ARCA RE/MAX Series championship points leader Justin Lofton takes his lead to New Jersey this weekend for the tour's one and only run on a road course. The South Jersey Building Trades 150 will mark Lofton's second run on the 2.25-mile road course at New Jersey Motorsports Park and it also challenges the competition to step up their game.
"Road racing is different from a track standpoint but the same overall strategy applies. You need to use your head. You can't overdrive the track. You need to be patient and make smart moves. If we can do that, it should be a good day," Lofton said.
Last season his run at NJMP was cut short due to gremlins under the hood of his Eddie Sharp Racing entry, but in the little time Lofton had around the 2.25-mile track, he laid down a fourth place qualifying effort.
Unlike most of his competitors in ARCA, Lofton has a plentiful amount of road racing experience. He's run on numerous road courses in not only ARCA, but also in Grand National West Series and Camping World Series East events, compiling a string of top five runs.
"I like road racing because it's different. You have to pay attention and really be on the wheel. I'm used to that from racing off road, so it's not too much of a transition for me. We tested at VIR (Virginia International Raceway) about a month ago and we were fast. We're taking the same car I had there last year, so I'm looking forward to it," he added.
Lofton's diversity is what catapulted him into the points lead. With 17 races of the 21-race schedule complete, the 23-year-old has compiled five race wins spanning a 2.66-mile superspeedway to half-mile short tracks. He has five pole awards and leads the series with 15 top 10 finishes and 12 top fives.
Lofton will climb behind the wheel of the No. 6 Toyota at New Jersey on Saturday for two practice sessions, followed by qualifying. The race is set for Sunday, September 13th at 1 P.M. Eastern. Live coverage including timing and scoring and audio can be found at ARCARacing.com
For more on Justin Lofton, visit www.LoftonRacing.com
To follow Justin Lofton on Twitter, visit www.twitter.com/jlracing
For more on Eddie Sharp Racing, visit www.TeamESR.com
About Eddie Sharp Racing
Eddie Sharp set up shop in 2005 after several years of transforming young, talented drivers into ARCA championship contenders. Today, Eddie Sharp Racing has evolved into the rite of passage for any serious upcoming driver with an ambition for professional stock car racing. Located in Denver, North Carolina just north of Charlotte, Eddie Sharp Racing occupies a top-notch facility that closely resembles a five-star NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team, both inside and out. The two ESR buildings each contain two teams where on any given day, championship contending cars are assembled, engines tuned and teams strategize to score the next race day victory.
