Kyle Steckly; Rette Jones Racing Looking to Double Down in ASA STARS Doubleheader Weekend
MOORESVILLE, N.C.: The determination of the Rette Jones Racing team and ASA STARS National Tour rookie driver Kyle Steckly has never been fiercer.
Despite a setback in the most recent race at Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway, where a transmission issue forced them out of the hunt for their first career victory, the Rette Jones Racing team from Mooresville, N.C., remains undeterred, ready to bounce back stronger than ever.
Regrouped and refreshed, Steckly, a recent triumphant Late Model winner at Flamboro Speedway in Ontario, Canada, charges into a doubleheader ASA STARS National Tour weekend. His aim is not just to be resilient, but to seize the opportunity to propel his Rette Jones Racing team back into the championship hunt.
“I was thrilled to be in Victory Lane back home, it’s a feeling I want to replicate with our team. I have full confidence in our car and the speed we’ve shown in the last month,” Steckly shared. “Our aim this weekend is to stay out of trouble and deliver the finish we know our team is capable of.”
The team will open the weekend with Friday night racing at Madison International Speedway in Oregon, Wisc., for the Capital 200. Two days later, the series will cap off the weekend with a stop at the historic Milwaukee Mile in Milwaukee, Wisc., for the Father’s Day 100.
“It’s definitely going to be a busy weekend,” added Steckly. “But the Rette Jones Racing team is well prepared for it, and I will stay on top of the physical toll of three straight days of racing. I’m looking forward to an action-packed weekend with two strong finishes to carry us to Anderson Speedway next month.”
Steckly, the Canadian teenage sensation, may have yet to experience at Madison or The Milwaukee Mile. However, the son of former NASCAR Canada Series champion Scott Steckly is optimistic for the races ahead, drawing on his extensive short-track experience and the invaluable guidance of his crew chief and co-team, Mark Rette, to pave his path to success.
His optimism is infectious, filling the team and fans with hope for the upcoming races.
“I’ve never been to Madison or Milwaukee, it’s going to be tough for sure,” continued Steckly. “But I’ve watched lots of past races and done some iRacing at Milwaukee to be prepared the best I can be.
“I know Mark (Rette, crew chief and co-team owner) and the team will give me fast cars both days so I just need to adapt quickly and use practice to our advantage.”
Losing some points at Hickory, the doubleheader this weekend will mark the halfway point of the 2024 season.
Exiting The Milwaukee Mile on Sunday, Steckly hopes his Rette Jones Racing team is able to acquire some much-needed points and give his No. 30 Rette Jones Racing Ford Mustang the momentum they need for the second half of the ASA STARS National Tour Series season.
“It’s been a frustrating start to our season,” mentioned Steckly. “But the results don’t show the growth we have made and speed we have in our APC No. 30 APC Ford.
“Going to head into the Wisconsin swing with the past behind us and focusing on a couple of good results to turn our season around.”
Desperate to give his team a reason to celebrate, the performance of his team from Hickory Motor Speedway last month gives the early indication to Steckly that his team should be able to deliver the same speed that showcased at Hickory and put his RJR looking out the windshield instead of worrying about getting farther and farther behind.
“I think there’s no reason we shouldn’t be inside the top five in both races this weekend. We have been building speed, working well together and getting better.
“I’m excited to see what we can do.”
With their sights set on victory, the team led by former ARCA championship crew chief Mark Rette is confident they can find themselves in the hunt for the win on Friday and Sunday. Their efforts in 2024 have been commendable, and they are ready to prove their mettle again.
“Hickory was just an inkling of what our Rette Jones Racing team is capable of,” reassured Rette. “Kyle’s unwavering positive attitude is a testament to his character. He adapts remarkably well to a new racing tour with fresh faces and dynamically different race tracks.
“He does not have any experience at Madison or The Milwaukee Mile, that does not worry. He has been able to show time and time again that he has the ability to catch on quickly to a track’s characteristics and such, and that will make our job a lot easier as we adjust on our No. 30 Ford Mustang throughout the day.
“I think that tracks like Madison and The Milwaukee Mile will play into his wheelhouse. Much like New Smyrna in February, it will be stacked fields this weekend, but Kyle has learned so much over the past five months that we can unload and immediately have that speed to put near the front of the field.
“We’re coming to Madison and Milwaukee to win, but we also want to go to the race and earn some much-needed points to keep us alive in this championship fight. Kyle has been doing a lot of racing since March, putting us in a great space overall.”
Auto Parts Centres (APC) | Canusa will be the primary marketing partner for Steckly’s full ASA STARS season aboard the No. 30 Ford Mustang.
APC Auto Parts Centres | Canusa is a family-owned automotive parts business started in 1981 with over 50 branches stretching across Ontario. APC’s target market is purely trade-based, supplying garages, specialty installers, dealerships, and muffler shops throughout the province.
Auto Parts Centres takes full advantage of the marketing power of motorsports by sponsoring numerous race cars and speedways around the province. APC is the proud title sponsor in the APC Pro Late Model Touring Series that has been recognized as one of Canada’s top series.
In addition to his 2023 APC United Late Model Series championship, Steckly’s accolades include two APC United Late Model Series wins, the 2023 Grisdale Triple Crown Champion and Gold Rush 123 winner, second-place at Oshweken Speedway with the NASCAR Canada Series on dirt, and winning the pole in the 2023 season finale Pinty’s Fall Brawl at Delaware Speedway in Delaware, Ont.
Those unable to attend the Father’s Day Double Header Weekend can watch live coverage online at TrackTV.com.
For more on Kyle Steckly, like him on Facebook (Kyle Steckly Racing) and follow him on Instagram (@kyle_steckly) and X | Twitter (@KyleSteckly).
For more on Rette Jones Racing, please visit RetteJonesRacing.com, like them on Facebook (Rette Jones Racing), or follow them on Instagram (@RetteJones30) and X | Twitter (@RetteJones30).
About Auto Parts Centres (APC) | Canusa:
Auto Parts Centres (APC) | Canusa is a family-owned automotive parts business started in 1981 with over 65 branches stretching across Ontario. APC’s target market is purely trade-based, supplying garages, specialty installers, dealerships, and muffler shops throughout the province.
Auto Parts Centres takes full advantage of the marketing power of motorsports by sponsoring numerous race cars and speedways around the province. APC is the proud title sponsor in the APC Pro Late Model Touring Series that has been recognized as one of Canada’s top series.
About Rette Jones Racing:
Headquartered in Mooresville, North Carolina, Rette Jones Racing (RJR) was founded in 2015 with the intent of building a successful racing operation built around the fundamentals of hard work and a never-give-up attitude.
Owned by racers Terry Jones and Mark Rette, RJR plans to field a full-time entry in 2024 in the ASA STARS National Tour Series while also planning to field vehicles in the ARCA Menards Series platform and NASCAR respectively.
Rette Jones Racing also offers technical and setup intel as part of its technical alliance partnership program.