Steve Fox Heads To Pocono’s ARCA Event With New Car & Sponsor
Story By: DINO OBERTO / STEVE FOX RACING – HAZLETON, PA – The ARCA Racing Series presented by Menard’s has become a springboard for many aspiring drivers who have their eyes set on a career in NASCAR. Many of today’s stars cut their teeth via ARCA and Friday at Pocono Raceway for the ModSpace 150 area fans will get a good look at the future of stock car racing during the 60-lap/150-mile event.
However, unique to Pocono is whenever ARCA makes its bi-annual stops at “The Tricky Triangle” there is not only those high profile teams but just as noticeable is the handful of local grassroots racers that compete and one such familiar face is Hazleton’s Steve Fox.
A journeyman of the local racing scene, Fox has competed in variety a of cars during his tenured careervand when it comes to Pocono, he is said to have lapped it more times than anyone, thanks largely to being the lead instructor for the Stock Car Racing Experience (SCRE), a driving school that has operated there since 1998.
ARCA may be the inroad to the up and coming but they have been giving drivers like Fox the golden opportunity of race on the big stage as well.
“You will not find a more professional group of people to work with. From Ron Drager (President) to Joe Wells (Director of Race Operations) and everyone that’s involved as far as I’m concerned it’s a top shelf organization,” said Fox.
“ARCA allows guys like myself to get on the super speedways. Other series likes to say they have the best drivers but if you look at the diversity of what ARCA has and the tracks they race on from dirt to asphalt to short track and super speedways and road courses, you won’t find a series that goes to so many places and attracts such a cross section of drivers.”
Fox’s experience eventually landed him a shot to race the track in 2008 during the June ARCA event. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., won that race while Fox drove to a 29th place tally. Since then he has made every effort to run his “home track” for the ARCA races. His best finish to date has been 12th coming in the second Pocono ARCA race of 2015.
His most recent outing, in June of this year, turned out to be a DNS due to a practice crash and since then Fox has hustled to get back to action. For Friday’s race he will debut a new car and new sponsor.
“It’s been a while since we did anything noteworthy. We had two real good finishes in ’15 at Pocono. That sparked the program and got us to Daytona in the beginning of ’16 and from there we went to New Jersey Motorsports Park then Salem and we really had high hopes coming back to Pocono,” said Fox.
“Unfortunately when the first race there rolled around we destroyed our only car in a practice crash and wrote it off. Things have been on a lull since then.”
Always resilient, Fox bounced to a few rides since then with nothing solid. Now he has regrouped with an updated car that he feels will bring decent results.
“I’m excited. I feel like I did back in 2008 when I made my first start at Long Pond and I can’t wait to get behind the wheel of this new car and get out there and see what it will do.”
Naturally sponsorship is key and Fox has picked up the needed assistance from XG Industries of Connecticut, a bio synthetics company that provides eco-friendly alternatives using patented and nanoparticle infused lubricants.
“We’re always trying to make deals and we’re always trying to put our ourselves in a position to get the most out of this that we can. We had a team where we were able to do both Pocono races in ’15. We went to Daytona with that team at the beginning of ’16 and then parted ways,” said Fox.
“That left me scrambling for some sponsorship and thankfully we had some people line up for this event. XG Industries has filled the void and I’m very excited to be involved with them and proud to have them on the car.”
Through his daily work with the SCRE Fox knows virtually every inch of the 2.5-mile tri-oval. But that does not necessarily mean he has an advantage come race day.
“Everyone says to me, ‘You know that place like the back of your hand.’ But it’s amazing how going 50 miles per hour faster changes the complexion of everything,” explained Fox.
“Obviously I’m comfortable up there and I know where I need to be and where my eyes want to be. I haven’t been around as much as some of these guys but I’ve been around long enough to realize that this is my home track and this place will bite you in the butt so quick and you always have to be on your toes.”
He does like that Friday’s race will be 20 less laps than June which will be a better way to feel out the car and help his team.
“If I was going to pick one of the two races the 60-lap race is definitely the one. We’re going to do this race on one pit stop. We don’t have a professional crew so it will be easier to calculate the fuel mileage and our tires on the car. Our best finish at Pocono is a 12th and we think that we’re going to improve on that. If all goes well I’d like to do a couple other ARCA races this year if possible.”
The ModSpace 150 marks the 65th ARCA race at Pocono since the series debuted on the big track in 1983. Practice is slated Friday morning from 9 – 10:30 a.m., with General Tire Pole Qualifying at 1:30 p.m. The green flag is scheduled at 4:00 pm.
