ARCA RE/MAX Atlanta release

CURRENT TOP-10 POINTS AFTER ATLANTA:  1) Chad Blount 460; 2) Damon Lusk
440; 3) Jason Jarrett 375; 4) Andy Hillenburg 340; 5) Billy Venturini
305: 6) Frank Kimmel 300; 7) Mike Buckley 295; 8) Tina Gordon 290;
9)Todd Bowsher 285; 9) Shelby Howard 285.

IN CLOSEST ARCA RE/MAX FINISH, LUSK EDGES BLOUNT

HAMPTON GA (3-9-02) by Don Radebaugh - It was the classic clash of young
titans in search of their career-first big-time win. It was also the
closest finish ever recorded in 50 years of ARCA RE/MAX Series
competition.

Damon Lusk, with heavy raindrops pelting the Atlanta Motor Speedway,
edged out rookie Chad Blount at the final stripe by .001 seconds to win
Saturday’s thrilling Pork The Other White Meat 400. The margin of
victory was as close as today’s high-tech transponders can measure.

With threatening skies overhead, Blount, on the inside, raced Lusk door
to door and inches apart for what would become the final few laps. With
nearly three-fourths of the race complete, the skies opened up as the
leaders raced back around to the line for a photo finish, which would
ultimately determine the winner.

“I was wide open trying to beat Chad,” said Lusk. “When Chad and I came
back (during the last lap) I didn’t see any rain; all of a sudden, my
window was covered. I did everything I could not to spin out. I blocked
Chad a couple of times and he knew what I was doing. He saw the rain
coming too. That was awesome. Finally got one.”

After a brief but heavy downpour, jet dryers attempted to dry the track
before another shower soon engulfed the 1.54-mile superspeedway
eliminating any chance to get back underway.

Blount’s stout run came in the only Dodge in the line-up after the
Walkerton, Indiana second-generation driver won the Old Milwaukee Pole
with a new one-lap ARCA/AMS track record.

“I got underneath him (Lusk) and I didn’t want to take any chances on
wiggling somebody for a win,” said Blount. “But hey, we’ll take this
unsponsored Ernie Elliott-powered Dodge home with a second place finish.
It’s good for the points deal.”

In fact, it’s better than good as Blount, after his fourth place finish
at Daytona, is the new point leader over Lusk heading to Nashville
Superspeedway in April.

As exciting as the finish was, it could have been all for not as Frank
Kimmel dominated the early going until the defending series champion cut
down a right-front tire and slammed the wall in turns one and two.
Although it effectively ended his day, Kimmel’s bad luck clearly opened
new doors for several potential race winners, most of whom were rookies.

One of those rookies was 2001 NASCAR Goody’s Dash Series champion Cam
Strader who steered his Homestyle Bakes Pontiac to the finish in third.
“Finishing third is just like a win for us,” said Strader. “This is my
first ARCA RE/MAX race; my first time being in a 3,400 lb. car on radial
tires.”

United Kingdom rookie Michael Vergers finished fourth in Bob Schacht’s
BruichLaddich Ford in front of Jason Jarrett who finished fifth in the
Biomet-Damon RV Chevrolet. Jarrett, who had pitted out of sequence with
the leaders earlier, was quickly charging to the front on fresher tires
but the rain all but eliminated his chance for victory.

At the onset, outside polesitter Kimmel charged into the lead and
checked out on the field dominating the first 51 laps before his demise.
Blount would then take control and lead for two laps before Jarrett took
his turn at the head of the pack. Jarrett led the next 28 laps before
Blount again took the lead on lap 82. In need of pit road service, a
caution flag, one of 6 in the race, provided the opportunity the leaders
were looking for as rain clouds approached. However, Lusk’s crew got him
out first before the race would again go green. When the race resumed,
Lusk, in Steve Palac’s Dynatek-One Race America Chevy, opened up a five
car advantage but it evaporated quickly when Blount soon tracked down
the leader in time for the ensuing late-race duel.

Andy Belmont, in the Spirit Gas-AOL-Southern Pan Services Ford,
maneuvered his way from the 35th starting position to finish a solid
sixth ahead of Billy Venturini, who raced his Sports Authority Chevy
from the 18th starting position to finish seventh.

Tina Gordon, in only her third RE/MAX Series start, finished eighth in
Mark Thompson’s 3M Post-it Note Ford. The rain worked to the advantage
of the Cedar Bluff, Alabama driver as her machine was beginning to fall
back with mechanical gremlins after running as high as fourth in the
late going. Top rookie contender Shelby Howard finished a respectable
ninth while Doug Stevens, in only his second start, completed the top-10
finishers in the Jasper Engines & Transmissions Ford.

For Lusk, the victory came in only his 19th attempt with veteran and
former ARCA RE/MAX champion crew chief Keith Strunk directing. In
addition to the Old Milwaukee Pole, Blount picked up the Loctite Halfway
Leader award and the ARCA Highest Finishing Rookie honors. Ron Cox, in
the PPR-AmeriHost Inn Chevrolet, won the Hoosier Performance Tire Hard
Charger award for his 12th place finish after starting 29th.

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