 BROOKLYN,
MI (June 16, 2006) -- David Stremme did something that has not been done in the
ARCA RE/MAX Series in the past four years. The Nextel Cup veteran, driving a
car owned by Rusty Wallace, lapped the entire field in the "Hantz Group
200" at Michigan International Speedway Friday afternoon. Ironically,
Stremme was driving the No. 60 Dodge sponsored the Hantz Group--the sponsor of
the event. Stremme was filling in for Wallace's son Steven who was racing in
Kentucky in the Busch Series. It was the second week in a row the South Bend,
Indiana native competed in the ARCA RE/MAX Series. It has been a series of
highs and lows for the Hoosier hot-shoe. After winning the pole driving the No.
40 Dodge last week at Pocono, Stremme suffered transmission failure on the
first lap finishing the race in last place (40th). But this week was an
entirely different story. Stremme, who qualified third, moved into the lead on
the first lap and led 99 of the 100 race laps en route to lapping the field. Amazingly,
Stremme is now the eighth different winner in the eight events contested to
date in the ARCA RE/MAX Series this season.
Fifty-four cars were entered for Friday's race with 44 cars posting times in
qualifying. ARCA Series veteran Chuck Weber won the Pork Pole Award as the
event's fastest qualifier. The 48-year-old driver circled the 2-mile oval in
39.185 seconds (183.744 mph). Scott Lagasse was second with a time of 39.312
seconds (183.150 mph). David Stremme was third quickest with a time of 39.506
seconds followed by Blake Bjorklund and Erin Crocker. Defending ARCA RE/MAX
Series champion Frank Kimmel was sixth fastest.
The race began with Stremme taking the lead from his inside second row starting
position immediately after the green flag waved. Stremme began methodically putting
driver after driver a lap down in a passing clinic not seen since Robert
Burroughs lapped the field at Nashville in 2002.
Only once did Stremme relinquished the lead, on lap 42, to pit for fuel and
tires under green flag conditions. When the field followed him to the pits,
Stremme was again back in the lead the following lap after a flawless pit
stop.
By the race's halfway point, Stremme had lapped 39 of the 41 starters. On
lap 57, Stremme put his final challenger, Billy Wease, a lap down and would
finish the race alone on the lead lap.
After last weekend's caution-plagued race at Pocono where more than half the
race was run under caution flags, the 100-lap Michigan race, by contrast, had
just two cautions for 14 laps. Billy Wease was the only other driver to lead
the race. Wease led lap 42 when Stremme was in the pits for service.
In addition to winning the race, Stremme also set a new race record with an
average speed of 145.956 mph. Finishing in second place was Penske
developmental driver Billy Wease who was making just his second series start.
Rookie Blake Bjorklund finished in third place followed by Evernham Motorsports
developmental driver Erin Crocker in fourth. The top four finishers were in
Dodges, while fifth place finisher, Brad Coleman, drove a Ford.
Ken Weaver finished in sixth place, followed by Josh Krug, Mario Gosselin,
Scott Lagasse and Justin Marks in seventh through tenth, respectively. Marks
also won the Hoosier Tire Harder Charger Award for advancing the most
positions. The Rocklin, CA driver started 29th en route to a tenth place finish.
Bobby Gerhart, who finished in 15th place, remains atop the ARCA RE/MAX
Series driver standings with 1750 points. Frank Kimmel remains in second place
with 1630 points after finishing in 19th place. Damon Lusk, who finished 20th,
retains the third spot in the rankings with 1580 points. Billy Venturini and
Ken Weaver are each tied for fourth place with 1530 points.
Hoosier Racing Tire Corp. is enjoying its 12th season as the exclusive tire
provider for the ARCA RE/MAX Series. The competitors at Michigan Speedway raced
on radial tires manufactured by the dedicated staff in Plymouth, IN.
ARCA RE/MAX Series events are serviced out of Hoosier headquarters in
Lakeville, IN. The service team for the Michigan race included; Doug Barnes
(track service manager), Rick Tostevin (engineer), Dave Wroblewski (crew
chief), Dan Webb and Brett Bartels (balancing), Mike Haenes (tire
preparations and mounting), Chad Wright, Larry Merrill, Jake Hartle and Fred
Awald (mounting).
The ARCA RE/MAX Series
returns to the track Saturday, July 1, at Kansas Speedway.
For complete race results and more information about the ARCA
RE/MAX Series visit their website at www.arcaracing.com.
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