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Praytor Rumbles Up to 3rd Before Cut Tire Spoils Return
After a year layoff Thomas “Moose” Praytor returned to Talladega Superspeedway looking to return to restrictor plate form and have a little fun in front of his home state fans. It didn’t take long for Praytor to send a message to the assembled garage area and the assembled media by topping the early speed charts for the General Tire 200, the “Moose” was back!
“It felt great to be back behind the wheel, Talladega is such a fun place and we had a fast racecar,” offered Praytor. After a quick couple of turns on the track motor issues cropped up ending practice early. The crew from Ilmor went to work on the problem and after throwing everyone and everything at it for several hours buttoned up the AIDB Chevy for qualifying. “The guys at Ilmor really worked their butts off to get us ready to race. I think just about every Ilmor tuner at the track was working on our car at one point. Really appreciate all their hard work.” The Moose draw a dud group for qualifying, led the pack wire to wire and would roll off 18th. It only took 10 laps for Praytor to draft his way from 18th into the top 10. “Tab (Boyd) was making great calls from the roof and our AIDB Chevy was awesome in the draft.”
The General Tire 200 opened with an unusually long green flag run with Praytor moving up to 3rd at the first caution just past the halfway point. Praytor brought the AIDB Chevy to pit road for a load of Sunoco Fuel only and was back out. Under green the AIDB Chevy was drafting and working its way in and around the top 10 until the next caution, the Moose had a tire going down. Having to pit while the pits were closed sent the Mobile native to the tail end of the longest line for the restart. “The tire really took us out of contention for a top 10. The new restart rules say we can’t pass until the start finish line and we were sunk only being able to catch the second pack spotting the leaders that much room.” Even with the bad luck Praytor was able to draft his way back up to 13th. With just 3 laps to go the cover over the transmission fill was knocked off by debris sending a plume of smoke from the AIDB Chevy. “With our engine problems earlier in the day I just shut it off when I saw the smoke.” Praytor coasted into the pits as the race came to a close, finishing 20th. “A really good day for our race team. After having been off a year, we showed we can still get the job done and run up front. I had a lot of fun, thanks to Tab Boyd for the great calls from the roof, we have a great deal of confidence in each other and it shows on the racetrack. So many people helped either financially or with their time or both to get us to Talladega really can’t thank everyone enough. My son, Hugh made his first race and that was pretty cool. I don’t know how many more there are going to be but I hope Hugh and Elizabeth make them all.” PRIMARY SPONSOR: Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind (AIDB) aidb.org, Max Force Trucking ASSOCIATE SPONSORS: Golden Flake, the official chip of Talladega Supespeedway, Wade Distributors, Rettigs Auto Body, APS-Automotive Painters Supply, Dueitt’s Battery Supply, Airgas, Judy’s Place, Ainsworth Racing, Greer’s Food Market, Southern Culture and American Legion Post 88. Top Picture: Students from Alabama Institute of Deaf & Blind (AIDB) DkendrickcGraves, (York, AL), Jeffrey Oliver,(Talladega, AL) Denzel Robinson, (Demopolis, AL) Praytor Is Back In Sweet Home Alabama
GENERAL TIRE 200 AT TALLADEGA SPEEDWAY: Thomas “Moose” Praytor returns to racing on Friday following a year long break from racing after 105 consecutive ARCA starts. “Really exciting to be back at the race track, good to see old friends. The other competitors and officials in the garage gave have been giving me a really warm welcome,” said Praytor. The “Moose” and his Mobile, Alabama crew are continuing their long standing relationship with the Alabama Institute of Deaf and Blind (AIDB) this weekend at Talladega. Along with AIDB on the hood the team will host students at the race track. “The AIDB kids are awesome, really enjoy being part of the AIDB experience.” Talladega will be the first track visit for Praytor’s newest family addition Hugh Thomas Praytor V, (Five). “Talladega is such a great spot for me so many friends and family at the track. Elizabeth and Hugh will both be at the track together for the first time, its gonna be a fun day. I wish we could race Talladega all the time!” SPOTTER: For the 5th season Praytor will continue to utilize Pensacola native Tab Boyd. When he is not moonlighting for Praytor, Boyd is William Byron’s spotter in the Monster Cup Series. The General Tire 200 is a 2 day event starting with technical inspection Thursday. Friday starts with an early practice at 8:30, General Tire Pole qualifying at 2:30 pm, and the green flag will drop at 5PM CST. Live timing and scoring for practice, qualifying and the race will be on ARCAracing.com. The race will be broadcast live on Fox Sports 1. Also, please follow us on Twitter (@DKLOKRacing),and Facebook (Max Force Racing) for live trackside updates. PRIMARY SPONSOR: Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind (AIDB) aidb.org, Max Force Trucking ASSOCIATE SPONSORS: Golden Flake, the official chip of Talladega Supespeedway, Wade Distributors, Rettigs Auto Body, APS-Automotive Painters Supply, Dueitt’s Battery Supply, Airgas, Judy’s Place, Ainsworth Racing, Greer’s Food Market, Southern Culture and American Legion Post 88. CAR: MF002 The team has been working on this chassis for the last 6 seasons for exclusive use at Daytona and Talladega. It’s paid off with the car and Praytor drafting to their way into the top 5 in the last 5 plate races. Expect more bold moves at Talladega. WHAT TO LOOK FOR THIS WEEKEND: All about the draft!!! Talladega Speedway: 2.66 Miles ALABAMA INSTITUTE FOR DEAF AND BLIND: The Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind (AIDB) is the world’s most comprehensive education, rehabilitation and service program serving individuals of all ages who are deaf, blind, deaf-blind and multidisabled. Founded in 1858 by a young medical doctor who wanted to educate his deaf brother, AIDB now serves more than 22,500 infants, toddlers, children, adults and seniors with hearing and vision loss throughout Alabama each year. WWW.AIDB.ORG
Anticipation Building for Praytor’s Return To Talladega
After making 105 consecutive ARCA starts over 6 seasons Thomas “Moose” Praytor is just days away from returning to competition at Talladega Superspeedway after a year-long sabbatical. “The word got out a few weeks ago we were coming back at Talladega and the response has been incredible,” said Praytor. “Supporters have been calling, texting and messaging me about Talladega, it’s a great feeling.” The green flag for the General Tire 200 will fly Friday afternoon at 5:00PM CST with a live TV broadcast from Talladega Superspeedway on Fox Sports 1 (FS1). “Fan support has been huge but our long time sponsors have made it possible for us to go back racing,” continued Praytor Sponsors already signed on for Talladega- Golden Flake, the official chip of Talladega Supespeedway, Wade Distributors, Rettigs Auto Body, APS-Automotive Painters Supply, Dueitt’s Battery Supply, Airgas, Judy’s Place, Ainsworth Racing, Greer’s Food Market and American Legion Post 88. As has become a tradition for Praytor at Talladega, the Alabama Institute of the Deaf and Blind (AIDB) will be on the hood for the General Tire 200 with the Mobile, Alabama Team hosting students on race day. “We really look forward to having the kids from AIDB at the track, their enthusiasm and energy is incredible. AIDB is an incredible place and we are really proud to be a part of their team.”
Praytor Part of Easter Basket Drop at USA Childrens & Womens  In what has become an annual tradition on the Gulf Coast, Thomas “Moose” Praytor took part in the Kane’s Warrior Kids Easter Basket drop at USA Childrens and Womens Hospital in Mobile. “After all the years traveling with the ARCA Series we were finally able to be at home to take part in Kane’s Easter Basket Drop. Derek and his Kane’s Warrior Kids Foundation do a tremendous job working with sick children,” said Praytor. The Moose has a long history with USA Childrens and Womens Hospital, he and his twin sister were born there, spending their first few weeks in the USA Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Praytor made a return trip to USA 13 years later, via helicopter, after being knocked unconscious while racing at Sunny South Raceway. “USA has been a big part of my life and really does a great job for kids that have to spend time in the hospital. It was really an honor for me to be able brighten up their day.” Praytor was one of four area drivers participating in the Easter Basket Drop, Derek Long, Barrett Bischoff and Monte Skinner were part of the delivery team. The countdown is on, with just 10 days before the Moose returns to ARCA action at Talladega Superspeedway in the General Tire 200, live on FS1 at 5:00 PM CST. Baby Moose Is Here!
At 1:31 PM this afternoon Baby Moose, Hugh Thomas Praytor V, at 6 pounds 13 ounces came screaming in to the world in Mobile, Alabama. Mom and baby are doing great, Thomas is still recovering.
Baby Watch Sidelines Praytor The 2019 ARCA Racing Season is not the only thing that is getting closer every day, so is the pending arrival of the baby Moose! From here forward the window for Thomas “Moose” Praytor’s baby has put the Mobile, Alabama drive in a unique position heading in to Daytona. “I just don’t think I would be very happy missing Five’s arrival. (Five-Hugh Thomas Praytor V) We had a family pow wow and everyone was supportive of whatever direction we wanted to go but for us nothing is more important than Five,” offered Praytor. Daytona was to be Praytor’s return to ARCA racing after ending his 105 race consecutive streak after Talladega in 2018. “Everyone in our shop was really fired up about coming back at Daytona, we’ve all got the itch pretty bad. We aren’t racing for points or a streak and we are going to race when we can compete and have fun. I think Elizabeth (5 year old daughter) was the most disappointed we weren’t going she loves the races.” Looking at the ARCA schedule coupled with the Baby’s schedule Praytor’s most likely return race will now be in Sweet Home Alabama at Talladega in the General Tire 200 on April 26th.
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