2008 marked the first season of Legend Car standout Craig Goess’ ARCA Racing Series career, where he built a solid foundation for success with 12 top-10 finishes and two top-five results. With a rookie season’s worth of knowledge to build upon, Goess headed into his sophomore season with high standards.
Unfortunately, bad luck found the Woodbury, New Jersey native in the opening event of the season at Daytona International Speedway.
“We made it through the first wreck,” explained Goess. “But the second one did us in. It’s hard in races like that to come from the back. There’s so much you can get caught up in while racing your way to the front and there’s not really anything you can do about it.”
This weekend, Goess and his #81 Toyota of Greenville machine will head to Palm Beach International Raceway (FL) for the inaugural ARCA Racing Series event at the venue. Not a self-proclaimed road course racer, Goess is merely looking to survive the day with a solid finish.
“I don’t really look forward to the road courses,” said Goess. “But they’re part of the schedule so we work hard preparing and learning everything we can to go down there and hopefully get a top-five finish. I’m going to try and qualify as close to the front as possible so we won’t have to battle from the back like we did last week and risk getting caught up in something again.”
Being the series’ first trip to the track, it will also be the first trip for many of the drivers so Craig Goess is looking forward to a leveled playing field among the veterans as well as the rookies.
“It should be a cool experience,” commented Goess. “Being all sort of in a new element taking to a new place and all trying to make the best of it when it’s not really what we’re used to.”
Craig Goess will hit the track for practice and qualifying at the Jupiter, Florida racetrack on Friday February 26th and race on Saturday the 27th.
Craig Goess Looks to Improve on Disappointement at Daytona
Goess Strategizes for Solid Finish at Road Course in Palm Beach
Craig Goess is ready to bounce back and give his 2010 season another start. (51 Sports Photo)
