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Patrick Sheltra Ready To Rumble Under Salem Lights

Topics: Patrick Sheltra, Eddie Gilstrap Motors 200

Patrick Sheltra Ready To Rumble Under Salem Lights

Chris Knight
Sheltra Motorsports
September 11, 2008

SALEM, Indiana (September 11, 2008) - - It’s been five months since Patrick Sheltra has been to Salem Speedway but the sophomore ARCA driver is eager to return to the brutal short track after having a secured top-five finish flash before his eyes earlier this year. Looking back to that event, Sheltra rebounded from being dumped to finish 11th, his career best Salem finish. Now, Sheltra returns looking for a win in the Eddie Gilstrap Motors 200 by Advance Auto Parts.

“I love Salem ,” said the Indiantown, Florida native. “It’s a tricky little track but I enjoy the challenges the track offers. We qualified mid-pack in the spring and were able to battle our way to second before another driver became extremely aggressive and took us out. We came back, but we weren’t happy with the finish knowing what kind of car we had. Looking ahead to this weekend, we’re going to go out and have some fun but look for a win too.”

For the first time in five races and the first event since Berlin Raceway in July, Sheltra Motorsports returns to the Chevrolet bowtie in time for the Salem rumble Saturday night. The team’s best finish in a Monte Carlo occurred at Toledo Speedway in May where Sheltra blasted from his top-10 starting spot to a career-best second place run. Looking to maneuver to victory lane, Sheltra knows with a little luck, the opportunity could come with just four events remaining this season.

“Chicagoland was our last race for the Dodge program this year,” sounded Sheltra, who also tied his career best finish two weeks ago at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds. “We’re back to Chevrolet for the rest of the year and we’re looking for good things with the bowtie. We’ve had success with both manufacturers this year and there’s no reason why with the switch back to Chevrolet, the Sheltra Motorsports team won’t continue to bring presence to the racetrack as our season begins to wind down.”

Speaking of presence, Sheltra Motorsports will have a new look for the 18th event on the 2008 ARCA RE/MAX Series schedule. Indiana-based J&S Bulk Transport Co., Inc. leaps aboard as the primary marketing partner for Saturday night’s brawl.

Launched in 1985, J&S Bulk Transport Co., Inc. was established as a contract carrier of bulk commodities in dump trailers. Over the past 23 years, J&S Bulk Transport Co., Inc. has provided unprecedented service to more than a 1,000 customers throughout the United States . Based in Southern Indiana in the small town along the Ohio River, Rockport , Indiana serves at the company’s corporate office with 24,000 square foot maintenance facility.

“We’re super excited to have J&S Bulk Transport Co., Inc. onboard for Salem ,” added Sheltra, who holds three Salem starts to his credit. “They have been a huge supporter of our race team over the past two years. We finished 13th in their paint scheme last August at Nashville . Needless to say, we’re revved up for giving them a win in their own backyard Saturday night.”

Crew Chief John Hayden has elected to bring Sheltra Motorsports chassis number 4 to Salem Speedway this weekend. The team has yet to run this model in ARCA RE/MAX Series competition this year but the piece is responsible for three top-six finishes in 2007 at Berlin Raceway, the Illinois State Fairgrounds and the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds. Chassis number 7 will serve as the team’s backup automobile. This is the same automobile the team scored a runner-up finish at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds last month. It is also the same automobile the team participated with the Illinois State Fairgrounds on August 17th. This piece also has track time at USA International Speedway, Iowa Speedway , Gateway International Raceway and The Milwaukee Mile last year. The team converted the former Dale Earnhardt, Inc. automobile to a Dodge Charger during the off-season.

“The car we are bringing to the track this weekend has an impeccable track record and we remained focused on keeping it that way,” added Sheltra. “ Salem is a brutal place and we’re prepared for the unexpected, but we’re not expecting to be a slouch either.”

Off the track, Sheltra will engage himself in a cattle showdown with fellow driver Justin Lofton. Proceeds of the cattle samplings will benefit Focus Motorsports Ministries and ARCA Chaplin Bill Krick. Sheltra Cattle Company has prepared Brisket compared to Lofton Cattle’s Carne Asada. Sampling will begin at 5:00 p.m. Saturday. “May the best cattle win,” said Sheltra. “This is a cool idea and looks like it will be a lot of fun. I’m excited about this off-track battle where everyone wins.”

Entering Salem, Sheltra has 42 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 two additional top-five finishes (third) at Illinois State Fairgrounds (August 2007), (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 twice for 15 laps.

The Eddie Gilstrap Motors 200 by Advance Auto Parts (110 miles/200 laps) is the 18th of 21 events on the 2008 ARCA RE/MAX Series schedule. The second ARCA race of the season at Salem Speedway is a one-day show. Practice begins Saturday September 13 with an hour and a half practice session planned from 1:05 p.m.- 2:35 p.m. ARCA SIM Factory pole qualifying is slated to begin at 4:00 p.m. The field will take the green flag shortly after 7:15 p.m. The event will be tape-delayed on MavTV (Friday, September 19 at 8:00 p.m.) but additional race coverage including live timing and scoring and radio courtesy of the ARCA Radio Network will be available online at arcaracing.com. All times are local.

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

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 NASCAR. 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 .

Patrick Sheltra, Sheltra Motorsports, Salem Speedway Notes of Interest:

· Sheltra Motorsports will run a mixture of Dodge Chargers and Chevrolet Monte Carlos during the 2008 ARCA RE/MAX Series season. For Salem , Sheltra Motorsports will run a Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS that will make its first start of the season. The team last ran this piece three times last season for three top-six finishes at Berlin Raceway, the Illinois State Fairgrounds and the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds. A Sheltra Motorsports engine built by Clements Automotive will provide the horsepower for the sophomore ARCA team.

· Sheltra currently maintains a point’s position in the top-10 (ninth) heading into the Salem Speedway this weekend. Sheltra moved into the top-10 in the series’ second race of the season at Salem Speedway and has remained locked in the top-10 since. The Indiantown, Florida native is just 550 markers from entering the top-five and 810 credits from the number one position held by SunTrust Rookie-of-the-Year candidate Scott Speed. Last year, the then 21-year old superstar finished seventh in the championship standings competing in 22 of the scheduled 23 events.

· Sheltra will make 1,000 left hand turns on Saturday night, four hundred and sixty four (464) more turns than the series last outing, the Chicagoland ARCA 200 at the 1.5 intermediate track of Chicagoland Speedway last Saturday.

In addition to running a full 2008 ARCA RE/MAX Series schedule, Sheltra will also run a limited schedule in NASCAR and compete in selected dirt late model events (UMP and WoO Series) throughout the United States .

Sheltra Motorsports Quick Facts:

Team Name: Sheltra Motorsports, No. 60 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS

Driver: Patrick Sheltra, Indiantown , Florida

Car Owner: Grace Sheltra, Indiantown , Florida

Marketing Partners: Groupe Beton Brunet, Ferguson Pipe Enterprises, Inc, FloraGanics, American Concrete Industries, Inc, The Casite Company, J&S Bulk Transportation, Inc., US Construction Supply Corp., CP Concrete Products of the Palm Beaches, Sheltra & Son Construction, Sheltra Cattle Company, Recycling Services, Aaron’s Outdoors, Boatwerks Waterfront Restaurant, Indiantown Marina, All About Flowers, Speed Media, Klotz Synthetic Lubricants, DMC Graphics and Purcell Tire & Rubber.

Crew Chief: John Hayden

Director of Competition: Larry Moore

Team Manager: Keith Strunk

TEAM COMMUNICATIONS CONTACT:

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