Kansas: Patrick Sheltra preview

ARCA Race Kicks Off Busy Weekend For Patrick Sheltra

KANSAS CITY, Kansas (September 29, 2009) - - This weekend will be plenty busy for ARCA RE/MAX Series veteran Patrick Sheltra as he'll partake in a double-header weekend at Kansas Speedway beginning with Thursday's Kansas Lottery 150 the next to last event for the RE/MAX Series campaign this year.

From the Kansas Lottery 150 it will be onto the task of making his fourth career NASCAR Nationwide Series start a successful one for MacDonald Motorsports in Saturday's Kansas Lottery 300.

But before the Indiantown, Florida native can draw all of his attention towards the second-tier NASCAR series; he is focused on his primary job behind the wheel of the No. 60 Buffalo Wings & Rings-MC2 Energy Drink Dodge Charger.

The final mile-and-a-half track of the season was particularly kind to the 23-year old phenom in 2008 and he's hoping for a similar performance on Thursday afternoon. Last April, Sheltra Motorsports debuted their Dodge Charger program by qualifying a speedway best of eighth before thrusting their Grace Sheltra owned machine into the lead before settling for eighth. This year with success on the cookie-cutter type track, Sheltra is aiming high and gunning for his fifth top-five run of the year.

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"I'm a fan of the mile-and-a-half tracks," Sheltra said. "We've run okay on them this year but we're plenty capable of finishing inside the top-five. We're bringing the same car we finished ninth with at Chicagoland and we've even made some more changes to the body to make it even better, so I'm ready for a good race."

The team elected not to participate in the open-test at the 1.5-mile speed plant but Sheltra isn't concerned about that fact. Instead, he's driven on notching his ninth top-10 run of the year in his third Kansas ARCA start.

"I feel like we've improved a little on our intermediate program from 2008," continued Sheltra. "This year, we've finished in the top-10 in all three mile-and-a-half tracks so we're aiming towards our fourth straight top-10. I feel like if we can keep our car in clean air and adjust on it during the race; we'll be in good shape."

MC2 Energy Drink, who's enjoyed a wealth of success with their products has leaped aboard the Sheltra Motorsports train for this weekend's activities with Sheltra ready to deliver.

"We're looking forward to carrying the MC2 logo this weekend," sounded Sheltra. "We've been talking to Ron (Serota, President) for almost a year now and we're just proud that we could finally make them a part of our organization."

Sitting 105 markers out of the fifth position in the ARCA RE/MAX Series championship chase, Sheltra is determined to propel his third year team into the top-five when the checkered flag waives at Rockingham Speedway next weekend.

"While our goal all year was to be in the hunt for the championship, I would be happy with finishing in the top-five. My guys have worked hard despite some bad luck but we're ready to the end the year on a high note with two good runs and a fifth place finish in the championship race," Sheltra concluded.

Crew Chief John Hayden has elected to use Sheltra Motorsports Chassis No. 13 this weekend at Kansas Speedway. This is the same piece the team raced to a sixth and ninth place finish at Kentucky Speedway and a ninth place at Chicagoland Speedway this year. This car has also had track time at Michigan International Speedway, Nashville Superspeedway and Chicagoland Speedway last season. The former Penske Racing ride has five top-10 finishes including a best of sixth at Michigan (2008) and Kentucky (2009) in six starts. It will be run for just the seventh time in Sheltra's career. Chassis number 16 will serve as the team's back-up automobile. That former Richard Childress Racing entry is a new addition to the team's fleet. The Whitesville, Kentucky based team tested this Dodge Charger at Michigan International Speedway in May. It has yet to see any ARCA race competition.

-credit: sm