<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/j_arend07_343561.jpg" alt="j_arend07_343561" align="right"borders="0"/>
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (March 12, 2007) -- Jeff Arend has only been the driver of the blue Checker, Schuck's, Kragen Funny Car for two races, and yet he already finds himself needing to shift the mental gears to stay on top of his car's changing persona. As is annually the case with the Checker, Schuck's, Kragen team, a series of "special edition" bodies will be raced throughout the year, and Arend will be sitting within the first such machine this weekend, at the AC Delco Gatornationals. Rather than being beautifully clad in blue and white, Arend will pilot a strikingly bold black and orange Monte Carlo in Florida, sporting the image and logo of major associate sponsor K&N Filters.
In addition to the prestige and honor associated with the K&N car, Arend can also celebrate the 12th anniversary of his professional Funny Car debut, which took place at this same Gainesville Raceway back in 1995. Coming into that event as a relative unknown with a new Nitro Funny Car license, Arend left as an "official" member of the Funny Car fraternity, after qualifying 10th in his first-ever attempt. Now, in 2007, he'd like to take that fond memory and expand on the theme, by putting the K&N car deep into the field and far into eliminations.
"It's a huge honor for me to be a part of the Worsham team and to represent Checker, Schuck's, Kragen, and Murray's, Mac Tools, Erie Educational Services, and all our great partners," Arend said. "To also have the chance to drive this series of special cars, starting this weekend with the K&N Filters car, well that's just above and beyond what you could hope for. Our sport lives and breathes on the support of the fans and the sponsors, so having the opportunity to give K&N a chance to shine on one of the biggest stages of the year is awesome, and doing it in Gainesville is almost perfect.
"I rolled through the gates here, back in 1995, nervous about racing all these legends and intent upon showing I belonged here. It was my first race, and it was by far the most people I'd ever raced in front of, so to put the car into the field in the 10th spot was pretty huge. I've loved this place ever since, and can only imagine what it would feel like to win here. That would be a career highlight of the highest magnitude, I think."
New career highlights appear to be on the horizon for the 12-year veteran. He demolished his all-time best numbers in terms of E.T. and speed in Pomona, and he comes into Gainesville holding onto 7th place on the POWERade points sheet. Along the way, he's already earned round wins against Jack Beckman and Ron Capps, with the Capps win (at Pomona) coming on a hole-shot. It was just the sort of start to the season Arend was looking for.
"There's no getting around the fact we had a lot of eyes on us in Pomona and Phoenix, and the pressure was about as intense as I've ever felt. To me, and all the guys on this team, it was about showing what we're made of, and showing what we're fully capable of delivering all year. Going to the semi-final in Pomona was a great accomplishment, but you haven't seen the best of this team yet.
"This is the fastest car I've ever driven. This crew is the best group of guys I've ever been around. This whole organization is nothing but class from top to bottom, and we have some of the best sponsors in the sport, as this weekend's special body proves. I rolled into this track in 1995 hoping to show I belonged here, but I'm rolling into Gainesville Raceway in 2007 aiming to show I can win here."
Putting the K&N car in the Winner's Circle is certainly not outside the realm of possibility, but Arend also knows how difficult every lap is going to be, all season long.
"Pick your poison, who do you want to race?" Arend asked, rhetorically. "There are 16 spots in the field, and there will be far more than 20 teams here thinking they should be a part of the show on Sunday. Once we do get to 16, every one of those cars can win the race. Back in '95, when I first started, you used to be eager to see the ladder because some of the teams were going to get what we considered an 'easy draw.' There is no such thing as an 'easy draw' now. You can qualify No. 1, and you'll have a fast car to deal with in the first round.
"The best thing we can do is to just stay focused on our jobs, like we've done at the first two races. We do our jobs to the best of our abilities, from turning the wrenches to making the tuning calls to driving the car, and if we do that good things will happen. Like I said, you haven't seen the best of this team yet. Not by a long shot. There is every reason to believe we can give K&N, CSK Auto, Erie Educational Services, and our complete family of sponsors a very big weekend. And I think there are some fans out there who would like that too."
On one of his favorite tracks, in the best car he has ever driven, Jeff Arend is already visualizing the moment he pops out of his car, fists raised in celebration after the final round on Sunday. Then, on national television, he'd have the chance to mention his two favorite letters, and a lot of other names. It's been a long road since 1995, but it loops back through Gainesville on Sunday, and Arend is ready to take the story and expand on the theme.
AREND HAS TWO FAVORITE LETTERS FOR GAINESVILLE: K & N
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (March 12, 2007) -- Jeff Arend has only been the driver of the blue Checker, Schuck's, Kragen Funny Car for two races, and yet he already finds himself needing to shift the mental gears to stay on top of his car's changing persona. As is annually the case with the Checker, Schuck's, Kragen team, a series of "special edition" bodies will be raced throughout the year, and Arend will be sitting within the first such machine this weekend, at the AC Delco Gatornationals. Rather than being beautifully clad in blue and white, Arend will pilot a strikingly bold black and orange Monte Carlo in Florida, sporting the image and logo of major associate sponsor K&N Filters.
In addition to the prestige and honor associated with the K&N car, Arend can also celebrate the 12th anniversary of his professional Funny Car debut, which took place at this same Gainesville Raceway back in 1995. Coming into that event as a relative unknown with a new Nitro Funny Car license, Arend left as an "official" member of the Funny Car fraternity, after qualifying 10th in his first-ever attempt. Now, in 2007, he'd like to take that fond memory and expand on the theme, by putting the K&N car deep into the field and far into eliminations.
"It's a huge honor for me to be a part of the Worsham team and to represent Checker, Schuck's, Kragen, and Murray's, Mac Tools, Erie Educational Services, and all our great partners," Arend said. "To also have the chance to drive this series of special cars, starting this weekend with the K&N Filters car, well that's just above and beyond what you could hope for. Our sport lives and breathes on the support of the fans and the sponsors, so having the opportunity to give K&N a chance to shine on one of the biggest stages of the year is awesome, and doing it in Gainesville is almost perfect.
"I rolled through the gates here, back in 1995, nervous about racing all these legends and intent upon showing I belonged here. It was my first race, and it was by far the most people I'd ever raced in front of, so to put the car into the field in the 10th spot was pretty huge. I've loved this place ever since, and can only imagine what it would feel like to win here. That would be a career highlight of the highest magnitude, I think."
New career highlights appear to be on the horizon for the 12-year veteran. He demolished his all-time best numbers in terms of E.T. and speed in Pomona, and he comes into Gainesville holding onto 7th place on the POWERade points sheet. Along the way, he's already earned round wins against Jack Beckman and Ron Capps, with the Capps win (at Pomona) coming on a hole-shot. It was just the sort of start to the season Arend was looking for.
"There's no getting around the fact we had a lot of eyes on us in Pomona and Phoenix, and the pressure was about as intense as I've ever felt. To me, and all the guys on this team, it was about showing what we're made of, and showing what we're fully capable of delivering all year. Going to the semi-final in Pomona was a great accomplishment, but you haven't seen the best of this team yet.
"This is the fastest car I've ever driven. This crew is the best group of guys I've ever been around. This whole organization is nothing but class from top to bottom, and we have some of the best sponsors in the sport, as this weekend's special body proves. I rolled into this track in 1995 hoping to show I belonged here, but I'm rolling into Gainesville Raceway in 2007 aiming to show I can win here."
Putting the K&N car in the Winner's Circle is certainly not outside the realm of possibility, but Arend also knows how difficult every lap is going to be, all season long.
"Pick your poison, who do you want to race?" Arend asked, rhetorically. "There are 16 spots in the field, and there will be far more than 20 teams here thinking they should be a part of the show on Sunday. Once we do get to 16, every one of those cars can win the race. Back in '95, when I first started, you used to be eager to see the ladder because some of the teams were going to get what we considered an 'easy draw.' There is no such thing as an 'easy draw' now. You can qualify No. 1, and you'll have a fast car to deal with in the first round.
"The best thing we can do is to just stay focused on our jobs, like we've done at the first two races. We do our jobs to the best of our abilities, from turning the wrenches to making the tuning calls to driving the car, and if we do that good things will happen. Like I said, you haven't seen the best of this team yet. Not by a long shot. There is every reason to believe we can give K&N, CSK Auto, Erie Educational Services, and our complete family of sponsors a very big weekend. And I think there are some fans out there who would like that too."
On one of his favorite tracks, in the best car he has ever driven, Jeff Arend is already visualizing the moment he pops out of his car, fists raised in celebration after the final round on Sunday. Then, on national television, he'd have the chance to mention his two favorite letters, and a lot of other names. It's been a long road since 1995, but it loops back through Gainesville on Sunday, and Arend is ready to take the story and expand on the theme.
