“Business As Normal” For ARCA Point’s Leader Patrick Sheltra At Rockingham

Topics:  Patrick Sheltra, American 200

Chris Knight
Sheltra Motorsports
October 6, 2010

“Sheltra Motorsports Staying Focused; Eyeing First Stock Car Championship”

ROCKINGHAM, North Carolina (October 6, 2010) - - Patrick Sheltra clearly announced at the ARCA Racing Series championship banquet last December that he was returning the series with a vengeance and would be in the hunt for the 2010 ARCA Racing Series championship. Sheltra, 24 has lived up to his promise and enters Saturday’s American 200 presented by Black's Tire and Auto Service at Rockingham (N.C.) Speedway as the ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards point’s leader.

Sheltra, driver of the No. 60 Tequesta Road and Bridge of Florida / Jones Group International Toyota Camry though has a tough fight ahead of him Saturday afternoon at the track nicknamed “The Rock.” With fellow championship contenders Craig Goess and Tom Hessert just 10 and 20 points behind the Indiantown, Florida native respectively, Sheltra knows that the championship could come down to the final lap of the American 200, a repeat scenario from last year’s ARCA season finale.

But, if the team is feeling any pressure, they aren’t showing it. Under the leadership of veteran crew chief Jon Wolfe, the Mooresville, North Carolina-based team enters the 20th race of the season with the same mentality that has offered the veteran ARCA team the opportunity to earn their first stock car championship, “business as normal.”

“We haven’t changed anything,” said Sheltra, who will make his fourth career start at Rockingham (N.C.) Speedway Saturday afternoon. “The guys have been busting their tails like they’ve done every week. We’re staying focused as if Rockingham was any normal race. We feel with that attitude, determination and focus, it will allow us to hoist the championship trophy.”

Indeed, the team’s work ethics have been all but flawless in 2010. In 19 races this season, the team has amassed two wins, 11 top-fives and 16 top-10 finishes, the most of any ARCA Racing Series team this season.

Also, with their fifth place run at Kansas Speedway last Thursday, Sheltra Motorsports won the Hoosier Tire Superspeedway Challenge Award for the best collection of performances on the series' eight speedway races this season. In all, Sheltra racked up one win, six top-five finishes and eight top-seven finishes on oval tracks consisting of 1.5-miles or longer in length.

“Awesome is the best word to describe the Sheltra Motorsports team this year,” sounded Sheltra. “We’ve worked hard, won races and been fast each and every race. They have already earned the championship in my eyes, we just need to collect the hardware this weekend to make it official.”

In an effort to help secure the ARCA Racing Series championship, the Sheltra Motorsports team will participate in the open-test session at the historic one-mile oval Thursday (October 7). The team will bring two Toyotas to the track for an eight-hour open practice session to set the tone for Saturday’s highly anticipated thriller.

“The test is important,” said Sheltra. “We want to make sure that we have the best car for the race on Saturday. Both race cars we are bringing are strong. We’ll shake them down, tweak on them a bit and then see which one offers the best chance for us to have another satisfying run.”

For the second consecutive week, Sheltra Motorsports will be boasting the logos of the Tequesta Road and Bridge of Florida and Jones Group International aboard their Japanese nameplate as the primary marketing partners for Sheltra’s 87th career ARCA start.

Before turning to his duties on Friday and Saturday, Sheltra will join a host of other ARCA Racing Series drivers in downtown Rockingham at Thunderfest on Thursday, October 7 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. (local) for a meet and greet and an autograph session.

Entering Rockingham, Sheltra has 86 ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards starts to his credit with three career victories at Salem (Ind.) Speedway (April 2009), the Illinois State Fairgrounds (August 2010) and Chicagoland Speedway (August 2010). During his ARCA tenure, Sheltra has accumulated 21 top-fives and posted 38 top-10 finishes. A second place qualifying effort at Chicagoland Speedway (August 2010) is Sheltra’s best time trials effort to date. He has controlled the ARCA field 10 times for 276 laps.

The American 200 presented by Black's Tire and Auto Service (200 laps / 200 miles) is the 20th of 20 events on the 2010 ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards schedule. The fifth ARCA race held at Rockingham is a two-day show. Practice begins Friday, October 8 with an hour and a half practice session planned from 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Menards Pole by Ansell qualifying is slated to begin later in the day at 2:30 p.m. The event will take the green flag on Saturday, October 9 shortly after 1:30 p.m. The race will be broadcasted live on SPEED with additional broadcast coverage including live timing and scoring throughout the 1,313 race for the ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards since it was formed in 1953 available through the ARCA Racing Network (ARN) online at arcaracing.com presented by ARCANation.com. All times are local.

For the latest on Patrick Sheltra, Sheltra Motorsports and marketing partnership opportunities please visit PatrickSheltra.com.

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About Sheltra Motorsports:

Sheltra Motorsports (sheltramotorsports.com) is a three-tier professional Motorsports organization consisting of dirt and asphalt competition. Patrick Sheltra, a 24-year old native of Indiantown, Florida competes in the UMP and WoO (Dirt) Series; while also running a full schedule in the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards (No. 60) and a limited schedule in the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR). The team is headquartered in Indiantown, Florida with additional operations in Richmond, Indiana and Mooresville, North Carolina.

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