ARCA RE/MAX Series Hantz Group 200 by Federated Auto Care Event No. 8, Toledo Speedway , Toledo , Ohio Practice Notes & Quotes |
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Topics: Hantz Group 200
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Chris Knight
May 19, 2007
The ARCA RE/MAX Series returned to hometown turf Saturday for the first of two events at Toledo Speedway this season. The Hantz Group 200 presented by Federated Auto Care is a two-day event at the half-mile event. Saturday’s lone practice was held under overcast skies and cool temperatures. The session serves as the prelude to ARCA SIM Factory pole qualifying set for this afternoon (3:30pm Eastern Time). The anticipated 35-car field will take the green flag tomorrow for the Hantz Group 200 presented by Federated Auto Care shortly after 12:00pm Eastern Time with live television coverage on SPEED.
Here is what some of the drivers are saying from the practice session.
DEXTER BEAN, NO. 6 FIVE STAR TELECOM CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO
Dexter Bean, a sophomore driver on the ARCA RE/MAX Series tour posted the 16th fastest time of the day with a quick lap of 17.200 seconds at 104.651 MPH.
The Westby Wisconsin native enters Toledo with four top-10 finishes in the last five events which has propelled the 20-year old to third in the championship standings entering his third Toledo start.
Entering the 61st ARCA event held at Toledo Speedway, Bean trails second place competitor Justin Allgaier by 30 points and a mere 60 points from first held by eight-time ARCA RE/MAX Series champion Frank Kimmel.
The BlackJack Racing team brought the same Chevrolet Monte Carlo the team finished second and eighth at Salem Speedway and Winchester Speedway respectively. The team is also sporting a new engine package for today’s festivities.
Last year, Bean finished 24th in both Toledo Speedway ARCA races.
Bean drew the 37th position for SIM Factory pole qualifying set for later this afternoon.
“We’re decent. We’re battling a tight condition, but we are in better shape than we were last year. The team is going to make some adjustments and we’ll see what we get in qualifying.”
DAN BRODE, NO. 48 TUCSON-FREEFEDS.org DODGE CHARGER
Brode, a native of Mocksville , North Carolina will attempt to make his ARCA RE/MAX Series debut Sunday afternoon in a car fielded by Carter-2-Motorsports operated out of Statesville , North Carolina .
The 22-year old is a successful late model competitor from the Carolinas joins the C2M (Carter-2-Motorsports) driver development program for the remainder of the 2007 season. He takes the reins of the No. 48 from Nick Tucker.
The rookie is carrying sponsorship from Tucson and FreeFeds.org this weekend.
In his second practice session of his ARCA career, Brode mounted the 40th fastest lap with a time of 19.068 seconds amounting to a speed of 94.399 MPH.
Brode drew the fourth position for SIM Factory pole qualifying set for later this afternoon.
“We battle some mechanical hiccups in practice. The crew is working hard to repair them and I’m not going to hold nothing back in qualifying. I really would like to make my ARCA RE/MAX Series debut tomorrow and I plan to make that a reality.”
DOMINICK CASOLA, NO. 1 A. CASOLA FARMS FORD TAURUS
Casola, a newbie on the ARS will make his first career start at Toledo Speedway Sunday afternoon. The New Jersey native is driving for veteran car owner Andy Belmont, who’s had great success at the half-mile facility as a driver.
Casola enters the eighth race of the 2007 ARS season on the heels of a career-best 16th place finish last Saturday night at Kentucky Speedway. Casola looks to better that performance for a second straight week.
The team is carrying sponsorship from A. Casola Farms, a family-owned business based out of New Jersey .
In practice today, Casola turned a time of 18.968 seconds at 94.897 MPH putting him 39th on the practice rundown overall. Casola had an early exit to practice after the rookie made contact with the wall.
Casola drew the 27th position for SIM Factory pole qualifying set for later this afternoon.
“The track was still wet from the rain shower and the car went straight into the wall. It’s frustrating because we were looking forward to practice. The car isn’t badly damaged, but we missed the chance to really find out what our car will do tomorrow. We’ll see what we can do in qualifying and go from there.”
MIKE HARMON, NO. 38 ALL SPORTS ARMOUR CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO SS
Harmon, a veteran on the ARCA RE/MAX Series tour enters Toledo looking to make his 79th career start at a track where he has five previous starts.
The Birmingport, Alabama native looks to better his previous Toledo best when brought his No. 38 Mike Harmon Motorsports (MHM) Chevrolet home in the 12th position back in 2005.
His effort this weekend is being sponsored by All Sports Armour. All Sports Armour was established in 2000. The initial team was comprised of a chemist, a cardiologist, and a group of intelligent former collegiate and professional athletes with a mutually unconventional idea; comfortable sports equipment.
In practice today, he posted the 30th fastest time with a time of 17.817 seconds at 101.027 MPH.
Harmon drew the 33rd position for SIM Factory pole qualifying set for later this afternoon.
“We’re tight. I think we’ll have a good racecar, but we have to work on the handling of our No. 38 All Sports Armour Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS. I have a feeling that the rest of our weekend is going to smoothly.”
JIM HOLLENBECK, NO. 49 SPECTRA CONTRACTING FORD FUSION
Second-generation driver Jim Hollenbeck looks to make his 2007 ARCA RE/MAX Series debut at Toledo Speedway Sunday. The Kalamazoo , Michigan native is attempting to make his second start at the ARCA-owned facility.
In 2005, Hollenbeck started his Spectra Contracting machine and forced his way through the competitive field to finish 22nd. Hollenbeck is being assisted this weekend by Hixson Motorsports, a long time competitor in the ARS.
The Hantz Group 200 by Federated Auto Care serves as the first of five-to-seven events planned for the successful entrepreneur this season.
Hollenbeck recorded the 34th fastest lap with a time of18.128 seconds transferring to a speed of 99.294 MPH.
He drew the 13th position for SIM Factory pole qualifying set for later this afternoon.
“We have some problems with the front end geometry. We made some changes in practice to try and fix it, we’re going to make even more adjustments heading into qualifying to see if we can get in the show. We came out here with a goal and I plan to meet that goal this weekend.”
PHILLIP MCGILTON, NO. 47 MIDWEST EQUIPMENT FORD FUSION
Rebounding from tough finishes in the last two ARS events, Rookie-of-the-Year candidate Phillip McGilton enters Toledo on the heels of a strong eighth place performance last Saturday night at Kentucky Speedway.
McGilton aboard his Brewco Motorsports prepared machine will make his inaugural debut at Toledo Speedway Sunday. The team has brought a brand new car to the facility hoping to yield them a victory in the eighth race of the season.
The Marion , Illinois native bolted around the Toledo , Ohio based track in a time of 17.001 seconds amounting to a speed of 105.876 MPH, locking him seventh on the charts.
McGilton drew the 12th position for SIM Factory pole qualifying set for later this afternoon.
“Our car is good. We are very good in race trim. We’re a little tight, but I think everyone is battling that. We’re a lot better than we were at the test and that is good news for the Brewco Motorsports team. This is a brand new car for us, so far so good. I am looking forward to qualifying and the race tomorrow.”
BRYAN SILAS, NO. 11 NORTRAX, SHELL ROTELLA T, COZMEDIC SURGERY ASSOCIATES AND HAIR LOSS TREATMENT CENTERS , HOLLAND PUMP, PALM BEACH GRADING (PBG) CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO
Bryan Silas fresh off his second NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start last night at Lowes Motor Speedway refocuses on his ARCA RE/MAX Series program as the Rookie-of-the-Year candidate will make his second start at Toledo Speedway on Sunday afternoon.
Driving for two-time ARS champion Andy Hillenburg, the team sits 10th in the championship standings heading into the first of two events set at Toledo Speedway this season.
Silas, a native of Stuart , Florida posted the 27th fastest time with an effort of 17.769 seconds equaling a speed of 101.300 MPH. Unfortunately, Silas made contact with the turn three wall causing damage to his Chevrolet Monte Carlo. The team is repairing the automobile trying to prepare for qualifying.
Silas drew the 38th position for SIM Factory pole qualifying set for later this afternoon.
“I over drove the car. I’m disappointed in myself. I’m really sorry to my crew and sponsors. We had a decent car, we were working on it. We’re going to fix the car and see if we can make the rest of the weekend a positive one.”
BILLY TANNER, NO. 07 CHEAPCARIBBEAN.COM PONTIAC GRAND PRIX
After scoring a top-20 finish last Saturday night at Kentucky Speedway, Billy Tanner will look to build his ARCA RE/MAX Series resume by making his first short track start on Sunday afternoon at Toledo Speedway.
Tanner has two previous starts in the ARS at Daytona International Speedway and last weekend at Kentucky Speedway. CheapCaribbean.com will sponsor the team’s efforts for the eighth race of the 2007 season.
Tanner, a promising driver from Newtown , Pennsylvania will make several starts for Stott Classic Racing (SCR) this season. Following Toledo , the team will attempt to make Iowa followed by Pocono and Michigan .
During the only practice today, Tanner clicked off the 25th fastest lap with a time of 17.662 seconds equaling a speed of 101.914 MPH.
Tanner drew the third position for SIM Factory pole qualifying set for later this afternoon.
“Overall not bad. I’m learning the track, but we’re making adjustments. I think our car will be good in race trim, but we’re not totally concentrating there. We’re not locked into the show, so we also worked hard on our qualifying setup. We should be okay in qualifying and we’ll look to improve on our finish from last week tomorrow.”
The Hantz Group 200 by Federated Auto Care (200 laps/100 miles) is the eighth of 23 events on the 2007 ARCA RE/MAX Series schedule. ARCA SIM Factory pole qualifying is slated for later in the afternoon at 3:30pm Local Time. The event will take the green flag Sunday beginning at 12:00pm Local Time. The event will be televised live on SPEED with additional race coverage online at arcaracing.com
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NAME: Chris Knight
PHONE: 239.834.9797
EMAIL: Knight849@aol.com