ARCA champs honored

ARCA TRUCK & MIDGET CHAMPIONS HONORED

TOLEDO OH, – More than 300 people jammed the Radisson Hotel in
Toledo, Ohio Saturday night to honor champions and front-runners from
the ARCA Lincoln Welders Truck Series and the ARCA Auto Value Midget
Series.

The Lincoln Welders Truck Series, in its third season, crowned Columbus,
Ohio veteran Robbin Slaughter as champion for the second consecutive
season while the Auto Value Midget Series, in its 22nd season, toasted
Spartanburg, South Carolina driver AJ Davis as the new title holder.

The run for the championship was close in both series as Slaughter
squeezed out runner-up finisher and ’99 series champ Bill Withers by 40
points while Davis won by just 35 markers over three-time champ and
veteran Gene Lee Gibson.

Slaughter, in his own Carmen’s Vacuum-NAPA Auto Parts Ford Ranger,
posted three wins in ’01 as well as seven top-fives and 11 top-tens in
12 starts en route to the series crown. “Winning the first championship
was great considering how long it took to get there, but winning the
second, to me, is even more gratifying,” said Slaughter on stage. “I’d
especially like to thank Eddy Adams for lending his motor when we were
down, and I’d also like to thank my crew chief Tom Cumbow for all his
expertise. Even more than a great crew chief, we’ve become close
friends, and I think that’s a big part of our success.”

To go along with his championship earnings, Slaughter picked up an
additional $1,000 from Damon RV and a wire welder compliments of series
sponsor Lincoln Welders. In addition, Damon RV provided a motorhome for
two weeks for the champ to use on vacation. Other special award prizes
for Slaughter included cash and products from Nelson Specialties, Harris
Torches & Regulators, Revenge Racing Bodies, Jacobs Electronics, Hawk
Brake, Digital Scales by Intercomp, Amerex, Cornwell Quality Tools and
Racing Electronics.

Bud Wachholz, the engine builder for Withers, won the $1,000
Clevite-Victor Reinz Engine Builder of the Year top prize while Withers’
crew chief Scott Weese won the Cornwell Quality Tools Crew Chief of the
Year award, and with it, a Cornwell Tools tool box. All-time series
winner Chad Guinn, who also posted the most wins in ’01, (four) was
awarded third place point money while his father and truck owner Larry
Guinn won the QuicShine 99 Best Appearing Truck. Hamilton, Ohio veteran
Johnny Witham received honors for fourth including the Cloyes Gears &
Products Halfway Lap Leader. Newcomer Brett Oakley won the Hoosier
Racing Tires Rookie of the Year award worth $1,000 for his fifth place
point finish while Tully Esterline, Jack Weethee, Dave Reeb, Mark Otting
and Darren Jones completed the top-ten honorees respectively. Oakley
also picked up a chassis compliments of Ed & Company. Stan Maitlen, who
finished 11th in points, won the Holley Performance Most Improved Driver
while Jeff Speakman picked up the Old Milwaukee Pole award for posting
three poles in ’01, more than any other driver. Adams won the
Performance Fuels Sportsman of the Year honors. Truck owners’ Gary
Esterline and Jody Stirewalt won ARCA Spirit awards while Kyle Witwer,
who fielded three teams in ’01 one of which he drove, won ARCA’s
prestigious Golden Circle award. In addition, truck series veteran David
Clay was the recipient of a chassis by Pate Manufacturing.

Davis, who drove for two-time ARCA Auto Value Midget Series champ Rick
Harrell throughout the year, won just one event at Columbus Motor
Speedway but rarely finished out of the top-five. “It’s just now finally
starting to sink in,” said the 23-year-old Davis. “I’d like to thank the
Harrell’s for the opportunity to drive first-class equipment and our
sponsor Kayo Lumber Company for believing in me. Rick (Harrell) gave me
a lot of great advice this year, and fortunately I listened enough that
we were able to win the championship.” In addition to point fund money
and his championship ring, Davis was honored with the Old Milwaukee
Quick Time award for posting two quick times in ’01, more than any other
driver. Davis was also the recipient of a Lincoln Electric welder as
well as championship jackets by Carolina Motorsports.

David Cowing, whose car Jimmy McCune drove to a pair of wins in ’01, won
the car owner championship while McCune, who missed three races in ’01,
finished fourth in driver points behind Gibson and Sondi Eden. Gibson’s
father and accomplished open-wheel driver Todd Gibson won the ARCA
Sportsman of the Year award. Eden, who won the Shady Bowl Speedway
finale in October, was awarded third place driver honors as well as the
ARCA Most Improved driver award. Eden joins Sarah Fisher and Sarah
McCune as the only female drivers who have won in ARCA Auto Value Midget
Series competition. Temperance, Michigan veteran Gary Harrell received
honors for fifth ahead of Phil Rutledge in sixth. Rutledge also won the
ARCA Midget Spirit award. Seymour Autocraft Engines ARCA Rookie of the
Year went to Matt Brun who also finished 7th in driver points. Lincoln
Electric Motorsports Director Carl Peters won the ARCA Midget Golden
Circle award. In addition, $1,575 was raised throughout the night for
the children of open-wheel driver Perry Younce who lost his life in a
racing accident.