Apex Racing School Rookie Shootout pre-race

Every car entered for the Smash Beer 200 at USA International will compete in this race. The only exception is Radomir Stanoytchev in the #28 for RUS Autosport; he will not run the 200.

Ex TM Lights driver Jim Hayes, in his first full-time season for Tom Delgado Racing, drew the pole for the fifth annual Apex Racing School Rookie Shootout.

ASCC regular Joe Olenick, driving for the newly-founded George Martin Racing, will start on the outside of the front row. Aaron Singer is certain to provide a few scares at the start of the race, as he drew the third position after being well off the pace in the few races that he competed in during 2012.

Full Lineup:

Robert Leckliter draws 6th place for the Rookie Shootout

It wasn't what he expected, But Leckliter was more than ecstatic about it.

"Bang! I make it look easy, I'm not even winded!"

Meanwhile, the elder brother wasn't pleased.

"28th? Fuck."

Kinasa gets a decent draw for the Rookie Shootout

Groves Racing makes it return to ARLA competition since Scott Morales' fatal wreck at Orange County last fall. The driver in the car is former TM Lights/Tm Junior series driver and widow to Scott Morales, Andrea Kinasa.

"I'm ok with 11th. I just hope I do well."

Matthews seeks return to "normal"
The most tumultuous off-season in Ryan Matthews' career is almost over.

And for that, he's grateful.

"Can you blame me?" he joked after the draw for the Rookie Shootout starting lineup. "This has been such a horrible time for myself and the rest of the Matthews clan, so getting back into race mode is, for us, a return to normal. Well, as normal as it can get considering."

Matthews will begin his full-time ARLA career in the No. 116 Lenard - the same car his late wife Tiffany drove to a fifth-place finish in this same event last season.

"I forgot she did that well," Matthews said. "Well, it's something to shoot for, I guess. But at the same time I have to remember that this race doesn't really count towards the championship - points bonus or no. But I still want to do well - for her."