Toledo II: Patrick Sheltra preview

Patrick Sheltra Hopes To Keep Momentum Train Rolling At Toledo

TOLEDO, Ohio (September 2, 2009) - - On the string of two consecutive top-10 finishes in the ARCA RE/MAX Series (ARS) veteran driver Patrick Sheltra aboard the No. 60 Buffalo Wings & Rings Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS head to Toledo Speedway this weekend looking to keep his momentum train chugging along with hopes of his second win of the season in Friday night's ARCA RE/MAX 200 by Federated Car Care & Bell Tire.

The half-mile of Toledo Speedway has been particularly kind to the Indiantown, Florida native in three of the past four events which have resulted in two top-fives and three top-10 finishes. In this event last year, Sheltra battled back from a deep starting position in the field to end the year on a high note with a fourth place finish securing his sixth place effort in the championship standings.

A year later, Toledo isn't the final race of the year but instead lies inside the sanction's final six races as leads off as the first of a double dose of action for the ARCA RE/MAX Series in just three days.

For Sheltra though, bouncing back from one his most disappointing finishes of the season where in May, Sheltra was literally booted or dumped as he called it from competition after contact from another car early in the race erased his chances of backing up his prior Toledo performances. Finishing 28th that day, Sheltra looks to the Friday night lights for a successful rebound.

"Toledo Speedway has become one of my favorite tracks," said Sheltra. "Thinking about the May race just frustrates me. We had a good car but because of impatience of another veteran driver, we took the hit and he went on to have a better day. We're coming back though looking to be tougher and put our Toledo record back on track."

Sheltra who won his very first ARCA RE/MAX Series race at the demanding short track of Salem Speedway in April knows that several components come together in making a short track race a success.

"You can afford to beat and bang on a short track but a good-handling racecar can be your biggest challenge to succeeding at a short track," offered Sheltra. "If you car can turn or drive like you want it too then the sky is the limit. A good handling car is vital to success at Toledo Speedway. It's a fast place but it's relatively flat which makes the race interesting compared to a Salem Speedway or Mansfield Motorsports Park."

Crew Chief John Hayden has elected to use Sheltra Motorsports Chassis No. 4 this weekend at Toledo Speedway. This is the same piece the team competed with at Berlin Raceway in July. It's also responsible for Sheltra's first career top-five run, a fourth at Berlin Raceway in 2007. The former Robert Yates Racing (RYR) piece has three top-10 finishes with two straight top-10 finishes on the dirt two years ago. The Ford Fusion turned Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS has finished inside the top-20 in all but one of its eight previous events. Chassis number 5 will serve as the team's back-up automobile. That former Joe Gibbs Racing entry is the same automobile that Sheltra rocketed to his first victory at Salem Speedway in April.

For just the third time this season, the team will utilize a Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS as its primary manufacturer of choice.

"We were disappointed with the way the car was handling at Berlin Raceway, so we took the car to Kentucky Motor Speedway down the street from our shop and spent a couple hours making sure the car is comfortable. Oddly enough the tracks are very similar, so I'm glad we tested. Hopefully it will pay off Friday night," added Sheltra.

-credit: sm