(TOLEDO, Ohio - May 14, 2010) - Like Ryan Newman, Kyle Busch, Joey Logano, Justin Allgaier and Parker Kligerman before him, rookie Dakoda Armstrong is on a driver development plan via the ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards.
Armstrong, the series' most recent winner at Talladega Superspeedway, is among a continually growing list of drivers honing/developing their stock car skills in ARCA.
Armstrong, who cut his initial teeth in open wheel divisions, is one of three development drivers entered for the next event on tour - the Menards 200 presented by Federated Car Care at Toledo Speedway Sunday, May 23.
The New Castle, Indiana high school senior is a development driver for Penske Racing and competes in the no. 22 Dodges fielded by Cunningham Motorsports.
"Really, I've learned a lot," Armstrong said regarding his driver development program in ARCA. "The way the series is, there's such a variety of tracks: half-miles, mile-and-a-half, superspeedways, road courses, and we'll even have some dirt races coming up. That'll be new to me in a stock car. Every track I go to is new to me. It's a good development for any driver looking to go the stock car way, just because of the variety of tracks. It's just really fun racing.
"You definitely want to win at all the big tracks, where the Cup and Nationwide (Series) compete. The way that the victory was won (Talladega), a last lap pass, is something I am never going to forget. It was an incredible race for us."
But now it's onto the next task - the ‘rough and ready' Toledo half-mile oval.
"I'm looking to do a lot better (at Toledo). The track's real fun. For a half-mile, it's a pretty fast place but it's still a short track. There's going to be some beating and banging, a little bit. I think our car's good, and as long as we keep our nose clean I think we'll have a good finish. We definitely want to do better than what we've done there previously. I'm looking forward to it. I think Paul Andrews (crew chief) will have a really good car there."
Armstrong's driver development curve, truthfully, began years ago inside a quarter midget. He actually started competing at age 6 and the victories soon mounted up. And in 2005 Armstrong won three features in midgets. A year later at Lawrenceburg Speedway he decided to trade up to sprint cars, where he took home Rookie of the Year honors.
Currently, Armstrong is completing his senior year at Shenandoah High School in New Castle, Indiana. He will have his final exams at the end of May, with graduation on June 6, the day after the Messina Wildlife Animal Stopper 200 at Pocono Raceway. In addition to completing his education, Armstrong is a member of the track team, competing in the high jump and using the practices to improve his conditioning for the race track.
Other development drivers entered for Toledo include Chris Buescher with Roush Fenway Racing and Tim George, Jr. with Richard Childress Racing.
Buescher, in Fords fielded by Roulo Brothers Racing, finished a career-best third at Mansfield Motorsports Park in 2009. The 17-year-old driver also finished fourth in his series debut at Salem Speedway last year and earned the Menards Pole at Salem.
George recently finished a career-best third at Talladega in late April
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