as Home-state Race Nears Says ‘Peace Rules’ Is a Dark Horse Much like Himself at Kentucky Speedway

CONCORD, NC (5-1-03) ø The Kentucky Derby is one of the biggest and most prestigious sporting events in the entire world.  It makes everyone from the ‘Bluegrass State’ and around the world stand up and take notice.

Kentuckian Jamie Mosley is no different.  Mosley, who is tied to the Derby through the Kentucky State Police and his love for horses, has already made his pick for this year’s 129th running of the famous race at Churchill Downs.  And he hopes his pick is an omen of the state’s next big race, the ARCA RE/MAX Series ‘Channel 5-205’ at Kentucky Speedway on May 10th.

‘We are going to put our money on Peace Rules this year,’ said London (KY) native Mosley, who has been a fan of the Derby for years and has made bets on the action a yearly tradition.  ‘He isn’t the favorite, but he isn’t a complete underdog either.  That horse has a chance to win if things go right.  That is a lot of how I look at myself next week at Kentucky Speedway.

‘I’ve always been for the underdog and I know that is what I am in the ARCA Series.  We are the dark horse against some very good teams, but I feel that if things go right for us and we put everything together like I know we can, we will be contenders.  I know we could be a top-10 or even top-five car.  And fans like to pull for the underdog, whether it is in the Kentucky Derby or ARCA Racing.  I know we will have a lot of people pulling for us and if we could pull off a good run, that would give those people such a good feeling.’

The Derby has always been a big part of Mosley’s life, but in recent years, he has fell behind the times with his racing career taking a more prominent role in his life.  However, he still follows the Derby through both his job and his personal relationships to those involved with the event.

‘I am not as involved in it like I used to be when I knew all the horses and everything about them.  I used to play on horses every day, but I don’t have the time because of the effort I am putting into this race team now.  I just follow it (the Derby) a week or so out now.  I also get to keep up with the events through the State Police Department.  It makes a very large impact on the economy and on the State Police Department because we send extra units up there to Louisville from all over the state,’ added Mosley, who is a Kentucky State Police Dispatcher.

There are a lot of similarities between the Derby and May 10th’s ARCA race at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta.

‘Even in horse racing, one guy wins and the rest of them lose,’ said Mosley.  ‘Outside of the racing aspect, there are a lot of similarities between the two events.  You always see the jockeys and the horses and trainers, much like in racing when you see a lot of the drivers, their cars and crew chiefs.  But there is a whole crew that prepares those horses just like we have a crew that prepares these racecars.  And just like drivers, I am sure the jockeys go through a routine and preparations before an event.’

Mosley hopes his pick of ‘Peace Rules’ in Saturday’s Derby will help shift some of the ‘underdog’ luck his way for the ARCA event.  Mosley is in the process of finishing up his brand new American Mortgage Lenders-Pepsi-Valvoline number-8 Pontiac for the event next Saturday.

The ‘Channel 5-205’ will be the second ARCA race of the 2003 season for Mosley and the second of his career at Kentucky Speedway (he finished 18th last year).  Qualifying for the race will be Friday, May 9th at 6 pm.  The 137-lap race is set to begin on Saturday, May 10th at 8 pm.  The race will be seen LIVE on Speed Channel as well as locally on Channel 5.

CONTACT:  Jeremy Troiano, 51 Sports

(704) 726-6849

sportsservices51@carolina.rr.com