars spun in front of me with just a few laps to go and I looked up at the scoreboard and I was leading,” She explained. “It was fun and nerve wracking too knowing that Jimmy was back there. I just tried to stay focused on racing the track and not worrying about trying to hold him off. He raced me clean though and I really appreciate it. He could’ve definitely bumped me out of the way more than once, but I’m happy that he didn’t.” She ended.

By winning the Feature that night, Van Wieringen became just the second female in the tracks long and storied history to win a Feature in the tracks premiere division since Barb Beurmann accomplished the feat back in 1982, 29 years previous! In 10 starts during her freshman season, she scored her one Feature Win as well as three top five finishes and six top 10s.

Future plans have the Canadian teenager, who will turn 17 on June 22^nd, tentatively making select appearances within the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Presented by GM Performance Parts towards the end of the 2012 season with her sights set on going after the Howie Lettow Memorial Rookie of the Year Presented by Howe Racing Enterprises, which is awarded to the top freshman in the JEGS/CRA/GM series for the 2013 campaign.  

For the 2012 racing season, Van Wieringen’s #95 Outlaw Super Late Model will be sporting a black paint scheme and will have sponsorship decals on the side of the cars from DuroByte Inc., as well as NorthsideTowing.net, Howe Racing Enterprises, M.P.H. Promotions, and Chad Finley Racing. To learn more about Dominique Van Wieringen and to inquire about sponsorship opportunities for the upcoming season, go to her webpage at: www.dominiqueracing.com

Contact: Jeff Finley

517-819-1560

16 year-old Rookie, Dominique Van Wieringen scores first career Super Late Model Feature Win

DeWitt, Michigan (Tuesday, July, 19th, 2011): When 16-year-old Dominique Van Wieringen made her debut at Spartan Speedway in Mason, Michigan back on May 6th behind the wheel of an Outlaw Bodied Super Late Model, many on lookers observed that the Amherstburg, Ontario / Canada teenager had a world of untapped potential behind the wheel of a full-sized racecar after her debut resulted in a fifth place finish.

Little did those on lookers realize just how quickly she would adapt to the high-powered machines in such a short amount of time! Van Wieringen, a Development Driver for Chad Finley Racing (CFR) and Michigan Motorsports Hall of Famer, Jeff Finley, and making only her sixth career start behind the wheel of a full bodied racecar, proved many observers right when on July 15th, she would fight off two-time track champion, Jimmy Gallagher to score her first career feature win and become the first female in the tracks long and storied history to win a Feature in the tracks premiere division.

Dominique Van Wieringen celebrates her win with fans!

“This is a great feeling. A lot of pressure there not to mess up those last few laps,” The young Canadian exclaimed. “Jimmy (Gallagher) was all over me. He raced me clean though and I appreciate that. This is just amazing to me. The car was perfect and I just can’t thank all the guys from CFR as well as Chad Finley for his help and guidance. He has helped me a bunch with my line and what I should be doing. Also (Crew Chief) Jimmy D. Smith for his help. Man what a great group of people they have put around me.” She added.

Her next scheduled race at the fast ¼ (0.250) mile semi-banked paved oval located just south of Lansing, Michigan is on Sunday, July 24th in the running of the “Chargin” Charlie Ryan Jr. Memorial 75-lap Feature which is part of the Midwest Racing Scene Sunday Slugfest Series. In the first Sunday Slugfest event back on June 26th, she finished 11th in the 75-lap feature and hopes to improve on that performance this Sunday.

On off weekends from driving the Outlaw Super, Van Wieringen still races one of her two MRP Motorsports Birel Racing Go-Karts as the 2011 season is her final year of racing the National circuit in the World Karting Association (WKA) series where she is one of the top drivers in the circuit. She began her racing career at just five years old as she started out in racing of the two-wheeled variety, in Motocross. She spent six seasons on motorcycles before moving into four-wheeled racing and went Go-Kart racing where she continues to be one of the top competitors within the WKA.

Prior to the start of the 2011 racing season, Van Wieringen joined forces with Chad Finley Racing and is chasing after the 2011 Rookie of the Year title at Spartan Speedway in the tracks Outlaw Super Late Models division. She is leading the freshman title chase by a very wide margin and sits seventh overall in the chase for the 2011 Track Championship. In six starts, she has one Feature Win as well as two top five finishes and five of her six starts have resulted in at least a top 10 showing.

“I just can’t thank (Car Owner) Jeff Finley enough for his years of experience. He has been instrumental in our success this whole year. All the guys in the shop who spend countless hours both there and at the track for me too. I’m very blessed to have such an incredible team who support me as much as they do.” She continued. “I can’t thank my family enough as well. They do a lot for me and I am thankful. My Dad and Mom really have worked hard for me, so again thank you to them. “Van Wieringen ended.
For the remainder of the 2011 racing season, Van Wieringen’s #95 Outlaw Super Late Model with a Chevrolet Camaro front nose, has sponsorship decals from DuroByte Inc., as well as NorthsideTowing.net, and Chad Finley Racing. To learn more about Dominic Van Wieringen and to inquire about additional sponsorship opportunities for the remainder of the current season as well as looking ahead to the 2012 campaign, go to her page within the Chad Finley Racing Website at: http://www.chadfinleyracing.com/

Contact: Jeff Finley
517-819-1560