FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

January 11, 2023

Ray Cook Rallies for Third Career Ice Bowl Title; Cabin Fever at Boyd’s Next!

(BRASSTOWN, NORTH CAROLINA) Ray Cook, of Brasstown, North Carolina, recorded his third career 'Ice Bowl' title in dramatic fashion over the January 6-7 weekend at Talladega Short Track in Eastaboga, Alabama! On Friday during preliminary action for the 32nd Annual 'Ice Bowl,' Ray stopped the clock sixth quickest in Group B during Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Series qualifying before grabbing the third transfer spot through his heat race. After starting Saturday's 50-lap Super Late Model headliner from the outside of the sixth row, Ray was involved in two separate incidents early in the contest and was forced to the tail end of the feature field.

The popular driver known as the "Tarheel Tiger" was then able to stay out of trouble throughout the remainder of the caution-plagued race and kept air in all four tires as he marched back towards the front of the pack. Ray ultimately inherited the top spot on lap 42 when race-long leader Sam Seawright suffered a flat tire and he was able to keep his #53 mount out front from there to pick up the $7,500 paycheck. At the checkers, Ray celebrated the 'Ice Bowl' triumph over a top five that included runner-up Chris Jones, Will Roland, Todd Morrow, and Scott Crigler! Complete results from the season opener at Talladega Short Track can be accessed online at www.talladegashorttrack.com.

“I’m just so thankful to get back into victory lane - especially in the Youngblood Concrete Special throwback car,” exclaimed Cook, who also won the ‘Ice Bowl’ back in 2009 and 2012. “We had a lot of good times and big wins in that car back in the day, so it’s just really neat to put it back in victory lane in an event that carries as much prestige as the Ice Bowl does. It was typical Talladega there for the Ice Bowl feature - about a groove-and-a-half wide out there. We were just fortunate enough to be able to run right above them, keep the left sides in the rubber, and luckily I wasn’t torn up any more than I was during the early race incidents. Thanks to all of my great sponsors for their continued support and hopefully this win is a good sign of things to come this year!”

Next up for the Ray Cook Racing team will be a visit to Boyd’s Speedway in Ringgold, Georgia on Saturday, January 28. The 15th edition of the ‘Cabin Fever 40’ will be sanctioned by the Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Series and will shell out a $5,000 top prize. The event will be the second of three Winter Series races for the tour, as Ray plans to gun for the extra $1,000 earmarked for the miniseries Champion. Additional information on the ‘Cabin Fever 40’ can be found online by clicking on www.imdirt.net.

Ray Cook Racing would like to thank the following group of sponsors for their continued support: Youngblood Concrete Special, Denby’s J&J Construction, Vinson Sims Construction, Katschman Trucking, Capital Race Cars, American Racer South, Schaeffer’s Racing Oil, FK Rod Ends, Sunoco Race Fuels, Allstar Concrete, C&H Paving, Interstate Welding, Jacky Jones Automotive Group, Stealth Carburetors, Wiles Driveshafts, Collins Signs, SFP Performance Systems, and Delph Communications.

For the latest news and schedule information concerning the #53 team, feel free to visit their official Internet home at www.RayCook53.com.

Media Contact: Ryan Delph - Delph Communications
www.DelphCommunications.com