LONG POND, Pennsylvania (August 3, 2011) – – After capturing a seventh place finish in the most recent ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards race at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway in June, Chad Hackenbracht and his CGH Motorsports team return to the “Tricky Triangle” looking to improve on that finish in Saturday’s Pennsylvania ARCA 125.
Quite possibly the biggest difference between June’s race and this weekend’s contest will be the time that Hackenbracht will have to roar his No. 58 Tastee Apples Chevrolet Impala SS into the spotlight. Unlike, the traditional 80-lap race in their first Pocono race of the season, the 12th race of the year offers just 50 laps of competition as part of a double-header with the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. “I’m looking forward to Saturday,” said Hackenbracht, a native of New Philadelphia, Ohio. “The track is so unique in its own way that you cannot not help but like racing there. We had a good run there a couple months ago, but the race getting called early because of fog stalled what could have been a better run. Thankfully, we have another shot this weekend.”
With Pocono (Pa.) Raceway consisting of a 2.5-mile layout, the 19-year old knows that 50 laps could go by in a hurry; but mentions that he and his team are ready for anything that may be in their path. “I think 50 laps will go by quick,” he said. “Some would think not at a big place like Pocono, but it will, especially if we’re under green a lot. With the race being short, you really don’t have any time to lay back; you have to go literally from the start.”
In the last eight races, the Mooresville, North Carolina-based team has posted three top-fives and six top-10s including a career-best third at Winchester (Ind.) Speedway last month. The team looked strong again last Thursday night at Lucas Oil Raceway but a deflated tire late in the race relegated the team to a 16th place finish. Still, the recent pounce on the ARCA competition has Hackenbracht to eighth in the championship standings.
“You’re going to have some bad luck along the way, it’s just part of racing,” sounded Hackenbracht. “The guys built me an incredibly fast racecar at Lucas Oil Raceway; unfortunately, we didn’t produce the finish that we wanted. Pocono though is as good of place as any for a nice rebound.”
With Hackenbracht’s mentor and friend Ron Hornaday Jr. competing in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race before the ARCA race, he plans to be glued to the trucks on the track, hoping he may learn something that will propel him forward during his race.
“I have all intentions of watching all 50 laps of the truck race,” explained the 2008 National Asphalt Legends champion. “I know I quite possibly could learn a lot that could help me with our race, so it just makes sense.”
Getting Physical:Hackenbracht talks this week about what it is like to physically prepare for an ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards. As when any athlete staying fit is not easy task and being a racecar driver is no different. Hackenbracht offers some insight from his perspective.
“I have started and put together a program for training and that’s what I need to do to get physically fit. Despite what some people say, being a racecar driver is an athlete. We have to endure a lot, just in different ways than some of the other athletes. I think I stand somewhere in the middle on the athlete scale, only because I haven’t been working out as long as some of the other drivers may have. But, I don’t think that puts me in bad shape at all, I take precautions and focus hard when I do train.” He added, “right now, I’m training three days a week with a trainer and I am trying to get to the gym myself at least one other time during the week, depending on when we leave for a race. If I can break away and do something at the hotel, I will try that too.”
The Pennsylvania ARCA 125(50 laps / 125 miles) is the 13th of 19 events on the 2011 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards schedule. The 53rd ARCA race at Pocono Raceway is a two-day show. Practice begins Friday, August 5 with a one hour and twenty minute practice session planned from 1:40 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Menards Pole by Ansell qualifying is slated to begin later in the day at 5:40 p.m. The field will take the green flag shortly after 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, August 6. The event will be televised live on SPEED beginning at 3:00 p.m. EST. Live timing and scoring throughout the 1,325th race for the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards since it was formed in 1953 will be available through the ARCA Racing Network (ARN) online at arcaracing.compresented by ARCANation.com. All times are local.
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About CGH Motorsports: CGH Motorsports (CGHMotorsports.com), established in 2007 by Ohio entrepreneur Greg Hackenbracht is located in a 10,000 sq. foot facility located in Mooresville, North Carolina. CGH Motorsports is home of rising sensation Chad Hackenbracht, who competed in nine ARCA Racing Series races in 2010 after an aggressive ARCA testing schedule in 2009. Chad Hackenbracht is the 2008 National Asphalt Legends champion, winning 33 percent of his races and finishing in the top-10, 85 percent of the events he competed in. The team will step up their commitment from a partial schedule and prepare for a hopeful full-season ARCA championship assault beginning in February 2011.
