Toledo: Christi Passmore preview

Passmore Taking Momentum of Kentucky Speedway Finish to Toledo Short Track

Many race drivers talk about how important momentum can be to a race team, but Christi Passmore knows exactly what it means to her team as they head to the Toledo Speedway this weekend after their first top five of the 2004 season. After a three-race dry spell that held Passmore outside the top-20 at the checkered flag, she ended the drought by tying her career-best ARCA RE/MAX Series finish with a fifth place finish last weekend at the Kentucky Speedway. With her eyes on a stronger continuation to this season, Passmore is looking forward to the short track at Toledo Speedway.

"The finish and the run that we had at Kentucky was exactly what we needed," said Passmore. "It can really start to get to the whole race team when bad luck seems to keep following you around, but all along we have known just how competitive these race cars are and that our finishes should be better than the results sheets were showing. The entire weekend at Kentucky was a much better portrayal of this team. We know we are capable of top five and top ten finishes every weekend and I really think the momentum of Kentucky will help us get to another strong finish this weekend at Toledo."

Passmore's record at Toledo has not been quite as strong as she would hope, but she is comfortable on the race track. In preparation for the event, Passmore will spend the Thursday prior to the race testing at a local short track in North Carolina in order to work with the brand new race car the team will be taking to Toledo.

"We are taking the sister car to the one we raced at Kentucky to Toledo," said Passmore. "The car is '14' and I know how strong '15' was at Nashville and Kentucky, so I am expecting great things from this car as well. We will spend Thursday shaking it down in North Carolina before the team makes the final adjustments to the car and heads to Toledo on Saturday morning."

The Hickory Farms 200 will take the green flag at the Toledo Speedway on Sunday, May 16 at 3:00pm ET.

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