By Bill Sullivan, GGRT-RCR Media Relations

STOCKTON, CA  (5-5-12) –The Richard Childress Racing Development supported Golden Gate Racing Team rolled into Stockton 99 Speedway Saturday with everything in their favor for a top finish in NASCAR’s return to the historic track for the first time since 2006. The #21 RCR Chevrolet sponsored by Rockwell Watches and Bay Bio Diesel was a top runner all day long. The only one thing the team lacked in the Pick N Pull 150 Saturday night was – a little bit of good luck.

“I have to ask myself, when it will finally be our turn for a victory in this series,” said team owner Jimi Z. Offenbach. “We have one of the best young drivers in the seat, the best team and staff I could ask for and the support of Richard Childress and we just keep getting struck with these misfortunes. This team was looking great tonight and I want to commend them on all their hard work before the race and during it. We’ll get there.”

After strong runs in practice, Self illustrated he was ready to get back to short track racing in the fourth segment of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West. In practice on Friday the team made adjustment after adjustment to get the car perfected for Saturday’s race. In the final practice of the day both driver and car were stronger than ever with quality laps on the historic quarter-mile in the heart of the Central Valley.

In qualifying, Self turned a top speed of 64:396 miles per hour which earned him fifth in the Pick N Pull 150. The starting spot was ideal for the team, putting them on the inside groove of the third row for the waving of the green flag that saw Dylan Kwasniewski take the lead from the pole position while Self went to war with sixth place starter Derek Thorn for an early look at the top five.

After fading to sixth place, Self never let Thorn out of his sights as the two young talents raced side by side for lap after lap. With 29 laps complete the race went under yellow flag conditions and it was on the ensuing restart that Self proved that time can fly as he muscled the Rockwell Watches #21 around Thorn on the restart. Ten laps later, Thorn answered back to take over the position in a battle that was as heated as the one for the lead with Kwasniewski and defending Champion Greg Pursley out front.

With 54 laps in the history book, Self over took Thorn once again for the fifth position and began to distance himself from Thorn who was then being challenged by Jason Fensler and unable to keep up with Self while trying to protect his position. With 59 laps complete lady luck turned her head away from Golden Gate’s man in black as he was collected in a multi car incident that broke out in the second turn. The incident occurred when lapped traffic spun in front of the leaders, leaving Self with no place to go and resulting in front end damage on the #21.

After remaining out for several laps under the yellow flag, Self was summoned to the pit area by crew chief Steve Portenga as the boys of the bay were poised to make the necessary repairs. On small tracks such as Stockton, pit strategy is very challenging but Portenga is one of the most experienced crew chiefs and former drivers in the sport and knows the tricks of the trade. The GGRT crew made their repairs in segments, sending Self back to the track lap after lap just in front of the pace car to avoid losing laps under yellow. After three successful drag races with the pace car, NASCAR penalized Self for “blowing the paddle” on his final attempt and docked them two laps in the race.

“NASCAR has an official at the end of the pit lane with a stop and go sign, they call it a paddle and they flip it to stop when the pace car reaches a certain point,” explained Portenga. “We were pushing it pretty hard and cutting it close and they called us on the last time out. It’s a chance you take. These small tracks are really tough when it comes to lengthy pit stops even under a yellow. Michael and this team all did an excellent job tonight, this was unfortunate and wasn’t their fault at all. We had the car to beat in this race.”

Once he returned to the track with a battered and bandaged front end, Self was a man on a mission to make up lost ground in the form of positions and laps. Racing his way through numerous mishaps and taking a few more hits from some of the less experienced drivers that were racing in the back, Self drove his way into the 20^th finishing position when the checkered flag waved.

“I really have to thank all the guys on the team for their hard work going into this race and their hard work getting me back out on the track,” said Self. “We hard a great car tonight, I think we had a car that could win and unfortunately we got caught up in the wreck.”

After charging his way back through the field to finish 20^th, Self kept himself in the top ten ranks of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West point standings. He is currently tied for the ninth position with Austin Dyne. Now the series will head to Newton Iowa to the highly competitive Iowa Speedway for the fifth segment of the 15 race campaign. The Graham Tire 150 is Saturday, May 19 and Self and the Golden Gate Racing Team will look to rally back towards the front of the championship point standings.

Michael Self and Crew Chief Steve Portenga are ready for Stockton 99
Photo by Pat Brandon.

By Bill Sullivan, GGRT-RCR Media Relations

STOCKTON, CA  (5-5-12) – After a tough road race in his home state last week, Utah’s Michael Self and the San Francisco based Golden Gate Racing Team are more than ready to return to short track racing this Saturday at the Stockton 99 Speedway in Stockton, California. This event marks NASCAR’s return to the historic quarter mile where the both the Richard Childress Racing Development supported team and its primary driver have had many top runs in previous venues.

“We’re excited to be coming back to Stockton, it’s nice to have them back on the NASCAR West schedule after all these years,” said Jimi Z, owner of the Golden Gate Racing Team. “This team had many top runs at Stockton in the past years. It was one of the strongest tracks when Steve Portenga, our crew chief, was behind the wheel. With Michael’s past success there in late models and Steve’s knowledge of the track I think we will have a very strong run. We’re ready to go short track racing on Saturday night.”

NASCAR West ran at consistently at Stockton 99 Speedway from 1966 up until 1983. The series returned to the competitive quarter-mile in 2002 and competed in eight more races up until 2006. It was then that the track was closed from operation to make room for a housing development. After the construction plans fell through, the historic NASCAR track was remodeled and welcomes the NASCAR K&N Pro Series west this Saturday for the Pick N Pull 150.

“I’m really excited to be coming back to Stockton and getting back to some short track racing,” said Self. “After the troubles we had in Utah I am looking to carry the momentum we came out of our short track run in Havasu into this race. We have a great short track program in place and I’ve had some really strong runs at Stockton in my career. I have no doubt we will be running up front.”

Self will be aboard the Rockwell Watches-Bay Bio Diesel-RCR #21 Chevrolet. Prior to the 18th place finish last week in Utah, Self drove to an impressive fourth place finish at Havasu last week. Havasu is another tight, short track on the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West tour. With that recent success he and the team will bring their momentum and knowledge into Stockton and are hopeful for a strong finish.

Currently, Self is seventh in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West championship point standings. He is just 34 points behind the series point leader. Saturday will mark Self’s 32nd NASCAR Series start. In previous short track competition he has 10 starts in tracks shorter than a half mile. Self has earned three top five finishes and five top tens in short track competition with his career best finish of fourth place.

The Golden Gate Racing Team/RCR Chevrolet carries the sponsorship of Richard Childress Racing Driver Development, Rockwell Watches ,Pat O’Keefe’s Bay Bio Diesel and the Golden Gate Meat Company. Additional associate sponsors that support them are the Richard Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma, RCR Street Performance, Hill Meat Company, Corte Madera Tow, Harraka Racing Equipment Sales, Foodcomm International, Signco, Praxair and JW Web Design.

For an in-depth look at the Golden Gate Racing Team or to inquire about sponsorship opportunities, visit their official website at www.goldengateracingteam.com. To follow Michael Self on twitter you can find him @mself-21. To find our more about Michael Self’s newest sponsor visit www.rockwelltime.com.

By Bill Sullivan, GGRT-RCR Media Relations

TOOELE, UT (4-28-12) – After strong runs all day in practice and qualifying, the San Francisco based Golden Gate Racing Team saw their hard fought efforts come up short in the Utah last weekend when the checkered flag waved at the conclusion of the Utah Grand Prix featuring the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West.
Primary driver Michael Self was a favorite to run up front as he returned to the track he calls home with the brand new sponsorship of Rockwell Watches aboard the GGRT #21 Chevrolet that carries the support of Richard Childress Racing Driver Development. Self fought of the challenges of a failed alternator throughout the afternoon. The Park City Utah resident was joined for the event by road racing ace Michael Skeen of Charlotte, North Carolina for the event.

Skeen was well on his way to the front on the 2.5 mile road course until a collision in the closing laps of  the race cost him several positions with little time to recover aboard the Carlisle Construction/Hawk Performance #31 Chevrolet owned by Patti Offenbach. In the end Skeen finished 17th overall while Self came across the finish line in the 18th finishing position in the third event of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West event of the 2012 season that consists of 15 total events.

“It just wasn’t our race to win this time,” said Steve Portenga, competition director for the Golden Gate Racing Team and crew chief for the #21 of Self. “We fought alternator issues all afternoon with the #21 and the #31 should have won the race but got spun out with just three laps to go. Both drivers did a great job as well as the whole team. Now we’ll get back to some short track racing in Stockton.”

In practice on Saturday, Self posted the 10th fastest lap of the final group with an 82.882 mile per hour run aboard the Rockwell Watches/Miller Motorsports Park #21. Skeen was the 7th fastest driver in practice with an 83:502. In qualifying both drivers remained strong, Self timed in with the 7th fastest lap with a top speed of 95.297 while Skeen clocked the 5th fastest lap with a 94.215.

For Self, Saturday’s race had a special meaning, despite the mechanical woes and the finish deep in the field. Not only did the Utah resident return to the track he calls home to be with friends and family, he also had the opportunity to debut his newest sponsor, Rockwell Watches, before the hometown crowd.

“I wish we could have had a better finish in the race but it was great to come race at home again,” said Self. “A lot of my friends don’t get to see a race here too often so they look forward to this every year. It was great to bring Rockwell Watches to the track since they are based in Salt Lake City. Hopefully I can give them a better finish next week in Stockton.”

For Skeen, Saturday’s race marked his first ever NASCAR start in his decorated career of various road racing venues. His top runs in practice and qualifying impressed many. Despite the way the race concluded, the professional road racer was pleased with his NASCAR debut.

“The whole experience was very positive. We missed out on some track time in practice but fortunately the Golden Gate Racing Team arrived with a solid package in the #31. With just a handful of laps remaining we were running in third and turning laps much faster than those in front of us. Then our hopes of victory were taken away when we were taken out on the restart. I was very pleased with the teams performance and our level of competitiveness. The cars are a fun challenge for me and I look forward to competing in more NASCAR events in the future.”

With Miller Motorsports Park in the history book, the Golden Gate Racing Team returns to California this weekend for the excitement of short track racing. Currently 7th in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West standings, Self will be behind the wheel of the #21 Rockwell Watches, Bay Bio Diesel, RCR Chevrolet as the series returns to Stockton 99 Speedway for the first time since 2006.

GGRT carries the ongoing support of Richard Childress Racing Driver Development, Pat O’Keefe’s Bay Bio Diesel, the Golden Gate Meat Company, Rockwell Watches, Richard Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma, RCR Street Performance, Hill Meat Company, Corte Madera Tow, Harraka Racing Equipment Sales, Foodcomm International, Signco, Praxair and JW Web Design.

For an in-depth look at the Golden Gate Racing Team or to inquire about sponsorship opportunities, visit their official website at www.goldengateracingteam.com. For more information on Mike Skeen visit his personal website at www.mikeskeen.com or find him on facebook at Facebook.com/skeen.michael, Fans can also follow him for Saturday’s race at YouTube.com/michaelskeen.