BES: John Freeman All-Star Showdown preview

John Freeman Ready to Venture Out West
19-Year-Old Rookie Is Headed For First NASCAR All-Star Showdown

CONCORD, NC (September 12, 2006) -- "The West" has always been a term used in folk lore, legends and fairy tales. It's supposed to be a place where people go to attempt to make their dreams come true. Next weekend, John Freeman will head out West to compete in one of the largest events in Short track racing; The Toyota All-Star Showdown, where he hopes to have his own fairy tale come true.

"I am very excited to be heading to Irwindale," said Freeman. "I haven't ever been to the track, I have never even been to California. So it will be the farthest West that I have ever been."

Freeman has been preparing for the race by logging on to his computer.

"I have been running the track on the simulator just trying to get an idea of what it is like. That helps a lot when you are going to a track that you have never seen before and I am just trying to get as ready as you can be for something like this."

Despite the fact that Irwindale is not too far from Hollywood, there won't be a red carpet rolled out onto the track. But it sure will feel like it to many of the drivers who will be showing up at the track looking to take center stage because they know just how important this race is, and it's not only because it will be shown live on SPEED Channel.

"This will be the highlight of our season. The All-Star Showdown just in general is such a great race and there is so much prestige behind. Just to be a part of that race is huge - much less having a real chance to contend for the win, which I really think that we will have this year.

"This is the race that I have watched the past three or four years back when I was still racing Legends cars, it was such a neat deal. Just to be a part of it this year is such a huge deal for me."

As a rookie, Freeman has put in a very impressive run for the 2006 Busch East Series season. Since joining up with FitzBradshaw he has run up front in all of the races being a contender for the victory. Unfortunately, his finishing positions can't show that because of bad luck out on the track.

"I have talked to a couple of people, I haven't gotten a ton of advice just because I haven't been around the track. Normally, that is where you will talk to them at and we haven't been racing for a few weeks now. I expect to get with the track and hook up with a couple of other rookies and try and get a feel for the track and see what that place is like."

The car that is going to Irwindale with Freeman is one of his personal favorites and the team is doing all that they can possibly to do insure that everything goes picture perfect in California.

"We had a pretty impressive run at Dover that ended 20-laps too early, in an unfortunate wreck on the front stretch. That car was an extremely good car, my most favorite car that I have ever driven period. And we are putting that car back together to take to Irwindale with the FitzBradshaw camp.

"Ron Otto will be my crew chief at Irwindale," added Freeman. "He also was my crew chief at New Hampshire and Dover. He has been a big asset to my success with FitzBradshaw. It is great working with these guys. We have all really come together at the shop. I kind of came in mid-season so it was a little different at first, I had to get adjusted with some people I had never met. We all bonded together really well at New Hampshire and everyone is a working force, we are all one force working towards one goal and hopefully it will put us up front at Irwindale."

The Toyota All-Star Showdown will be held October 20th-21st. The events for both days will be aired live on SPEED Channel at 11:00pm on Friday and 10:00pm ET on Saturday Night.

-credit: www.johnfreemanracing.net