NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES: JR Motorsports / Canadian Steve Arpin Gateway Preview

JR MOTORSPORTS TEAM PREVIEW ... No. 88 Blueharbor Bank Chevrolet
EVENT – Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers 250 (200 laps / 250 miles)
TRACK – Gateway Int’l Raceway (1.25-mile oval)
DATE – Saturday, July 17, 2010
TV / RADIO – ESPN2 (coverage begins at 8:00 p.m. EST) / MRN (broadcast begins at 7:30 p.m. EST)

Steve Arpin: No. 88 Blueharbor Bank Chevrolet

You’ve driven the No. 7 this year but not the flagship No. 88. What are your thoughts leading into the weekend?
"This is one of those situations where an opportunity fell into my lap. As important as everything in the ARCA series is to us, the long-term plan is to make the most of this JR Motorsports, and it’s a great one. I think everyone knows how bad I want to win an ARCA championship, but it’s not every day you get a chance to drive multiple races for Dale Earnhardt Jr. This is a cool experience for me.”

What do you think the biggest difference will be between running the 7 and the 88?
“Everyone at JRM has been great to work with over the past few months. Tony Eury Jr. has been an awesome coach and mentor for me at the racetrack. But this week we’re going to change it up a bit with me driving the 88 car. I’m really excited to work with Pops [Tony Eury, Sr.]. I’ve thrown a lot of questions at Pops over the past few months. He’s always willing to give me some helpful advice. I think it will be a fairly simple transition because I’ve spent a lot of time on the road and in the shop with both the 7 and 88 guys. So I know all of them, and I don’t think too much will change besides the car number."

JR MOTORSPORTS NOTEBOOK –

BLUEHARBOR BANK ON 88 - Gateway will mark the first race for the Blueharbor Bank paint scheme. JRM co-owner and general manager Kelley Earnhardt is a founding board member of Blueharbor and was recently named chairman of the board. Blueharbor offers locations in Huntersville, N.C. and Mooresville, N.C., and is ideal for small businesses and consumers who seek the best in quality professional bankers in the Iredell and North Mecklenburg areas. Visit them at www.blueharborbank.com.

ARPIN STATS –Arpin may be a familiar face at JRM, but this weekend he’ll climb behind the wheel of No. 88 Chevrolet for the first time. With five starts for JRM this season, Arpin is hot off his career-best finish of 10th at Daytona. The Fort Francis, Ont. native holds one top-five and one top-10 qualifying efforts this year (Talladega, Charlotte) and joins Kelly Bires, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Ron Fellows, Jamie McMurray, Coleman Pressley and Greg Sacks as drivers of the 88 in 2010.

From Heath White // JR Motorsports/ Public Relations