While they don't participate on the tour fulltime anymore, they have become a key ingredient in the driver development formula at Roush Fenway Racing. After helping to get Ragan's career off the ground, their concentration these days is on 17-year-old Roush Fenway Racing development driver Chris Buescher, who has been making headlines of his own.
Brothers' Gary and Russ Roulo and Buescher are wrapping up a two-day test at Toledo Speedway Sunday and Monday in preparation for this weekend's big show - the Menards 200 presented by Federated Car Care.
The team brought two cars - the one that Buescher drove at Toledo in 2009 and a newer untested car.
"Got a car we haven't run here before - thought we'd come out here, work on it and get it a little better," said Buescher during the test.
In just eight career ARCA Racing Series starts since turning 16 in 2009, Buescher, always in a Roulo Brothers-prepared Ford Fusion, has been very impressive earning a career-best third place finish at Mansfield Motorsports Park. The Prosper, Texas driver also finished fourth in his series debut last year at Salem Speedway where he also earned the Menards Pole presented by Ansell. His best Toledo finish after two tries was eighth.
"Toledo's a place where we've been decent - just need to get a little faster.
"Toledo's a basic short track. I mean, there's always something to every short track to make it where you can get faster, and that's why we're here. We've tested quite a bit here - ran two races here last year. Hopefully, we can learn enough from today and yesterday so we can run the top-five - hopefully, get a win.
"This place gets a little rough, but no worse than any of the other short tracks though. Being there in the right place at the right time - surviving - and, you gotta be fast. We plan on being up there."
The team spent the majority of the two-day test working on the newer, untested car.
"Car's pretty similar. It's just as good; that's for sure. A little better getting in (the corners) I think. Other than that, it's pretty stable."
Buescher also commented on his plans for the remainder of the 2010 season.
"Planning to just run these short track ARCA races. I know they have a road course race in New Jersey. We're gunna try and show up there. It'll be my first road course race in a bigger car. We have about eight ARCA races on our schedule this year. Hopefully, do some superspeedway testing later this year too.
"We got off to a slow start. The short tracks are spread so far apart; it's hard to get in a rhythm."
The annual ARCA Racing Series Presented by RE/MAX and Menards spring event at Toledo Speedway will kick off on Friday, May 21, with the touring Buckeye 305 Sprint Car Series and a full program of regular Toledo Speedway racing.
Menards Pole Qualifying Presented by Ansell is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 22, and will be followed by the season-opening event for the ARCA Truck Series.
Spectator gates and ticket sales for the Menards 200 will open at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, May 23, and an on-track autograph session featuring the entire starting ARCA Racing Series field is scheduled to take place from noon-1 p.m. The green flag will drop on the Menards 200 at 2 p.m.
Advance discount tickets for the Menards 200 are available at Toledo-area Menards stores, including locations in Sandusky, Findlay, and Defiance. Race fans can save $10 off the price of admission by purchasing tickets at Menards through May 18.
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
