 SALEM,
IN (April 24, 2005) -- About the only thing hot over the weekend in Indiana
were the tempers of Frank Kimmel and the #46 Advance Auto Parts-Pork Ford race
team. Kimmel, the defending ARCA RE/MAX Series champion, looked to be in
position to claim his first victory of the season in the Kentuckiana Ford
Dealers 200 on Sunday at Salem Speedway. That is, until contact between himself
and then second place driver Chad Blount with two laps to go sent the 6-time
series champion out of control and eventually into the outside wall.
Blount motored around the 46 car with just a lap remaining in the 200-lap
event en route to claiming the victory. It was Blount's second consecutive win
in the series and sixth of his career. Kimmel collected what was left of his
damaged car and finished the race in seventh place. Ironically, Frank Kimmel
won his first of six races last season in the Kentuckiana Dealers 200 at Salem
en route to claiming his 6th series title.
Fifty-six cars were on the entry list with 50 cars on hand and 34 cars
making the starting grid on the .555-mile high-banked asphalt oval. Rookie Chad
McCumbee earned the Pork Pole Award as the fastest qualifier circling the track
in 17.375 seconds (113.957 mph).
Race leaders included; Ron Hornaday III (1-14), Chad Blount (15-33, 100-170,
199-200), Frank Kimmel (34-96, 171-198) and David Ragan (97-99). The 200-lap
race was slowed by cautions 12 times for a total of 70 laps.
Following Blount to the finish line was 17th starting T.J. Bell in second
place. David Ragan took third after starting 21st. Justin South, Todd Bowsher,
Joey Miller, Frank Kimmel, Brett Hudson and Ken Weaver finished in fourth
through ninth place, respectively. Christi Passmore finished in tenth
place--the first car one-lap down.
Todd Bowsher won the Hoosier Tire Hard Charger Award for advancing the most
positions. Bowsher started 24th en route to his fifth place finish. Joey Miller
(620) now trails Frank Kimmel (625) in the point standings by just five points
with Ken Weaver (555), Chad Blount (540) and T.J. Bell (455) rounding out the
top five.
TIRES: 11.5/26.0-15 12L (left side) and 11.5/27.0-15 20R (right side)
tires. Salem is one of eight tracks the ARCA RE/MAX Series visits on it's
23-race schedule that a bias-ply tire is used.
All ARCA Series events are serviced out of Hoosier headquarters in
Lakeville, IN. The service team is headed by Doug Barnes. Other track service
team members making the trip to Salem (IN) included; Dave Wroblewski, Larry
Merrill, Mike Haenes, Jake Hartle and Fred Awald.
Quote from Doug Barnes: "This (Salem) is my favorite place to
watch a race. It always provides for some exciting racing and today's event was
no different. Although next year, we may have to bring our winter coats!"
Barnes added, "We were very pleased with the performance of the tires
and the comment I got from Chad (Blount) after the race was that the tires were
'flawless'."
The ARCA RE/MAX Series is back in action May 14th at Kentucky Speedway. For
complete race results and more information about the ARCA Series, visit their
website at www.arcaracing.com.
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