Catchfence

Stanley, NC 4/13/11- After a tough start through the first two races of the 2011 PASS South season, Andy Loden notched his season best finish of fifth in the big money event known simply as “The Race at North Wilkesboro”. While it wasn’t a win, to be the highest finishing PASS South regular out of the seventy-seven cars from across the United States and Canada that attempted the event, was indeed an accomplishment in its own form.

On Friday afternoon’s qualifying session Loden timed in as the eighth fastest car of the seventy-six cars that took time attempting to lock themselves in the forty-four car field that doubled as a PASS South points race. Competitors outside the top fifteen in time trials raced their way in through a series of heat races and two last chance races held Saturday afternoon before weather forced officials to postpone the 300 lap marathon race until Sunday afternoon at 2pm. Several provisionals to PASS South regulars and two track provisionals to former Daytona 500 winner’s Sterling Marlin and Geoff Bodine completed the forty-four car field.

Just as any other PASS South event the top ten qualifiers redrew for their starting position. Lady luck was on Andy’s side a bit as he moved from eighth to fourth starting position. The better starting position allowed the New York native to quickly make his way to the lead just four laps after taking the green flag. Loden would lead the next eleven laps before settling back into the number two position. At the lap 100 mandatory break Andy would come to the pits in third position for adjustments and four fresh tires before getting back to action.

The next 100 lap segment saw the #29 Monroe Roadway Chevy Impala SS in the second position behind race leader Bubba Pollard until the midpoint of the race at lap 150. With tires fading away Andy was forced to the fifth position at the second mandatory break at lap 200. Once again teams were allowed to make changes and bolt four fresh tires on their super late model machines under caution without losing any positions. However, the final 100 laps, teams were left with two tires they could change in “live pit stop mode” setting things up for what could be an interesting finish.

The final segment of the race wasn’t what anyone in attendance expected as the field, which still had over thirty cars on track battling for position, went caution free with Colorado native Chris Eggleston crossing the line as the winner. Andy worked his tail off in the final twenty laps to take the checkered flags in sixth position as his yellow #29 machine went extremely loose through the sweeping North Wilkesboro Speedway turns. After post race tech was complete the second place finisher was deemed illegal thus disqualified from his position moving Loden up to his fifth place finish.

“Our car was just way too free through the turns there at the end of the race. I could feel the car getting loose throughout the day, but I didn’t want to over adjust it during our last break at lap 200 because I figured we would have a shot to go for it at the end with some new tires on the right side but it stayed green. I guess there’s really nothing you can do about that,” stated Loden after the race. “Overall it was a pretty solid weekend for us. It was actually the type of weekend we needed if we want to challenge for the championship this year. We were the highest finishing PASS South regular, we finally finished a race, and we moved from I think twelfth in points to tied for fourth. So really it was a good weekend for us, now we just need to go get a win at Hickory next.”

For more information on driver Andy Loden and his R & L Motorsports including news, results, and merchandise visit his all new website at www.andyloden.net. For marketing and public relations issues contact Chris Ragle with Tex Motorsports Marketing at 704-499-6759.

- Tex Motorsports Marketing Press Release