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 SPRINGFIELD,
IL (August 17) -- Defending ARCA RE/MAX Series champion Frank Kimmel
captured his fifth win of the season winning the "Allen Crowe
Memorial 100" at the Illinois State Fairgrounds. Amazingly, it
was Kimmel's fourth consecutive win at the track. Kimmel led three
different times during the 100-lap race including the final 23 laps
after passing Doug Keller on lap 78, en route to winning the 15th of
22 races to be contested this season in the ARCA RE/MAX Series. It was
the first of two races this season that will be contested on clay. The
ARCA RE/MAX Series and Hoosier Racing Tire Corp. have recently signed
an agreement that will keep the Indiana-based tire brand the exclusive
tire provider to the diverse series through the 2006 season.
Thirty-four cars started the race Sunday afternoon
with Frank Kimmel starting on the pole after capturing his 32nd career
Old Milwaukee Pole Award with a lap of 34.441 seconds around the
1-mile clay oval. Kimmel was joined in the front row by Bob Strait.
The race featured seven race leaders among three
different drivers including Frank Kimmel (1-10, 60, 78-100), Doug
Keller (11-31, 73-77), and Bob Strait (32-59, 61-72). The race had
seven cautions for 37 laps and took 1 hour 23 minutes and 9 seconds to
complete. Kimmel's margin of victory was 3.876 seconds.
Following Kimmel to the finish line was Doug Keller,
Mark Gibson, Ron Cox and Norm Benning to round out the top five. Nine
drivers finished the race on the lead lap including Ryan Unzicker,
Jason Jarrett, Billy Venturini, and Bill Eversole in sixth through
ninth, respectively.
Jim Hollenbeck earned the Hoosier Tire Hard Charger
Award for advancing the most positions. Hollenbeck finished 15th after
starting 32nd.
Frank Kimmel continues to hold a commanding lead in
the ARCA RE/MAX Series driver standings with 4200 points followed by
Jason Jarrett with 3625 points. Mark Gibson (3465), Billy Venturini
(3375), and 18-year-old Shelby Howard (3315) round out the top five in
the standings.
The ARCA RE/MAX Series will next travel to Winchester
Speedway, August 30, to do battle on the 1/2-mile Indiana track before
testing their skills on dirt again two days later at the 1-mile
Duquoin State Fairgrounds in Illinois.
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