A crew member from the Eddie Sharp Racing team (left) and a Hoosier Tires engineer check tire wear, temperature and pressure after a run by driver Tim George Jr. Wednesday morning at the Rockingham Speedway.
Despite the rain Wednesday morning delaying the drivers more than two hours from taking the track at Rockingham Speedway, Lofton and Kligerman are excited about their chances to capture the ARCA RE/MAX points championship.
“Right now we are taking this thing one race at a time,” said Kligerman, who trails Lofton by 25 points. “We go to Kansas next and if we get the job done, we will come here with the points lead.”
Kligerman posted the third fastest time during tire testing. Lofton, the ARCA RE/MAX points leader, had the sixth fastest time. During the Carolina 200 on April 19, Kligerman was able to finish fifth despite spinning out coming out of turn two early in the race. After hitting the wall leaving turn four, Lofton finished in 22nd, five laps behind the winner, Sean Caisse.
Even though he qualified fifth and had his second-worst finish of the 2009 season, Lofton believes he will have a strong car for the American 200.
“The car is really good,” Lofton said. “This is the car that we should have brought to the first race. We are really excited about it and glad we got the day in, considering the rain. We have the same car we won Pocono and Chicagoland with, and we are hoping we are going to bring home a win from “The Rock.”
Like all the drivers who visit “The Rock,” Kligerman knows the key to winning at the track is keeping his car out of the wall, but more importantly, keeping rubber on the tires.
“The biggest thing at Rockingham is making the tires last,” said Kligerman. “This is a very abrasive surface. In the spring we did a 100-lap run, so we are working towards that. If we keep a consistent, balanced car then the speed will come. Today, we have changed springs, shocks, a lot of stuff to keep the car balanced and keep the tires underneath it.”
Lofton agreed with his fellow driver about having to make the necessary adjustments to keep the car ahead of the track conditions.
“(Crew Chief) Mark Rette and I are making really big changes and we have a different set up from previous races,” Lofton said. “Coming back to the Rock, a track that has so much history, makes me look forward to an exciting championship weekend.”
While Lofton and Kligerman were hoping to find the right setup for a possible championship duel on Oct. 11, the day belonged to Steve Arpin. Driving the No. 25 car, which has won the last two ARCA races at the Rockingham Speedway, Arpin turned the fastest time of the day.
“The biggest thing we have been working on today is learning the place; learning tire management and getting me acquainted with what 70 percent is, what 80 percent is, and what 90 percent is,” said Arpin. “We have got a really good car. The Venturini’s have a good car every time they come here. We are just going to do it again.”
Venturini Motorsports won the 2008 race with Joey Logano behind the wheel and the race this April with Caisse driving.
“This place is awesome,” Arpin said. “Of all the places we go this is my favorite. It’s racy. It has three or four distinct grooves. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”
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