Down To "The Rock" for ARCA Title Contenders
Lofton and Kligerman
Andy Cagle
Director of Public Relations
Rockingham Speedway
andy.cagle@rockinghamracewaypark.com
910.995.2122
>
>
> Down To "The Rock" for ARCA Title Contenders Lofton and Kligerman
>
> ROCKINGHAM NC (10-9-09) - Two drivers. One champion. The stage is set.
>
> That stage is Rockingham Speedway in Rockingham, North Carolina
> where the ARCA RE/MAX Series championship is at stake. The drivers,
> a second-year veteran and a rookie, are Justin Lofton and Parker
> Kligerman. The outcome - unknown.
>
> What we do know is that there are just 15 points that separate
> Lofton and Kligerman headed to Rockingham this weekend for the ARCA
> RE/MAX American 200, the final event of the 2009 season.
>
> There are, of course, many other variables one could consider.
>
> Past History at the Rock
> Let's start with past history at Rockingham where Lofton has two
> starts ('08 & '09) and Kligerman has one. While Kligerman had some
> relative success in his Rockingham debut this past spring, Lofton's
> Rockingham resume is nothing to crow about.
>
> Lofton made his Rockingham debut in the spring of 2008 in the
> Carolina 500. After qualifying a respectable third, the Westmorland,
> California driver got caught up in a wreck off turn two early on and
> eventually finished 43rd after spending most of the race in the
> garage for repairs.
> Earlier this year, Lofton made his second start at Rockingham where
> he qualified fifth, but finished a dismal 22nd, five laps down after
> he bounced off the wall in turn four. That gives Lofton an average
> finish of 32.5 at Rockingham. More than likely, that will not do
> this weekend.
> Kligerman, on the other hand, fared much better in his one and only
> Rockingham start. The Westport, Connecticut rookie qualified a not-
> so-hot 19th, but finished fifth in the race after recovering from a
> mid-race spin off turn two.
>
> History tells us that Kligerman may have the edge headed to
> Rockingham. At any rate, the 19-year-old Penske Racing development
> driver still trails championship point leader Lofton by 15 points
> going in.
>
> Pressure
> In pre-race interviews, both drivers appear cool and collected,
> which, in fact, they may be. However, when things come down to the
> wire, as they most certainly are, pressure always seemingly comes
> into play - last year's championship season finale at Toledo
> certainly comes to mind. More often, it's how one deals with that
> pressure that so often determines the outcome. It's quite possible
> that the driver who best manages the stress factor this weekend will
> be the champ. Even the very best head doctors will tell you that
> some stress is a good thing. Too much stress, however, can lead to
> bad decision making and, in this application, bent racecars.
> Remember, one bad decision over the course of this ensuing 200-mile
> short track grind can take it all away. Whether we're making a
> bigger deal out of the pressure element or not, it will, no doubt,
> find its way into the equation when the field rolls off at Rockingham.
>
> Weather
> There is a chance of rain this Saturday and Sunday in Rockingham
> (40% on Saturday and 50% on Sunday/Weather.com 4:35 pm Thursday, Oct
> 8). The possibility of rain always brings out the "what ifs?" Well,
> if qualifying rained out Saturday, so goes the points available
> during Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell. That's 15 for
> 1st, 10 for 2nd and 5 for 3rd. And when it comes to qualifying,
> Lofton, according to history, reigns superior. We know that Lofton,
> a five-time pole winner in 2009 alone, has earned twice as many
> points in qualifying this year as Kligerman has - 100 to 50. To be
> fair, Kligerman's crew, headed up by veteran crew chief Chris
> Carrier, improved their qualifying effort in a big way over the
> second half of the season.
>
> Kligerman, in an interview on "Inside ARCA" Wednesday afternoon,
> explained. "When we started the year we were only intending to run
> eight races. So, in the beginning, we didn't put any emphasis on
> qualifying because it didn't matter that much to us. When it became
> pretty clear we were running for the championship, we realized we
> were losing too many points in qualifying so we started focusing
> more on qualifying and improved our qualifying effort."
>
> After earning no qualifying points in the first half, Kligerman
> tallied 50 qualifying points in the second half - a major
> improvement indeed.
>
> "What if" the race is shortened because of rain?
>
> Well, for one, it changes strategy in big ways. We know that if we
> can get half the race in, the race can become official without going
> the full distance. If there's a threat of rain during the race, then
> crews, en route, must modify their 200-mile race strategy into some
> other shorter version. Going from one to the other has major
> implications. Implications that change pit stop strategy. Should we
> put early and stretch our mileage and tires because it's probably
> going to rain, or should we wait because if it doesn't rain, we need
> to be set up to go the distance? Hmmmm; it's a crap shoot. Whether
> you're a wizard or just prone to making wise decisions, the
> possibility/honor of being the 2009 ARCA RE/MAX Series champion
> could rest on the shoulders of a crew chief, who, did, or did not,
> make the right call.
>
> Crew Chiefs
>
> Mark Rette/Crew Chief for Justin Lofton:
> "I realize there's a lot at stake for a lot of people," said Rette.
> "But to me it's another race and I'll make decisions as the race
> unfolds. You can plan ahead, and sometimes that works based on your
> experience level but you also have to be able to make decisions on
> the run because the complexion of the race can obviously change for
> a variety of different reasons.
>
> "If there's weather involved, which I think there will be, you've
> got to change your strategy. When to pit, when not to pit. There are
> lots of variables, but it's still just another race. We'll come race-
> ready like we always are and go do what we know how to do best.
>
> "I don't have a lot of experience at Rockingham, not as a crew chief
> anyway. I was there a couple times as a mechanic for Kurt Busch. Ten
> years ago, I won a race as a tire changer for Kenny Wallace. That
> may be one area where Chris (Carrier) has an advantage over me. He's
> been there probably 10 or 15 times. In that regard, I'd say he has
> the upper hand; but then again, a lot of these tracks we went to
> this year that we won or ran really, really good at, I had never
> seen in my life, so we'll see. It's still Rock, an old worn-out
> racetrack.
>
> "We had a little trouble last time we raced there (at Rockingham).
> We were actually running well before we got into the fence. We were
> running fourth and making faster lap times than the leaders. We
> didn't have the best car in the beginning, but we tuned on it and
> got it really good. With Schrader falling out at the end, I think we
> would have won that race."
>
> It's often said that experience is always the best teacher. If
> that's true, then Kligerman may have an advantage, crew chief-wise,
> headed to the Rock.
>
> Chris Carrier/Crew Chief for Parker Kligerman:
> "As a crew chief, I worked for Andy Petree from '92 through 2002,"
> said Carrier. "We actually won the fall Cup race at Rockingham with
> Joe Nemechek in 2001. It was one of the last races ever at the Rock.
>
> "The value of experience is hard to beat in anything. I guess you
> could say it's one of my strong points. I've had some good days at
> the Rock, and some really bad ones. It's probably my favorite track.
> Reminds of some of the tracks I grew up on. It's high-banked, fast,
> rough; it takes a different mindset. I know the track. I know how it
> will affect the car if I change a shock or a spring. I know that
> tires are huge deal at Rockingham and that they're gunna fall off.
> It's how racing ought to be (at the Rock). That place still requires
> that human element; it's not all about data acquisition, and that's
> what I like about it.
>
> "But beyond the experience, there's the decision-making element that
> will play out. I make my decisions based on all the information I
> have available at that time. That's all you can do. That means
> you've got to be prepared to make the right decisions by having all
> the available information. Once the decision is made, you go right
> to the next one. You don't waste time puffing your chest out or
> hanging your head down; you go right to the next decision. I've
> always said, don't make anything bigger or harder than what it is.
> This isn't rocket science.
>
> "I'm really excited. I've never raced for a championship before.
> This is very important to me. Rockingham's my favorite track on the
> ARCA schedule. It killed me when they (NASCAR) took it off the
> schedule. It (Rockingham) puts it right back into the driver's hands."
> The Rock
> When considering all the variables, one cannot leave out Rockingham
> Speedway itself. Like a lot of old, quirky, worn-out racetracks,
> drivers are forced to pay as much, if not more, attention to the
> track as they are each other.
>
> Justin Lofton: "That's one thing I learned about Rockingham, that
> you have to pay a lot of attention to the track," said Lofton. "If
> you try and get too aggressive with it, it'll bite you, like it did
> me in the spring. But we're taking back one of my favorite cars.
> It's the same car that won Pocono, Chicagoland and finished second
> at Kansas. We're going to take it to Rockingham and win this
> Championship. The Championship is coming down to the last race. Me
> and Parker [Kligerman] joke about it all of the time. It's going to
> be basically who finishes ahead of who at Rockingham so we're taking
> the very best car we have and we're going to be on top of our game
> there.
>
> "We really want this championship. It would mean so much to me, my
> crew chief Mark (Rette) and Eddie (Sharp, car owner). We've all
> worked so hard and had such a good season. There's nothing we can do
> when it comes down to race time. We can't control what Parker does
> or how people race us. We're going to race our race and go for the
> win. That's what we need to do to win this championship."
>
> Parker Kligerman: "I think Rockingham is a really cool track in the
> way that the tires go away so fast," said Kligerman. "In our last
> run at Rockingham Speedway we obviously had a lot of trials and
> tribulations. We'll go back there more prepared and we'll show up
> with a better car and I think we'll be able to go out there and go
> for the win. I think that with all that I have learned about driving
> stock cars over this whole season that going back to Rockingham
> Speedway I'll be able to better conserve my tires over a long run
> which is really crucial there with how much the tires go away."
>
> Lofton's race wins in 2009 - 6. Kligerman's race wins in 2009 - 8.
>
> Lofton's average finish in 2009 - 5.3. Kligerman's average finish in
> 2009 - 5.2.
>
> Lofton's laps-led in 2009 - 1005 in 15 races. Kligerman's laps-led
> in 2009 - 659 in 14 races.
>
> Lofton has 1 Nationwide Series start - finished 16th at Michigan
> Int'l Speedway, 2009
>
> Kligerman has 1 Nationwide Series start - finished 16th at Kansas
> Speedway, 2009
>
> X-Factors
> After you've figured out Rockingham Speedway, beat the weather,
> conquered the pressure, made all the right decisions on pit road and
> are still there at the end, there are other variables, kind of like
> X-Factors that could play a role in the overall outcome. X-Factors
> like Venturini Motorsports, who were recently fined $500 and placed
> on disciplinary probation following a physical altercation after the
> race at Kansas. However, the disciplinary probation lasts through
> the 2009 season, which comes to end at Rockingham Speedway this
> weekend. Hmmmmm. To add, the Venturinis are two for two in the win
> column at Rockingham with Joey Logano in 2008 and Sean Caisse
> earlier this year. They are, of course, taking that same winning car
> back to the Rock with yet a different driver - Steve Arpin who,
> ironically, drove the first half of the season with Eddie Sharp
> Racing as a teammate to Justin Lofton. A little further
> investigative reporting uncovers that the post-race altercation at
> Kansas was between Arpin's crew and one of Eddie Sharp's crews, an
> altercation that included some sharp verbal exchanges regarding the
> championship in addition to the physical altercation.
>
> Remnants of the 2008 season finale during which the championship
> battle got ugly between title contenders Scott Speed and Ricky
> Stenhouse, Jr. It started on lap 27 when Stenhouse got into the back
> of Speed headed into turn three. Speed drifted up the track and
> clobbered the wall, causing extensive damage to the right-side.
>
> After losing a lap on pit road, Speed returned to competition,
> albeit way off the pace. Then, as the leaders, including Stenhouse,
> drove to the high side of Speed to put him another lap down, Speed
> turned right as Stenhouse was going by, sending Stenhouse hard into
> the turn two wall. The exchange also sent Speed into the inside wall
> causing further damage to his already wrecked car.
>
> As a result, ARCA officials parked Speed for rough driving for the
> remainder of the race. The Manteca, California driver had already
> been on driving probation for incidents that occurred earlier in the
> season.
>
> Stenhouse returned to competition 69 laps down and eventually
> finished 25th.
>
> With Speed and Stenhouse gone from the championship mix, Justin
> Allgaier, on a new mission, won the race and the title.
>
> While it's hopeful that the championship will be decided between
> Lofton and Kligerman via good old-fashioned, gut-it-out, wheel-to-
> wheel racing to the very end, one can never know - kind of like
> getting back to the 'stress factor', and who manages it better.
> Neither Speed nor Stenhouse fared very well in that department last
> year.
>
> Race Ringers
> In addition to the regular cast of drivers, there are those who
> aren't running for points who could ultimately affect the
> championship in some form or fashion. And we're talking about
> drivers going for the win in very good equipment - drivers like
> Corey LaJoie making his career-first ARCA RE/MAX Series attempt in a
> Kevin Harvick, Inc Chevrolet. Or drivers like Kyle Grissom making
> his first series attempt in what will be a very stout Richard
> Childress Racing entry and Casey Roderick in his series debut for
> Bill Elliott Racing. Through it all, there is a rock-solid 48
> drivers entered all hoping to make a late-season splash. Add a Ken
> Schrader, a Frank Kimmel, a Dakoda Armstrong, a Joey Coulter, a
> Chris Buescher, a Robb Brent, a Clay Rogers, a Brian Ickler, a Grant
> Enfinger, a Bryan Silas, a Justin Marks a Chad Finley, a Tom Hessert
> or a Patrick Sheltra and a host of other hopefuls and anything can
> happen. It usually does.
>
> So many variables. So much on the line. Welcome to the ARCA RE/MAX
> Series championship weekend at Rockingham Speedway.
>
> Coverage of Championship Weekend at Rockingham will be featured in
> live streaming audio at ARCAracing.com.
>
> In addition to live timing and scoring, live steaming audio coverage
> begins Saturday afternoon, October 10th with practice from 11:30 AM
> to 1:00 PM followed by Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell
> at 2:30.
>
> The Sunday afternoon American 200, scheduled for 1:00 PM, will also
> feature live streaming audio coverage at ARCAracing.com.
>
> The ARCA RE/MAX American 200 will also air same-day on SPEED at
> 10:00 PM.
>
> For more information about the Carolina ARCA RE/MAX 200 or to order
> tickets, please contact the speedway at (910) 205-8800 or visit the
> website at http://www.rockinghamspeedway.com/.
>
> CONTACTS:
> Don Radebaugh 419-450-0611
> Jackie L. Franzil 419-574-2685
> http://www.arcaracing.com
>
