Car: No. 58 Momo / TraqGear / Ford Performance Ford Fusion
Track: Pocono Raceway
Race Date: June 6, 2015
Recent High School graduate Michael Lira has qualified fourth four times in his twenty-race ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards career. The first time was at Pocono Raceway last August in his ARCA Racing Superspeedway debut. In that race, he went on to finish 10th. Now, after qualifying fourth in all three of the races he driven this year in which qualifying was not rained out, he’s looking to again qualify up front in his return to the 2.5 mile Long Pond, PA track.
“Qualifying well at Pocono is really important,” Michael stated. “Last year when we got the 10th place finish there were only two cautions periods, which I think is fairly typical for races there. If you start in the back at get caught up in traffic, you can very easily get yourself in a hole that you can’t get out of.”
Racing in only five of the seven races so far this year, Michael enters the Pocono ARCA 200 15th in series driver points standings. His number 58 Lira Motorsports Momo / TraqGear / Ford Performance Ford Fusion is ranked 9th in owner points standings.
Lira Motorsports welcomed the Momo brand as a new sponsor at New Jersey Motorsports Park. An Italian company that produces a variety of specialty automotive products for motor racing and the aftermarket, Momo is known worldwide for its values of product quality, superior craftsmanship, maximum safety standards, and the highest performance levels. Momo delcals will be on all Lira Motorsports team cars through the end of the year.
Michael Lira on Pocono Raceway: “I’m really excited to get to Pocono, it’s one of my favorite tracks! I probably had a top five car last year. We were thinking it was going to rain, so we waited to pit late, and got beat on strategy by the cars that short-pitted. For this year, I think it’s important that we’re participating in the open test session on Wednesday. With only one practice session on Friday before qualifying Saturday morning, it will really help me and my Lira Motorsports team get the car dialed in.”
On track details… Drivers will have one 2-hour practice session on Friday, June 5th from 2:15-4:15pm. Menards Pole Qualifying Presented by Ansell in Saturday, June 6th at 10:05am. The start of the Pocono ARCA 200 is scheduled for Saturday at 1:00pm. The race distance is 200 miles (80 laps), and all of the action will be televised on Fox Sports 2.
Connect with Michael online… follow Michael Lira on Twitter at @1MichaelLira and explore his official website at www.MichaelLiraRacing.com. You can also find him on Facebook at /MichaelLiraRacingOfficial. Learn more about Lira Motorsports at www.LiraMotorsports.com.
