Tim Richmond Memorial ARCA 200 presented by National Speed Sport News Fast Facts
ARCA RE/MAX Series Race No. 9, Tim Richmond Memorial ARCA 200 presented by National Speed Sport News, Mansfield Motorsports Park, Mansfield, Ohio
Race Information:
Event: Tim Richmond Memorial ARCA 200 presented by National Speed Sport News, Saturday, June 20 at 8:30 p.m. Local Time Track: Mansfield Motorsports Park Qualifying: Saturday, June 20 at 5:00 p.m. Local Time; Track Length: .5-mile paved-oval.Michigan Recap: Veteran ARCA RE/MAX Series driver Patrick Sheltra appeared to be well on his way to his fourth top-five finish of the 2009 ARCA RE/MAX Series season last Friday afternoon at Michigan International Speedway before engine problems hampered the team for a second time in 2009. Debuting in the No. 60 Buffalo Wings & Rings TOYOTA Camry, Sheltra finished a disappointing 33rd.
Welcome To Mansfield: For the first time in his ARCA RE/MAX Series career, Indiantown, Florida native Patrick Sheltra will join the rest of his ARCA colleagues for the inaugural ARCA event held at the Central Ohio short track. Saturday night’s Tim Richmond Memorial ARCA 200 presented by National Speed Sport News was a late addition to the ARCA schedule after the Music City Motorplex (Nashville, Tenn.) ironically scheduled for June 20 was dropped from the 2009 lineup.
On Top Of His Game: To better prepare himself and his team for Saturday night’s Tim Richmond Memorial ARCA 200 presented by National Speed Sport News, Patrick Sheltra and his Sheltra Motorsports team participated in a private test at Mansfield Motorsports Park on Monday. Sheltra and his posse spent seven hours familiarizing themselves with the track; hoping to find the upper-hand that will better them for the ninth installment on the 2009 ARCA RE/MAX Series schedule.
Check That: The Sheltra Motorsports team made an adjustment to their 2009 ARCA RE/MAX Series testing schedule this week by electing to participate in the open test at Iowa Speedway on Tuesday, June 30th. Sheltra has two starts at the Newton, Iowa facility and posted a top-10 finish in last year’s event.
Watcha Haulin?: Crew Chief John Hayden has elected to bring Sheltra chassis number 6 this weekend at Mansfield Motorsports Park. This is the same piece the team finished second with at Rockingham Speedway in April. The team converted the former Joe Gibbs Racing chassis from a Chevrolet to a Dodge Charger during the off-season. It will be run for the third time in Sheltra’s career. Chassis number 5 will serve as the team’s back-up automobile. That former Joe Gibbs Racing entry is the same automobile that Sheltra rocketed to his first victory at Salem Speedway in April.
Points Check: After round eight on the 2009 ARCA RE/MAX Series schedule, Patrick Sheltra sits sixth in the championship standings accumulating 1500 points. Just 75 points keeps Sheltra from the fifth position. Sheltra is 375 markers from the top-spot. Car owner Grace Sheltra sits eighth in the car owner standings.
Keeping The Streak Alive: For 31 consecutive races, Sheltra Motorsports has fielded a car for Patrick Sheltra that run in the top-10 (at one point or another) for all events reverting back to the 2007 ARCA RE/MAX 250 at Talladega Superspeedway. The team added their 31st race at Michigan International Speedway despite losing an engine. During this period, the team has amassed one win, seven top-fives and 13 top-10 finishes. The team’s best qualifying effort occurred at Rockingham Speedway in April where Sheltra awarded himself with a career best run of third. The team has led five races at Rockingham Speedway (2009), Salem Speedway (2009) Kansas Speedway (2008), Cayuga Motor Speedway (2008), and Talladega Superspeedway (2008), for a total of 109 laps.
The Ultimate Hunting Experience: Sheltra Motorsports wants to give a race fan an ultimate opportunity to join Patrick Sheltra or Sheltra Motorsports dirt driver Shannon Babb a chance at a paramount moment to hunt with either driver at Patrick Sheltra’s hunting ranch in Dryden, Texas. The best part, all expenses paid! Race fans will have the entire ARCA season to enter the contest with the winner being announced in the ARCA RE/MAX Series finale at Rockingham Speedway in October. Visit HuntingExtravangza.com for more details.
This Is The People’s Car: In an effort to bring race fans closer to the Sheltra Motorsports team, the team is full throttle with their Peoples Car promotion. Race fans will have the opportunity to have their name plastered on the No. 60 for the rest of the ARCA RE/MAX Series season. In addition, each time a fan joins the People’s Car their name will be tossed into a drawing for an-all expensed paid trip (minus lodging expenses) to the 2009 ARCA RE/MAX Series season finale at Rockingham Speedway. The lucky fan will be an honorary member of the Sheltra Motorsports team plus enjoy a few little surprises the team has spiced up for the lucky winner. Stay tuned to PatrickSheltra.com or ThePeoplesCars.com for all the details.
Vote Him Your Favorite Driver: Race fans can vote Patrick Sheltra as the 2009 ARCA RE/MAX Series most popular driver by visiting ARCANation.com. From now until the end of the season, race fans can click on to ARCA’s official fan-related web site and vote once a day for their favorite ARCA RE/MAX Series driver. The winner will be announced at the ARCA RE/MAX Series Championship Awards Banquet in Covington, Kentucky this December. If you’re an ARCA Nation member your vote counts twice per day for one driver. If you’re a non-ARCA Nation member, your vote counts only once. Sign up today at ARCANation.com and vote for Patrick Sheltra!
On Michigan International Speedway:
“Obviously, we had high hopes of a good finish in our TOYOTA Camry debut but it wasn’t meant to be. The car wasn’t perfect but we made it better in practice and it was a top-five contending car for sure in the race. We’ll just have to put this race in the rear-view mirror and move on.”On Mansfield Motorsports Park: “I’m actually looking forward to the race this weekend. I’m a big fan of short track racing, if people didn’t already know. I think our car is going to be stable enough to put us in victory lane on Saturday night.”
On The Private Mansfield Motorsports Test: “I’m really glad that we went. We learned a lot and I was able to get some much needed track time. Anytime you can go to a place you’ve never been before and get some laps before the actual race week is a benefit. I think that testing will pay off for us on Saturday.”
On The Upcoming Test At Iowa: “We’ve been good at Iowa but not great. That’s why we are going to test. The championship is not going to be an easy reach, so if we are going to make a serious run at it, we have to use all the avenues available to us. I like Iowa Speedway and it’s our intention to leave there feeling good about our race setup.”
On The Point Standings: “We took a hit but we are not sunk again. Justin Allgaier came back last year from a huge defect and won the championship. It could happen for a second straight year. We just have to go out there and give it our all and hope the points will climb us up the ladder.”
Sheltra Motorsports, Mansfield Motorsports Park: Grace Sheltra, owner of the No. 60 Buffalo Wings & Rings Dodge Charger:
On Michigan: “It surely wasn’t the run we were looking for but you cannot fault anyone. It was a mechanical failure. I’m proud of my guys and Patrick for their hard work and endless efforts at Michigan, we’ll bounce back.”
On Mansfield: “Patrick loves these short tracks. It’s his niche. I know he was pretty happy after the test on Monday, so I think our chances for an impressive rebound from Michigan are looking better than ever.”
On The Addition Of Iowa To The 2009 Testing Schedule: “Our marketing partners deserve a championship. Patrick deserves to be number one and our guys have earned the right to be sitting at that number one table. If we’re going to make all those dreams become a reality we have to step it up and test whenever possible.”
PRIOR RESULTS:
Patrick Sheltra, Mansfield Motorsports Park Prior ARCA Performance Record:
No prior ARCA RE/MAX Series starts at Mansfield Motorsports Park.
The Tim Richmond Memorial ARCA 200 presented by National Speed Sport News (200 laps / 100 miles) is the ninth of 21 events on the 2009 ARCA RE/MAX Series schedule. The first ever ARCA race at Mansfield Motorsports Park is a one-day show. Practice begins Saturday June 20 with an hour and half practice session planned from 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Menards Pole by Ansell qualifying is set for later in the day slated to begin at 5:00 p.m. The event will take the green flag shortly after 8:30 p.m. The event will not be televised however flag-to-flag coverage will be broadcasted live through the ARCA Racing Network (ARN) online at arcaracing.com. All times are local.
Fast Links:
Driver / Team: Patrick Sheltra on the web: PatrickSheltra.com
Marketing Partner: Buffalo Wings & Rings on the web: BuffaloWingsandRings.com
Sanction: ARCA RE/MAX Series: ARCARacing.com
About Sheltra Motorsports: Sheltra Motorsports (sheltramotorsports.com) is a three-tier Motorsports operation consisting of dirt and asphalt competition. Patrick Sheltra, a 23-year old native of Indiantown, Florida competes in the UMP and WoO (Dirt) Series; while also running a full schedule in the ARCA RE/MAX Series (No. 60) and a limited schedule in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Sheltra Motorsports ownership is combined of Richard, Grace and Patrick Sheltra. The team is headquartered in Indiantown, Florida with additional operations in Richmond, Indiana and Whitesville, Kentucky. - Sheltra Motorsports Press Release