HAZLETON PA (3-18-10) - After two events with the ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards, 20th at Daytona and 15th at Palm Beach, Long Pond, Pennsylvania's Nick Igdalsky finds himself nicely situated in tenth place in points.
Igdalsky, who is also the Senior Vice President of both Pocono Raceway and Virginia's South Boston Speedway, is running the full ARCA slate this year for popular car owner Andy Belmont with the ModSpace Ford #1.
"I'm very happy were we're sitting in the standings and being ahead of guys like Frank Kimmel who has been quite the accomplishment and I take a lot of pride in that," said 32-year Igdalsky.
"I'm not by any means satisfied at were we've finished. We've been in the top 10 within the last few laps of both races and for whatever reasons being a tire going down or a technicality in the rules, we can't seem to secure a better spot. We're running in the top 10 (points) and that's the goal. Ideally I'd like to be fifth in points."
Igdalsky teamed with Belmont and Philadelphia area based ModSpace for one race last season at New Jersey Motorsports Park road course. He turned in a respectable performance and during the off-season was able partner with Belmont for the entire 2010 ARCA season.
"That deal last year was put together last minute. The car wasn't top shelf at the time. We had got together some sponsorship money to run that one race. It takes time and an investment to get the pieces together, crew, chassis and engine," said Igdalsky.
"The equipment I'm in now from then is like day and night. It showed that when we were at Palm Beach. We were running from seventh to tenth all day long and when the rains were the heaviest we were the third fastest car on the track. So we have good equipment to keep up and be a factor in some of these races."
Although Igdalsky my best be known as the grandson of Dr.'s Joe and Rose Mattioli and his running the day-to-day operations of Pocono and South Boston, he is also a skilled race car driver with an extensive background in road racing.
Last season he and his cousin, Chase Mattioli, co-drove a Ford Mustang in the Grand Am Challenge Series. He has also turned a fair amount of laps in a stock car at South Boston. He noted how the jump from Grand Am to ARCA has been smooth.
"It's been a pretty easy transition. The handling characteristics are pretty similar between the Mustang that I drove last year in the Grand Am Series and this car. The weights of the cars are almost identical. They're both running close to 34-3500 pounds.
"The only real difference is the horsepower. It's almost double this year as compared to last year. We went from the mid 400 range and this year we're in the mid 800 range. But you learn how to work your right foot and you can control that. The overall speed of the car is a lot higher to because of that factor."
Running with the ARCA Series sits well with Igdalsky. The schedule plays out nicely with his day job and thus allows him the opportunity to still race.
"It's (ARCA) pretty convenient especially considering my two busiest times of the year the series gets to come to me. I'm pretty lucky in that regard. Those are obviously the only two weekends were I wouldn't able to go off and race somewhere in Toledo or Texas or anywhere like that. The fact that the series comes here twice a year to Pocono, I'm really lucky because that's the only time I'd have trouble spending time away from the office."
And, there's no doubt that the two stops at Pocono will be one he is looking forward to over any other track the series' visits.
"There's going to be a lot of pressure for sure. A lot of friends and family will be there. You almost wish that most people didn't know you are going to be in that race. It's exciting and a dream come true and then all of a sudden you have that added pressure of all your friends and family being there to watch you where as if you go to a track like Toledo or Salem you can kind of be incognito and no one really knows or expects anything from you," he noted.
Racing with ARCA is every bit as tough and competitive as NASCAR and Igdalsky feels he and his team are able to take on that challenge which includes an influx of developmental teams with unlimited recourses.
"I actually look forward to the opportunity to compete against the guys with better equipment and resources. I want to see where I stack up with my equipment against them. Frankly if I can beat them any day of the week it makes me all the happier to be able to do it with a car that may not have all the bells and whistles that theirs has in it. This is a great opportunity to prove you can do just as good with the resources that aren't as expensive," said Igdalsky.
"I feel we stack up pretty good against them and Andy (Belmont) has good enough equipment. Obviously they're going to throw a lot more money into it then we are. Although I don't have the experience in the ARCA cars I think overall my race career experience is a little bit higher then what those guys are dealing with right now and you can see that on the track."
As the season rolls, next stop is at Salem on April 11, watch for this team to continue to make inroads and gel into a top quality operation through Igdalsky's driving talent and Belmont's years of experience as both driver and owner.
"We talk quite a bit. Andy and I are getting pretty close. We both have the same end goals. We want to compete for a championship and we want to win races and when it comes down it that's what the bottom line is. We both have that same focus. Everything's been working good," said Igdalsky.
"I think Andy would like to be in the top 10 in points and Rookie of the Year and secure sponsorship for upcoming years. My goals are a little more drastic. I'd like to be top five in points and be competing for a championship. Whether that's in the cards for us or not with the amount of experience we have only time will tell. I believe that we can be that type of team and compete for the championship, if not this year then definitely next year with a little more time."
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