“I am so proud of these guys on this College Complete team. We battled with the truck a little bit out there. It was pretty aero tight. We made a few adjustments and it helped a little bit. For some reason
I was off just a small amount on a few of those restarts, but we’ll take seventh. You know it’s a good day when you are upset about a top-10,” Lofton said.

Lofton began his visit in Kansas early, spending the day Thursday at Fort Riley Army base. The visit was Lofton’s third in as many years. This time, he brought along his entire No. 6 College Complete Eddie Sharp Racing (ESR) team. On Saturday, Lofton was joined by two dozen soldiers from Fort
Riley for the 167-lap race. Knowing that many of the soldiers who were on hand had just returned
from a deployment overseas, Lofton was motivated to bring home a strong run for them.

Once the green flag waved at the 1.5-mile Kansas track, it took only two laps for the field to see a
caution flag. On lap 37, the yellow was out again, allowing Lofton to make his first pit stop of the
race. He pulled down pit road to the attention of his College Complete team for four tires, fuel, and a
spring rubber adjustment. The No. 6 team pulled into the pits in fifth, and after a solid stop, rejoined
the race in fifth.

As the race went on, the only complaint Lofton had was that his Chevrolet seemed to be riding a
little rough on the right side, noting that the truck was battling an aero-tight condition.

With just under 100 laps left to run, Bormann called him down pit road for another pit stop. After
pulling back on track however, the yellow flag waved, putting Lofton 13thfor the restart.

Less than six laps later, he had muscled his way back into the top-10. The California racer
continued his charge until being called down pit road once they hit their fuel window 17 laps from
the finish. Bormann opted for two tires only, sending Lofton back on track in 14th.

As the stops cycled through the field and the laps clicked down, Lofton wheeled his way into the
seventh position. The result gave him his fourth straight top-10 finish. Just four races into the 2012
season, Lofton has already surpassed his top-10 count from 2011. He is currently third in the driver
point standings, 11 points out of the top spot.

Lofton and his College Complete ESR team will observe a few off weeks in truck competition before
returning to the track at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 18th.

Lofton however, will not be too far from a race vehicle, as he plans on running two off-road events
in his No. 77 class 1500 General Tire / College Complete buggy.

To follow Lofton’s racing endeavors, whether it’s on asphalt or in the desert, follow him on Twitter
@jlracing.

“I am so excited about the position we are in. It’s early, but I can’t say enough about this College Complete team,” Lofton said. “I like Kansas, and we are taking one of my favorite trucks. I’m really looking forward to this one.”

Lofton has two previous NCWTS starts at the 1.5-mile Kansas Speedway, with a best finish of 13th. Last season, he logged his first competitive laps led within a NASCAR race, leading the truck field for seven laps. Additionally, Lofton started the 2009 ARCA Racing Series event at Kansas from the pole, led a
dozen laps, and crossed the finish line in the second position.

This week he will be racing chassis 060 out of the Eddie Sharp Racing (ESR) stable. Last season, Lofton raced the truck at Kentucky and Las Vegas, notching a best qualifying effort of fifth and finish of 11th.

In addition to the momentum that is on the No. 6 team’s side, they will also have a few extra fans cheering them on during Saturday’s event. Lofton, crew chief Dan Bormann, and the entire College Complete team will make the trip to Kansas a little early in order to visit soldiers at Fort Riley. Following the Thursday meet and greet with the service members and their families, many of them will attend the race.

“I have been waiting since the Kansas race last year to come back,” Lofton said. “I’ve made a lot of good friends at Fort Riley. This will be my third visit, and each time I enjoy it just as much as the first. It’s a lot of fun to meet everyone and thank them for what they do for us. I’m really looking forward to it, and I
plan on putting on a good show for them on Saturday.”

“I am beyond anxious for this week’s visit to Fort Riley. I always enjoy going there and meeting with the soldiers. To have the opportunity to spend time with them and thank them for their service is
immeasurable,” Lofton said.

“The guys on the team are really excited about it, too. It’s going to be a lot of fun. We’re taking the truck we are going to race on Saturday. Everyone at Fort Riley can come over, check out the truck, ask the guys any questions they might have about the mechanics of it. That’s different, and definitely a step outside the norm of just taking a show truck.”

Lofton made his first visit to Fort Riley in 2010, and spent much of his time with the 1st Brigade,
1st Infantry Division. During his return visit in 2011, many of the soldiers he had met the year prior
were deployed overseas. As Lofton readies for his 2012 visit, he is looking forward to seeing some
of his old friends.

“We stayed in touch with a lot of those guys on Facebook and Twitter,” Lofton said. “For a while,
you wouldn’t hear from some of them. But it was good to see a post every now and then because we
knew they were back and okay. Some of the guys I met have moved or retired, but we still stay in
touch.”

Lofton, crew chief Dan Bormann, and the rest of the College Complete team will be on hand
throughout the morning on Thursday at Fort Riley, showing off their race truck, signing autographs,
and talking racing with service members and their families. On Saturday, many will make the
roughly two-hour drive and attend the SFP 250 at Kansas Speedway.

Representatives from Lofton’s sponsors, College Complete and JoinAPS, will also be on hand for
Thursday’s activities and are looking forward to the visit. College Complete embraces the role
of military men and women, and is accustomed to working with them on a day-to-day basis,
structuring their needs around their schedules.

“We work with hundreds of students – civilians and veterans – every day that are looking to
build a future for themselves and their families,” says Jason Shatzkamer, President of College
Complete. “For our active and former servicemen and women this decision can become even more
complex. College Complete provides guidance to these veterans to ensure they’re working with
military friendly institutions, and hopefully reduce both the time it takes to complete their degree,
and also the cost.”

While College Complete is used to assisting in long-term goals, this Thursday, the focus of the team

will shift to showcasing appreciation and support for all of the hard work of the service men and
woman at Fort Riley.

“They do so much for us every day,” Lofton added. “To be able to let them into our world for a
while, show them the truck and bring them out to the track, it doesn’t feel like enough. But I’ll tell
you what; I’ve met some of the biggest race fans by coming here over the last three years. I am
really looking forward to this week.”

“That was 200 laps of focus,” Lofton said after climbing from his No. 6 College Complete Chevrolet
Silverado. “We came into the weekend wanting to survive, because we knew what a tough track
Rockingham is. To come away with another top-10 is great. We battled the tires all day out there, and at
times I felt like the truck was a handful. We didn’t get a chance to look it over and figure out why until
after the race.”

Lofton, who celebrated his ARCA Racing Series championship at Rockingham in 2009, approached the
200-lap race with the mindset of racing the race track, knowing that the abrasive surface would abuse
the tires.

By lap 25, he had raced his way into the top-10. While running in the ninth position, the California racer
relayed that the truck was beginning to lose grip. His first opportunity for relief came on lap 63 under
a caution flag. His College Complete team swapped out tires, added fuel, and made an adjustment in
order to help him around the 1.017-mile track.

Lofton maintained his position within the top-10 as the race saw an extended green flag run through the
halfway mark of the race.

On lap 114, he showed in the 11th position, the last truck on the lead lap. At that point, Lofton radioed
to his team that the right front felt “loaded up.”

Seven laps later, he got another chance to drop down pit road in order to get new tires, fuel, and yet
another adjustment.

Back on track, Lofton muscled his machine around the challenging track, noting that his College
Complete Chevrolet handled better at the start of a run, but fell off quickly. Fighting what he believed
at the time to be a combination of tire wear and a loose condition, Lofton relayed to crew chief Dan
Bormann with just 40 laps left to run, “The only thing I can say about this truck is that it is evil.”

Laps later, the yellow flag waved for the fourth and final time during the race, allowing Lofton and
the College Complete team the ability to swap out tires for the final run to the finish. With the restart
waving 20 laps from the finish, Lofton lined up for the final time from the 10th spot.

He held the position through the finish, crossing the stripe in 10th, giving him his third consecutive top-
10 run of the 2012 season.

After the race, the team discovered that the right front lower control arm was bent. The diagnosis

explained why Lofton felt the right front was weighed down, and why the adjustments throughout the
race didn’t do much to remedy the problem.

“That was something we had no way of noticing during the race,” Lofton said. “I’m so glad it held up for
me. I’m a little tired after battling the truck and the track today, but that was a lot of fun. I’m happy to
be back at The Rock and leave with a good finish,” Lofton added.

Lofton now shows second in the driver point standings, just six points out of the top spot.

The next race for Lofton and the ESR College Complete team will be next Saturday at the Kansas
Speedway on April 21st.

Lofton after he celebrated the ARCA Racing Series championship at “The Rock” in 2009.

“Rockingham is such a special place to me. The history it holds within our sport means a lot, but the fact that I ended the 2009season celebrating my first stock car championship there, makes it even more special,” Lofton said. “It is a fun track. You’re on the edge every lap. It is a great place to watch a race, but even more special to race. It’s what racing is about. I can’t say enough about how excited I am that The Rock is back on the schedule.”

Just like in 2009, Lofton will be piloting a No. 6 entry for Eddie Sharp Racing (ESR) as he wheels the No. 6 College Complete ( 877-543-2655) Chevrolet within the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS). The event, the Good Sam Roadside Assistance 200 Presented by Cheerwine, marks first NASCAR race at the 1.017-mile track since 2004.

Though this week will be his first in a truck at the track, Lofton has raced at “The Rock” three times within ARCA competition. He has started each event out strong, showing starting positions of third, fifth, and second. The most important run at the eastern North Carolina track in October of 2009 provided the most challenges.

Entering the race Lofton had a small 15-point lead over Parker Kligerman in the championship standings. After qualifying second, Lofton’s crew swapped out engines, dropping him to the rear of the 41-car field. He maneuvered his way through the field making moves he may have second guessed had the championship not been on the line. When it was all said and done, Kligerman took the checkered flag, but Lofton took the championship trophy courtesyof a third place finish. He wrapped up the championship with a narrow five-point margin over Kligerman. He ended the year with six race wins, 15 top-fives, and 19 top-10s spanning 21 races.

After the first two races of the 2012 NCWTS schedule, Lofton is in a familiar position near the top of the point standings. He has finished third and fourth in the first two events at Daytona and Martinsville in the No. 6 College Complete, Chevrolet, leaving him tied for second entering the Rockingham race.This week, he will be racing chassis 049 for the first time. ESR acquired the truck from Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI). It was last raced at Michigan International Speedway last summer and tallied a 16th place finish.

“We’ve had a great season so far. I can’t say enough about my crew chief Dan Bormann and all of the guys on the No. 6 College Complete Chevrolet,” Lofton added. “To go from no top-fives last year, to two in our first two races – this is where we should be running. I’m anxious to get to Rockingham and keep going.”

The Good Sam Roadside Assistance 200 Presented by Cheerwine is set for Sunday, April 15th at 1 PM eastern. Fans attending the Rockingham race weekend can stop by ThunderFest in downtown Rockingham on Friday, April 13th from 7 to 8 PM to meet Lofton, the 2009 ARCA champ and current NCWTS contender.

“I am so proud of the guys on this College Complete team. Dan (Bormann, crew chief) followed great strategy and our pit crew picked up positions in the pits every time. It was a lot of fun out there. The truck was dialed in and I can’t thank all of the guys enough for the hard work in preparing this College Complete Chevrolet Silverado,” Lofton said.

Lofton turned his first laps of the week during two practice sessions at the paper-clip shaped Martinsville short track on Friday. The No. 6 College Complete Chevrolet showed eighth in the first session, and fifth in the second session. On Saturday, rain delayed the start of qualifying temporarily, but once underway, Lofton again found his way to the top of the speed chart by qualifying sixth for the Kroger 250.

Once the green flag waved, Lofton maintained a seventh place run through his first pit stop of the day on lap 77. At that point in the race, Lofton noted that his College Complete Chevrolet needed help in the center. After getting an air pressure adjustment on his four new tires, Lofton rejoined the race in sixth.

As the race hit the halfway mark on lap 125, Lofton maintained the sixth position. Within laps, he picked up another spot, re-entering the top-five.

40 laps later, Lofton drove his College Complete Chevrolet down pit road for the team’s second pit stop of the day. Again, Lofton added that he needed a bit of help through the center. After another tire change, the crew sent him back on track in the fourth spot. The team made two pit stops throughout the race and both times Lofton’s over the wall crew gained positions.

Shortly after the restart, Lofton made good use of his fresh tires and wheeled his way to third. He muscled his way around the half-mile Virginia short track within the top-five through the remainder of the race.

With 40 laps left to run, Lofton radioed to his crew that he felt as though the brakes were fading in his No. 6 College Complete Chevrolet due to the constant braking around the dicey short track.

Two more caution flags waved as the laps clicked down. A late race caution flag with less than 15 to go gave the field a six-lap run to the finish. Lofton took the final restart from the fourth spot and showcased the speed in his machine and his talent as he drove home to his second top-five finish in as many races.

“I am really happy to leave Martinsville with a top-five. I’ve had decent runs here before, but always seemed to get caught up in something. Today, everything hit just right and we got a good finish,” Lofton added. “To get such good runs at Daytona and Martinsville, tracks that are hit or miss and really tough, it sets a good tone for our season.”

Lofton and the College Complete team will observe an off week in competition before heading to Rockingham Speedway on April 15th.

 ###

Lofton and his Dan Bormann led team kicked off the 2012 season strong in Daytona last month, scoring a solid third place finish,  setting the theme for the season. The finish equaled Lofton’s career-best showing, and gave Bormann his highest finish to date as crew chief.

 ”Daytona was big for us and it was really hard to not run another truck race since,” Lofton said. “I passed the time in California, got my tonsils removed, and raced in the Mint 400 last weekend. But I am definitely ready to get back in the College Complete Chevrolet.”

With some time on his hands in between the first two Truck Series events, Lofton opted to return home to his native California in order to focus on his health before returning to the seat of his No. 77 unlimited buggy for the legendary Mint 400 in Nevada. After starting the event from 23rd  last Saturday, Lofton wheeled his way to an impressive third place finish.

With the NCWTS resuming this week, Lofton will transition from the 92-mile rugged desert terrain that he ran last weekend to a .526-mile short track.

He enters the Kroger 250 event weekend with four previous starts at the paperclip-shaped half-mile short track under his belt. Last year, the 26-year-old qualified for both events within the top-10 in the eighth position. Unfortunately, he has faced the challenges of short track racing, leaving him with a best finish of 13th.

“I am really excited about this race. The guys have been working really hard on our College Complete Chevrolet, and I always like racing at Martinsville. It’s  matter of track position, and I feel like we have a good shot at running up front all weekend.”

Lofton, crew chief Dan Bormann, and the rest of the No. 6 College Complete Chevrolet team will see two practice sessions on Friday at Martinsville, followed by qualifying and the Kroger 250 on Saturday, March 31st at 1:30 PM Eastern time.

  ###

“To finish third in our class and seventh overall is pretty good after the start we had,” Lofton said. “We had a few different battles mixed in there but we still came out pretty good.”

The “Great American Off-Road Race,” Mint 400, which began in 1967, was sponsored by Lofton’s No.77 class 1500 unlimited buggy co-sponsor General Tire, and is one of the most historic events in off-road racing. With a four-lap run on the treacherous 92-mile course making up the race, Lofton first strapped in on Thursday for his time trials run.

Just half of a mile in however, the right rear tire suffered a puncture, forcing Lofton to limp his way to a 23rd place starting position.

Once underway for the race on Saturday, the starting spot didn’t matter. Lofton got a good jump off the line and got down to business.

On the second lap, Lofton had climbed his way to 12th overall, with a seventh place showing in the buggy class. However, under the team’s pit stop, some crossed threads with some lug nuts cost them a position.

With the event at halfway, Lofton began to notice an issue with his General Tire / College Complete entry, but at the time, he wasn’t sure what it was. So, he did what all racers do and kept his focus. Though the dust and slow traffic slowed his drive a bit over the final two laps, he maneuvered his way across the bumpy terrain to finish seventh overall, and third in the unlimited buggy class.

“We broke the rear sway bar sometime between the second and third lap,” Lofton said. “The car started acting funny but we didn’t know what it was. We had a good run with a few hiccups out there. But that’s what’s great about desert racing, it’s so unpredictable.”

In addition to primary co-sponsors General Tire and College Complete , who also serves as primary sponsor on his No. 6 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) Chevrolet, the No. 77 unlimited buggy had support during the General Tire Mint 400 from MasterCraft, Fox Racing Shocks, Fortin Racing Inc., Dougan Racing Engines, and Rusty’s Motor Car Inc.

With the Mint 400 behind him, Lofton will return to North Carolina on Monday and ready for the next NASCAR Truck Series race, the Kroger 250, at Martinsville Speedway on Saturday, March 31st.

Follow Lofton during his 2012 racing endeavors on Twitter and Facebook @jlracing, and at LoftonRacing.com.

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Justin Lofton Off-Road College Complete

“I am so happy this week is finally here. We tested the other day and we are really fast. The Mint is a historic race, and it would mean a lot to get the win in the buggy class,” Lofton said. “It’s a really special race because my co-sponsor General Tire is also sponsoring the race, so we are going to give it everything we have out there.”

Since its inception in 1967, the Mint 400 has been one of the most storied events in off-road racing competition, with many competitors calling it one of the roughest and toughest courses on the schedule.

Lofton will drive the rough and tough 92-mile course four times. Jorge Lameda will be along for the ride, serving as Lofton’s navigator.

Lofton, who started his racing career on mountain bikes, transitioned to off-road machines in 2004. He collected numerous event class wins before moving to stock cars. However, the dusty desert continues to beckon the 26-year-old and in December following the 2011 NASCAR season, Lofton earned the Henderson 250 win, dominating the buggy class with nearly a 20-minute lead.

Fortunately for Lofton, with numerous breaks in the NASCAR Truck Series schedule this year, he was able to also add seven off-road events on his calendar, including this week’s run in Jean.

In addition to primary co-sponsors General Tire and College Complete, who also serves as primary sponsor on his No. 6 NCWTS Chevrolet, the No. 77 unlimited buggy will also have support during the General Tire Mint 400 from MasterCraft, Fox Racing Shocks, Fortin Racing Inc., Dougan Racing Engines, and Rusty’s Motor Car Inc.

Activities for the General Tire Mint 400 kick off Wednesday night with a parade on Fremont Street. Lofton will be participating in the driver autograph session at the Fremont Street Experience from 8 to 9:30 PM local time.  For fans unable to make the Wednesday night event, they can stop by Fremont East on Thursday from 5:30 to 7 PM. Lofton will participate in the meet and greet following time trials.

Lofton’s General Tire Mint 400 run in the No. 77 Class 1500 unlimited buggy is set for this Saturday, March 24th.

For more information on the General Tire Mint 400, visit www.themint400.com.

Watch the race and follow scoring on www.racetheworld.net.

Follow Justin’s run with weekend-long updates and photos on Twitter and Facebook @jlracing

###

Justin Lofton #3 at the Dayton Speedway 2012

“I am so proud of my crew chief Dan Bormann and all of the guys on this No. 6 College Complete Chevrolet team. Dan called a great race tonight with pit strategy, and we had a really good truck,” Lofton said. “I was pretty nervous out there. I felt like we weren’t going to make it on fuel with all of those cautions, but it all worked out. It feels good to start the season so strong.”

Initially, the team wasn’t sure what they would have to work with for the race after running less than 30 laps during both practice sessions on Thursday. After discovering a broken shock, the guys repaired Lofton’s machine, allowing him to qualify 15th for the NextEra Energy Resources 250 on Friday.

Once the green flag waved on the event, it didn’t take long for the California native to find a comfortable spot in the draft as he logged laps around the 2.5-mile superspeedway.

On lap 20, the team made their first pit stop of the night, allowing Bormann to lay the groundwork for the team’s strategy by calling for two right side tires and fuel. The team would pit a total of three times throughout the night, taking on fuel only during the other two stops.

Lofton did his part with keeping the track position, as he maneuvered his No. 6
College Complete Chevrolet through the draft like a veteran, maintaining a top-10 drive for the majority of the race.

Following a caution flag, Lofton lined up eighth with 10 laps remaining in the race.  However, intense racing and carnage forced the race into three attempts at a green-white-checkered  flag finish.

After taking the green for the final time from the fourth position, Lofton jockeyed for position, moving into third at the stripe. The result equaled his career best showing of third, previously scored at Dover during his rookie season in 2010.

Lofton, Bormann, and the rest of the College Complete ESR team will have a few weeks off from competition before the NCWTS schedule resumes at the Martinsville Speedway short track in Martinsville, Virginia on March 31st.