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 LONG
POND, PA (July 25-26) -- The ARCA RE/MAX Series pulled double-duty
over the weekend racing Friday afternoon and again on Saturday with
both races being won by young Casey Mears. Friday's race was the rescheduled Giant 200, from early June, while Saturday's race was the
originally scheduled Pennsylvania 200. Mears has now won three of the
last four ARCA Series races and has started just six events in his
career. Mears, driving the Chip Ganassi Target Dodge #77, was
challenged during the final laps on Friday by series veterans Frank
Kimmel and Mark Gibson, but eventually took the checkered flag by
1.665 seconds ahead of Kimmel. While on Saturday, Mears led twice for
28 laps in the second 80-lap race in as many days in the series,
including the final 18 laps en route to his third career win in the
series. The Hoosier contingent attending the event included Engineer
Rick Tostevin and Track Service Manager Doug Barnes along with the
entire group of Hoosier "tire-busters" pulling double-duty mounting
and balancing tires for both events.
ARCA GIANT 200
LONG POND, PA (July 25) -- Thirty-seven cars took the green flag
on Friday afternoon in the ARCA Giant 200, at Pocono Raceway's
2.5-mile oval. Casey Mears was on the pole winning the Old Milwaukee
Pole Award after circling the track in 53.003 seconds for an average
speed of 169.802 mph. Joining Mears in the front row was defending
ARCA RE/MAX Series Champion Frank Kimmel.
The race was dominated by Mears, who led 75 of the 80
race laps en route to the win. Other drivers leading during the race
were Eric Smith for one lap and Andy Belmont for four laps.
Frank Kimmel finished in second place followed by Mark
Gibson, Andy Belmont and Shelby Howard. All told, ten drivers finished
on the lead lap including Eric Smith, Bobby Gerhart, Christi Passmore,
Todd Bowsher and Billy Venturini. Todd Bowsher won the Hoosier Tire
Hard Charger Award for advancing the most positions. Bowsher started
in 32nd en route to his 9th place finish to capture the bonus award.
The race, which took one hour 37 minutes and 46
seconds to complete, was slowed by five cautions for a total of 19
laps.
PENNSYLVANIA 200
LONG POND, PA (July 26) -- Forty-one cars took the green flag in
Saturday's Pennsylvania 200, at Pocono Raceway for the regularly
scheduled ARCA RE/MAX Series race. Kyle Busch set a new track record
in qualifying with his 52.678 second lap (170.849 mph) becoming the
first ARCA Series driver to break the 170 mph barrier at the Pocono
track. Busch was joined in the front row by Friday's race winner Casey
Mears.
The Pennsylvania 200 had nine race leaders among six
different drivers including Kyle Busch (1-19, 30-37, 45-50) for
33-laps, Casey Mears (20-29, 63-80) for 28 laps, NASCAR veteran Greg
Sacks (38-42) for five laps, David Reutimann (43-44) for two laps and
Frank Kimmel (54-62) for nine laps.
After leading 33 of the race's first 56 laps, Kyle
Busch's day was over when he and Ron Cox collided. The accident left
Casey Mears the class of the field leading the final 18 laps en route
to his second win in as many days. David Reutimann finished in second
place followed by Frank Kimmel. In addition to the first place prize
money Mears won for his pair of victories, the Bakersfield, CA driver
also picked up a $25,000 bonus from Giant Foods for winning both
events with half of the award being given to the Children's Miracle
Network in Mears' name.
Mark Gibson finished in fourth and Brent Sherman in
fifth. A total of 15 drivers finished the 80-lap race on the lead lap.
The race had six cautions for a total of 28 laps.
The ARCA Series competitors take a well deserved week
off before returning to action August 8th, at Nashville Superspeedway
where Kyle Busch won the Spring race earlier this season.
Hoosier Racing Tire Corp. is proud to have been
selected by the ARCA RE/MAX Series to be the exclusive tire supplier
for its competitors during the 2003 season.
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