MOORESVILLE, NC (Jan. 8, 2018) – One year ago, a newcomer to ARCA racing turned the head of every observer during the season opener at Daytona International Speedway. Virginia native Quin Houff came to the World Center of Racing and dominated a large portion of the 200-mile contest which kicks off Speedweeks.
An accident not of his doing wiped out Quin’s chance to win in 2017 and left him yearning for a chance to do it again. This February, he will return to the seat of a Mason Mitchell Motorsports Chevrolet at Daytona for the second consecutive year, attempting to replicate his performance from one year ago where he led over a quarter of the event.
Last year’s Daytona run set the stage for Houff to race in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with Precision Performance Motorsports for a handful of races, making his debut at Bristol Motor Speedway where he once again impressed industry experts with stout qualifying and race runs.
“I’m very excited to get back to Daytona with Mason Mitchell Motorsports,” said the 20-year old Houff. “Last year, we had a great showing and I look forward to having the opportunity to go back this year and try to close the deal. Anytime I get in a racecar it’s a blessing, so to have opportunities this year with Mason is something to be very thankful for.”
At PPM, Houff met crew chief Mark Setzer who guided him through his first year in the country’s second most popular form of motorsports. With PPM ceasing operations, Setzer found a new home at Mason Mitchell Motorsports. Given their past successes, both parties were thrilled to be given the opportunity to race together again.
“I am super excited to go learn more tracks and work on my experience at bigger tracks, and having Mark move over to MMM will only make the transition and learning curve that much easier because of our previous races together,” Quin commented. “I believe 100% in Mason, Mark and all of MMM. I look forward to working with them this season and can’t wait to have the chance to bring home wins for them.”
Setzer echoed Houff’s sentiments.
“I’m so excited for this opportunity with MMM, a proven, championship-winning team that wins races every year,” Setzer remarked. “I’m looking to do just that with Quin Houff as he makes his return to MMM for a second time at Daytona. I had the chance to work with Quin during some Xfinity races last year and now look forward to building upon that success.”
Houff will make at least three additional starts with Mason Mitchell Motorsports in 2018 including Charlotte, Michigan and the second Pocono race.
For team owner Mason Mitchell, this gives him yet another potent driver behind the wheel of his team’s Chevrolets. Providing a place for young talent to stay fresh while their careers are growing was also part of the reason he transitioned into an ownership role in the ARCA Racing Series after earning a driving title of his own in 2014.
”We really liked working with Quin last year and were happy to see his success in the NASCAR Xfinity Series,” team owner Mitchell said. “With Quin’s Xfinity team shutting down, he was looking for opportunities to continue to race and to do so competitively. We’re happy to give him the chance to continue to compete at a high level while waiting for other opportunities to develop in his career. I’m confident we will have good results and continue to showcase Quin’s talent for other owners who may be interested in racing with him at the higher levels.”