Casola Captures Season Best In Pocono; Win-Tron Three-For-Three

Topics:  Dominick Casola, Pocono ARCA 200

Chris Knight
Win-Tron Racing
June 9, 2008

“New Jersey Native Ties Pocono Best Finish”

LONG POND, Pennsylvania (June 9, 2008) - - Sophomore ARCA RE/MAX Series driver Dominick Casola posted a season-best finish in Saturday’s Pocono ARCA 200. The effort awarded the New Jersey native with his second top-10 finish of the season. For the third straight race, Win-Tron Racing recorded a top-10 finish putting their early season struggles in the rear view mirror.

Confident about Pocono Raceway, Casola headed into the first practice session on his game and ready to prove why he is becoming a master at the 2.5-mile triangle.

During the one hour and forty minute session, the former USAR Hooter’s Pro Cup driver clocked in the 12th fastest time with a time of 55.064 seconds at 163.446 MPH. “Our car is great,” said Casola after the session. “The Win-Tron Racing bunch has brought me a very strong piece and I think we have a shot at the win.”

With a great practice session in the books, Casola turned his focus towards ARCA SIM Factory pole qualifying. During his lone qualifying lap at Pocono Raceway, Casola maneuvered a lap of 55.220 seconds at 162.984 seconds lining the No. 32 A. Casola Farms Dodge Charger 13th on the starting grid.

“I was hoping for a top-10 spot, but we’ll take it,” stated Casola. “Patience is going to be critical on Saturday, if we can stay out of trouble and have a clean race, we should have the finish we’re all looking for.”

While aiming to capture his first ARCA RE/MAX Series victory fresh on his mind, Casola joined 37 other ARCA RE/MAX Series drivers for the start of the eighth race of the 2008 season.

Immediately, Casola showed his strength. With a stout Dodge Charger, Casola quickly moved up into 11th when the first caution flag waived on lap two. Remaining pretty silent on the radio it was evident that the Holmdel, New Jersey native was focused on the big picture, getting the job done.

During the next span of green flag racing, Casola slipped in the running order to 15th but continued to sport solid lap times. Developing a handling issue, Casola was looking for a normal chassis adjustment on the first round of pit stops to put his machine back in the picture.

Solid pit work by the Win-Tron Racing bunch kept Casola in the top-15 approaching halfway.

The half-way mark would change the race for the Win-Tron Racing team as their sophomore driver picked up the pace and quickly began charging into the top-10.

Close battles inside and outside the top-10 forced Casola to stay on his game but he never gave up.

The final pit stop of the day allowed a chance for Casola and the team for a final set of Hoosier tires and gas to make it to the finish. Restarting 12th Casola would again mount a serious charge in the final laps of the event and cross the line eighth to net his second consecutive top-10 finish in ARCA competition.

A 10th place in his last outing at Kentucky Speedway followed by Saturday’s eighth place run marked the first time that Casola has scored back-to-back top-10 efforts in his ARCA career.

Ironically, Casola finished eighth last August at Pocono Raceway.

“A good day,” Casola said after the race. “We had a good car all weekend. I really would have liked to come away with the victory, but we’ll take this and move onto to Berlin. It’s going to suck not being in the car for these next three races. I’m hoping they will go by fast, because this is a very stout race team. Thanks to everyone for all their hard work at Pocono.”

Win-Tron’s Nate Thiesse offered, “Everyone was confident in Dominick’s ability at Pocono Raceway and he backed it up in a big way on Saturday afternoon. The communication is there and we’re looking forward to the rest of our season with Dominick.”

Next up for the ARCA RE/MAX Series is a trip to the “Motor City”. Action from Michigan International Speedway (MIS) begins Thursday, June 12 with practice and ARCA SIM Factory pole qualifying on the agenda setting the field for Friday’s Racing for Wildlife 200. The ninth race on the 2008 ARCA RE/MAX Series schedule falls on June 13th with coverage live on SPEED beginning at 5:00 p.m. EST.

Chris Wimmer will drive the No. 32 Win-Tron Racing entry at MIS.

A. Casola Farms, a family-owned business sponsored Casola’s No. 32 Dodge Charger this past weekend at Pocono Raceway. Casola made his 29th career ARCA start and his third start at the 2.5-mile speed plant on Saturday afternoon.

Further information on Win-Tron Racing is available by visiting win-tronracing.com or contacting Nate Thiesse at 952.469.1839. For more on Dominick Casola please visit, DominickCasola.com.