 MARNE,
MI (July 15, 2006) -- Brian Keselowski added his name to the ever-growing list
of ARCA RE/MAX Series winners this year when he captured Saturday's "Sara Lee-GFS
Marketplace 200" run under the lights at Berlin Speedway. It was the first
career victory for the 24-year-old driver who has been competing in the series
since 2004. Keselowski led twice during the 200 lap race including the final 45
laps. The second generation driver now becomes the 10th different driver to
claim victory this season in 11 events contested to date in the highly
competitive series. Amazingly, the only repeat winner this season is 7-time and
defending ARCA RE/MAX Series champion Frank Kimmel who took over the points
lead with a runner-up finish at Berlin. Hoosier Racing Tire Corp. is in its
12th consecutive season as the exclusive tire provider for the ARCA RE/MAX
Series.
Forty-one cars were entered for Saturday's race with rookie Blake Bjorklund
topping the speed charts in qualifying. The 24-year-old driver earned his first
career Pork Pole Award when he circled the .4-mile oval in 17.714 seconds
(89.014 mph). Bjorklund was followed by Ken Weaver, Brian Keselowski, Billy
Shotko and Justin Allgaier to round out the list of top five qualifiers.
The 200-lap race featured six leaders among four different drivers. Race
leaders included; Blake Bjorklund 1-18, 47-112 (84 laps), Ken Weaver 19-46 (28
laps), Brian Keselowski 113-122, 156-200 (55 laps), Frank Kimmel 123-155 (33
laps). The race was slowed 10 times for cautions totaling 72 laps.
Brian Keselowski won by .693 seconds over Frank Kimmel who fought back from
a pit miscue in which his left front tire was mounted in the right front
position and the right front tire was mounted in the left front position.
Putting a smaller circumference tire on the right side, along with lower air
pressure and the softer left side compound, would make turning the car
extremely difficult particularly on a .4-mile track. Luckily for the defending
series champion, a caution soon came out allowing the veteran to correct the
error without losing a lap.
Pole-sitter Blake Bjorklund finished in third place followed by Gary Sherman
and Ken Weaver. Ryan Mathews was sixth followed by Brett Rowe, Ryan Foster,
Justin Allgaier and Michael Simko to round out the top ten. Fourteen of the 35
starters finished the race on the lead lap.
Ryan Foster won the Hoosier Tire Hard Charger Award given to the driver who
advances the most positions. Foster finished eighth after starting 22nd.
Three-time series champion Tim Steele finished in 17th after a strong run
was foiled by a late-race accident on lap 194. Steele is attempting a comeback
after several years away from the sport.
Interestingly, the race winner's father and former series champion Bob
Keselowski won his first-ever ARCA Series race at Berlin Raceway 20 years ago.
The proud father is crew chief for his son's ARCA team, while son Brian works
as a crewman on Bob's Craftsman Truck team.
After 11 of 23 events, Frank Kimmel moves into the lead in the driver
standings with 2560 points. Bobby Gerhart falls to second with 2545 points. Ken
Weaver (2240), Damon Lusk (2220) and Ryan Foster (2175) round out the top five
in the rankings.
After four consecutive races on radial tires, the Berlin race put the ARCA
competitors back on bias-ply tires. The next four races will again use radial
tires.
Tires and service for the ARCA RE/MAX Series are provided by Hoosier's
corporate track service team based in Lakeville, IN. Track service for the ARCA
RE/MAX Series is under the direction of Doug Barnes. The service team for
Berlin included; Dave Wroblewski (manager), Chad Wright (crew chief), Larry
Merrill, Derrik Duszynski, Luke Morris and Fred Awald (mounting), Mike Haenes
and Eriks Bers (customer service and product placement).
The next event in the ARCA RE/MAX Series is the "Pennsylvania 200"
at Pocono Raceway. The race will be carried LIVE on SPEED Channel on Saturday, July 22, 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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