GFS Marketplace 400 - Greg Sacks Notes

GREG SACKS NOTES, QUOTES: GFS Marketplace 400
‘Test Session Hopes to Pay Dividends’

This weekend Greg Sacks and the #13 ARC Dehooker/Vita Coca Dodge team head to the two-mile Michigan International Speedway for Sunday’s GFS Marketplace 400. Sacks comes to the track fully prepared after spending two complete days of successful testing for this weekend’s event.

Daytona Speed, Inc., which fields Sacks’ car, is preparing for a strong charge throughout this year and into next season in NASCAR’s top series. The team is planning on a full-schedule, two-car effort in 2005 following a limited schedule the rest of this year.

Sacks, the only Long Island, N.Y., native in racing’s most popular series, drives the Dodge for the team owned by himself, Ed Raabe and James Wilsberg. Sacks, a former NASCAR Nextel Cup winner at Daytona International Speedway, is well known throughout the racing world as a winner in every series he has attempted. From his championship days of NASCAR Modified racing – which many consider the most exciting stock car racing – to his major league days, the Mattituck, N.Y., native who now lives in Port Orange, Fla., has never failed to prove his talents.

Ed and Ann Raabe, commercial and residential contractors, head the marketing ventures of the team through their family-owned Anga M’hak Publishing, along with the team’s Director of Marketing, veteran Rick Turbin.

James Wilsberg, owner of Mattituck Plumbing and Supplies, was also the owner/crew chief of the now famous Wilsberg #5 car piloted by Greg Sacks. In 1982 together they took the Modified Series by storm racking up an incredible 28 wins in 38 races. As Sacks recently said, “What excites me the most about having Jamie with us is that he brings his own winning attitude and formula for success to our organization”

The thoughts of ARC Dehooker/Vita Coca Dodge driver Greg Sacks heading into Michigan:

“We’re giving ourselves a fighting chance this weekend. We’re a new team and we’re going to have some ups and downs, but we’re taking the right and necessary steps to be successful. As a part of that we had a very successful test to prepare for this weekend. We spent two days at Michigan and learned a lot. We’re going to use that knowledge this weekend.

“Nextel Cup competition is some of the most competitive in any form of motorsports - if not the most. Most teams test not to get ahead, but because they are behind. We knew we had to do something different for this weekend. We weren’t getting enough laps at the track on Fridays before we had to get on the track and qualify. We were always in a tough position.

“We knew we had to take a look at that and make a change. Going into Michigan and getting two full days of testing is a big deal. We’re further ahead now then what we’ve been before at the track. We have a lot more than just maybe a dozen laps or so under our belts before we even get to the track. That gives everyone more confidence. It allows us to get on more of an equal footing.

“We’re excited to get back to Michigan. I’ve had some success there. I finished second there in 1990. It’s a great track for racing and letting you work with the car. It’s a really wide track, and one where we can move around to make the car work for us. Simply put, it’s a driver’s track. It’s multi-grooved and an awesome place to race. After the test we had, it’s tough for me not to be excited to get back there.

“Testing for this weekend was a big deal. The more we can understand the new tires, the track, the setup of our cars, it’s all for the better. I was very pleased with what we were able to learn. We’re building this team to be successful and we want to be as far ahead of the competition as possible. There was only one other Cup team at that test. We were happy with the test session, and hopefully we’ve got ourselves in a lot better position come this weekend. We’re looking forward to this weekend with this ARC Dehooker/Vita Coca Dodge.