"We've changed quite a few things over the winter, and learned a lot," explained Dernoshek. "We are going to try a few new ideas on the car, but we are going to try and not get too far away from basics and just work on getting the car to run fast and stay fast for the whole race. With that said, we are pretty excited about the season. When we hit the track we are going to be prepared and if things go right, fast."    

The 2002 Gannon University graduate started to turn the corner in his young Hooters ProCup career at his home track of Motordrome Speedway in Smithton, Penn., late in 2003 by qualifying in the top ten and bringing home a respectable 17th place finish in only his third race in the series.    

"Last year at Motordrome we had a great qualifying run and could have had a little better finish, but the car just wasn't good on the long runs," Dernoshek said. "After talking to Billy Hess, we tested at Motordrome with a different setup the week after the race and we were running our qualifying time consistently on old tires and we felt that was a step in the right direction. We want to come out of the box and have a good solid run. A top ten finish is what we are shooting for."    

The biggest change this year in the USAR Hooters ProCup Series that will affect Logan Dernoshek Racing is the type of tire the competitors race on. In 2003 and seasons past, a bias-ply tire was the tire of choice for the series. Beginning in 2004, USAR has shifted towards BFGoodrich Traction T/A radial tires, the same type of tire that the American Speed Association has used with great success since the year 2000. Radial tires have been used by the NASCAR Nextel Cup and Busch Series since 1992.    

"I think the new Traction T/A radial is going to be a help for us," commented Dernoshek, a three-time Motordrome Speedway winner. "By only running three races last year, we never got to a point where we had a book on the setups with the old bias tires. From what I have seen so far with the southern series, the BFG tire seems to hold up very well and is definitely faster."    

The 2004 Hooters ProCup Series Season starts in less than two weeks at South Boston Speedway in Virginia on April 17. Dernoshek, however, will not make his season debut until Indianapolis Raceway Park on May 16. According to Dernoshek, waiting two races will help the team be more prepared for their first race as well as avoid problems at the two smaller tracks at the beginning of the schedule.    

"We are on a very limited budget and both South Boston and LPIR are tight, narrow tracks that are hard to stay out of trouble on," explained the 25-year old rising star. "So, we decided to wait until IRP to start the season. Both of them are also a good haul from our South Pittsburgh location."    

Indianapolis Raceway Park is the largest track on the Northern Division schedule, measuring .686 miles in length. Speeds entering the corner can approach 140mph, making it also one of the fastest tracks on the tour. A number of drivers can be intimidated by such a big track after running 3/8-mile bullrings on Saturday night, but not Dernoshek. In fact, he looks forward to debuting on such a racetrack.    

"I enjoy the bigger tracks. When we raced dirt, we always exceled on the big half-miles," remarked the driver of the No. 10 unsponsored Pontiac. "The speed is kind of relative because at the smaller tracks you feel like you are going faster a lot of the time because the track is narrower, the straights are shorter, etc. One positive about IRP is that it is wide and you have somewhere to go if there is trouble in front of you. I think both having a good setup and staying out of trouble are important. We pride ourselves on the fact that our car doesn't fall apart and we make sure we are prepared, mechanically, when we get to the track. Trouble is always out there lurking, but I think it's a lot easier to stay out of it at a bigger track than at a place like LPIR or South Boston. The main mission that I have is to get the car good enough to stay on the lead lap and be there in the top ten at the end and then let the chips fall where they may."    

Logan Dernoshek Racing, Inc. is actively seeking sponsors and marketing partners for the 2004 season and beyond. Interested parties can contact the team through USAR or through team marketing rep Tony Stevens at (412) 225-0348 for more information. More information about Logan Dernoshek and the team can be found online at www.logandernoshek.com.