ARCA
Toledo II: Jim Hollenbeck preview
Hollenbeck Ready For Toledo Rumble Toledo, Ohio - - ARCA RE/MAX Series driver Jim Hollenbeck is ready. Ready to win. The Kalamazoo, Michigan native is returning to the .5-mile bullring of Toledo Speedway ready for ...
Published: Sep 1, 2004, 6:21 PM
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Hollenbeck Ready For Toledo Rumble
Toledo, Ohio - - ARCA RE/MAX Series driver Jim Hollenbeck is ready. Ready to win. The Kalamazoo, Michigan native is returning to the .5-mile bullring of Toledo Speedway ready for redemption and willing to put his best equipment on the line to thunder into victory lane.
Earlier this season, Hollenbeck attempted to make the spring event, but a brake failure during the spring practice session sent him hard into the wall. A dejected driver was forced to withdraw from their first event of the season.
The car has been fixed, and Hollenbeck's ready to face the Toledo rumble. "I'm ready to go," said the driver of car 48. "Every since our problem in the spring, I said to myself, I'm going to head back to Toledo, and let her (the track) known she hasn't scared me off."
Hollenbeck joined by his all-volunteer crew will bring the same Ford Taurus they competed with at Berlin in July. In that event, Jim soared with a qualifying effort of ninth. However, the race didn't go as planned. While battling within the top-ten a mechanical failure erupted underneath the No. 2 Ford Taurus relegating them to a disappointing finish.
"I think we proved to everyone we can qualify and compete," continued Hollenbeck. "We had a very solid car at Berlin, but you never expect to have a mechanical failure. Sometimes that's part of racing. The important thing is we've fixed the problem, and we're ready for our next battle. That's winning a race."
The western-based Michigan team enters Toledo with a slight advantage over his fellow competitors. On Monday, August 16th the team participated in a three-hour testing session with Hollenbeck turning respectable lap times. "We were a second faster than we were in the spring," he said. "Our times continued to improve every time we went out on the track, I feel a lot better heading into the event knowing I have some seat time around here."
What kind of race does Hollenbeck expect Friday night? A physical one.
"If anyone watched the NASCAR Busch Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway last week, I think that's the same type of race we'll see this weekend. It's going to be a very competitive field with over 40 competitors showing up for the 34 starting positions. Once the race starts, it's going to be hectic. My goal is to qualify as close to the front as possible, stay out of the eye of the storm (AKA mid-pack) and win the race."
Following Toledo, the team won't be able to enjoy the long-holiday weekend as they have to quickly return to the shop and prepare their Superspeedway car for Chicagoland Speedway, which will take place a week from Saturday. The ARCA RE/MAX Series is in the midst of completing three events in eight days. The teams will compete at Toledo Friday night, head to Duquoin for Monday's Labor Day event, to be concluded in the "Windy City" teaming up with the Indy Racing League.
"We've have two races, and they are back to back, but I say bring it on," stated the 29-year old competitor.
"We've been working on our car since Michigan. I have confidence in my crew, and I think we'll get the job done in Chicagoland." EAS-Myoplex will return to the hood of the No. 48 Ford Taurus next week as the primary sponsor.
Hollenbeck Motorsports, owned and operated by Hollenbeck is still searching for primary sponsorship for the Toledo event. "We'll have Spectra Contracting (my company) on board, and associate sponsorship from EAS, but we're looking for some more help," continued the second-generation driver.
The Hantz Group 200 is the 18th of 22 events on the 2004 ARCA RE/MAX Series schedule. The teams will endure another one-day show this Friday, September 3rd. Practice is on tap Friday afternoon beginning at 1:00pm, with qualifying on tap that afternoon starting at 4:00pm with the race set to take the green flag that night shortly after 8:00pm EST. The Speed Channel will broadcast the race live with coverage beginning at 8:00pm EST.
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