Patrick Sheltra Delivers Career Best Qualifying Effort At Salem

Topics:  Patrick Sheltra, Kentuckiana Ford Dealers 200

Chris Knight
Sheltra Motorsports
April 5, 2009

SALEM, Indiana (April 4, 2009) - - In his return to ARCA RE/MAX Series (ARS) competition since being involved in a vicious incident in the season opener at Daytona International Speedway in February, Indiantown, Florida native Patrick Sheltra answered his arrival with a career best qualifying effort of fourth Saturday afternoon at Salem Speedway.

Driving the No. 60 Ferguson Pipe-Buffalo Wings & Rings Dodge Charger for mother Grace Sheltra, Sheltra posted the 11th fastest time in the only practice session of the weekend by delivering a time of 17.555 seconds at 113.814 miles per hour early Saturday afternoon.

Satisfied with the effort, Sheltra and his team led by crew chief John Hayden were looking for a little more in Menards Pole by Ansell qualifying. Drawing position number one Saturday morning, Sheltra’s neon green and camouflage entry was the first to tackle the half-mile bullring for time trials.

Hustling around the track, Sheltra posted a lap of 17.328 seconds at 115.305 miles per hour which held the top spot for nine positions. 29 cars later, Sheltra would be passed by only two more competitors which would secure the 22-year old’s first career top-five qualifying effort in 48 ARCA RE/MAX Series attempts.

“The lap was real decent, the car was stable,” said Sheltra, who will make his fifth career start at Salem Speedway Sunday afternoon. “I knew when we took our first laps in practice we had a good racecar. Testing last week really paid off for us.”

Sheltra’s previous best qualifying run at Salem Speedway came in his inaugural debut in 2007 where he qualified 14th.

Gunning for career victory number one, Sheltra is well aware his hard work could payoff Sunday afternoon. “Our car is good enough to win the race. John (Hayden, crew chief) and the boys really worked hard on this Dodge Charger today and we’re looking forward to a good show tomorrow.”

Sheltra, nicknamed “Mr. Showtime” for his unique and deliverable driving style enters Sunday’s event 14th in the ARCA RE/MAX Series points and will realistically start the event in the top-10.

Before Saturday’s performance, the avid hunter’s career best qualifying run was eighth at Kansas Speedway last April and Berlin Raceway last July.

American Concrete Industries, Inc., Ferguson Pipe Enterprises, RC Cola of Beaver Dam, Kentucky, Sheltra & Son Construction and Sheltra Cattle Company will join Buffalo Wings & Rings as marketing partners for Sheltra’s first of two starts at Salem Speedway this year.

Entering Salem, Sheltra has 47 ARCA RE/MAX Series starts to his credit with a career best finish of second at Toledo Speedway (May 2008) and the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds (September 2008) with four additional top-five finishes, (fourth) at Toledo Speedway (October 2008), (fifth) at Talladega Superspeedway (October 2008), (third) at Illinois State Fairgrounds (August 2007) and (fourth) at Berlin Raceway (July 2007) while holding additional top-10s at Nashville Superspeedway (August 2008), Michigan International Speedway (June 2008), Kentucky Speedway (May 2008), Kansas Speedway (April 2008), Iowa Speedway (April 2008), Kentucky Speedway (June 2007), DuQuoin State Fairgrounds (September 2007) and Toledo Speedway (October 2007). An eighth place qualifying effort at Kansas Speedway (April 2008) is Sheltra’s best time trials efforts to date. He has controlled the ARCA field three times for 17 laps.

In addition to running a full ARCA RE/MAX Series schedule this year, Sheltra will also run a limited dirt schedule and also plans to run selected NASCAR Nationwide Series events with his Whitesville, Kentucky based Sheltra Motorsports team.

The Kentuckiana Ford Dealers 200 by Federated Car Care (200 laps / 111 miles) is the second of 22 events on the 2009 ARCA RE/MAX Series schedule. The 82nd ARCA race held at Salem is a two-day show. The event will take the green flag on Sunday, April 5 shortly after 2:15 p.m. The race will be broadcasted live through the ARCA Racing Network (ARN) online at arcaracing.com. All times are local.

For more on Patrick Sheltra, please visit PatrickSheltra.com.

For additional input on Buffalo Wings & Rings, please connect to Buffalowingsandrings.com or call 513.831.WING.

About Sheltra Motorsports:

Sheltra Motorsports (sheltramotorsports.com) is a three-tier Motorsports operation consisting of dirt and asphalt competition. Patrick Sheltra, a 22-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 .

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TEAM COMMUNICATIONS CONTACT:
NAME: Chris Knight, Sheltra Motorsports
PHONE: 239.834.9797 or 239.214.1083
EMAIL: chris@patricksheltra.com