ARCA Truck Kentucky Results Plus - Points and Standings

NOTE: Current points and note package at the bottom of release

WORMCASTLE TAKES CHECKERED AT KY SPEEDWAY ARCA TRUCKS SEASON OPENER;
EARNS ED & COMPANY HARD CHARGER HONORS  5-10-02,  by Wendy Wellman

The Witwer Racing team finally scored its first series victory this
Friday, with hotshoe veteran Joe Wormcastle snatching the checkered flag
in the Auto Body Panels Short Track Special 50-lap feature at the
Kentucky Speedway quarter-mile. The Fort Wayne, Indiana driver earned Ed
& Company Hard Charger honors for his effort, working his way up to the
front from 14th place on the starting grid to take over the lead on lap
32 from teammate and polesitter Steve Christman.

“Steve is a really good racer but he just slipped a little bit, I got
underneath him and it worked out for me,” Wormcastle said. “There’s no
hard feelings there, we just love to race. But I do have bragging rights
in the garage this week.”

The tough four-truck Witwer Racing team is owned by fellow competitor
Kyle Witwer, who snagged a fourth place finish himself in the Witwer
Construction Dodge Dakota. Witwer and Wormcastle have been racing
together in various series for nearly 10 years.

“I think we make a good team together,” Witwer said. “I’m particular and
he’s knowledgeable, so it works out pretty well between us.”

“I really have to thank Kyle Witwer and all the guys for this win,”
Wormcastle said. “Kyle really does a lot for the whole team. He is the
team.”

Racing on the tight Kentucky track really began on lap 2, when Canton,
Michigan’s Paul Hahn grabbed the lead from Christman. Though Hahn
succumbed to Christman again on lap 30, he kept the Hahn’s
Collision-Certified First-Pate Mfg.-Fox Auto Parts Ford at the front to
secure a sound second place finish.

A massive crash at turn two on lap 29 collected at least seven different
trucks, forcing a red flag and John Kasmierski, Bill Withers and Jack
Weethee to retire for the night. Jeff Speakman, Brett Oakley, Tully
Esterline and Chad Guinn were also involved, but could continue on.
Guinn ended up recovering nicely, propelling his BFI-Northland
Collision-Coastal Coating Services Ford to a stellar third place finish
for the night.

Two-time champion Robbin Slaughter, Columbus, Ohio, grabbed fifth in the
Carmen’s Vacuum-NAPA Auto Parts Ford, just ahead of Witwer Racing
teammate Pete Wormcastle at sixth in the Preferred Painting &
Roofing-Witwer Construction Chevy. With his father as crew chief, young
series rookie Brandon Knupp of Sidney, Ohio, finished at seventh in the
Mark Knupp Muffler & Tire Ford, while the Tidewater Marketing-John
Pierce Plumbing Ford of Fairfield, Ohio’s Darren Jones took eighth.
Rounding out the top-10 were the double-zero Posilac 1
Step-Westfalia-Surge Ford of Mark Otting, Plainwell, Michigan in ninth,
followed by Eddy Adams, of Sheffield Village, Ohio, in the Lake Side
Auto Parts Ford. Old Milwaukee polesitter Christman ended up recording a
15th place finish in his Witwer Racing Engines Chevy.

The ARCA trucks’ next stop is the half-mile paved oval of Illiana Motor
Speedway over Memorial Day weekend on Sunday, May 26 for the MAR-FLEX
Products 100.

Series Notes:

-The 2001 ARCA Lincoln Welders Truck Series rookie of the year Brett
Oakley currently holds the track record at Illiana with a time of 21.02.
Series veterans Jack Weethee and Robbin Slaughter grabbed the checkered
there in 2001 and 2000, respectively. Illiana Motor Speedway’s website
is www.illianaspeedway.com .

-The truck race at Illiana is sponsored by MAR-FLEX Waterproofing
Systems. Based out of Middletown, Ohio, MAR-FLEX Systems, Inc. has been
supplying quality products at competitive pricing for residential,
commercial and institutional use since 1984. Their innovative research
and testing facility is continually reviewing new and improved compounds
to keep MAR-FLEX on the forefront of technology for today’s contractors’
needs. To learn more about MAR-FLEX, check out www.mar-flex.com .

-With the victory at Kentucky, Joe Wormcastle finally gets his name
added to the ARCA Lincoln Welders Truck Series All-Time victors listing.
Active drivers included are Chad Guinn (10), Robbin Slaughter (8), and
seven with one each: Tully Esterline, Paul Hahn, John Kasmierski, Jeff
Speakman, Jack Weethee, Joe Wormcastle, Bill Withers.

-When 2002 Kentucky Speedway champion Joe Wormcastle isn’t racing his
Witwer Construction Chevy S-10 in the ARCA Lincoln Welders Series, he’s
running his open-wheel modified at his home track, Baer Field, in Fort
Wayne, Indiana. Wormcastle got his start racing street stocks at Baer
Field when he was just 16 years old. He then made the move to late
models, super lates, and modifieds before entering ARCA competition.

-There’s something to be said about keeping your nose clean . . .
Sixteen-year old series rookie Brandon Knupp worked his way up to
seventh place at KY after a disappointing qualifying effort landed him
at 17th on the starting grid. And how did he do it? Staying out of
trouble and being patient! That says a lot for a young rookie . . .
Current unofficial rookie points standings are as follows: 1. Brandon
Knupp (195), 2. Steve Christman (185), 3. Kevin Reeb (165).

- The unofficial top-20 drivers in the ARCA Lincoln Welders Truck Series
championship points race are: 1. Paul Hahn (245), 2. Joe Wormcastle
(230), 3. Chad Guinn, Kyle Witwer (215, tie), 5. Robbin Slaughter (205),
6. Pete Wormcastle (200), 7. Brandon Knupp, Brett Oakley (195, tie), 9.
Darren Jones (190), 10. Steve Christman, Mark Otting (185), 12. Eddy
Adams (180), 13. Tully Esterline (170), 14. Kevin Reeb (165), 15. Jeff
Speakman (160), 16. Jack Weethee, Bill Withers (150, tie), 18. John
Kasmierski (145), 19. Jeff Wichman (135), 20. Stan Maitlen (130).

-The ARCA truck series has given new meaning to the words “traveling
series” this season, with stops in seven different states across the
Midwest, including Ohio, Michigan, West Virginia, Kentucky, Illinois,
Indiana and Pennsylvania.

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