For Immediate Release
Contact: Ben Shelton (msrmafia@gmail.com)
August 11th, 2011

Jason Rauen Opens Eyes in 24th Annual USA Nationals

Farley, Iowa (08/11/11) – It obviously wasn't the win that Jason Rauen had hoped to claim, but even the normally subdued, Rauen, had to smile after piloting his #98 Rauen Motorsports/MB Customs Super Late Model to a fourth place finish in the finale for the 24th Annual USA Nationals at Cedar Lake Speedway (New Richmond, Wisconsin) last weekend.

Jason entered the first night of the 24th Annual USA Nationals at Cedar Lake Speedway (New Richmond, Wisconsin) on Thursday night. The Corn Belt Clash-sanctioned event drew a field of 49 cars for the $5,000-to-win event. On the heels of charging from his fifth starting spot to a third place finish in his heat race, Rauen earned the thirteenth starting spot for the main event. The team would try some different setups for the feature as they tested for the remainder of the weekend, and Rauen would ultimately record a 15th place finish at the checkered flag. Full results are available at www.CornBeltClash.com.

On Friday night, the second leg of the 24th Annual USA Nationals at Cedar Lake Speedway was held, which was sanctioned by the World of Outlaws Super Late Models and served as the opening night of the $50,000-to-win program. It would prove to be a very memorable night for Rauen.

With 54 of the nation's top Super Late Models entered, Jason would start the night by blazing to the fastest time in qualifications. With a four invert in effect, Jason would start fourth in his heat race, but it wouldn't matter as Rauen blazed to the lead in just the first five laps of his heat and never looked back on his way to locking into the pole-sitter's dash for the feature. For the dash, he received the third starting spot in the redraw, but after a failed attempt to get the race underway, the pole-sitter, Chris Simpson would be moved back one row as Rauen was promoted to the pole position alongside Chris Simpson. Jason would quickly grab the lead in the dash, and led all ten laps to win the $500 dash bonus as well as the pole position for Saturday night's, 100 lap finale.

Saturday evening saw a very heavy race track as late afternoon rains drenched the oval. Rauen set by anxiously as he watched b-mains and the last chance qualifier held on the oval prior to the 100 lap feature. As the feature grid took to the track in front of the capacity crowd Rauen was joined on the front row by Jimmy Mars. At the drop of the green flag Rauen and Mars would began to duel for the lead, but as the field completed the first lap it was Rauen, who held down the top spot on the field. Rauen would maintain the lead through several caution flags over the first half of the race as Josh Richards worked into the second spot.

Rauen would hold the lead until lap 77, when Richards used the low-line to slip past in turns one and two. Over the next few laps, Rauen would lose two more spots as Birkhofer and Mars also slipped past before regaining his composure. Jason would go on to record a fourth place finish at the checkered flag behind race winner, Richards, Birkhofer, and Mars. Full results are available at www.WoOLMS.com.

"I wanted that win bad, but to finish fourth against that caliber of competition is really a big deal for me and my team. There late in the race I got away from where my car was the best, and it cost me a few spots, but I definitely learned from it. This gives us something to build upon," commented Rauen.

Jason was back in action with the World of Outlaws Super Late Models on Monday night at Independence Motor Speedway (Independence, Iowa). With 34 Super Late Models on hand for the $10,000-to-win event Jason qualified 14th fastest on the grid to earn the fourth starting spot for the second heat race. After finishing in the fourth position in the heat, Jason would lock into the 14th starting spot for the 50 lap main event. He would compete around midpack for much of the event before mechanical issues brought his night to an end on lap 38. He would be credited with a 16th place finish in the final rundown. Full results are available at www.WoOLMS.com.

The upcoming weekend has the team slated to tentatively enter a pair of Corn Belt Clash events with the first on Thursday, August 11th at Redwood Speedway (Redwood Falls, Minnesota) and the second on Friday, August 12th at Chateau Speedway (Lansing, Minnesota). For more information on the events, please visit www.CornBeltClash.com .

Jason Rauen would like to thank all of his sponsors including Rauen Precision Machinery, MB Customs, Mars Race Cars, Jay (not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)ens Racing Engines, Burco Farms & Tractor Sales, H-D Trucking, Simon’s Trucking, Motion Industries, Loctite, Imperial Stone, Wemzel’s Towing, Ruf Equipment, M-K Matic, VP Racing Fuels, Bell Picture Frames, B&B Racing Engines, Tri-State Polishing, X-Treme Graphics By J-Rod

For the latest information on Jason Rauen, please visit www.JasonRauen98.com .