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Patrick Sheltra Looks To Repeat Berlin Performance

Topics: Patrick Sheltra, Berlin ARCA 200

Patrick Sheltra Looks To Repeat Berlin Performance

Chris Knight
Sheltra Motorsports
July 24, 2008

“Holland, Michigan Establishment; Boatwerks Waterfront To Adorn No. 60”

MARNE, Michigan (July 24, 2008) - - After a couple tough races, Patrick Sheltra returns to Berlin Raceway this weekend looking to rekindle his early season consistency and be in contention for his first career victory in Saturday night’s Berlin ARCA 200.

While Sheltra has been known for his consistency on the dirt track and speedways of ARCA, Sheltra has also added the short tracks to his list and with ARCA returning to the Marne, Michigan racetrack this weekend, he’s looking for a repeat performance of his freshman run when Sheltra guided his No. 60 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS to a then career best fourth-place finish.

“It’s time for Berlin,” said Sheltra, who will make his second career start at the .4-mile speedway. “I like Berlin Raceway, don’t really know why but it’s a track that suits my driving style. We’ve had some really good runs on short tracks this year and I finally would like to be able to make it all come together and win Saturday night.”

Rewinding back to his inaugural season of ARCA competition, Sheltra never laid eyes on Berlin Raceway before last July. He didn’t let the inexperience stand in his way. After practicing in the top-10, Sheltra fumbled a little in qualifying but vowed to make it up to his Sheltra Motorsports during the race. Over the course of the 200-lap event Sheltra posted some extremely competitive lap times and found himself moving forward in the running order.

During the final 100 circuits, Sheltra’s machine emerged as a front-runner and while Sheltra was a man on a mission, he simply ran out of laps forcing the Indiantown, Florida native to settle for his first top-five finish of his ARCA career. Since Berlin, Sheltra has captured two more top-fives one on the dirt at Springfield and most recently at Toledo Speedway this past May where Sheltra guided his machine to a career-best second.

“I’ve become to like the short tracks on the ARCA tour,” Sheltra admitted. “I don’t think that’s something I thought I would ever hear myself say, but my guys on the Sheltra Motorsports team have really built me some great racecars and we’ve been able to maneuver them to the front. We’re bringing the same car we competed with at Toledo and led laps at Cayuga Motor Speedway last month, so hopefully another prime run is in the cards.”

Before turning his attention towards Berlin Raceway this weekend, Sheltra spent Tuesday testing at Nashville Superspeedway in the No. 60 Dodge Charger. Sheltra Motorsports and the 22-year old driver brought the Chrysler nameplate to the “Music City” for the first time in Sheltra’s racing career with the hope that Sheltra can set his own platinum record when the series makes their return to the 1.33-mile concrete speedway next month.

“The test went good,” added Sheltra. “We still have some work to do, so the car is off at the body shop getting some more work done and we’re hoping to come back much faster than our ninth place run Tuesday.”

Crew Chief John Hayden has elected to bring Sheltra chassis number 4156 to Berlin Raceway this weekend. This is the same automobile that Sheltra Motorsports competed with at Iowa Speedway (April), Toledo Speedway (May) and most recently at Cayuga Motor Speedway (June) this year. It is also the same piece that Sheltra Motorsports finished seventh with in the season finale at Toledo Speedway last year. Chassis number 4145 will serve as the team’s back-up automobile. Sheltra ran that former ppc Racing entry at Springfield (Illinois State Fairgrounds), DuQuoin State Fairgrounds and Berlin Raceway last year.

“Other than Cayuga, this car has finished in the top-10 and that says a lot,” remarked Sheltra. The car was plenty capable of finishing in the top-10 there but we had some bad luck. We purchased the car from Richard Childress Racing last year and it has been a good piece. The car has been repaired from the beating and banging from Canada and is ready to take action again Saturday night Berlin style.”

Bringing one of their stoutest pieces from their stable this weekend is great news for Sheltra Motorsports marketing partner Boatwerks Waterfront Restaurant who has partnered with the Whitesville, Kentucky based ARCA team for the 12th race on the 2008 ARCA RE/MAX Series schedule.

Sitting on the shores of Lake Macatawa and being downtown Holland’s only waterfront restaurant, Boatwerks Waterfront Restaurant offers family friendly casual dining, waterfront views, indoor and outdoor dining, banquet facilities, catering services and a convenient full menu takeout.

“We are excited about this partnership with Boatwerks Waterfront Restaurant,” said Sheltra, who will head to Road America in Wisconsin for a road-racing school after Berlin. “Like I said, Berlin Raceway is a track we feel that we can win at. And what a victory it would be not only for our team but for the great people at Boatwerks Waterfront Restaurant if we’re able to pull it off. We’re thankful for the opportunity to partner with them and we’re looking forward to a strong race.”

Dropping to 10th in the ARCA RE/MAX Series standings following his disappointing 31st place finish last Friday night at Kentucky Speedway, Sheltra is putting on his game face and ready to make a serious climb in the point’s ladder commencing with Saturday night’s thriller.

“I think we’re out of the championship, but we can easily finish in the top-five,” sounded Sheltra, who sits 230 markers from reappearing in the top-five. “We’ve had our share of bad luck, so hopefully we can focus on running good and gaining ground. We really have some good tracks coming up for our team and that’s where we plan to make a serious dent.”

Entering Berlin, Sheltra has 36 ARCA RE/MAX Series starts to his credit with a career best finish of second at Toledo Speedway (May 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 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.

Before turning his attention towards the race on Saturday, Sheltra will sign autographs at Boatwerks Waterfront Restaurant on Friday, July 25th from 5:00-7:00 p.m. Boatwerks Waterfront Restaurant is located at 216 VanRaalte Avenue in Holland, Michigan. For information, please call 616.396.0600.

The Berlin ARCA 200 (88 miles/200 laps) is the 12th of 21 events on the 2008 ARCA RE/MAX Series schedule. The Marne, Michigan event is a one-day show. Practice begins Saturday, July 26 with an hour and half practice session planned from 2:30 p.m.-4:00 p.m. ARCA SIM Factory pole qualifying is slated to begin at 5:00 p.m. A live on-track autograph session will follow from 6:15 p.m. – 6:45 p.m. The field will take the green flag later that evening shortly after 8:30 p.m. The race will not be televised however additional race coverage including live timing and scoring will be available online at arcaracing.com. All times are local.

For more on Patrick Sheltra, please visit the newly re-launched 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, Berlin Raceway Notes of Interest: · Sheltra Motorsports will run a mixture of Dodge Chargers and Chevrolet Monte Carlos Chevrolet during the 2008 ARCA RE/MAX Series season. For Berlin, Sheltra Motorsports will run a Chevrolet Monte Carlo that has competed four times on the ARCA circuit. During its tenure in the ARCA RE/MAX Series the former Richard Childress Racing machine has amassed one top-five and three top-10 finishes at Toledo Speedway (2007 and May 2008) and Iowa Speedway (April 2008) respectively. The automobile also led 11 laps at Cayuga Motor Speedway (June 2008). 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 (10th) heading into Berlin Raceway 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 230 markers from entering the top-five and 515 credits from the number one position held by SunTrust Rookie-of-the-Year candidate Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. 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 800 left hand turns on Saturday night, four hundred and sixteen (416) more turns than the series last outing, the Kentucky ARCA RE/MAX 150 at the 1.5 mile track of Kentucky Speedway last Friday night.

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: Boatwerks Waterfront Restaurant, 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, Martin County Petroleum, Sheltra & Son Construction, Sheltra Cattle Company, Recycling Services, Aaron’s Outdoors, Indiantown Marina, All About Flowers, Speed Media, Klotz Synthetic Lubricants, DMC Graphics and Purcell Tire & Rubber.

Crew Chief: John Hayden

Team Manager: Keith Strunk

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TEAM COMMUNICATIONS CONTACT:

NAME: Chris Knight, Sheltra Motorsports
PHONE: 239.834.9797 or 830.261.1215
EMAIL: knight849@aol.com