ARCA RE/MAX release, Winchester

Tim Steele wins Winchester war
For Immediate Release (4-22-01)

WINCHESTER, IN, by Don Radebaugh – Tim Steele, in the HS Die-Softech
Ford, capitalized on the late-race misfortunes of Frank Kimmel and kept
Jeff Finley at bay to win the action-packed ARCA RE/MAX 250 Sunday
afternoon at Winchester Speedway. It was Steele’s 38th career victory in
his 116th RE/MAX Series attempt.

Kimmel, who led the most laps, was leading Steele by two lengths with
less than 50 circuits remaining when the defending series champion cut
down a right-front tire and made heavy contact with the turn one wall.
Steele turned hard-left to miss Kimmel’s car as it careened off the
cement and sped away with the lead while Kimmel nursed his badly wounded
Chevy back to pit road. While Kimmel would eventually limp home 11th,
Steele raced on to score his 4th RE/MAX Series win at Winchester in only
his seventh attempt on the half-mile high-banked oval.

“It feels great to be back in victory lane,” said the Coopersville,
Michigan driver. “It’s been way too long. Gotta thank the crew; they
were awesome all day with great pit stops. I’m not sure if we had the
best car all day; Frank (Kimmel) was awful tough, but we were able to
keep ourselves in a position to win, and that’s what it takes. I’d
rather be lucky than good; we got luck today and it feels great. I just
love this track; I only wish we had more races here.”

Finley, in the John Bailey Excavating Chevy, finished five lengths back
in second earning the Thermo-Tec Cool Drive award while Andy Belmont, in
the AOL-Racecakes Ford, finished a close third. Billy Venturini, in the
IRM-Permatex Chevy, raced home fourth, the last car on the lead lap with
Vern Slagh, in the Quality Car Washes Ford, trailing in fifth, one lap
back.

There were eight lead changes among four drivers while 11 cautions, for
a variety of mishaps, slowed the event for 64 laps, none of which were
serious. However, in typical short-track style, there were plenty of
cars that went home with bent sheet metal and broken parts. No drivers
were injured.

Kimmel, who won the Old Milwaukee Pole Award, led the first 49 laps
until a nudge from Steele in turn one caused both machines to spin
handing the lead to veteran Tracy Leslie while the caution flag waved.
Kimmel, Steele and Leslie opted for pit road service during the caution
giving the lead to Belmont who elected to forego his chance to pit. Back
under green, Belmont led the next 38 laps before Steele, on fresher
tires, regained control. Then Kimmel charged ahead and out-dueled Steele
for the lead before Steele, during a restart, wrestled it back. Kimmel
would regain the lead one more time and appeared to be well on his way
to winning before the mishap in turn one negated any hope for victory.

Mark Gibson, who struggled back from a turn two accident, raced the
Williams Bros Lumber Ford back to sixth in the final running order while
Ron Cox, who lost his brakes halfway in, managed a seventh place finish
in the Hixson Construction Chevrolet. Centralia, Illinois driver Joe
Cooksey finished eighth in the Fuelvend.com Chevy ahead of Todd Bowsher
who earned the ARCA Highest Finishing Rookie award for his ninth place
finish in the Jack Bowsher Ford. Larry Hollenbeck, in his career-first
RE/MAX Series start, finished a respectable 10th in Bob Schacht’s SWAT
Ford. Jason Jarrett, who got caught up in an early race accident in
turns one and two, nursed the ML Motorsports Chevy to the finish in
12th.

Kimmel was credited with the Loctite Halfway Leader award while Ryan
Vos, who started 26th and finished 13th, won the Hoosier Performance
Hard Charger award for advancing the most positions. Steele was the BSR
Outside Pole award winner and took home the Quarter Master Comin’
Through in the Clutch honors as well as the RJS Safety award.

CONTACT: Don Radebaugh, ARCA PR (734) 847-6726 or arcaracing.com