Nikky Saxon Gains Nine Spots In JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Debut

Columbus Motor Speedway the venue for her Late Model debut (Special from Saxon Racing)

May 28, 2014

New Palestine, Indiana (May 28, 2014) – Nikky Saxon of Saxon Racing finished 18th in

the 100-lap Agroscapes 100 Presented by SizzleMarine.com on Saturday, May 24 at

Columbus Motor Speedway in Columbus, Ohio, her debut in the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour

and her first career Late Model start.

"It was a lot of fun and I learned a lot, which was very important for me going into the

weekend," Saxon said. "My biggest goal was to finish the race."

That goal was put in jeopardy from the start of the race. Saxon, who started 27th, deftly

avoided a big accident on the first lap.

"I just kept thinking, 'Find a hole, find a hole,'" Saxon said. "Luckily I was able to drive

through it and gain a few spots."

That wasn't the last of Saxon's battles on the third-mile asphalt oval. The field was tight,

with all 28 cars qualifying within .653 of a second. Contact from close-quarters racing sent

Saxon toward the back of the field, and a loose right front spring hurt the handling of

Saxon's car toward the end of the race.

"I just kept remembering my main goal," Saxon said. "It's a hard track to pass on because there is really only one racing line, so the fact that I finished the race and was able to pass a couple of cars is really good for my first race. I'm happy with the finish."

The weekend was full of learning experiences for Saxon, 20, a third-year Motorsport Engineering major at IUPUI. The Saxon Racing crew experimented with different setups on the No. 56 J&J Financial/Saxon Racing car, reacting to different track conditions. Saxon also adjusted to single-car qualifying for the first time.

"I feel like I accomplished more than I had even set out to," Saxon said. "I was able to finish and roll the car back in the trailer and be somewhat competitive on top of it all."

Saxon is racing a partial season in the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour as she prepares for a full season in 2015. She moved to the Indianapolis area in 2012 and climbed to the late model series this year after competing in Legends cars and karting in her native Las Vegas area.

"The biggest difference is how heavy the car is," Saxon said. "It's almost twice as much as my previous car. But with my background with the Legend and with karting, I'm able to get used to the car faster."

The Agroscapes 100 was the first of seven races for Saxon in the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour this season. She was happy to meet some of her fellow competitors and learn more about the series.

"The spirit of the series is really wonderful," Saxon said. "I feel the whole entire series is out there to have a good time, put on a good show and do what we love - racing. I felt that from other drivers, team members and series officials."

Saxon's next race is Saturday, July 5 at Angola Motorsport Speedway in Angola, Indiana.

For the latest news about Nikky Saxon and Saxon Racing, like the team on Facebook and check out its website at saxonracing.com

About Nikky Saxon:

Nicole "Nikky" Saxon has been racing since she was 8 years old, with the goal of becoming the first female NASCAR champion. Nikky gained racing experience through various series throughout her teenage years. Originally from Las Vegas, Nikky and her family moved Saxon Racing to Indianapolis to support her jump to compete in the No. 56 Late Model in the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour presented by Chevrolet Performance in 2014. Nikky developed colitis at age 16 and acute Rheumatoid Arthritis at the age of 18 and continues to battle the diseases, never letting it interfere with achieving her racing goals. Nikky also balances her racing with work in the classroom as a third-year, full-time student at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), majoring in Motorsports Engineering. For more information about Nikky, visit racingwithnikky.com