Chad Hackenbracht Flocks To Daytona Test With Same Attitude; New Mission

DAYTONA BEACH, January 11, 2011: As the 2011 racing season draws near, the thought of the first green flag of the season can make a heartbeat jump. And while most race car drivers are nestling in with their teams and focusing on their objectives for the new year, rising sensation Chad Hackenbracht has been nose-deep in the books of his Freshman year as a student at the University of North Carolina Greensboro.

This week though, 19-year old Chad Hackenbracht will exchange those books for a steering wheel and grasp a permission slip from his professors and head to Daytona Beach, Florida to participate in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards open-test session at the breathtaking 2.5-mile Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.

Hackenbracht, driver of the No. 58 Tastee Apple Chevrolet Impala SS will spend three days this week (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday) trying to nail down a successful setup that will allow Hackenbracht’s family-owned CGH Motorsports the opportunity to win at the “World Center of Speed” next month.

Partaking in his second-ever test session at the newly-paved restrictor plate track, Hackenbracht and his Rodney Jockisch-led team will focus on balance and speed in their bowtie Impala SS. The Concord, North Carolina-based team also hasn’t ruled out participating in a “light” drafting session before loading up and heading back to North Carolina to put the final touches of their multi-color hot rod for the season opening Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 at Daytona, set for Saturday, February 12, 2011 live on SPEED.

“I’m looking forward to getting back into a race car,” sounded Hackenbracht, who intends to juggle a full-time college schedule while also hoping to become the next ARCA Racing Series champion. “I’m ready to put the books away for a little bit and get back behind the wheel at Daytona!”

The former Legend Car Series (LCS) pilot added, “Rodney (Jockisch) and the entire CGH Motorsports team have been working hard to put this car in tip-top shape. Our first go-around with Daytona wasn’t pretty, but we won’t dwell on the past, but instead move forward towards the present and show everyone this year that CGH Motorsports means business.”

When asked about the recent re-pavement at one of the most historical race tracks in the United States, Hackenbracht commented, “From what I heard, Daytona is going to be a really fast, intense race. Handling should no longer come into play. It’s going to be about driving smart and using your head. I’m expecting the track to drive a lot like Talladega, where the track is nearly as smooth as glass. It sure is going to be an exciting way to kick off speedweeks!”