FULL STEAM AHEAD: COLE ANDERSON & ANTHONY CAMPI RACING ARE TROPHY-HUNTING IN 2017
ANTHONY CAMPI RACING·MONDAY, JANUARY 16, 2017
SARASOTA, FL (January 13, 2016) – For Anthony Campi and his race team, the 2017 season could not get here soon enough. After a wildly successful season last year, the No. 97 crew he leads is laser-focused on improving the already-impressive stats for themselves and their driver, Cole Anderson. Named one of the “Top 10 Drivers to Watch” in short track racing, Cole led the team to eight high-profile race wins in events like Oktoberfest, the World Series of Asphalt Short Track Racing and tours like the Southern Super Series.
“We cannot wait for this year with Cole Anderson,” said Campi when asked about his plans for the Minnesota driver’s schedule. “He has grown so much as a driver from his first race with us at ACR. He drove our cars to eight top-tier late model wins across the country last year. We had a season even the sport’s best drivers would have been satisfied with, but we want more. We look to build off that success going back into the tough, deep south super late model scene in 2017.”
Cole Anderson negotiates the high banks of New Smyrna Speedway in his Anthony Campi Racing No. 97. Anderson and ACR will be racing for the Southern Super Series championship in 2017 along with chasing wins in marquee events.
Anderson’s success started early one year ago. He won the super late model Red Eye 100 on New Year’s weekend and finished second in the pro late model race that night behind former Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver Mike Skinner. During the World Series of Asphalt Short Track Racing a month later, he finished the week with four top five finishes including a win and two runner-up finishes.
“As good as he was at the start of the year, Cole has developed as a driver in key areas,” Campi explained. “His communication, feedback to the crew, and car control have come a long way since January of last year. The results didn’t really show it, but we really struggled with restarts in the early going. Cole attacked his weakness and before the season was over, he won three of his races in crucial, late-race restart situations.”
As Cole developed, his wins got bigger and more prestigious. He claimed two preliminary features during Oktoberfest in Wisconsin, outdueling NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Champion Johnny Sauter in a side-by-side race for the ages. He picked up two consecutive Southern Super Series triumphs against some of the hottest drivers in the sport. He was even a contender for the pole at the Snowball Derby, the biggest super late model race in the country.
Though racers are often known for their successes, it is the down times when those around them see their true character. Anderson has seen his share of ups and downs over the last year, including leading the Governor’s Cup 200 late in the year when his car lost power. According to Campi, however, those are the times when his team is thankful for their driver.
ACR and Cole Anderson visited victory lane eight times in 2017, many coming in marquee races. Though many race teams would be thrilled with that season, team owner Anthony Campi believes they can do even better during the 2017 campaign.
“We have a lot of fun working with Cole,” he said. “The highlight has to be his great sense of humor. It seems like any situation, good, bad, or catastrophic, he has a way of making the whole team smile. He's a good kid with a bright future and we're happy to have the opportunity to showcase his talent.”
The ACR team is gearing up and preparing Cole’s No. 97 rides for their upcoming events which include a full assault on the Southern Super Series championship in 2017, the upcoming World Series of Asphalt Short Track Racing, and the traditional Speedfest at Crisp Motorsports Park in Georgia.
“Our goals moving into 2017 are to win more races,” Campi reiterated. Winning is why we show up and we will continue to strive and push for more wins, especially since we’ll be running the Southern Super Series and going for the championship this year. Cole finished fourth and was crowned top rookie last year, in 2016. We want to win more of their races and finish all of them so we can compete for a championship, plus win the other events we enter.”
Anthony Campi Racing is a professional, championship race team based outside of Sarasota, Fla., who fields cars for various drivers across the country. ACR invites fans and followers to connect with them on Facebook (@AnthonyCampi81), Twitter (@AnthonyCampi) and Instagram (@AnthonyCampiRacing).
For more information and the latest updates about Cole Anderson visit his website at www.ColeAndersonRacing.com. He can also be found on social media such as Facebook (/ColeAndersonRacing), Twitter (@Cole_Anderson97) and Instagram (@Cole_Anderson97).