Patrick Sheltra Ready To Invade Rockingham Speedway

Topics:  Patrick Sheltra, Carolina 500K

Chris Knight
Sheltra Motorsports
May 1, 2008

“Fourth In Points; Sheltra Charging To The Front”

ROCKINGHAM, North Carolina (May 1, 2008) – After a strong start to the 2008 ARCA RE/MAX Series season, sophomore driver Patrick Sheltra looks to keep the momentum rolling as the series returns to Rockingham Speedway often nicknamed “The Rock” for the first time in nearly 35 years for the running of Sunday’s Carolina 500K.

The first four races of the year have yielded a finish no worse of 15th and two consecutive top-10 finishes at Iowa Speedway and Kansas Speedway respectively. With a nice turn around from the team’s inaugural year of competition last year, the Whitesville, Kentucky based operation is ready to step it up another notch and invade victory lane Sunday afternoon.

“I’m ready for The Rock,” said Sheltra, who netted his seventh career top-10 finish last Friday at Kansas Speedway. “This race is probably one of the biggest of the year and we’ve taken the measures to prepare for it. Every second of track time will be crucial and we’re banking on the momentum that we’ve had this season to roll over this weekend.”

Testing has obviously played into the hands of the Sheltra Motorsports team this season and they are hoping it will again pay off in the fifth race of the 2008 season.

“We participated in the two-day test in March and it went solid,” added Sheltra. “We played with a lot of different combinations and I know what we learned at the test not to mention what we’ve learned as a team this season will help keep this team alive in Sunday’s event.”

With 312 laps scheduled for the Carolina 500K event, Sheltra knows that patience is critical this weekend at Rockingham Speedway, probably more than any other event on the season’s calendar.

“You can’t expect to win this race in 100 laps,” Sheltra sounded. “I have to keep it in my head that this is a long race, extremely long race. We just have to keep the tires on our car, stay out of the wrecks and be around for the final fifty laps. If we can accomplish those goals, we’re going to be in great shape.”

Crew Chief John Hayden has elected to bring back the same piece the team tested with in March. The No. 60 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS is an in-house automobile built by members of the Sheltra Motorsports clan. 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.

“I’m confident in the car’s capabilities this weekend,” remarked Sheltra. “The team has been working hard on this piece since the test in March and I think the adjustments they’ve made will make us a contender in Sunday’s race.”

With a lot on the line this weekend at Rockingham, Sheltra is keeping his composure and the long-term goal in check. “We’re here to win a championship,” Sheltra responded. “In the four races this year, we’ve run in the top-10 and finished in the top-15. There’s absolutely no reason we can’t do the same this weekend. Sitting fourth in points is huge for our team, huge. We can’t afford to have a mistake that has the potential of sinking our early season success.”

Sheltra added, “We want to conquer The Rock. Not the other way around.”

As an added bonus this weekend, Sheltra will be featured in the inaugural Carolina 500K race program.

Entering Rockingham, Sheltra has 29 ARCA RE/MAX Series starts to his credit with a career best finish of third on the dirt at Illinois State Fairgrounds (August 2007) with an additional top-five finish (fourth) at Berlin Raceway (July 2007) while holding additional top-10s at 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.

The Carolina 500K (312 miles/312 laps) is the fifth of 21 events on the 2008 ARCA RE/MAX Series schedule. The return of racing to Rockingham Speedway is a three-day show. Practice begins Friday, May 2 with a three hour practice session planned from 2:00-5:00 p.m. First round of ARCA SIM Factory pole qualifying is set to begin Saturday, May 3rd at 10:00 a.m. for positions 1-25. An additional second round qualifying for positions 26-41 has been etched in for 2:30 p.m. with a final “Happy Hour” practice session scheduled from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. The field will take the green flag shortly after 12:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 4. The race will be televised live on SPEED (12:00 p.m. local) with additional race coverage online at arcaracing.com with extensive radio coverage through RaceTalkRadio.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 21-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 Craftsman Truck Series (No. 35). 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, Rockingham Speedway

Notes of Interest:

· Sheltra Motorsports will run a mixture of Chevrolet Monte Carlos SS and Dodge Chargers during the 2008 ARCA RE/MAX Series season. For Rockingham, Sheltra Motorsports will run a Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS that was built in-house by the team last year. The organization tested in during the two-day open test at the Rockingham, North Carolina facility in March. Clements Automotive will provide the horsepower for the sophomore ARCA team.

· Sheltra currently holds the highest points position (fourth) that he has ever held in his ARCA RE/MAX Series career. The Indiantown, Florida native is just 50 markers from entering the top-three and 80 credits from the number one position held by SunTrust Rookie-of-the-Year candidate Matt Carter. Last year, the 21-year old superstar finished seventh in the championship standings competing in 22 of the scheduled 23 events.

· Sheltra will make 1,248 left hand turns on Sunday afternoon, one-thousand one hundred forty eight (1,148) more turns than last Friday afternoon at the 1.5-mile track of Kansas Speedway.

In addition to running a full 2008 ARCA RE/MAX Series schedule, Sheltra will also run a limited schedule in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (No. 35) 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: Ferguson Pipe Enterprises, Inc, FloraGanics, American Concrete Industries, Inc, Hardie Pipe, The Casite Company, J&S Bulk Transportation, Inc., US Construction Supply Corp., 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