Canada’s J.R. Fitzpatrick will make his second start of the 2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series this Saturday, 26th March, as the 22-year-old gets set to tackle the ‘Royal Purple 300’ at the Auto Club Speedway, Fontana, California.
Fitzpatrick will again campaign the No.27 Baker Curb Racing Ford Mustang, with support from Schick Hydro and Energizer Canada, the Ontario-resident returning for the fifth round of the year to the seat he occupied for the season-opener at the Daytona International Speedway in February.
Seeking a change of fortune, his race in the ‘DRIVE4COPD 300’ last month barely lasting 10 laps thanks to mechanical woes, Fitzpatrick is optimistic heading back to the NASCAR Nationwide Series and the potential of 150-laps around the 2-mile, D-shaped Fontana oval.
“I’m pumped to be getting back into the car this week,” the 2010 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Runner-up enthused. “It goes without saying we had a frustrating start to the season at Daytona. We were denied the opportunity to show what we could do by having to exit the race almost as soon as it had started. These things happen though but I’m glad to be back in NASCAR this weekend and continuing to build my oval resume thanks to support from Schick Hydro and Energizer Canada.
“I raced in the Truck Series at Fontana back in 2009 with TRG so I’m not flying completely blind coming back this week but there’s no doubt it’ll be a different story in the Nationwide Series. The most important thing for me is to take something from every opportunity behind the wheel and racing against this field. It’s great to be able to compete against all these drivers, including the Sprint Cup guys, it just makes me even hungrier to prove myself and ultimately step up when the opportunity presents itself!”
Fitzpatrick will get his first track action on Friday before Round 5 of the 2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series, the ‘Royal Purple 300’, at Fontana’s Auto Club Speedway starts on Saturday 26th March at 2:30pm PST / 5:30pm EST.
NASCAR fans in Canada can watch qualifying from California live at 1pm EST on Saturday on TSN2, with the race broadcast live later that afternoon with coverage starting at 5pm EST, also on TSN2.
