Craig Goess Ready For NASCAR Camping World East Series Debut

By admin January 30, 2008

Successful Legends Car Racer Signs With Eddie Sharp Racing For 2008 Season

Concord, NC — In the Legends Car world, Craig Goess is a name everyone fears at the track.  The three-time National Pro Division champion is known for being the best of the best.  With a 98%-win ratio and Legends feature wins at 24 tracks across the country while beating some of today’s top NASCAR stars like Reed Sorenson, Kyle Busch and David Ragan, Goess is no stranger to racing hard and winning big.

Now, after years of success in the smaller cars, Goess has decided to make the move up the ranks in racing by driving the #2 Greenville Toyota / ESR Development Toyota in the 2008 NASCAR Camping World East Series season under the Eddie Sharp Racing banner.

After spending the last three years racing a limited Legends Car schedule, where he won 40 of the 48 races he entered, Goess decided he had the drive to follow in the footsteps of the drivers he once beat in the smaller car series.

“I have been running in the Pro Division in the Legends series for the past three or four years after my championships,” said Goess.  “We won the points championship 2001 through 2003, the Nationals and the Winternationals in 2003.  After winning those three things, we have been just hitting bigger races and not running as hectic of a schedule.

“I just decided driving is what I wanted to do so I began to look towards the next level.  I decided the NASCAR Camping World East Series would be something that would be very advantageous to run to get me up to that next level, whether it is the NASCAR Craftsman Trucks or the Nationwide Series, or even some ARCA races.  It also would allow me to run some bigger tracks and gain credibility as a driver.”

Goess used the 2007 season to shop around for the perfect team fit.  After meeting with Eddie Sharp, Goess knew that would be who he would be racing with in 2008.

“Eddie Sharp has three ARCA teams and was very successful last year in the ARCA Series,” said Goess.  “I talked to several different people and when I went to his shop, I knew that Eddie Sharp Racing is the place I wanted to be and the program that suited me.  He was interested in running in the NASCAR Grand National Series and he had spoke to NASCAR about putting a team together, so everything fell into place.  We just thought it was a good fit on both ends.”

Prior to the decision to move up, Goess took some laps in a bigger car to get some seat time and see if it is something he wanted to do and could accomplish.

“This past year I tested an ARCA car for Andy Hillenburg at South Boston,” explained Goess.  “I also drove his car at Charlotte during a two-day course.  Andy and I got along really well.  He came out to the test at South Boston and worked with me personally.  He is someone I have looked up to that has a lot of experience.  He was impressed with what he saw in me I think, so that was a great experience.”

While Goess will be spending his time in the NASCAR Camping World East Series in 2008, he won’t be alone in the Eddie Sharp Racing stable as the ARCA teams driven by Scott Speed and Ken Butler, III. will also be housed under the same roof.

“I will have ESR teammates on the ARCA side.  We are all running Toyotas and we will have some information sharing there that is going to help both programs.  It will be good to have teammates.”

Before Goess takes the wheel for the first Camping World East Series event, he will return to his roots of Legends Car racing at Orlando Speedworld February 12th through the 16th for the Legends Winternationals.  Goess won the PRI Invitational at the track in December, and looks forward to adding a few more Legends trophies to his collection prior to his new venture.

“We sold the Legends Car I won with at Orlando in the PRI event,” said Goess.  “We just got done building a new Sedan.  We are going back to the ’34 Sedan that I usually run.  I have tested it twice and that is one awesome car.  It is probably the best feeling car I have ever had.  I am really looking forward to putting that thing on the track in Orlando and have some fun.

“I will be at Daytona the week before with everybody at Eddie Sharp Racing for the ARCA event.  I will be hanging out in the pits and see if there is anything I can do.  I will be there to watch the race and show my support for the team.  Then, after the Bud Shootout is over with, we will head over to Orlando, set up camp and hopefully win some races.”

After the Winternationals, the focus will shift from the Legends Car to the Eddie Sharp Racing Toyota team.  Goess feels the driver, the car and the team have what it takes to be a contender right out of the box.

“My expectations are to win races,” said Goess.  “I feel like I will have the equipment and the team that will be capable of being up front.  I feel like I am capable as a driver to be up front, so I am looking for solid top-10 runs and some wins in there as well.  I am really excited to be racing for ESR and cannot wait for the season to start.”

The Legends Winternationals will take place at Orlando Speedworld in Orlando, Florida on 12th through the 16th.  The first race in the 2008 NASCAR Camping World East Series takes place April 19th at Greenville-Pickens Speedway in Greenville, South Carolina.

For more information on Craig Goess, please contact Jason Buckley at (704) 788-2134 and check out the new Craig Goess website at www.CraigGoess.com.

Sources: Jason Buckley/Craig Goess PR

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