J.R. Fitzpatrick Qualifies the TRG Motorsports ARCA Chevy in 42nd
Stewart-Haas Racing to pit car in race
Daytona Beach, Florida (February 6, 2009) - J.R. Fitzpatrick qualified the No. 48 TRG Motorsports Chevrolet in 42nd place for tomorrow's running of the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 ARCA RE/MAX race.
Fitzpatrick, from Cambridge, Ontario, Canada, spent the day on Thursday running nearly five hours on the high-banks of Daytona. The 20-year old Canadian posted a best practice time of 50.638 seconds with a speed of 177.732 mph, which had him running around the 39th position.
"We have a slightly different car than we had down here in the December test," Fitzpatrick said. "At the test we were really fast on our own, but the car was not handling that great. This weekend Butch (Hylton, crew chief) put a little different setup on the car so we can handle in the draft, which is what we want for the race."
In the two lap qualifying session, Fitzpatrick went out tenth and posted a first lap of 51.165 seconds. On his second lap he improved to run a 50.759 which will have him start 42nd on the 43 car ARCA RE/MAX Series grid.
"We got the car driving so good that it is hard to believe it is that slow. I think this is the type of car that will be better in the race. We made an improvement, which is good, but we are starting on the last row. When we came here testing I was quicker with the gear we have in now than the one we had in for practice.
Yesterday I was quicker with the other gear. I think that, yesterday's is the right choice, because we are going to need it to suck up to people in the draft. I really haven't run with anyone yet this weekend. This afternoon's practice will really show the true colors of this beast. I am pumped for the race. We have a good strategy in place and good people working on the car, so I am excited - it will be fun."
"We have J.R. in the show. He has a really mature approach to his driving. He is providing great feedback and the team is making the adjustments to make the car go fast. We came here with a racing setup, not a qualifying one, so we think it will pay off for J.R. tomorrow. It will be a wild race and I am looking forward to J.R. being right in the middle of it all."
TRG Motorsports crew chief Butch Hylton has recruited the Stewart-Haas pit crew from the No. 14 Office Depot/Old Spice NASCAR Sprint Cup Chevrolet of Tony Stewart to perform pit stops on the No. 48. The No. 14 crew is looking for some real race practice time prior to the Daytona 500.
The Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 ARCA race will take the green flag on Saturday, February 7 at 4:15 p.m. and will be televised live on the SPEED Channel starting at 4 p.m. ET.
TRG Motorsports is based in Mooresville, North Carolina where they run a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team as well as an ARCA RE/MAX Series effort. 2008 marked the first full season of competition for TRG in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series where they recorded one win, one top-five and ten top tens overall. The team's sister company, The Racer's Group, was founded in 1993 has been competing at the top level of motor racing ever since. TRG has the most wins of any team in the Grand-Am Rolex Series with 26, including the 2005 and 2006 Rolex Series GT championship trophy to go along with wins at the Rolex 24 at Daytona and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
For more information contact please contact Kyle Chura at (248) 821-0468 or chura@aol.com. Detailed team info can be viewed at www.trgmotorsports.com
From Kyle Chura / TRG
