Bailey looks to the Rock 

      Mooresville, N.C. – The Carolina 500 at Rockingham Speedway will be the longest race Jack Bailey has ever run and, at 50 cars, it will feature the largest field he’s ever been a part of.

      That’s enough to make any racecar driver nervous.

      But if the D’Hondt Motorsports wheel man is feeling any unease, he’s covering it up well.

      “I’m excited about running there,” said Bailey, who’s driving a limited schedule in the ARCA RE/MAX Series this year.

      The Stafford, Va., native said he’s always liked tracks that require a lot of strategy, as opposed to those where you drive mostly wide open lap after lap, and he knows that historic Rockingham Speedway will present just such a test on Sunday. He will have to make sure not to use up his tires early and try to avoid the potential for wrecks that such a crowded field will create.

      But he said that when he was driving late model stock cars, he won more 200-lap events than anything else. So he’s anxious to get the No. 19 Toyota Camry back into competition, and he knows he can show the patience he’ll need to make it to the end of the 312-lap race, the first major event at “The Rock” since 1995 ARCA champion Andy Hillenburg bought the track in October.

      “I’m looking forward to the challenge,” Bailey said. “I’ve got a really good car and a good team and good equipment.”

      Bailey and the D’Hondt crew tested at the one-mile Rockingham oval in March, and the driver said that, though the 19 car performed OK then, he thinks it will be better when the green flag drops Sunday.

      And team owner Eddie D’Hondt noted that, in addition to tire-wear issues and the possibility of accidents, Bailey will be going head-to-head with an all-star field that includes NASCAR veterans.

      “A lot can happen,” he said.

      Of course, that’s why Bailey is running in the ARCA RE/MAX Series anyway: To face the best of the best and continue his ascent in the racing world.

      The Carolina 500 will air live on SPEED beginning at noon. Arcaracing.com will feature live timing and scoring all this weekend, including ARCA RE/MAX Series practice sessions, SIM Factory Pole Qualifying and the race itself. For a complete weekend schedule, visit arcaracing.com.

      And for more information on Jack Bailey, visit jackbailey.com, or call (540) 903-5290.