Joey Polewarczyk Jr.: ACT Late Model Tour
Lee USA Speedway Race Preview
Joey Polewarczyk Jr. will try and earn Ford Racing its first ACT Late Model Tour victory when he opens the 2010 season with the NH Governor’s Cup 150 at Lee USA Speedway in Lee, N.H., on Sunday, April 18. Polewarczyk enters his sixth season with ACT and has four career wins, including two at Oxford Plains Speedway in Oxford, Maine, and he has finished inside the top-5 in nine of his last 24 starts. The 2008 winner of the NH Governor’s Cup 150 at Lee, Polewarczyk finished second in the event last year.
WHO: Joey Polewarczyk Jr., Hudson, N.H.
TEAM: Pole’s Automotive/NH Precision No. 97 Ford
BEST CAREER LEE USA SPEEDWAY FINISH: 1st (April, 2008)
LAST RACE AT LEE USA SPEEDWAY: 2nd (April, 2009)
WHAT: ACT Late Model Tour NH Governor’s Cup 150
WHERE: Lee USA Speedway, Lee, N.H. (.333-mile oval)
WHEN: 1:15 p.m., Sunday, April 18
ACT Late Model Tour
LAST RACE: N/A
NEXT RACE: Sunday, April 25, Albany-Saratoga Speedway, Malta, N.Y.
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JOEY, AFTER AN UP AND DOWN 2009 SEASON, HOW ANXIOUS ARE YOU TO GET 2010 STARTED AT LEE USA SPEEDWAY THIS WEEKEND?
Last season brought team so much closer together. We had our struggles in the middle of the year, but we fought through it as a team and got that much better. It’s going to be a good year.
Our hope is to go out and win that race. Lee’s always been strong for us. It’s always been great to start the season at Lee, because I basically grew up racing there. My dad raced there when Wayne Helliwell was driving for him, and it’s where I started racing. I can’t wait.
YOU HAVEN’T FINISHED WORSE THAN SECOND THERE IN THE LAST TWO TRIPS TO LEE. WHAT’S THE KEY TO SUCCESS THERE?
The pavement isn’t the greatest. There’s just not a lot of grip. If you can get the car to drive off the corner without sliding the tires, you’re going to have a good day. You’ll be able to pass people if you’re not sliding around.
You really want to save your stuff as much as you can so that you’ll have some drive off the corner toward the end of the race. Do that, and you’ll be in good shape at the end.
HOW WAS YOUR TEST LAST WEEKEND AT WHITE MOUNTAIN MOTORSPORTS PARK?
It went really well. We basically just wanted to go out and feel out the motor and check everything for leaks and all of that kind of stuff — just kind of get used to the difference with the new Ford motor. I was really pleased with the way the Ford went.
WHAT HAVE YOU NOTICED ABOUT THE FORD CRATE ENGINE IN TESTING?
When you’re in the middle of the corner, and you get on the throttle — the Chevy puts all its power down right when you get on it. But the Ford motor, you hit the throttle and it’s a gradual pull all the way through the straightaway. It just has a different power band.
It sounds different and it feels different. I’m really excited about the Ford and it would be awesome to get a win for those guys this weekend.