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Back To Basics For Tom Hessert At Winchester Speedway

Topics: Tom Hessert, Herr’s Chase The Taste 200

Back To Basics For Tom Hessert At Winchester Speedway

Chris Knight
Knight Motorsports Management
Ken Schrader Racing
June 20, 2012

WINCHESTER, Indiana (June 20, 2012) - - Early race misfortune robbed Tom Hessert’s chances of a good finish last Friday evening at Michigan International Speedway. This weekend, however the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards tour thunders back into action at Winchester (Ind.) Speedway, the ARCA veteran knows he’s heading to a place that fits his profile for redemption.

Behind the wheel of the No. 52 Federated Auto Parts Chevrolet Impala for Ken Schrader Racing (KSR), the Cherry Hill, New Jersey native has been able to negotiate an average finish of eighth in the four short track races run thus far and with his ninth start of the season on-deck for the weekend, the 26-year old knows that Winchester will boil back down to basics on Sunday afternoon.

“I’m looking forward to Sunday afternoon because you’re able to throw a lot of the components that we’ve had to utilize in the last two races at Pocono and Michigan completely out the window,” Hessert explained. “Winchester is an extremely fast track where momentum is everything. The track has similar characteristics to Salem, were we ran very well earlier in the year, so I know not only am I looking forward to the race, but the guys are too.”

The avid racer will make his second start at the Indiana short track on Sunday afternoon. Last year, Hessert maneuvered from his 13th place starting position to note a fifth place run, one of his seven top-five performances of the year. Posting three top-fives and five top-10s after eighth runs in 2012, Hessert knows that his KSR team is capable of more than a duplicate performance.

“I enjoy racing on the short tracks in ARCA,” Hessert said. “You never know what to expect but you know that you can always expect a good fight at the front. The fields have been tight and no one really has an advantage over another. Our team has shown incredible strength this season, despite the bad luck at Michigan. We’ve run well, consistent and near the front all season long. We know that we need to bounce back this weekend. We lost a ton of points last Friday and now we just need to fight our way back to the top. From our run last year, we at least know we have a starting point and Donnie (Richeson, crew chief) has done a good job fine-tuning our No. 52 Federated Auto Parts Chevrolet all year long. We just have to stick to our plan and we’ll be okay.”

Eight races down, 12 to go in the remaining ARCA Racing Series schedule, Hessert currently occupies seventh in the championship standings, 170 points behind leader Brennan Poole. Just 75 markers though separate him from seventh to third in the ongoing battle for the coveted ARCA championship honors.

The Herr’s Chase The Taste 200 (200 laps / 100 miles) is the ninth of 20 events on the 2012 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards schedule. The 23rd ARCA race at Winchester Speedway is a two-day show. Practice begins Saturday, June 23 with a forty-five practice session planned from 12:05 p.m. - 12:50 p.m. A final practice is scheduled from 2:05 p.m. – 2:50 p.m. Menards pole qualifying presented by Ansell is set for later in the day slated to begin at 4:30 p.m. The event will take the green flag Sunday, June 24 shortly after 2:00 p.m. The race will not be televised but additional coverage including a radio broadcast and timing and scoring will be available through the ARCA Racing Network (ARN) online at arcaracing.com. All times are local (Eastern).

Entering Winchester, Hessert has 91 career ARCA Racing Series starts. In those outings, he has maneuvered two poles, one win, 22 top-fives and 48 top-10s.

For more on Tom Hessert III, please visit tomhessert.com.

Hessert has joined the Twitter crave. Follow and connect with him @TomHessert.

PHOTO CAPTION: Tom Hessert, driver of the No. 52 Federated Auto Parts Chevrolet in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards for Ken Schrader Racing (KSR).

MEDIA CONTACT:

NAME: Chris Knight, Knight Motorsports Management
PHONE: 239.834.9797
EMAIL: chris@chrisknightpr.com