Rette Jones Racing and Kyle Steckly Ready to Make Some Noise in Music City
NASHVILLE, Tenn.: Practice makes perfect.
During a brief break from ASA STARS National Tour competition, Rette Jones Racing (RJR) and driver development standout Kyle Steckly are making the most of their downtime to fine-tune their Late Model program.
This week, the team prepared a pair of No. 30 Auto Parts Centres (APC) | Canusa Ford Mustangs and took to the track Thursday for a test session at Newport (Tenn.) Speedway.
Their efforts continue this weekend with a trip to Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville for the North-South Super Late Model Challenge 100, co-sanctioned by the ASA Southern Super Series and the Championship Racing Association (CRA), where they aim to secure their first win of the 2025 season.
Steckly, who broke through in ASA STARS competition last year with a thrilling win at Anderson (Ind.) Speedway en route to Rookie of the Year honors is hoping the extra seat time will help turn the tide after a challenging start to his 2025 campaign.
“We’ve had some ups and downs to start the year, but getting back to the basics and putting in the work at tracks like Newport and Nashville is what helps us improve,” said Steckly.
“This weekend is about getting better as a team, building momentum, and hopefully coming out with a strong finish — or even a win.”
When the ASA STARS National Tour resumes competition later this month, the RJR team will face a quick turnaround with two races in as many days, first at Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway on May 22, followed by a return to Tennessee for the Newport 300 presented by Appalachian Sucker Punch.
“The test at Newport went well,” added Steckly. “We spent the day working on several different components and adjustments. We know May is a critical month for us in ASA STARS competition, so I feel like this test was essential for us in our journey this year.
“Now, we can move to Nashville and see what we can do.”
There are no firm expectations for Nashville, but Steckly and his Mark Rette-led team are focused on making the most of the opportunity, especially against a stacked field of competitors.
“Obviously, we are going to win, that is our goal,” said Steckly. “But if the cards don’t align, we’re focused on delivering a strong finish for our partners, Auto Parts Centres and Canusa, and having some fun too.”
Team co-owner Rette echoed his driver’s outlook and emphasized the organization’s commitment to progress.
“The entire Rette Jones Racing team has put a lot of effort in this week, and I certainly appreciate it,” Rette offered. “We haven’t been where we wanted to be on the track, so we’re taking the necessary steps to put us in that position.
“The test went well at Newport, which will aid us in Nashville this weekend. We look forward to a strong and productive weekend for our No. 30 Auto Parts Centres (APC) | Canusa Ford Mustang.”
In addition to back-to-back APC United Late Model Series championships (2023 – 2024), Steckly’s accolades include seven APC United Late Model Series wins, the 2023 Grisdale Triple Crown Champion and Gold Rush 123 winner, along with multiple podium finishes in the NASCAR Canada Series.
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 2025 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.