Germain Prepared for NKNPSE Season Opener at Greenville

This time last year, Zach Germain was looking forward to the start of his NASCAR racing career. The Columbus, OH, native, saw the Greenville-Pickens Speedway season debut as a test on so many levels. Now he looks forward to the kick off of his sophomore season with a sense of preparation and confidence. But, he still knows he and the No. 24 Germain Racing Camry team will be tested when the green flag waves on Saturday night.

“I was able to learn a ton in the ten K&N Pro Series races last year. There certainly is a difference between going into Greenville-Pickens Speedway last year and this year. Last year, I’d never raced this car or raced the track. That said, I think Greenville is going to be an all new experience for this No. 24 Germain Racing Camry team,” said Germain.

The goals have changed for the sophomore driver, who began last season focused on finishing races. This year, he and crew chief Jamie Jones expect top-ten performances.

“Our biggest goal this year it is to become a top-ten team. If we can do that, we’ve become successful. We need to practice in the top-ten, qualify and run in the top-ten. We saw in the off-season that we can run with the best teams, and, our goal is to do that every week this year,” said crew chief Jamie Jones.

Germain tested his new No. 24 Germain Racing Camry at Greenville last week. He realized then how the work he and his team did in the off-season, and the addition of NASCAR champion David Green to the spotter’s stand, have changed his vantage point leading into Saturday’s South Carolina race.

“Before we got to Greenville for the test, I had my ideas of what I expected. I had to laugh because it was still a new experience. I didn’t remember the track surface as being that rugged and, because my laps were much more aggressive than last season, our car was pretty loose off of turns two and four,” smiled the Miami University graduate. “There was some peer pressure there with so many other K&N Pro Series teams at the track for the test session, but, over the hundreds of laps we logged, I really got to see how I’ve changed as a driver.”

Green first worked with Germain in Phoenix last year.

“David has been great at helping me become more confident and aggressive. Last year, it was all about ‘defense.’ This year, we have our cautiously aggressive team motto, and, David helps me understand the different points when I should be thinking of passes and when I should not” said Germain.

Before Germain gets to see the Greenville fans again, he’ll make a couple other appearances. Wednesday night he will sign autographs at NASCAR Night at the Charlotte Bobcats game. On Friday morning, Germain will visit Shriners Hospital for Children—aside from the waving of the green flag on Saturday night, Germain considers this stop possibly the favorite part of his race weekend.

 

Germain Racing PR