Rowe Wins Salem, Guinn Takes Title; Final ARCA Truck points, results

Rowe Wins Dramatic Salem Finale; With Points Tied at the Top, Guinn Takes Title
By Don Radebaugh - SALEM IN (9-18-04) ARCA Lincoln Welders Truck Series rookie Brett Rowe seemingly won it all Saturday afternoon at Salem Speedway. The Barboursville, West Virginia driver won the pole, led the most laps, earned the hard charger award, and ultimately won the Advance Auto Parts 50 in grand style.



The only thing he left out was the 2004 ARCA Lincoln Welders Truck Series championship, which went to series veteran Chad Guinn in dramatic fashion.

Heading into the Salem season finale, Rowe trailed Guinn by 30 points. Leaving the historic southern-Indiana oval, the two were tied dead-even at the top. However, by virtue of having a better average finish throughout the year - third compared to Rowe's 3.5, Guinn was declared the champion for the third consecutive season.



The immediate post-race drama was no doubt as tense for Rowe as it was for Guinn, both of whom waited an agonizing 15 minutes while series officials made the final calculations to determine the new title holder. In yet another twist, each driver had five wins apiece on the season. After learning he had lost the championship, Rowe quietly walked over and shook the hand of Guinn. 



"We did everything we could today," said Rowe. "We had no cards left on the table. This is a first year team with no sponsorship. I'm very proud of all the guys who worked so hard on this deal. We're disappointed, but we're grateful for the opportunity to race in this series. Getting a win at Salem Speedway, given the history of this place, is really neat. We just want to congratulate Chad. He's one tough competitor." 



Guinn, the all-time series winner with 23 victories, now becomes the only driver in series history to win three championships as well as three in a row. 



"This is unbelievable how this thing turned out," said Guinn. "There was a lot going on out there today. Fortunately, in the end, it worked out for us. I want to thank everyone who makes this program possible for me, my dad (Larry Guinn, team owner), my crew chief Chuck Carroll, all the dedication they bring. This title, as far as I'm concerned, is much more theirs than mine. And my sponsors BFI, M&M Heating & Cooling, Harwood Buick/Pontiac; thanks to them. I also want to thank Brett for a great season. What a day. I'm glad it's over." 



Guinn's referral to "a lot going on out there" was more than likely about an on-track incident that forced him to make an unscheduled pitstop under caution with less than ten laps remaining. After Rowe had already taken the lead and began pulling away, Guinn did everything he could to pass Rowe's brother Brian Rowe for second. Rowe, doing everything he could to protect his brother's lead, and possible championship, made contact with Guinn coming off turn four. The collision sent Rowe hard into the outside wall while Guinn went sailing off for the inside wall. Guinn glanced off and kept going but had to make a pitstop for repairs and new left-side tires while Rowe, through for the day, went away on the hook. Guinn got back out just in time to cling to the tail-end of the lead lap trucks as the race went back to green. And with just four laps to go, Guinn charged back through the pack making a last-lap pass for third position, a pass that would ultimately deliver up his '04 crown. 



Outside polesitter Rick Knowles led at the onset before Brian Rowe, who started fourth, took control. Meanwhile, Pork Fast Qualifier Brett Rowe, who started ninth by inversion, sliced through the field in no time to challenge. Rowe finally made the pass on his brother for the lead on lap 20 of the 50-lap race while Guinn struggled back in fifth. While Rowe continued to stretch his lead, Guinn finally maneuvered his way into third where he eventually tangled with Rowe. 



Knowles finished second in the Thomson Automotive Chevy, with Guinn in third. Mark Otting, in the Westfalia Surge-Posilac One Step-Uckele Nutrition Chevy, finished fourth. John Kasmierski, in the Hahn's Collision-Top Notch Seamless Gutters Chevy, finished fifth. 



Former series champion Bill Withers finished sixth in the Hall Electronics-Mannings USA Ford in front of Kevin Reeb, who finished seventh in the unsponsored Reeb Racing Ford. Two-time series champion Robbin Slaughter, driving with a broken wrist from a crash at Virginia Int'l Raceway, finished eighth in the Screamin' Eagle LTD Ford, the last truck on the lead lap. Craig Meyers, in the Classic Racing Coupes-Pit Stop Graphics Ford, finished ninth. Brad Yunker finished 10th in the Champion Credit Union-Laborers Local 574 Ford. 



In addition to the win, Rowe picked up the Ed & Company Hard Charger award as well as the Cloyes Gear Halfway Leader honors.


FINAL 2004 TOP-10 ARCA LINCOLN WELDERS TRUCK SERIES POINTS:  1) Chad Guinn 2615; 2) Brett Rowe 2615; 3) Brian Rowe 2295; 4) Mark Otting 2165; 5) Kevin Reeb 2155; 6) Bill Withers 2140; 7) John Kasmierski 2130; 8) Rick Knowles 2060; 9) Craig Meyers 1945; 10) Brad Yunker 1665.

CONTACT: Don Radebaugh, ARCA PR/Media 
office (734) 847-6726
cell (419) 450-0611

       2004 ARCA LINCOLN WElDERS TRUCK SERIES EVENT #10   
       Salem Speedway, Salem IN, 9-18-04   
       Official Results, Advance Auto Parts 50   
           
      FIN STR NO DRIVER/HOMETOWN TEAM & CAR LAPS  STATUS   
      1 9 27 Brett Rowe/Barboursville VW Front Rowe Racing Chevrolet 50 Running 
      2 2 31 Rick Knowles/Willis MI Thomson Automotive Chevrolet 50 Running 
      3 7 4 Chad Guinn/Erie MI BFI-M&M Heating-Harwood Buick/Pontiac Chevrolet 50 Running 
      4 5 00 Mark Otting/Plainwell MI Westfalia Surge-Posilac One Step-Uckele Nutrition Chevy 50 Running 
      5 3 3 John Kasmierski/Toledo OH Hahn's Collision-Top Notch Seamless Gutters Chevrolet  50 Running 
      6 1 57 Bill Withers/Columbus OH Mannings USA-Hall Electronics Ford 50 Running 
      7 8 98 Kevin Reeb/Pataskala OH Reeb Racing Ford 50 Running 
      8 10 21 Robbin Slaughter/Columbus OH Screamin' Eagle Ltd Ford 50 Running 
      9 12 78 Craig Meyers/Belleville MI Classic Racing Coupes-Pit Stop Graphics Ford 45 Running 
      10 14 30 Brad Yunker/Maumee OH Champion Credit Union-Laborers Local 574 Ford 45 Running 
      11 4 5 Brian Rowe/Barboursville WV Livernois Motorsports-Pate Manufacturing Chevrolet 42 Accident 
      12 11 9 Stan Maitlen/Greenville OH Meredith Heating & Cooling-Trent's Auto Parts Chevrolet 28 Fuel Leak 
      13 13 11 Steve Coates/Alton VA Dan Cava's Toyota World-Nextel-Damon's Grill Toyota 13 Handling 
      14 6 10 Tully Esterline/Pettisville OH Rupp Seeds Chevrolet 0 Accident 
      15 15 24 Jeff Smith/Greenville OH TSM Motorsports Ford 0 DNS 
           
       LAP LEADERS:  Knowles 1-7 (7); Brian Rowe 8-19 (12); Brett Rowe 20-50 (31)   
           
       SPECIAL AWARDS    
       PORK POLE QUALIFYING: Brett Rowe (18.631 seconds)    
       CLOYES GEAR HALFWAY LEADER:  Brett Rowe   
       ED & COMPANY HARD CHARGER:  Brett Rowe   
       HIGHEST FINISHING ROOKIE:  Brett Rowe   
       BROOKS RACING APPAREL:  Brian Rowe   
       DIAMOND WHEELS:  Jeff Smith