Under cool and overcast skies, ARCA RE/MAX Series sophomore driver Patrick Sheltra joined over 20 teams electing to participate in the first of two days of open practice at Talladega Superspeedway in preparation for the final superspeedway event of the 2008 ARCA RE/MAX Series season, the ARCA RE/MAX 250 set for Friday, October 3rd, 2008.
Sheltra, the 22-year old rising star returns to the 2.66-mile speedway looking to better his freshman finish at one of the oldest tracks on the ARCA RE/MAX Series circuit. In his restrictor plate debut last October, Sheltra managed to qualify 27th and draft his way into the top-10 before being shuffled in the final laps of the ARCA RE/MAX 250 to cross the line 16th.
Earlier this year in his inaugural Daytona start, Sheltra once again qualified mid-pack but soured to as high as second before being involved in a late race skirmish which relegated Sheltra to a 15th place finish.
Now, returning to the heart of Alabama, Sheltra and his Whitesville, Kentucky-based Sheltra Motorsports team look to redeem themselves restrictor plate style in the next to last event of the 2008 season.
The team brought back the same piece they competed with in the 2008 season opener at Daytona International Speedway. The former Richard Childress Racing (RCR) machine had been previously driven by 2007 Daytona 500 champion Kevin Harvick.
In Wednesday’s session, Sheltra recorded the eighth fastest non-drafting lap in his No. 60 Quality Turf-The Casite Company Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS, whipping his Grace Sheltra owned automobile to a time of 52.594 seconds at 182.074 miles per hour.
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