Rockingham: Eddie Sharp Racing race report

'The Rock' Challenges ESR

Rockingham, N.C. (April 19, 2009) -- As the rain barely held off Sunday, Eddie Sharp Racing hit the pavement a little after 1 pm to compete on the one-mile oval at Rockingham Speedway. The weekend started out slow for the ESR gang, with four drivers starting the race from all over the grid. Tim George, Jr. started 22nd, Justin Lofton started 5th, Steve Arpin started 20th and Craig Goess, Jr. would start in the 12th position.

After a conservative practice and qualifying the whole team was ready to race, but the 200 laps around 'The Rock' would prove to be anything but easy. Driver of the No. 81 Greenville Toyota Camry, Craig Goess, Jr. came over the radio 3 laps in and complained his car was too tight, but crew chief, Patrick Donahue assured him, 'You'll be fine. Just get in a rhythm here.' Goess would go on to finish 6th.

It was a bumpy start for Steve Arpin and the No. 20 Taylor Motorsports Toyota team. Practice and qualifying did not sail smoothly and the crew made adjustments throughout the day, clear up until the green waved. All the hard work paid off and Arpin would go on to capture a top-10 finish.

Justin Lofton, driver of the No. 6 Lofton Cattle Toyota Camry qualified in the 5th position and ran as high as 4th throughout most of the day, but trouble struck on lap 130. Lofton got lose off turn 4 and landed in the wall. The incident set him back to the 24th position and he later finished the race 22nd.

Driver of the No. 2 Ruby Tuesday Toyota Camry, Tim George, Jr. had a solid run at Rockingham Speedway capturing a top-15 finish on the day. Crew Chief John Monsam was pleased with the day's run, 'I felt like we had a competitive car this weekend and Tim did a great job. We need to find a better balance with Tim, but he's showing me every week he's getting better and improving and I couldn't be happier.'

Next Stop: The whole Eddie Sharp Racing gang travel to Talladega, Alabama this weekend for the ARCA RE/MAX 250.

-credit: esr