However, Casola has, in the meantime, already been back behind the wheel with back-to-back test sessions at Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa and at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas. ARCA RE/MAX Series race events at Iowa and Kansas follow in succession right after the Salem race.

"We really jelled as a team in both test sessions," said Casola. "We were able to run some impressive laps, top four in speeds at Iowa and top three at Kansas. We left both tracks feeling very good about our chances at Salem next Sunday and at Iowa and Kansas."

With confidence in his corner and a well-oiled team on his side, Casola is ready for the Salem challenge ahead.

"Salem is probably the most challenging track we race on, at least I think so. It's bumpy, the pavement is worn out, you're in and out of the throttle constantly and you've got to stay up on the wheel the whole time. I mean, if there was ever a track where concentration is at a premium, it's Salem. If you don't pay attention 100% of the time, you're gunna find yourself in the middle of a wreck; but that's what makes Salem, Salem.

"I've raced at Salem three times now, twice in the RE/MAX Series car and once with the Hooters car; and we've got caught up in a wreck in all three races. But even though we've had such bad luck there, I still really like the track. It's really fun to drive."

Fun to drive if you don't mind bouncing off the wall a time or two, sometimes more.

"If you don't have the numbers scratched off the side of the car at the end of the race, you're probably not getting the job done. You're up and against the wall all day through three and four, which isn't always the most comfortable thing, but the good thing is, is that if you hit up there, you're less likely to hurt the car, which is a good thing because there are cars bouncing off the wall up there all day, yet they keep on like nothing ever happened."

Casola also knows he's heading to Salem with one of the series' top-notch teams, one with a proven track record at the renowned, historic southern Indiana oval.

"I've got a great team to work with. I think they won there back in 2006, so we know they're going to have a great set-up on the car. The car will be fast right off the truck."

Salem will be just the second start for Casola with the Minnesota-based Win Tron team. In his first outing with Win Tron at Daytona, Casola was able to qualify 18th quickest among 60-plus teams and was headed to the front before getting caught up in the big wreck off turn four on lap 29. The result was especially disappointing for Casola, who was coming off a career-best third place finish at Talladega Superspeedway the previous October, the only other restrictor plate track on the ARCA RE/MAX Series tour.

"Daytona was definitely disappointing, especially for the team who worked so hard to put together a really good car. But I have a lot to be grateful for. I'm racing for one of the top tier teams in ARCA. We have some great equipment with a very hard working crew keeping it in outstanding condition. We have great communications between the team and me. I think we have the opportunity to run really well at Salem, maybe even win the thing. The team is certainly capable, and I've got a few starts at Salem now, so I feel really good about our chances there.

"We know we're going to have to get aggressive (at Salem) to stay in the hunt, and we plan to be in the hunt."
 

Practice at Salem is from 12:30 pm to 2:00 pm Saturday afternoon, April 12th followed by SIM Factory Pole Qualifying at 3:30 pm. The Kentuckiana Ford Dealers ARCA 200 presented by Federated Auto Parts is scheduled to roll off at 2:15 pm Sunday, April 13th.