 JOLIET,
IL (September 9, 2006) -- Steve Wallace won his second ARCA RE/MAX Series race
of the year on Saturday at Chicagoland Speedway. Wallace, son of former NASCAR
champion Rusty Wallace, became only the third repeat winner this season in the
20 events contested to date. The younger Wallace won the "SK Hand Tool
200" and joins defending series champion Frank Kimmel (3) and Ken Schrader
(2) as the only repeat winners this year. Wallace dominated all weekend first
claiming the pole among 57 entrants then leading 85 of 134 race laps en route
to the win--5.936 seconds ahead of runner-up finisher Blake Bjorklund. It was
Wallace's third career ARCA win. All three wins came while riding radial tires
produced by Hoosier.
Fifty-seven cars were entered for Saturday's race with 47 posting times in
qualifying. Steve Wallace set the fastest time in qualifying circling the
1.5-mile Chicagoland oval in 30.489 seconds (177.113 mph). Wallace's time
earned him the Pork Pole Award given to each event's fastest qualifier.
Forty-one cars took the green flag for the 134-lap race which featured nine
leaders among seven different drivers. Drivers leading during the race
included; Steve Wallace (1-50, 100-134), Scott Legasse (51-55, 96-99), Frank
Kimmel 56-58), AJ Henriksen (59-70), Billy Venturini (71-90), Justin Allgaier
(91) and Jorge Goeters (92-95). The race was also slowed seven times for
various cautions for a total of 49 laps.
At the finish, Wallace crossed the line 5.936 seconds ahead of Blake
Bjorklund. For Bjorklund, it was a career-best finish. Scottt Legasse, also
with a career-best finish, took third followed by Dexter Bean and Frank Kimmel.
Billy Venturini was sixth followed by Jorge Goeters, Tim Russell, Justin South
and Pete Shepard to round out the top ten. Ryan Foster finished in 11th
place--the final car on the lead lap.
Billy Venturini won the Hoosier Tire Hard Charger Award given to the driver
who advances the most positions. The second generation driver started 23rd en
route to finishing in sixth place.
Jorge Goeters, from Mexico City, finished in seventh place in his first
career ARCA RE/MAX Series start.
With just three races remaining on the 2006 schedule, Frank Kimmel continues
to lead in the driver standings. The veteran driver is in search of an
unprecedented 8th ARCA RE/MAX Series title. Remarkably, Kimmel has won the past
six consecutive ARCA RE/MAX Series championships.
All ARCA RE/MAX Series events are serviced out of Hoosier headquarters in
Lakeville, IN. The service team for the Chicagoland event included; Doug Barnes
(track service manager), Rick Tostevin (engineer), Dave Wroblewski (crew
chief), Chad Wright, Rick Sisk, Larry Merrill, Fred Awald, Jacob Hartle and
Derrik Duszynski.
Next up for the series, a
return trip to Salem Speedway this Saturday (September 16th). Billy Venturini
won the last race there back in April.
For complete race results and more information about the ARCA
RE/MAX Series visit their website at www.arcaracing.com.
|
