Dalton Armstrong Signs With Scott Neal Racing For The 2014 Racing Season
Open-Wheel Standout to run for Rookie of the Year title in JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour (Special from Scott Neal Racing)
January 30, 2014
Middletown, Indiana (January 30, 2014) – New Castle, Indiana driver, Dalton Armstrong is
no stranger to the world of open-wheeled racing. The 19-year-old has spent the past four
seasons competing in the USAC National Midget Series with plenty of success and
consistency. Now the Hoosier State teenager, who turns 20 on July 31st, is seeking a
new challenge in an effort to continue to propel his career onward and upward.
For the 2014 racing season, Armstrong has joined forces with perennial Late Model
powerhouse, Scott Neal Racing and will make a run at the Howie Lettow Memorial Rookie
of the Year title in the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Presented by Chevrolet Performance
beginning on May 3-4th at Springport Motor Speedway (MI) in the running of the Cabin
Fever 100 Presented by JEGS.com.
Prior to the season opener for points for the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour, Armstrong will be
getting his feet wet in a full bodied stock car while bonding with his new team during the
48th annual World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing at the fast 1/2 (0.500) mile high-
banked paved oval of New Smyrna Speedway (FL) from February 14-22nd. Armstrong will
race in the Pro Late Models division who will compete in seven of the scheduled eight
nights including a 50-Lap main on February 17th and the headlining 100-Lapper on
February 20th.
"I'm really looking forward to this year running for Scott Neal Racing. Really excited about
getting in a stock car and having the chance to run for the Howie Lettow Memorial Rookie
of the Year title. The Overall JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Championship too," Armstrong
stated. "I feel like running for Scott Neal, we should have a great year of being
competitive and running up front." He added.
"I know that he has cars that are capable of winning races, and I'm just really excited and
blessed to be getting an opportunity like this," Armstrong continued. "Going into
Speedweeks I'm looking to learn as much as I can and listen to whatever advice I'm
given. Hopefully we can come out of the week in Florida with some solid finishes and
some quality time behind the wheel." The open-wheeled star ended.
Car Owner and Crew Chief, Scott Neal added; "This year feels like the most prepared year so far as far as our equipment, and Dalton has shown he is up for the challenges ahead." He stated. "I'm ready for the 2014 racing season and Speedweeks will help us build a strong bond before the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour season starts counting for points. We're excited to make a run for the 2014 JEGS/CRA Rookie title and Championship." He added.
During the 2013 racing season, Armstrong finished sixth in the USAC National Pavement Midget Series Points as well as 14th in the USAC National Dirt Midget Points. Overall he acquired four top five finishes with a season high of a third coming at Grundy County Speedway (IL). He also racked up eight top 10 finishes while going back and forth from pavement tracks to dirt facilities.
Armstrong began his racing career at just five years old in Quarter Midgets. From 2000-2006, he won over 100 races, including several championships. After spending the 2007 season in Micro Sprints, Armstrong moved up to the Kenyon Midgets collecting eight Feature Wins between 2008-2009. Also in 2009, driving for the famed Bob East of Beast Chassis, he raced in the USAC Ford Focus Midgets and in only four appearances, he scored three Feature Wins. In addition, he also competed in a full-size USAC Midget for the first time that season and in only his second start, he won the Feature in what would be the final race ever held at Joliet Memorial Stadium in Joliet, Illinois.
The 2010 racing season would be the year Armstrong established himself as a future star as he won in his First USAC Regional Midget Feature of the year while collecting seven Features overall en route to winning the 2010 USAC Regional Midget Points Championship and the National Midget Driver Rookie of the Year Award. He also scored the USAC/WOMS Midget Points Championship. He also scored the Indianapolis Speedrome Regional Midget Points Championship as well as the USSA Simpson Rookie Performance Award.
Also that September, in his first USAC National Midget Series race, Armstrong led 37 of 40 laps and finished second behind USAC veteran Tracy Hines. In only his second ever USAC National Series midget start, Dalton finished third in the prestigious "Turkey Night Grand Prix" and was crowned the 2010 Turkey Night Grand Prix "Rookie of the Year" Award. In 24 races, he finished in the top three, on the podium in 20 of those events.
In 2011 and 2012 Armstrong competed primarily in the USAC National Midgets Series where he grabbed 10 top five finishes including finishing second on three occasions at three diverse facilities; Columbus Motor Speedway (OH) Indianapolis Speedrome (IN) and Toledo Speedway (OH). Overall he recorded 21 top 10 showings over that two-year span. Dalton is also the younger brother of NASCAR Camping World Trucks Series driver, Dakoda Armstrong, and a cousin to USAC standout, Caleb Armstrong.
Scott Neal Racing, with six different drivers behind the wheel, including Neal himself was able to finish fourth in the 2013 JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Presented by Chevrolet Performance Owners Points Standings. In addition to Neal, other drivers who wheeled the SNR entry during the year included NASCAR Nationwide Series drivers, Kenny Wallace and Johanna Long as well as NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Winner at Phoenix International Raceway (AZ) and two-time Snowball Derby Winner, Erik Jones.
In addition, Jimmy Novak and Landon Cling also wheeled the car on several occasions. Overall during the season, the six drivers amassed one top five finish, by Cling back on June 7th, 2013 at Dixie Motor Speedway (MI), which was a third place showing. Neal was the one who garnered the lone Fast Qualifier Award, which came at Auto City Speedway (MI) on August 10th. Overall, the six drivers collected seven top 10 finishes.
SNR also ran in the ARCA/CRA Super Series Powered by JEGS in 2013 as Neal himself, along-with Cling and Austin Self made four total appearances in the premier tour within Champion Racing Association (CRA) Powered by JEGS. Also, 13-year-old Chris Hacker, who was a part of SNR competing in the CRA Late Model Sportsman Series, won the 2013 Rookie of the Year title while finishing fourth overall in the points with one event win, at Anderson Speedway (IN) on July 19th.
The 2012 racing season was one for the record books for Scott Neal Racing as driver, Daniel Hemric captured the 2012 JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Presented by Chevrolet Performance Championship with an impressive eight wins as well as 13 top five finishes and four Fast Qualifier Awards which were all new Track Records that season. Three of those records still stand today.
For the upcoming 2014 racing season, Armstrong will be behind the wheel of the #4 Scott Neal Racing entry sporting sponsorship decals and graphics from Motion Motors as well as Schoenfeld Headers, Ultra Cool Brake Fans, Motion Motors, PGG Enterprises, QS Components and M.P.H. Promotions.
To learn more about Dalton Armstrong and Scott Neal Racing and to also inquire about sponsorship opportunities for the 2014 racing season, go to SNR's website at: www.scottnealracing.com for Armstrong, head over to: www.daltonarmstrong.com You can also follow both SNR on Facebook by going to: www.facebook.com and searching for "Scott Neal Racing" and finally on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/snrneal Armstrong can also be reached on Twitter as well at: www.twitter.com/DArmstrong7
