Peak Motorsports

Peak Motorsports was a team that competed in the AARL One in it's inagural season. In 2006 they created an alliance with Borland Racing, with Randy Long racing a full season across both teams cars, with Julee Merrick doing the same in 2008, as their alliance strengthened, with Peak Motorsports helping to develop drivers for Borland.

### Car Number 11 History

#### Terry Cope (2004-2005)

Terry Cope began the season with his two worst races of the year, but turned it around with a runner up finish in the third race. However, that was the closest Cope would get to victory lane that season. Cope finshed in the top five four more times, and managed to tie for sixth place, earning him a one year deal for the next year.

Cope's 2005 season was a major stepback for him, and the organisation. Cope finished the first three races outside the top 10, with one of two top 5's coming at Bristol. After more mixed results, he finished runner up at Talladega, again narrowly missing out on victory lane. Terry finished 12th in the point standings, after his 6th place finish in 2004, leaving his future at Peak uncertain. Before 2006, it was announced that Cope would not be coming back, so the 35 year old promptly retired.

#### Julee Merrick (2006-2007)

23 year old Julee Merrick was brought in to drive the 11 for 2006, begining her AARL career with a DNF at Dover. She came back strong, however, getting a top ten at Richmond, then a sixth at Bristol and her first top five at Dover. She would return to the top ten two more times that season, but would finish 15th overall, in a very competitive midfield. Merrick would also beat out Sara Swayne by three points to claim the Rookie of the Year Award, earning a one year extension. In 2007, Merrick would continue to improve, finishing second at Richmond and winning her first race, at Road Atlanta. After some poor finishes at La Crosse and Sonoma, she would fall out of the top ten in the points, ending up 11th at years end. Approached with an offer from Borland Racing to drive their 44 part time in 2008, she signed a two year deal with Peak Motorsports, moving her to the 12 for the races she wasn't running for Borland.

#### Naoki Hattori (2008-2011)

Naoki Hattori drove the 12 part time for Peak Motorsports in 2007, and was moved over to the 11 for 2008. He would earn a top five, as well as three top ten finishes, but would finish 17th in the points, a far cry from what Julee Merrick accomplished in the same car the year prior. Despite this, (and urged on by alliance member Borland Racing) Hattori was signed for 2009 and 2010. In 2009, Hattori would earn four top tens, and two top fives, and finish 13th in the points, a huge increase over 2008. Hattori would beat out teammate Andy Raines in the points by two positions, showcasing his skill.

Hattori would improve further in 2010, earning three top tens, and winning his first pole. Hattori would also finish 12th in the point standings, earning himself a contract for the next two seasons. In 2011 Hattori would have a very strong season, finishing inside of the top ten in the point standings, even beating one Borland Racing alliance member. Hattori would do this with six top tens, and only one finish worse than 14th, including a runnerup finish at La Crosse. With this, it was announced that for the 2012 season Hattori would be slid over to the main team, Borland since Jim Long retired from full time racing. However, with Kenny Kierkendorf, AARL Two champ taking over Hatttori's 11, it seemed likely that Hattori would only be driving from Borland for a season or two, while Kierkendorf adjusts in the 11.

### Car Number 12 History

#### Randy Long (2004, 2006)

Randy Long raced part time in 2004, but both of those races were a succes, finishing sixth and seventh. Long leaves the season with results, but little sponsorship, meaning his offseason was filled with question marks.

Coming into the 2005 season, Randy Long had one race worth of sponsorship, and had conversations about getting back into the number 12, but since Peak couldn't find another driver to drive part time in the 12 in addition to Long, they decided to shut down the car, leaving Long without a ride, who would later sub for an injured Carlo Soto in the Borland Racing's 43.

In 2006, Randy Long was given a ride from Borland Racing for only three races, and this time, with a full season's worth of sponsorship, he went back to Peak Motorsports to drive part time for them in 2006, as well as the three with Borland, the two teams creating an alliance. While driving the Peak 12, Long finished in the top five three times, with top top three finishes at Talladega and Phoenix. Randy Long would finish 8th on the year, and received an offer from both Peak and Borland for 2007, but he instead signed with Sacks Enterprises. Peak decided to keep the 12 open for 2007, replacing Long with a pair of rookies.

#### Naoki Hattori and Leo Goodman (2007)

A pair of rookies, Naoki Hattori, and Leo Goodman were brought in to split the 12 car for the 2007 season (with Hattori being handpicked by Borland Racing). Naoki Hattori would begin his season with an 8th placed finish at Dover, and a 3rd placed finish at Bristol. Besides the pair of top tens, Hattori would not fair well, with a DNF at Wall, heavy damage at Sonoma, and two bad finishes at Pikes Peak and Talladega. Goodman would perform even worse, with his best finish coming at La Crosse, with only two top fifteens on the year, compared to Hattori's three. Hattori would beat out Goodman in the points, one spot above him, 10 points more.

For 2008, Hattori would be moved full time to the 11, signing a one year extension. Hattori was originally going to be kept part time in the 12, but after Julee Merrick moved part time to the 12, he filled her void. Goodman was also supposed to stay part time in the 12, but he was instead signed by MBV Racing, forcing Peak to sign a Rookie for 2008, keeping the 12 full time.

#### Julee Merrick and Lance Miller (2008-2009)

In 2008, the 12 car was split by Julee Merrick and Rookie Lance Miller. Peak Motorsports had been approached by alliance member Borland Racing, asking them to let Merrick drive part time for them in 2008. Peak agreed, and Merrick was moved away from their 11, into the 12, just filling out her schedule. Remarkabely, while driving the 12 for Peak Motorsports, she won at Bristol, the first of three top five finishes while driving for Peak. With her contract expring with Peak after 2009, it was announced she would split her schedule across the two teams again in 2009, hoping to race for Borland Racing full time in 2010. While Lance Miller was in the same 12 car, however, he could only manage a best finish of 7th at Richmond and Wall. However, he would be resigned one year, to drive the 12 part time again in 2009.

In 2009, Julee Merrick and Lance Miller split the 12 car. Merrick was expected to run 6 races in the car, but instead spent 4 of those subbing for an injured Stu Borland, with Miller racing in the rest of those races. In Merrick's 2 starts in the car, she would finish 8th and 13th, finishing 5th on the season, and racing for Borland Racing full time in 2010. In Miller's ten starts, he preformed exceptionally well, with four top tens and a top five, managing to finish 17th in the point standings, only two positions behind team mate Andy Raines, despite running only 10 races. Miller would also win the Rookie of the Year Award. After this very impressive preformance, he was signed to drive the 12 full time for 2010 and 2011.

#### Lance Miller (2010-)

For Lance Miller's 2010 season, he would improve, finishing 14th in the points in his first full time season. Miller earned four top tens, equalling his total from the year before, as well as the same number of top fives. However, the full season meant that he would improve by three positions in the point standings. Miller would slump in 2011, finishing only 17th in the point standings, the same as he did two years prior, when he did not run two of the twelve races. Miller earned only two top tens, half his mark from the previous two years, and as he moved into 2012 on his last year of his contract, it was evident that Miller had to return to form.

### Car Number 13 History

#### Multiple Drivers (2004)

Kevin McCoy came into the season expecting to drive the 13 full time. However, after three races his sponsorship fell through, so Andy Raines was called to fill the void. Raines came and impressed, finishing runner up in his second AARL One race, and third the next week. McCoy returned at Sonoma, running top five all day and finishing sixth, but that would be his final race of the season. Raines' returned, but finished outside of the top ten twice in his final three races. However, Raines still managed to finish 14th in the season standings, managing to beat out some full time drivers.

#### Andy Raines (2005-2010)

After impressing in his six starts in 2004, Raines was hired to drive the 13th full time in 2005, with Kevin McCoy finding a ride at CNC Racing. Raines finished in the top ten for the opening two races of 2005, and scored his only top 5 of the season at Bristol, finishing third. After proving himself to be a solid midpack driver, Raines finished his 2005 season 9th overall, earning himself an extension for the next year.

In 2006 Andy Raines would begin by winning the season opener at Dover, and coming back with two top tens after that. However, besides from an eigth placed finish at Bristol, Raines would have terrible luck, with problems occuring at Sonoma and Phoenix, and crashes at Bristol, Kansas, and Wall. With half of the races ending in trouble for Raines, he managed to finish 12th in his most miserable season. Raines was given an extension through 2008, as well as a new crew chief, However 2007 would have Raines finish even worse, showing that it did not help. Raines would finish fourth at La Crosse, his only top five of the season. His only other top ten was at Phoenix, where he placed 8th. Raines would earn a finish of 15th in the point standings, getting beaten by four points by teammate Julee Merrick, and only beating the other Peak Motorsports car, the 13 by two points, despite it being split amoungst two rookies.

Andy Raines would remain consistent in 2008, finishing 15th in the standings for the second year in a row, this time beating out teammate Naoki Hattori by two positons. Raines would earn two top five finishes, his most in a season since 2004. This would help Raines sign a three year contract after season's end, expiring after the 2011 season. Andy Raines was again consistent in 2009, but the analysits prefered the word stagnant. Scoring one less top ten, and finishing once again 15th in the points, Raines showed the same amount of speed he did in 2007 and 2008, while everyone else in a Peak car that year showed much more speed in 2009.

Raines would finish pooror in the 2010 season, finishing 17th on the year, his worst result of his career. Raines would only earn a single top ten, and only five top fifteens. In a contract year, he was moved to a newly created 14 car for Peak, to race eight races for them, and four races in a Borland car, in an effort to bring some life back into him.

#### Elle Webb (2011-)

Webb would have a decent 2011 season in her first season with Peak Motorsports, earning a 15th place finish in the points, with two top tens, resigning with Peak Motorsports for two years.

## AARL Two Series History

### Car Number 12 History

#### Lance Miller (2009)

While driving the 12 in AARL One for 10 races, Lance Miller would run the full season in AARL Two. He would earn five top tens, and two top fives, finishing a strong 5th in the standings, beating his teammate, Kenny Kierkendorf by a single position.

#### Matt Moon (2010-)

Matt Moon would have a respectable rookie season, finishing inside the top ten twice, and earning seven top fifteens. Moon would finish 10th in the point standings, earning himself a contract extension for the 2011 season. For Moon's 2011 season, he would earn nine top fifteens, en route to finishing 8th in the point standings, earning himself a two year extension.

### Car Number 13 History

#### Kenny Kierkendorf (2009)

Rookie Kenny Kierkendorf raced for Peak Motorsports in AARL Two's inagural season, earning four top tens, but failing to finish inside of the top five. Kierkendorf would finish 6th in the point standings, however, and sign a two year deal with Peak Motorsports, and was moved over to alliance member Borland Racing to drive the 45 in the 2010 AARL Two Season.

#### Hauati Pututau (2011-)

Hauati Pututau was signed to Peak Motorsports for the 2011 season after his rookie season with Dodge Development. Pututau would have a solid year, finishing 9th, a position behind his teammate.