WS: Phoenix II: Zach Germain preview

Zach Germain Ready to "Go West" with No. 24 Germain.com Camry

Mooresville, N.C. (11-08-2010) - Heading into his first season racing in the NASCAR ranks, rookie driver Zach Germain looked at the Phoenix International Raceway November race date for the K&N Pro Series West and thought it would be very 'cool' to race in that event. After a season of learning the NASCAR ropes in the K&N Pro Series East, Germain was told he and the No. 24 Germain.com Camry had another NASCAR event to run before they could call their 2010 season over--the West Series finale at Phoenix.

"In the back of my mind, I always wanted to race in the Phoenix K&N Pro Series event. After two cut right front tires in our final two East Series races, I figured our season was done and was pretty disappointed that it had to be punctuated by two weeks with finishes out of our control," said Germain, who captured a tenth-place finish in his first NASCAR career race at the season opener in Greenville, SC. "General manager Mike Hillman Sr. asked me three weeks ago how I felt about going to Phoenix to run with the West Series--I was thrilled. Our team has the opportunity to end our season on a higher note--one that matches up with how much we've grown together this year."

Racing at Phoenix International Raceway will give Germain experience on one more NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race track. To date, he's already raced on Martinsville, New Hampshire and Dover. Another element of higher level experience that Germain will experience in the southwestern desert is a 110" wheel base car.

"This season, my No. 24 Germain.com Camry was a 105-inch wheelbase race car for my East Series races. "JJ" (Jamie Jones, crew chief) and the guys have put together a 110 car for me to race at Phoenix, which will give the opportunity to learn a top-level race track with the same wheel base as the Cup cars, Trucks and, next year, the NNS cars all race," said Germain.

Germain, a graduate of Miami University of Ohio, is studious in his approach to learning his racing craft. Jones says the approach has suited Germain well and he's looking forward to seeing more improvements from his young driver in Arizona.

"Zach has been able to learn something each time we've been to the race track--for a test or for a race weekend. Phoenix is a tough one-mile track, but it's a great opportunity for him to try out this longer wheel-base race car and get a feel for it for the future," said Jones.

-source: germain racing