Tomorrow at 6:24pm Eastern Standard Time, the 138th
running of the Run for the Roses will take place as the horses take the post
for the 2012 Kentucky Derby and the Chrysler Ram Truck brand is once again one
of the key sponsors for horse racing’s crown jewel.
In addition to having the Ram Truck brand proudly displayed
on the Kentucky Derby website over the past few months, Ram trucks will be
prominently featured in unqiue displays around the grounds as well as those trucks used to provide
services during the weekend’s races which are capped off by the 2012 Kentucky
Derby.
There will be a variety of 60
second Ram Truck commercials that run during the broadcast for the Kentucky
Derby along with all of the day’s televised races as well as signage in and
around the grounds at Churchill downs.There
is also a short segment slated by the folks at NBC Sports featuring the Ram
1500 and Ram 3500 Laramie Longhorn.
Those track officials who help to load the horses into their
positions in the starting gate for the 2012 Kentucky Derby will be sporting Ram
Truck brand apparel (which unfortunately could be rain gear) and for the
owners, jockeys and trainers the Ram brand will once again host the “Horsemen’s
Lounge”.This is an area for the race
teams and their jockeys to relax between the day’s races with television,
internet and refreshments along with more Ram branded displays for these
wealthy horse racing participants.
Horse racing fans can catch the early action from Churchill
Downs tomorrow from 11am to 4pm (all times Eastern Standard Time) on the NBC
Sports Network and the actual coverage of the Derby comes on the air at 5pm on
NBC with the main event set to begin at 6:24pm.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
Tomorrow at 6:24pm Eastern Standard Time, the 138th
