Dillner-Hughes Racing Joins Southern Tour
Measmer to Compete for NWSMT Rookie of the Year
CONCORD, N.C. – Dillner-Hughes Racing is excited to announce plans to compete full time on the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour for the 2014 season with an eye on capturing the Sunoco Rookie of the Year title for driver Bobby Measmer, Jr.
The Concord, North Carolina-based team recently acquired a Troyer Modified that will don the team’s staple No. 51 in its debut season on the open-wheeled NASCAR series.
“While we have campaigned a successful Super Late Model team in the Southeast in recent years, the NASCAR Modifieds have always been close to my heart,” said DHR co-owner and NASCAR on FOX Sports broadcaster Bob Dillner. “I grew up watching the legends of Modified racing compete on the bullrings of the Northeast with my family. I have covered the Tour early in my career with Area Auto Racing News and Speedway Scene and also during my career in the broadcast booth. Through that time, I have always wanted to campaign my own car on the Tour. This is a great time to make our move to the ranks of the ‘Groundpounders’ and we’re excited to compete for Rookie of the Year with Bobby.”
Dillner-Hughes Racing was formed when Dillner’s BDI Racing and Kevin Hughes’ Hughes Motorsports merged operations in 2012 and competed in various Super Late Model tours throughout the Southeast. Strong finishes in the fendered-car ranks soon followed and continued through the 2013 season. But when the opportunity to move to the NASCAR Modified ranks arose following the 2013 campaign, it was one that the team couldn’t pass up.
“I also grew up watching the Modifieds at my local track and can’t wait to be a part of this historic series,” said DHR co-owner Kevin Hughes, the Director of Motorsports Communications at Racing Electronics. “We will still have a Super Late Model to campaign in select events in the Southeast in 2014, but our focus will be competing at the highest level in the NWSMT. We are all excited for our new venture with the type of car that is so important to Bob (Dillner) and I.”
The Dillner-Hughes Racing No. 51 Modified will be driven by 28-year-old Bobby Measmer, Jr. of Concord, North Carolina. Measmer has piloted the DHR entries since the team was formed in 2012. The driver captured a NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Pro Late Model track championship at Concord Speedway in North Carolina in 2011 and a Limited Late Model title in 2007. Measmer, who spends his days working on NASCAR Sprint Cup Series cars at Stewart-Haas Racing, is a veteran of the fendered-car wars throughout the Southeast, but he is still excited about joining the NASCAR Modified ranks.
“I am very grateful for the opportunity to compete at this level,” said Measmer. “I can’t wait to get behind the wheel of these awesome machines. I believe with the equipment we will have and the support of Bob, his wife Angie (Dillner), Kevin and the team, we have put ourselves in a competitive position right out of the gate.”
Dillner-Hughes Racing will begin its chase for the 2014 Rookie of the Year title in the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour when the schedule opens March 9 at North Carolina’s Caraway Speedway. The NWSMT schedule features 15 points events at tracks in the Southeast, ranging from bullrings like Bowman Gray Stadium (NC) and Langley Speedway (VA) to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series facilities such as Bristol Motor Speedway (TN) and Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Sponsorship opportunities are available for the 2014 season. For more information on Dillner-Hughes Racing and/or Bobby Measmer, Jr., please contact Kevin Hughes at kevin@racingelectronics.com. The team is currently designing a new website through 51 Sports, but you can find out more information thought its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/dhr1451.
Sources: Dillner-Hughes Racing PR