| Patrick Sheltra Aims For Stellar Performance
In Kentucky
“Team Returns With Dodge For First Night
Event Of 2008 Season”
SPARTA, Kentucky (May 8, 2008) -- After a rocky performance
last Sunday at Rockingham Speedway, sophomore ARCA RE/MAX
Series (ARS) driver Patrick Sheltra and his Whitesville,
Kentucky-based Sheltra Motorsports are ready to return to
familiar territory in Saturday night’s Drive Smart!
Buckle Up Kentucky 150 at Kentucky Speedway.
In five races this season, the team has maneuvered four
top-15 finishes including an eighth and nine place finish
at Iowa Speedway and Kansas Speedway respectively. The team
has been able to adapt to running in the top-10 as the team
has maneuvered their No. 60 into the spotlight in all five
events this season.
While an early race incident (while running in the top-10)
and an engine failure brought a disappointing 34th place
finish at Rockingham Speedway last Sunday, the sophomore
ARCA team has no time to fret. The team has been focusing
on Saturday’s race with the determination to put Sheltra
back on top and in contention for his first career victory.
For Sheltra, the 21-year old rising star, he’ll return
to the track that awarded him his first career top-10 finish
in RE/MAX Series competition last May. In fact, Sheltra
was the second top running full-time ARCA driver.
“Kentucky, here we come,” said Sheltra, who
will make his third start at Kentucky Speedway Saturday
night. “The first race at Kentucky brought a good
night for our Sheltra Motorsports team; we’re hoping
to redeliver the same type of performance this weekend.”
If Sheltra was in Las Vegas, the odds would be on his side.
The first of two trips to Kentucky Speedway this season
will bring back the Dodge Charger for the Sheltra Motorsports
operation. Last month, the team unveiled their Chrysler
nameplate at Kansas Speedway in the Kansas Lottery $150
Grand with Sheltra qualifying a career-best eighth then
powered to the lead during the 100-lap event before finishing
eighth, a season best.
The team is looking to duplicate or better that same success
Saturday night.
“Our car was a rocket ship in Kansas,” sounded
Sheltra. “My Crew Chief John Hayden and the entire
Sheltra Motorsports team have done a fantastic job making
our Dodge program as strong as it is. We’re taking
the same car with a little more power thanks to RC Consultants
and we feel that what we learned at Kansas will play into
our hands this weekend.”
Sheltra continued, “Much like Kansas, Kentucky is
a very short race. You don’t have time to lay back.
You have to be on your game. We took a beating in the point
standings last week at Rockingham, so a good run this weekend
will put our Sheltra Motorsports team back on track.”
With Mother’s Day just days away, Sheltra would like
nothing more than bring his car owner and mother Grace Sheltra
her first ARCA victory. “A victory for Mom would be
huge for more than just one reason. It’s as simple
as that,” offered Sheltra.
Before Sheltra turns his attention to Kentucky Speedway
Saturday, he will return to his racing roots and participate
in a dirt track showdown at Union County Speedway in Liberty,
Indiana on Friday, May 9. Sheltra has stormed into victory
lane three previous times at the demanding dirt track behind
the wheel of the No. 23 Sheltra Motorsports Chevrolet Monte
Carlo.
Entering Kentucky, Sheltra has 30 ARCA RE/MAX Series starts
to his credit with a career best finish of third on the
dirt at Illinois State Fairgrounds (August 2007) with an
additional top-five finish (fourth) at Berlin Raceway (July
2007) while holding additional top-10s at Kansas Speedway
(April 2008), Iowa Speedway (April 2008), Kentucky Speedway
(June 2007), DuQuoin State Fairgrounds (September 2007)
and Toledo Speedway (October 2007). An eighth place qualifying
effort at Kansas Speedway (April 2008) is Sheltra’s
best time trials efforts to date. He has controlled the
ARCA field once for four laps.
The Drive Smart! Buckle Up Kentucky 150 (150 miles/100
laps) is the sixth of 21 events on the 2008 ARCA RE/MAX
Series schedule. The first of two events held at Kentucky
Speedway this season is a one-day show. Practice begins
Saturday, May 10 with a two hour practice session planned
from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. ARCA SIM Factory pole qualifying
is slated to begin at 3:30 p.m. The field will take the
green flag shortly after 8:00 p.m. The race will not be
televised but additional race coverage including live timing
and scoring will be available online at arcaracing.com.
All times are local.
For more on Patrick Sheltra, please visit the newly re-launched
PatrickSheltra.com.
About Sheltra Motorsports:
Sheltra Motorsports (sheltramotorsports.com)
is a three-tier Motorsports operation consisting of dirt
and asphalt competition. Patrick Sheltra, a 21-year old
native of Indiantown, Florida competes in the UMP and WoO
(Dirt) Series; while also running a full schedule in the
ARCA RE/MAX Series (No. 60) and a limited schedule in the
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (No. 35). Sheltra Motorsports
ownership is combined of Richard, Grace and Patrick Sheltra.
The team is headquartered in Indiantown, Florida with additional
operations in Richmond, Indiana and Whitesville, Kentucky.
Patrick Sheltra, Sheltra Motorsports, Kentucky
Speedway
Notes of Interest:
· Sheltra Motorsports will run a mixture of Dodge
Chargers and Chevrolet Monte Carlos during the 2008 ARCA
RE/MAX Series season. For Kentucky, Sheltra Motorsports
will run a Dodge Charger purchased from NASCAR Sprint Cup
Series team; Penske Racing. This is the same automobile
the team competed with in the Kansas Lottery $150 Grand
which yielded an eighth place finish after starting eighth.
RC Consultants will provide the horsepower for the sophomore
ARCA team.
· Sheltra currently maintains a point’s position
in the top-10 (seventh) heading into Kentucky Speedway this
weekend. Sheltra moved into the top-10 in the series’
second race of the season at Salem Speedway and has remained
locked in the top-10 since. The Indiantown, Florida native
is just 95 markers from entering the top-five and 210 credits
from the number one position held by SunTrust Rookie-of-the-Year
candidate Matt Carter. Last year, the 21-year old superstar
finished seventh in the championship standings competing
in 22 of the scheduled 23 events.
· Sheltra will make 400 left hand turns on Saturday
night, eight hundred forty eight (848) less turns than last
Sunday afternoon at the 1.0-mile track of Rockingham Speedway.
· In addition to running a full 2008 ARCA RE/MAX
Series schedule, Sheltra will also run a limited schedule
in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (No. 35) and compete
in selected dirt late model events (UMP and WoO Series)
throughout the United States.
Sheltra Motorsports Quick
Facts:
Team Name: Sheltra Motorsports, No. 60 Chevrolet
Monte Carlo SS
Driver: Patrick Sheltra, Indiantown, Florida
Car Owner: Grace Sheltra, Indiantown, Florida
Crew Chief: John Hayden
Team Manager: Keith Strunk
Marketing Partners: Ferguson Pipe Enterprises,
Inc, FloraGanics, American Concrete Industries, Inc, Hardie
Pipe, The Casite Company, J&S Bulk Transportation, Inc.,
US Construction Supply Corp., Martin County Petroleum, Sheltra
& Son Construction, Sheltra Cattle Company, Recycling
Services, Aaron’s Outdoors, Indiantown Marina, All
About Flowers, Speed Media, Klotz Synthetic Lubricants,
DMC Graphics and Purcell Tire & Rubber.
TEAM COMMUNICATIONS CONTACT:
NAME: Chris Knight, Sheltra Motorsports
PHONE: 239.834.9797 or 830.261.1215
EMAIL: knight849@aol.com
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