Strict Agenda For Patrick Sheltra At Mansfield

Topics:  Patrick Sheltra, Tim Richmond Memorial ARCA RE/MAX 200

Chris Knight
Sheltra Motorsports
June 18, 2009

“Mr. Showtime Eyes Second Win Of 2009 For Pops”

MANSFIELD, Ohio (June 18, 2009) - - You can say that Patrick Sheltra is taking every measure to better his 2009 ARCA RE/MAX Series season and with improvement comes a lot of hard work. The Indiantown, Florida native hopes that the hard work will pay off in Saturday night’s inaugural Tim Richmond Memorial ARCA 200 presented by National Speed Sport News.

Sheltra who didn’t even know if he would be racing the rest of the year following a horrific wreck at Daytona International Speedway bounced back with a Cinderella win at Salem Speedway. Since then, the season has been a rollercoaster filled with thrills and spills.

However, if there’s one place where Sheltra strongly feels that he can put his season back in high gear, Mansfield Motorsports Park (MMP) might just be the place. And Sheltra has good reason to feel the way he does. Earlier this week, Sheltra was joined by just three other ARCA RE/MAX Series teams for a test at the half-mile oval in Central Ohio and the results of the free practice session left Sheltra itching for more.

“I’m glad that we tested at Mansfield,” said Sheltra, who spent his week hanging around his Sheltra Motorsports dirt team in Richmond, Indiana. “I feel like we have a slight advantage over a majority of the field with seven hours of good hard testing. That could easily be the difference on whether or not we win the race on Saturday night.”

Short track racing has become a favorite for the 23-year old phenom and that’s not surprising considering his results this year. Other than Toledo Speedway last month where Sheltra was punted and wrecked while running in the top-10, he has recorded a first and a second in back-to-back races at Salem Speedway and Rockingham Speedway respectively.

“Overlooking Toledo, I believe we’ve been the team to beat on the short tracks,” sounded Sheltra, who enters the ninth race of the season locking sixth in the championship standings. “I consider anything a mile and under a short track and we were able to back up our momentum from Salem with a runner-up position at Rockingham. We’re taking the same car we raced at Rockingham to Mansfield this weekend and it’s a pretty slick car. I hope the race fans come out because it’s going to be one heck of a show!”

Knowing the characteristics of Mansfield Motorsports Park from reviewing past NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races, Sheltra knows that being on top of his game followed by smart calls from the pit box could determine his finishing position this weekend.

“John (Hayden, crew chief) made the call that won us the race at Salem. He knows how to play out these short tracks and I know he’s going to put us in the same position again this weekend. It’s my job though to go out there, qualifying strong, race smart and clean and be around when it counts.”

Not only is Sheltra racing for a win for his Buffalo Wings & Rings Racing team, but “Mr. Showtime” as he’s known in the garage is looking to give his Dad or Pops as he’s referred to with the Sheltra Motorsports clan the ultimate Father’s Day present.

“Winning for Pops again would be good,” sounded Sheltra. “Pops has worked his tail off to make a lot of this happen and I cannot thank him enough. Putting our car in victory lane again Saturday night would be another way of me showing my gratitude for everything he does. Pops and Mom (car owner Grace Sheltra) were there for the win at Salem Speedway, I want to give them that satisfaction again and again.”

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 earlier in April.

Entering Mansfield, Sheltra has 54 ARCA RE/MAX Series starts to his credit with one career victory at Salem Speedway (April 2009). Sheltra also holds second place efforts at Rockingham Speedway (April 2009), Toledo Speedway (May 2008) and the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds (September 2008) with five additional top-five finishes, (third) at Pocono Raceway (June 2009), (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 Kentucky Speedway (May 2009), 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). A third place qualifying effort at Rockingham Speedway (April 2009) is Sheltra’s best time trials efforts to date. He has controlled the ARCA field five times for 109 laps.

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.

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 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 .

About Buffalo Wings & Rings:

Buffalo Wings & Rings is the fastest-growing privately owned franchised chain of restaurants in the nation serving Buffalo-style chicken wings, onion rings, burgers, chicken and salads. Founded in 1988 in Cincinnati, OH, Buffalo Wings & Rings operates 44 franchised restaurants in the United States. Buffalo Wings & Rings was ranked the #1 fastest growing restaurant chain nationwide in the July 2008 issue of Restaurant Business, and ranked in the top 500 franchises in the January 2009 issue of Entrepreneur. For more information, visit www.buffalowingsandrings.com or call 513-831-WING.

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TEAM COMMUNICATIONS CONTACT:

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