TOLEDO, OH - It's sort of like re-familiarizing yourself with an old friend. For ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards point leader Justin Marks, it's relearning a track he has not seen in three years.
Marks, the current ARCA Series point leader, is testing on the half-mile Toledo oval Wednesday in preparation for the next event on tour - the Menards 200 presented by Federated Car Care Sunday, May 23.
"More than anything, it's been three years since I've been on this racetrack, so I'm just trying to re-familiarize myself with it - get the line back," Marks said.
Marks drives for Win Tron Racing and has already earned one win this year on the Palm Beach Int'l Raceway road course. Win Tron Racing, a co-ownership between Kevin Cywinski and Nate Theisse, is renowned for their top-performing ways.
"Win Tron has a lot of good experience at Toledo," continued Marks. "They've sat on the pole and led laps here; so I know I'll have a good racecar. For me, it's just another opportunity to get back to a racetrack, kind of tweak on the package, work on shocks and springs.
"Good news is that we'll be back on this track in nine days so we'll have some relative data to work with."
So far, so good on the 2010 data capture for Marks and the Win Tron team. In addition to a dominating victory in the rain at Palm Beach, Marks started the season with a solid 11th place finish at Daytona. Beyond that, Marks earned a third place at Salem Speedway, a fourth at Texas Motor Speedway and a ninth at Talladega Superspeedway.
Anyway you add it up, Marks is the point leader by 20 over Steve Arpin headed to Toledo.
"I know it's early, but our goal is to be on top all season. We just gotta keep ourselves in a good position, not have any DNFs and focus on finishing in the top-five, top-10 every week, and take advantage of those opportunities to win.
"It's about being smart. There is so much inconsistency in the schedule in the beginning. That championship run is going to be in August, September when we're back-to-back for eight weeks. We need to be in a good position for that, stay consistent and capitalize on those days that maybe aren't the best days and making the most out of the ones that are."
The last time Marks raced at Toledo was in 2007 earning finishes of seventh and 11th. Although he's had a relative amount of success on the short tracks, the Rocklin, California driver does not consider himself a short track wizard by any stretch.
"Toledo's a pretty straight-up short track," added Marks. "I'm not a short track racer. I've never really had much experience in short track oval racing.
"It's got grip though and you can pass on it. It's a fun place; but I like all the tracks on the ARCA schedule. Every one of them is a unique challenge. Toledo's fun because it's the home track for ARCA. It's an important venue for the series and these teams."
The annual ARCA Racing Series Presented by RE/MAX and Menards spring event at Toledo Speedway will kick off on Friday, May 21, with the touring Buckeye 305 Sprint Car Series and a full program of regular Toledo Speedway racing.
Menards Pole Qualifying Presented by Ansell is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 22, and will be followed by the season-opening event for the ARCA Truck Series.
Spectator gates and ticket sales for the Menards 200 will open at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, May 23, and an on-track autograph session featuring the entire starting ARCA Racing Series field is scheduled to take place from noon-1 p.m. The green flag will drop on the Menards 200 at 2 p.m.
Advance discount tickets for the Menards 200 are available at Toledo-area Menards stores, including locations in Sandusky, Findlay, and Defiance. Race fans can save $10 off the price of admission by purchasing tickets at Menards through May 18.
Toledo Speedway is located at 5639 Benore Road in northeast Toledo, near I-75 and Alexis Road. More information is available by calling (419) 727-1100, or by visiting ARCARacing.com.
The ARCA Racing Series Presented by RE/MAX and Menards features 20 events at 17 tracks on its 2010 schedule. The series has crowned an ARCA national champion each year since its inaugural season in 1953, and has toured over 200 racetracks in 28 states since its inception. The series tests the abilities of drivers and race teams over the most diverse schedule of stock car racing events in the world, annually visiting tracks ranging from 0.4 mile to 2.66 miles in length, on both paved and dirt surfaces as well as left- and right-turn street and road courses.
Founded by John Marcum in 1953 in Toledo, Ohio, the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) is recognized among the leading sanctioning bodies in the country. Closing in on completing its sixth decade after hundreds of thousands of miles of racing, ARCA administers over 100 race events each season in two professional touring series and local weekly events.
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