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MITCHELL TO
TAKE ON NEW CHICAGOLAND OVAL |
WAYNESBURG, PA (Aug. 24)...... While the majority of the
Automobile Racing
Club of America (ARCA) RE/MAX series competitors are viewing
their first
visit to the new 1.5 mile Chicagoland Speedway with trepidation,
Bruceton
Mills, West Virginia driver Richard Mitchell can't wait to test
the new
tri-oval on Sept. 1.
"The veteran ARCA drivers have a big advantage on us because
they have loads
of experience driving and setting-up their cars at the older
tracks like
Lowe's, Michigan and Pocono. Our team is always in the position
of playing
catch-up," Mitchell said. "At Chicagoland everyone will be in
the same boat
in regard to trying to figure out the fast way around the track.
The new
track will put all the teams on an equal playing field."
The Chicagoland track promises to be a challenge, due in part to
its new
asphalt racing surface, as well as it's unique configuration.
"The ARCA race will be only the third event staged at
Chicagoland," Mitchell
added, "the NASCAR Winston Cup and Busch drivers found a narrow,
one-lane
racing groove on the bottom of the track. But, as the surface
begins to
take on more and more rubber (from the tires), I think you will
start to see
great side-by-side racing there."
The track is like no other on the NASCAR/ARCA circuit.
"The (Chicagoland) track is fast and wide like Michigan Int.
Speedway, but it
has much higher banking in the turns," Mitchell concluded, "what
makes this
track different is the curved backstretch....there really is no
straightaway. Chicagoland promises to be the fastest track we
race on. If the
track has two racing grooves; it should be a wild show!"
Mitchell and his CoachUSA/Mountaineer Gaming/Forest River
Motorhomes team
will be attempting to get back on track at Chicagoland, after
suffering a
setback at Pocono Raceway back in July.
"We were on a roll, finishing fifth at Michigan and qualifying
seventh-fastest for the Pocono race...then the motor failed
halfway through
the race in July," Mitchell lamented. "It was a setback, but we
need to put
it behind us as a team, and concentrate on the future."
Mitchell will compete in three more ARCA RE/MAX events following
the
Chicagoland race. The two-time defending NASCAR Northeast region
champion
will race at: Lowe's Motor Speedway (Oct. 4), Talladega
Superspeedway (Oct.
20) and Atlanta Motor Speedway (Nov. 17).
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