(LONG POND, Pa. - August 3, 2012) - Maryeve Dufault will return to ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards competition in this weekend's Pennsylvania ARCA 125, driving the No. 40 M5 Sports Entertainment/Descendo Fine Art Dodge for Carter 2 Motorsports.

Dufault, of Sorel, Quebec, made her ARCA debut in 2011 and earned one top-10 in her first year of stock car racing. She improved from her starting position in eight of the 15 races she contested and earned the CGS Imaging Hard Charger Award in two races. This weekend's race at Pocono will be her first in 2012.

"I am so excited to be back in the car, and I am very grateful for this opportunity," she said. "I had a competitive rookie year last year, I had a lot of good races, and I just can't wait to get back on the race track. It will be special to make my return at Pocono; it's one of my favorite tracks."

Two of Dufault's best performances last year came at Pocono. She qualified in the top 15 and finished 12th in her first race at Pocono and was hoping for a top-10 when she returned to the track later in the season. Dufault had a fast car and it looked like she would achieve her goal when she entered the pits for her first stop in the 10th position, but mechanical issues forced the team to jump-start the car, causing two excruciatingly long pit stops and forcing Dufault to the back of the 41-car field. 

She persevered, as she charged through the field twice to finish 13th at famed tri-oval.

"I love racing at Pocono," she said. "It has three fast corners, yet they are quite different from each other, and I enjoy the challenge. I'm anxious to get back in the car and try the new, smoother surface. It used to be quite bumpy and challenging. That's what I liked about it."

Dufault became the first Canadian female to compete in a NASCAR Nationwide Series race when she made her Nationwide debut at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal. Since her Nationwide debut, she moved to Mooresville, N.C. to continue the development of her stock car career.  

Recently, she has been fitness training with CrossFit Reebok, testing and filming performance driving videos for Fiat, and preparing for a television program which will air in November.  Dufault and Indy 500 winner Danny Sullivan are part of an expert panel that will judge the potential of virtual racers to become professional race car drivers.

From Team Release