ARCA SERIES
TOLEDO

Craig Goess and Kyle Fowler 14th & 15th at Toledo Speedway

Promising debut run for ARCA rookie Fowler

TOLEDO, OH (May 23, 2010) Eddie Sharp Racing drivers Craig Goess Jr. and Kyle Fowler finished the ARCA Menard's 200 Presented by Federated car Care at Toledo Speedway in 14th and 15th positions.

Craig Goess Finishes 14th at Toledo Speedway Despite Mid-Race Accident

Craig Goess, Jr.

Toledo, Ohio (May 23, 2010) - Craig Goess and the No. 81 Eddie Sharp Racing Toyota of Greenville N.C. team posted a 14th-place finish, despite being involved in a multi-car accident in the Menards 200 presented by Federated Car Care at Toledo Speedway Sunday.

The weekend got off to a solid start as Goess posted the 14thquickest time in practice Saturday afternoon, circling the half-mile track in a time of 16.795 seconds (107.175 mph).

"We made constant progress throughout practice, although we did not have the chance to try out everything we wanted to," said Goess. "We didn't even make a mock qualifying run. As far as the boards go, we didn't really look that great in practice, but I don't think it reflects what kind of car we have."

Goess showed his speed later Saturday afternoon during qualifying, where he laid down a lap of 16.148 seconds (111.469 mph). His quick lap placed him sixth on the starting grid.

When the green flag dropped Sunday afternoon, the ESR Greenville Toyota of N.C. was poised to contend for the victory, after posting top-five finishes in his last three races.

Starting on the outside of row three, Goess stuck to the front of the pack around the .5-mile short-track. Happy with his car, Goess battled the leaders for the first half of the race. The short-track excitement began early, with 10 cautions over the course of the 200 laps, slowing the field for 58 laps.

On lap 82, Goess radioed to the crew about possible problems with the tires. "I think I heard something pop in the left front, explained Goess. "It just doesn't feel right. It definitely does not feel like I have two new tires on right now."

Although concerned with possible problems in the left front, Goess stayed in the 12th position until lap 98. Coming around turns one and two, the No. 81 got caught up in an accident with Patrick Sheltra, Tim George Jr., Robb Brent and A.J. Frank. The accident brought out the red flag, and the No. 81 had significant cosmetic damage.

"We just got caught up in the wreck, and I had no where to go," explained Goess. "We struggled from that point forward."

While the ARCA officials cleaned up the debris on the track during the red-flag, the No. 81 team talked strategy about how to best attack the next pit stop to fix the damage. The car did not appear to have major structural damage.

The yellow flag waved on lap 101, and the No. 81 came down pit road for the team to begin work on the car. With strategic plans from crew chief Johnny Allen, Goess went back out on lap 103 to catch up to the field and not lose any more laps. After passing the start-finish line, Goess came down pit road again to get right-side tires. He exited two laps down in 17th position.

"We lost laps because the pit stops took some time," said Goess. "We had to take time to make the car drivable. From there, we were just making the most out of what we had and made laps to gain points."

Despite problems caused by the accident, Goess continued to race the field with determination. "I'm going to do the best I can with what I have now," Goess radioed to the crew.

Goess remained two laps down for the duration of the race but refused to give up, as he raced up front with the leaders. Goess preserved to post a 14th-place finish, moving him to seventh position in the ARCA Racing Series driver points standings. He is 10 points behind Frank Kimmel in the sixth position.

Next on the schedule for Goess is the ARCA Racing Series Open Test at Michigan International Speedway Tuesday. He will test alongside ESR teammate Nelson Piquet Jr. and other ARCA drivers.

Goess and the ARCA Racing Series will head to Pocono Raceway for the Messina Wildlife Animal Stopper 200 on Saturday, June 5, 2010. The event will be broadcast on SPEED, as well as live scoring and timing on ARCARacing.com

Kyle Fowler Finishes 15th In His ARCA Racing Series Debut at Toledo Speedway

Kyle Fowler

Toledo, Ohio (May 23, 2010) - On a beautiful May afternoon, fans lined up on the frontstretch of Toledo Speedway for an autograph session put on by the ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards.

"Today is my first ARCA Racing Series race," exclaimed the fan.

"Mine too," said Kyle Fowler, a 17-year-old driver from Georgia.

Like the fan, Fowler received his first taste of the ARCA Racing Series Sunday when the series took to Toledo Speedway for the Menards 200 presented by Federated Car Care. The 200-lap, 100-mile event provided Fowler with many lessons learned and good track time for the young driver.

The weekend began with a 1.5-hour practice Saturday, and Fowler had the opportunity to get in 45 laps on an unseen track in a car he has never driven. He posted the 10th-quickest time the day with a time of 16.719 seconds (107.662 mph).

"We got here, and the car wasn't exactly how we liked it," explained Fowler. "We made some changes, which definitely helped the car. I got more and more comfortable as time went on. I've never been here before, so I was happy with our results on the first try."

Fowler's first-ever qualifying attempt came Saturday afternoon, where he laid down a lap of 16.359 seconds (110.031 mph), landing him in the 13th position.

"In qualifying, the car was just a little bit free," said Fowler. "I over-drove it a bit, but I'm still learning these cars. I've only had about 47 laps in these cars."

After a good night's rest and interaction with fans at the autograph session, Fowler was ready to compete in his first ARCA Racing Series event. In front of the packed grandstands at Toledo Speedway, Fowler began 13th, as the green flag waved.

The event began without a hitch, as Eddie Sharp guided Fowler around the track from the spotter's stand. "Hit your marks. You are doing a great job," radioed the spotter/team owner to the young driver.

Fowler continued to make his way around the track, moving up to the 11th position by lap 63. On lap 83, the No. 6 got caught up in lapped traffic, and suffered damage from contact from the scuffle.

"I was trying to get by a lap car, and I got a good run up beside him on the outside," said Fowler. "We all got together halfway down the backstretch and caused damage to the car, which was basically the start of all of our struggles for the day. It was definitely something I wish we could have avoided, but there really wasn't anywhere for us to go."

The yellow flag waved again on lap 98, when a five-car accident caused the field to pause for the eventual red flag. Although stopped on the track, the problems did not pause for Fowler.

"Another issue began on the next caution, right after our incident on the backstretch," stated Fowler. "The battery became disconnected, the car died, and I had to come back in and make a pit stop for that. That's what got us behind on laps. We never got back to where we were truly capable of running. "

The cars started moving again on lap 101, but Fowler had to be pushed back to the pits because of the battery problem. The No. 6 team worked with persistence to get Fowler back on the track on lap 104.

Although he was two laps down, Fowler continued to push through the field in the 18th position. "One thing I learned today was definitely perseverance," Fowler reflected. "It was great to have Eddie on the spotter stand for me, because he has a ton of experience and just encouraged me to just be there till the end.

As the laps ticked by, Fowler was able to move his way into the 15th position, racing behind Craig Goess, his ESR teammate. Both drivers were two laps down but showed promise and perseverance until the very end. Fowler crossed the finish line 15th.

"I'm so thankful to be able to compete in the ARCA Racing Series," stated Fowler. "I'm learning right now, but I hope to be able to contend in the future. I had a great time today."

Fowler's next scheduled ARCA race is July 10 at Iowa Speedway for the Prairie Meadows 200. The ARCA Racing Series will head to Pocono Raceway for the Messina Wildlife Animal Stopper 200 on Saturday, June 5, 2010. The event will be broadcast on SPEED, as well as live scoring and timing on ARCARacing.com.

No. 81 Greenville Toyota Toyota

QUALIFYING
Goess Sixth; Fowler 13th

TOLEDO, OH (May 22, 2010) Eddie Sharp Racing drivers Craig Goess Jr. and Kyle Fowler will start the Menards 200 from sixth and thirteenth positions.