DAYTONA BEACH FL (1-14-08) - Excelling in the ARCA RE/MAX Series superspeedway world is becoming increasingly challenging. With fulltime Cup teams regularly in the mix, victories, for the series regulars, are factually harder to achieve.

There are some exceptions of course, and one of those exceptions is Daytona Int'l Speedway where, despite entries from the most competitive Cup crews on the planet, every team that steers through the Daytona turnstiles still has to deal with the "Pennsylvania Posse" - that long-standing ARCA RE/MAX Series bunch out of Lebanon, Pennsylvania.

That team is, of course, Bobby Gerhart Racing, which will be shooting for an unprecedented sixth Daytona triumph when the 45th annual ARCA 200 at Daytona rolls off Saturday afternoon, February 9th. And if driver Bobby Gerhart is able to pull off the victory, it will also mark a record fourth consecutive win at Daytona for the second-generation driver.

The event marks Gerhart's return to the cockpit following the wreck at Pocono Raceway last July that left the championship hopeful broken and bruised.

"I'm feeling great," said Gerhart. "I hired a personal trainer who's been working with me in the gym four or five days a week. It's up at 5:00 AM every morning and off to the gym before I go into work. We've been doing a lot of shoulder work to rebuild the brachial injury and a lot of cardio stuff. I feel better now than I have in many years.

"I just want to take the opportunity to thank the hundreds of people who sent emails, a gift, cards, flowers or just those that called to bust my chops. Aside of the injuries, we had a championship run going, and we had it yanked out from under us. It was tough. But through it all, I realized how lucky I am to be surrounded by so many people who care, and these are the things you learn when you go through something like this. It's been a long road, but I'm feeling really good."

A Gerhart feeling exceptionally good going to Daytona does not bode well for the other 60-plus expected entries. Not when you consider his Daytona stat package, which is beyond incredible; it ranks more on the level of unbelievable.

Beyond Gerhart's record five Daytona victories, which includes an unprecedented three consecutive ('05, '06 & '07), he has led an amazing 83% of the total laps run in his last three attempts at the "World Center of Racing".

Despite Gerhart's very remarkable Daytona marks, and considering the level of competition on the way, he's still an underdog in the comparison against the likes of Roush, Hendrick, Ganassi, Davis, Childress, and so on.

"I've always looked at our team as underdogs. Maybe that's part of our success; I don't know. I'm very realistic, especially when I'm looking at the budgets we have to work with compared to the Cup teams. I'd say we're tremendous underdogs.

"I mean if you look at the sheer facts...the amount of resources and engineering depth they have compared to what we have, it's a long shot that we'd even be in their league. I mean, we've never even been to the wind tunnel."

That said, one has to wonder how Bobby Gerhart Racing competes so effectively against the most powerful stock car teams on planet earth, especially at Daytona where there is always so much focus.

"We just try and do the things we've done well in the past and try and improve on what we do based on what we have.

"Beyond that, I think we've learned from our mistakes and we surround ourselves with some of the best independent people in the country, and I mean that."

Gerhart, who was ARCA's Rookie of the Year in 1988, has been an integral part of the ARCA RE/MAX Series for more than 20 years. Remarkably, some of the people who started with Gerhart 20 years ago, are still with him.

"We're very fortunate. We have a support group that's vital to what we do. They give me the tools to make these cars what they are."

And what they are, are very fast, especially in the restrictor plate world. The Gerhart's, which includes Bobby's brother/crew chief Billy Gerhart, are bringing the same car they won with last year at Daytona back again for this year's race. They're also preparing a team car for Kyle Krisiloff to drive.

"We were very pleased with our test at Daytona, but not completely satisfied. I don't think we're ever completely satisfied, which is a good thing. If you get too complacent in this business, you'll lose your edge in a hurry. That's why we're going to Talladega to test in late January. I think we've got Kyle's car right where it needs to be; we spent most of the Daytona test focusing on Kyle's car. Now we just need to go test again and finish mine."

For the fifth consecutive season, Lucas Oil will be back to sponsor Gerhart's 5 car at Daytona.

"Lucas Oil is again partnering with us for 2008, so look for Lucas Oil on the 5 car at all the TV events.

"But right now, our sole focus is Daytona. This is, and always will be, the most important race to me. And it has been for a long, long time. I know my team will do everything they humanly can to put me in a position to win. They understand how important this place is to me. I've been so blessed to win there five times. To win once is a blessing in itself, but five? It still blows my mind to think we have done that.

"We're in line for another good run; but I'm not going to Daytona to run second.

"But each year it gets tougher and tougher. After seeing what we saw at the test, we know that this is going to be the most competitive 200 to ever come our way. I mean, when you look at the amount and quality of the cars at the test, the bar just got raised again. I don't take it lightly. With the level of competition, our whole game must change; that's why we're going to test again.

"Not only are we going to be dealing with high-quality equipment, there's going to be a lot of aggressive, young talent at Daytona. Daytona is a showcase for teams to bring their young drivers through the mill. This series has become a very effective springboard for a lot of young talented drivers all in hopes of a brighter future. You're gunna get Hendrick Motorsports, Roush, Ganassi....pick your team; they're probably going to be there.

"But to win at Daytona, they've got to deal with the people that come out of Lebanon, PA."

BOBBY GERHART BIO:
ARCA RE/MAX Series winner at Daytona '07, '06, '05, '02 & '99. Also winner at Talladega '01. Career-best RE/MAX Series point finishes 2nd in '06, 3rd in '99, 5th in '00 & '91, 8th in '88 & 10th in '90 & '97. In 237 career starts since 1988, has 48 top-5 & 108 top-10 finishes. Best superspeedway finishes other than Daytona & Talladega wins are 2nd at Daytona '00, 3rd at Talladega '05, 3rd at Pocono '04, 3rd at Talladega '97, 4th at Kansas '05, 4th at Pocono '02, 4th at Michigan '98, 4th at Texas '98 & ‘91, 5th at Pocono '06, 5th at Pocono '04, 5th at Kentucky & Talladega '00, 5th at Lowe's & MIS '99, 5th at Pocono '02, '97 & ‘96, 6th at Kansas '06, 6th at Pocono '06, 6th at Daytona '04, 6th at Daytona & Pocono '01, 7th at Nashville '06, 7th at Talladega '06, 7th at Pocono '05, 7th at MIS '02, 8th at Kentucky '06, 8th at MIS '04, 8th at Daytona ‘98, 9th at Kentucky '05, 9th at Gateway '04, 9th & 10th at Atlanta '98, 10th at Pocono ‘05 and 10th at Kentucky ‘04. Best short-track finishes 2nd at Anderson '00, 2nd at Flemington '99, 3rd at Salem '06, 3rd at Hagerstown '89 & Flat Rock '91, 4th at Winchester '07, 4th at Toledo '04, 4th at South Boston '02, 4th at Toledo & Winchester '00, 5th at Toledo '07, 5th at Winchester '06, 5th at Lake Erie & Milwaukee '05 and 5th at Kil-Kare '00. Pole Award winner at Daytona in 4 consecutive seasons '03, '04, '05 & ‘06. Also Pole winner at Talladega '06, '02 & '01, MIS '98 & Winchester ‘00. Has led 661 laps in 28 races. 1988 ARCA Rookie of the Year. First race 1976. Champion at Linda's Speedway and Susquehanna Speedway in Pennsylvania. 1983 Pennsylvania Tri-Track Modified Series champion. Best finish in 28 NASCAR Sprint Cup starts 17th at North Wilkesboro 1985.