Patrick Sheltra Starts 16th In Daytona

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida February 7, 2009: Indiantown, Florida native Patrick Sheltra will roll from the 16th position in today’s Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 at Daytona, marking the second-time in the young-gun’s racing career that he’ll take the green flag at the “World Center of Speed.”

On Friday afternoon, Sheltra aboard his Grace Sheltra Dodge Charger whipped his No. 60 Ferguson Pipe Enterprises-Quality Turf machine around the 2.5-mile speedway to a time of 50.157 seconds amounting to a speed of 179.437 miles per hour. The effort recorded Sheltra’s career-best superspeedway effort.

“We’re not happy with that, but we’ll take it,” said Sheltra, who finished sixth in the 2008 ARCA RE/MAX Series championship standings. “We know the car will run exceptional in the draft and that’s the crucial element when racing at Daytona.”

Sheltra continued, “We want to win today and we’re hoping we can make that happen. Our bunch has worked hard over the winter to put the most competitive piece on the track as they possibly can. I think we’re going to be in great shape.”

Sheltra Motorsports based in Whitesville, Kentucky elected not to participate in Friday evening’s happy hour session and Sheltra believes it was the right move.

“John (Hayden, crew chief) said he didn’t want to take a chance of anything happening and I agreed with him 100 percent. We know the car is good. It was safer under the cover than on the race track last night.”

Immediately following Daytona, Sheltra will have zero time to relax as he’ll head to Volusia County Speedway two days later and return to his racing roots behind the wheel of the No. 23 Chevrolet for six nights of dirt racing. Sheltra will also race against new Sheltra Motorsports teammate Shannon Babb, who will be on-hand to watch Sheltra compete in the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 at Daytona Saturday afternoon.

Ferguson Pipe Enterprises, Quality Turf of Okeechobee, Inc., The Casite Company, RC Cola of Owensboro Kentucky, J&S Bulk Transport Co., Inc., Sheltra & Son Construction, Sheltra Cattle Company and Indiantown Marina join the junior year team as marketing partners for Sheltra’s third year of ARCA competition.

Sheltra Motorsports acquired an in-car camera for Saturday’s anticipated thriller. It will mark the second time in Sheltra’s ARCA RE/MAX Series career where fans will be able to experience the action from inside the cockpit of the No. 60 Dodge Charger.