 TOLEDO,
OH (May 21, 2006) -- Nextel Cup veteran and occasional ARCA RE/MAX Series
competitor Kenny Schrader won Sunday's "Hantz group 200" at Toledo
Speedway. Schrader is no stranger to winning at the half-mile oval having won
four times there including the last three spring races. The 50-year-old driver
has now won an ARCA RE/MAX race in each of the past six seasons, while notching
13 career wins in 41 starts. Sunday's win came by just .092 seconds over protégé
Justin Allgaier and defending series champion Frank Kimmel.
Forty-six cars were entered for Sunday's race with 38 cars posting times in qualifying.
Frank Kimmel captured his 39th Pork Pole Award as the event's fastest
qualifier. Amazingly, it was the seven-time series champion's first pole since
October of 2004.
The 44-year-old Kimmel circled the half-mile track in 16.842 seconds for an
average speed of 106.876 mph. Brian Kesolowski, the 2002 Toledo Speedway Late
Model champion, was second in qualifying with a time of 16.929 seconds. Brent
Sherman was the only other driver to eclipse the 17-second barrier with a time
of 16.974 seconds.
The race began with Kimmel jumping out to an early lead from his front row
starting spot. Due to Nextel Cup commitments, Kenny Schrader was unable to
qualify his No. 99 Federated Auto Parts Chevrolet. So Josh Richeson did it for
him. Richeson posted the 5th fastest time in qualifying, but Schrader was
forced to start the race from the rear of the field as a result of not driving
his car in qualifying.
While Schrader worked his way through the field, Kimmel led every lap until
lap 183, when he opted to come in for fresh tires during a late caution period.
The decision handed the lead to Schrader, who did not pit, and had worked his
way through the field to be in position to win the race.
Despite two late cautions which forced the race to be lengthened to accommodate
a green-white-checkered finish, Schrader held off the challenges of Justin
Allgaier and Frank Kimmel to capture the win in front of a cheering Toledo
crowd.
"The car was really good," commented Schrader from the winner's
circle. "I enjoy Toledo Speedway and I didn't realize how good Justin was
before today. The car could really hold its own, even on tired
tires."
Justin Allgaier finished just .092 seconds behind the cagey veteran at the
stripe. "I had fun racing with Schrader," stated Allgaier. "He
raced me clean and Kenny's been a good friend of mine since I was little,"
commented the 19-year-old driver.
Frank Kimmel finished in third after leading the most laps (182) from the
pole position. Brian Kesolowski finished a strong fourth followed by Ryan
Foster. Brent Sherman was sixth followed by Michael Simko, Ken Weaver, Mario
Gosselin and Bobby Gerhart in seventh through tenth,
respectively.
The race was slowed nine times for various cautions for a total of 50 laps.
Like the previous race, a late race caution extended the 200-lap race an
additional 14 circuits.
Second place finisher Justin Allgaier also won the Hoosier Tire Hard Charger
Award for advancing the most positions. Allgaier started in 22nd place en route
to tying his career-best ARCA RE/MAX Series finish.
All the race competitors rode on Hoosier 11.5/26.0-15 12L and 11.5/27.0-15
20R bias-ply tires manufactured in Plymouth, IN. Toledo Speedway is one of
eight tracks the ARCA RE/MAX Series visits on its 23-race schedule where
bias-ply tires are used.
With six events now complete, Bobby Gerhart remains atop the driver
standings with 1390 points. Frank Kimmel leaps from fifth to second in the
rankings after his strong performance. Kimmel has 1345 points followed by TJ
Bell with 1335 points. Billy Venturini is in fourth place with 1300 points
followed by Damon Lusk with 1255 points.
All ARCA RE/MAX Series events are serviced out of Hoosier headquarters
located in Lakeville, IN. The service team is directed by ARCA Track Service
Manager Doug Barnes. The service team at Toledo included Dave Wroblewski, Chad
Wright, Mike Haenes, Fred Awald, Joe Carter and Larry Merrill.
Hoosier Racing Tire Corp. is enjoying its 12th consecutive year as the
exclusive tire provider to the ARCA RE/MAX Series.
The ARCA RE/MAX Series competitors will be back on radial tires when they
return to the track on Saturday, June 10th, at Pennsylvania's Pocono Raceway.
The race will be broadcast LIVE on SPEED channel starting at 1:00 pm ET.
For complete race results and more information about the ARCA RE/MAX Series
visit their website at www.arcaracing.com
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