KLAS Motorsports with Andy Jankowiak won the ARCA Menards Series Alabama Manufactured Housing 200 at Talladega Superspeedway (AL) on Saturday.
That one sentence states a fact, but it cannot even begin to describe the journey that it took for the team and driver to win for their first time at such a high level of the sport.
“I wanted to win it more for the team than for myself,” said Jankowiak. “I’m gifted this opportunity (to be on the team). There has never been more of a true team effort. We built this team from nothing. I’m not just a driver. I’m a part of a team. For some of these races, we have 50 people who plan their whole weekends and travel around this thing that I do.
“It has always been a “we” effort. I have never done this by myself. That is a weight that I carry and I wanted to make up for it here. I have this opportunity and I wanted to come through for everyone else. I wanted them to be proud. We did it and I feel about 1,000 pounds lighter right now.”
Team owner Kevin Lapierre celebrated a birthday this week and giving him a nice gift is something that gave Jankowiak a little bit of extra motivation.
“Kevin kept saying that he wanted me to win for his birthday”, said Jankowiak. “That matters. Those little things matter when you are out there and it’s hot, people are pushing you around and you are about ready to spin. It’s those little things keep you digging in a game of inches.”
Family ties mattered in this victory. Lapierre was at the track with his wife and daughter. Managing partner Andy Seuss was there with his parents, wife Jenn and their children. Jankowiak was there was his girlfriend, mother and a very special uncle.
“My Uncle Jake went to my first go-kart race in 2001 and helped me set it up,” said Jankowiak. “And he was here today going over the wall to change tires.”
It seems fitting that the next race on the KLAS Motorsports schedule is in Jankowiak’s home state of New York. In two weeks, the ARCA Menards Series will visit the road course at Watkins Glen International.
“We are going to get back on it and try to win again this year,” said Jankowiak.
Those aren’t just words. That effort is already in progress. After the victory lane celebrations and interviews, crew chief Mike Dayton was already coordinating Monday morning’s shop assignments with Jankowiak and several crew members before they even left the track.
The new trophy sitting in the shop on Monday morning will undoubtedly provide a little extra motivation.
The KLAS Motorsports #71 was co-sponsored at Talladega by Hook’d Solutions and Whelen Engineering.
Hook’d is a broadband solutions provider with a focus and commitment to creating solutions that connect people and devices with fast, reliable and secure connectivity to the end user in rural and remote locations. Utilizing patented, proprietary technology such as the Cumulo A5, Hook’d delivers “Last Mile” broadband connectivity solutions.
Whelen Engineering has been a long-time marketing partner for KLAS Motorsports.
Additional partners for the #71 include Dak’s Markets, Acacia Energy, Phillips 66 Lubricants, Automotive Consultants of Ithaca, Florida Safety Systems, Yukon Creek, RD Cores, Ryan Bronson Music and Schultz Engineered Products.
The ARCA Menards Series will visit Watkins Glen International on Friday, May 8th for the General Tire 100. That event will be televised live on the Fox Sports 2 television network starting at 1:30pm ET.