Brannen Tops ARCA Talladega Test, Results

Rookie Walt Brannen Tops ARCA RE/MAX Series Open Testers at Talladega
 

TALLADEGA AL (9-21-04)  A total of 18 ARCA RE/MAX Series teams tested Tuesday afternoon at Talladega Superspeedway in preparation for the upcoming 42nd annual Food World 300 season finale. 

 

Elko, Georgia rookie Walt Brannen, in the Southern Pan Services-Georgia Peanuts Dodge, was quickest overall with a speed of 182.853 mph. Brannen, who has four previous RE/MAX Series starts in '04, finished a career-best 4th at Kentucky Speedway earlier this year.

 

NASCAR Busch Series veteran Justin Ashburn, in the 31W Insulation Chevrolet, was second quickest at 181.708 mph over Germany's Klaus Graf, who posted a speed of 181.673 in the BAM Racing Dodge. Graf finished third in his RE/MAX Series debut earlier this year at Nashville Superspeedway.

 

Rookie Sam Hafertepe, a veteran of ASCS sprint car competition, was fourth quickest in an Andy Belmont Motorsports Ford at 180.339.

 

Series veteran Rich Woodland, who hasn't raced on the RE/MAX Series tour since 2002, was fifth quickest overall in a Pontiac at 180.339. Woodland made 32 series starts with career-best finishes of fifth at Pocono Raceway and Pikes Peak Int'l Raceway in 1998. 

 

The Food World 300, LIVE on PEE Channel Saturday afternoon, October 2nd at 2 pm eastern, is the longest RE/MAX Series race on the schedule at 300 miles. In addition, the $305,814 in posted awards for the event is a record ARCA RE/MAX Series purse. 

 

More than 50 entries are expected for the race including a healthy crop of Cup teams from the likes of Hendrick Motorsports (Boston Reid and Blake Feese), Ganassi Racing (Reed Sorenson), BAM Racing (Graf) and even an entry from Bill Elliott Motorsports with rookie driver Ray Cook. 

 

Former ARCA/Talladega winners include the late Davey Allison, Red Farmer, Mark Martin, Tim Steele, Ramo Stott, Mike Wallace, Bob Strait, Jeff Purvis, Charlie Glotzbach and Jimmy Horton to name a few.

 




      2004 ARCA RE/MAX SERIES EVENT #22   
      Food World 300, Talladega Superspeedway, Talladega AL   
      Open Test Results (9-21-04)   
          
     NO DRIVER/HOMETOWN TEAM & CAR TIME SPEED 
      1 65 Walt Brannen/Elko GA Southern Pan Services-Georgia Peanuts Dodge 52.370 182.853 
      2 58 Justin Ashburn/Joelton TN 31W Insulation Chevrolet 52.700 181.708 
      3 99 Klaus Graf/Dornhan Germany BAM Racing Dodge 52.710 181.673 
      4 1 Sam Hafertepe/Sunnyvale TX G-H Plumbing-ABM Ford 53.100 180.339 
      5 2 Rich Woodland/Templeton CA Pontiac 53.100 180.339 
      6 88 Andrew Rogers Bobby Jones Racing Dodge 53.150 180.169 
      7 61 Jim Walker/Holtville AL Chevrolet 53.330 179.561 
      8 56 Bryan Gandy/Mooresville NC AmeriCar-Pinnacle Promotions-Gandy Comm Ford 53.330 179.561 
      9 6 Mike Harmon/Birmingport AL Global Pigeon Supply Chevrolet 53.410 179.282 
      10 11 AJ Fike/Galesburg IL Ray Farms Pontiac 53.690 178.357 
      11 98 Ray Cook/Brasstown NC Bill Elliott Motorsports Dodge 53.820 177.926 
      12 42 Chris Moore/Columbus OH Cunningham Motorsports Ford 53.920 177.596 
      13 07 Homer Woolslayer/Tulsa OK Ford 54.100 177.006 
      14 35 Jimmy Henderson/Conyers GA Flagship RV-Damon Motorcoach Pontiac 54.120 176.940 
      15 71 Kyle Beatie Chevrolet 54.560 175.513 
      16 68 Steve Bramley/Sarasota FL Mote Aquarium-Voigt Bldg & Design Chevrolet 54.900 174.426 
      17 24 Benny Chastain/Tallahassee FL Drew White Motorsports Chevrolet 55.960 171.122 
      18 48 Kertus Davis/Blackburg SC Race Girl Chevrolet 56.790 168.621