SHORT TRACK AWAITS PAPIS AFTER BUSY BREAK

By Max Papis Racing | March 26, 2009 at 12:55 pm

Mooresville, NC (March 26, 2009) – Max Papis’s last race was the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race in Atlanta on March 7th, however the 2004 Grand-Am Series champion has not enjoyed any downtime.  It is not in his nature to sit still and his passion for racing finds even his ‘downtime’ being consumed with racing activities. 
 
In the last two weeks, the GEICO Sprint Cup Series driver helped his go-kart team score their first major championship in Ocala, Florida, before testing the #9 GEICO Toyota Tundra at Rockingham Speedway and then, after being home for just a couple of days, he made the three-hour trek over to Bristol where he watched the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race from atop the spotter’s stand on Sunday.  Papis will be running the Fall Bristol race in the #13 GEICO Camry and felt his presence on Sunday was necessary in order to get a feel for the ‘World’s Fastest Half-Mile’.   
 
While Papis will be competing in just 20 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races this season, people in the racing world would assume otherwise.  He has a full-time presence and seems to be everywhere all the time.  Papis is most-often found at the Germain Racing shop working side-by-side with his crewmembers helping to prepare for the upcoming races.  Rather than meeting his wife and sons for lunch, they come to him.  Papis is routinely seen eating with his wife Tatiana and their sons Marco and Matteo in the Germain Racing lunchroom, which further evidences his passion and commitment to the GEICO Racing program.
 
Awaiting ‘Mad’ Max Papis’s arrival this week is the half-mile paperclip-shaped oval of Martinsville Speedway.  He will be attempting to qualify the #9 GEICO Toyota Tundra in his third of seven scheduled NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races.  Built in 1947, Martinsville is one of the most historic tracks on the NASCAR circuit and provides a challenge to even NASCAR’s most experienced veterans. 
 
A week from now, Papis will be traveling to Texas Motor Speedway to attempt to qualify the #13 GEICO Camry in his second NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race of the 2009 season. 
 
“I’m excited about the next couple of weeks because I get to experience two completely different race tracks,” Papis said.  “Martinsville is a very historic flat half-mile track, while Texas is a fast mile and a half.  This is going to be great experience for me and the GEICO team.”
 
Papis will hit the track at Martinsville Speedway for the opening practice session on Friday, March 27th, at 11:00 AM (ET).  Qualifying will be held on Saturday morning at 9:10 AM (ET).
 
The Kroger 250 is on Saturday, March 28th, and it will be televised live on FOX beginning at 2:00 PM (ET), while the Motor Racing Network (MRN) will carry the live radio broadcast. 
 
To learn more about the GEICO Racing program, please visit: www.geicogarage.com <http://www.geicogarage.com> .

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