TOLEDO OH (5-13-10) - Toledo Speedway is renowned for producing close competition and its share of crumpled fenders along the way. It certainly has gained a reputation as one of ARCA's premier rock ‘em, sock ‘em short tracks. It's also becoming well known for producing championship caliber winners, winners that quickly move through the ranks into NASCAR.
At the end of any day, winning means something in the big time world of stock car racing, especially when it comes to victory lane at Toledo in the ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards.
The most recent history reveals that four of the last five winners at Toledo have gone on to sign contracts for a variety of NASCAR teams.
The most recent ARCA Series winner at Toledo - 2009 ARCA champion Justin Lofton - signed with Red Horse Racing for a full campaign in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.
Parker Kligerman, who won the spring race at Toledo in 2009, is a development driver within the Penske Racing ranks and currently competes in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.
In the 2008 ARCA season finale at Toledo, Justin Allgaier earned his way into the Toledo winner's circle and, as a result, the record books as the '08 series champion. Allgaier went on to earn Rookie of the Year honors in the NASCAR Nationwide Series for Penske Racing in 2009, and is currently fifth in Nationwide points in 2010 after earning his career-first Nationwide win at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Michael McDowell, who won the season finale at Toledo in 2007, currently competes in both the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series.
So is next in the order? Possibly Penske Racing development driver Dakoda Armstrong, the most recent winner on tour at Talladega. Or, possibly, 17-year-old Chris Buescher, a driver within the Roush Fenway Racing development plan. Or, it could very well be one of the crafty ole veterans such as Ken Schrader or Frank Kimmel.
Anyway it shakes out at Toledo, all eyes will be on the winner, as they should be, and quite possibly a winner who's going places.
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