ARCA RE/MAX Series Rookie-of-the-Year candidate Bryan Silas sees Pocono Raceway as another opportunity to shine in the spotlight, but he’ll also look towards the event as a chance for redemption and recover from a strong finish gone sour in June.
Silas, driving for two-time ARCA RE/MAX Series champion Andy Hillenburg, showed strength in his Pocono Raceway debut. After mounting the 12th fastest time in practice, Silas stormed to his career best qualifying effort of fourth while showing veteran experience during the race taking the lead for 15 circuits including leading the halfway mark only to fall victim to a tire failure late in the race.
The unfortunate turnaround resulted in a disappointing 18th place finish. Now, fresh off a smashing top-10 performance at Kentucky Speedway late last month, Silas returns to the 2.5-mile oval looking to show consistency and a career best finish.
“I’m really looking forward to going back to Pocono this weekend, ” said Silas. “We had a really great run the last time we were there. Our car was really hooked up and we had a top-five in the books before a flat tire kept us from gaining the finish we deserved. That’s racing, we know that, but it’s still frustrating. I am just excited I have another chance this weekend. ”
When asked to describe the 2.5-mile track, Silas said, “Pocono, it’s a track you really can’t describe. It’s unbelievable. You only have three turns compared to four. The turns are all different and the front straightway is amazing, it’s really a driver’s racetrack. It’s one of the most unique tracks we compete on, but it’s definitely one of my favorites. ”
Silas knows with a good run this weekend he can continue to make ground in the championship standings. With his eighth place run at Kentucky, Silas now sits 10th in the championship standings tied with Justin Marks. With a fourth top-10 finish probable on Saturday, Silas would like to utilize the second half of the season to make a march forward and end his first full season of competition solidly in the standings.
“We’ve made a lot of progress, ” offered Silas. “I really think everyone has seen what this team can do. We’ve been competitive, but we’ve also been faced with a lot of bad luck. We’ve paid our dues. Hopefully our bad luck is done for the season and we can concentrate on finishing consistently in the top-10. ”
Nortrax, Shell Rotella T, Holland Pump and Palm Beach Grading (PBG) will all sponsor the No. 11 Ford Fusion in the 45th ARCA event held at Pocono Raceway.
“With the race being televised live, it offers us a good chance to give our sponsors some exposure. We did that in the first Pocono race and the goal this weekend is to try and stay in the spotlight. ”
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