Tyler Dippel, Rette Jones Racing’s 2018 Plans Beginning To Fall Into Place
Story By: MARK RETTE / RETTE JONES RACING – DAYTONA BEACH, FL – Heading to the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards open test at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway this weekend in preparation for next month’s Lucas Oil 200 driven by General Tire, Rette Jones Racing (RJR) third year of competition is shaping up to be their best season yet.
Led by ARCA championship winning crew chief Mark Rette, RJR heads to the “World Center of Racing” bringing back a blast from the past, while strengthening their relationship with a familiar face.
19-year-old Grant Quinlan returns to RJR to test the team’s No. 30 Ford Fusion in this weekend’s two-day test.
The Maidstone, Ontario native will pair with Wallkill, New York’s Tyler Dippel who will return to the Mooresville, N.C.-based team for an increased schedule this season.
Quinlan has made six NASCAR K&N Pro Series East starts with RJR, including his most recent race at New Jersey Motorsports Park this past September where the Canadian delivered a solid eighth place finish. He is also a veteran of the ARCA / CRA Late Model Series.
“I’m very excited about testing an ARCA car at Daytona,” said Quinlan. “Rette Jones Racing has a very strong superspeedway program and I’m looking forward to having a successful test with Mark and learning the ropes with my teammate Tyler (Dippel) alongside.
“Hopefully, everything pans out and were able to come back and compete in the season-opener in February. That would be a dream come true.”
Dippel, 17, will continue his foray into ARCA competition with an intense superspeedway test in the new superspeedway composite body No. 30a Ford Fusion. Dippel, a NASCAR Next alumnus competed his first full K&N Pro Series East season with RJR which was highlighted by a third-place finish at Dover (Del.) International Speedway to end the year.
Despite missing one race to compete in the ARCA dirt race at the DuQuoin (Ill.) State Fairgrounds, the New Yorker finished the season in the top-10 in the series’ standings.
The avid dirt competitor also made three ARCA Racing Series starts in 2017 spotlighted by a stout third-place finish on the dirt at the Illinois State Fairgrounds after starting 12th.
“I’ve always dreamed of competing at Daytona and thanks to Mark and the guys at Rette Jones Racing, I’ll have that opportunity to test this weekend,” said Dippel.
“The test will be a good experience where hopefully in 2019 when I’m 18, I’ll be able to race at Daytona and kick off the year on a high note. This weekend though will be one I won’t forget.”
Rette is proud of his team’s ability to flourish some of the young upcoming talents in Motorsports through RJR.
“After our second-place finish last February at Daytona, we’ve had it circled on our calendar for 2018,” explained Rette. “It’s great to have Grant back with the team and look forward to seeing him around a little more this season, while also having the opportunity to build on our relationship with Tyler (Dippel).
“We were really finding that momentum and chemistry towards the end of the season and I’m thrilled to know that our relationship will continue in 2018.”
Rette Jones Racing will announce Dippel’s 2018 schedule lineup in the coming weeks.
