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[/media-credit]TOLEDO, Ohio (May 16, 2012) – – Off to his best start in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards in nearly two years, Tom Hessert III and his Ken Schrader Racing (KSR) team return to Toledo Speedway for Sunday’s running of the Menards 200 presented by Federated Car Care.
The KSR team under the leadership of crew chief Donnie Richeson are anxious for their return to the half-mile oval, especially after their recent performance at the Northern Ohio racetrack – which saw the then pink No. 52 Federated Auto Parts Chevrolet Impala steal the pole, led 86 laps but after a late race shuffle settle for a fourth place finish.
So it goes without saying, that the veteran team has some “unfinished business” with the track and with the team’s strong start to the year which has included one top-five and three top-10s in the first four events – many will point to the Cherry Hill, New Jersey native as one to watch on Sunday afternoon.
“Honestly, our performance from Toledo kicked over into Daytona this year and we’ve been able to readily keep the momentum alive,” said Hessert, who enters the fifth race of the year second in the championship point standings.”
The former NASCAR Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car pilot added, “We escaped Talladega with a top-five. We really could have had a bad day with the tire going down and all – but thankfully the caution flag came out and it proved to be our saving grace. We battled back and even though we ran out of laps, we still finished fourth – giving us a great boost for Toledo this weekend.”
To help the team repeat their performance from last October, Richeson will bring the same Chevrolet bowtie that awarded Hessert with his second-career ARCA pole. The team ran this same automobile earlier this year at Salem (Ind.) Speedway, where another strong performance was shattered by late race contact from another competitor. Still, the team is confident in the car’s capabilities and feels their chances of a win in Sunday’s anticipated thriller is feasible.
“This is one of my favorite race cars,” said the 25-year old. “It always seems to grip real well to everyone we take it – and I’m hoping the setup that we used last October will adapt this weekend as well. I know I’ve been saying this for a while, but I’m hungry to win again and Toledo quite possibly could be one of our best opportunities.”
An extra incentive for Hessert this weekend is the presence of his marketing partner Federated Auto Parts, whose Federated Car Care division will serve as the presenting sponsor for Sunday’s outing.
“It’s truly been a blessing to work with the folks at Federated Auto Parts,” Hessert continued. “I’ve really enjoyed getting to meet all of the corporate representatives and a lot of their cliental. I know we’re going to have a lot of support in the grandstands on Sunday, so hopefully with their cheers and chants, we can thank them for their support by being the first one to take the checkered flag.”
If you didn’t think that winning a race wasn’t enough pressure for someone, Hessert’s current idling second in the ARCA Racing Series championship standings and has the opportunity to inherit the championship lead pending the outcome of Sunday’s race.
“Man, it would be awesome to leave Toledo with the point’s lead,” explained Hessert, whose 55 markers behind leader Brennan Poole. “Consistency has really paid off for us so far. We really aren’t thinking about the points lead though – we’re just focusing on keeping our No. 52 Federated Auto Parts Chevrolet Impala near the front and see if we can’t get the win. If we leave with the point’s lead – that’s just the icing on the cake.”
Entering Toledo, Hessert, who will turn 26 next Tuesday, May 22 has 87 career ARCA Racing Series starts. In those outings, he has maneuvered two poles, one win, 20 top-fives and 46 top-10s.
The Menards 200 presented by Federated Car Care (200 laps / 100 miles) is the fifth of 20 events on the 2012 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards schedule. The 71st ARCA race at Toledo Speedway is a two-day show. Practice begins Saturday, May 19 with a forty-five practice session planned from 11:45 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. A final practice is scheduled from 1:00 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. Menards pole qualifying presented by Ansell is set for later in the day slated to begin at 3:30 p.m. The event will take the green flag Sunday, May 20 shortly after 2:00 p.m. The race will be televised live on SPEED with additional coverage including timing and scoring available through the ARCA Racing Network (ARN) online at arcaracing.com. All times are local (Eastern).
For more on Tom Hessert III, please visit tomhessert.com.
Hessert has joined the Twitter crave. Follow and connect with him @TomHessert.
