ARCA RE/MAX release, DuQuoin dirt-mile
In DuQuoin dirt thriller, Kimmel holds off Stewart
DUQUOIN IL (9-2-02)
By Don Radebaugh - With a rearview mirror full of Winston Cup regular
Tony Stewart looming large, ARCA RE/MAX Series veteran Frank Kimmel held
firm to the very end to win the thrilling Federated Auto Parts 100
Monday afternoon at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds dirt-mile.
It was Kimmel’s ninth RE/MAX Series win of the year and 42nd overall
elevating the Jeffersonville, Indiana driver to third on the all-time
ARCA win list ahead of Tim Steele and squarely behind ARCA legends Iggy
Katona and Jack Bowsher.
“I didn’t think we were going to be able to hold him off,” said Kimmel
in victory lane. “As the track changed, our lap speeds were beginning to
fall off while Tony’s were picking up. I just have to thank him for
racing me so clean; he could have turned me a few times if he wanted to.
I saw him fishing for the outside going down the backstretch on the last
lap. I figured if he was brave enough to take it, he could have it. I
just protected the bottom and hoped for the best, and it worked out. I’m
so thankful for this Advance Auto Parts-Pork team; this crew is so
awesome.”
Stewart, in Andy Petree’s Monaco Coach Chevrolet, had no problem
catching Kimmel with 15 laps remaining but finding a way around the
eventual winner was another story.
“I never had so much fun,” said Stewart. “It’s just great to come here
without any pressure and not have to worry about points and just go
racin’. We kept him (Kimmel) honest on that last lap, that’s for sure;
but I just want to thank Andy Petree and all the guys back at the shop
for the opportunity. We don’t get to race these 3,400-pound stock cars
on dirt very often so it was just a thrill to be here. We broke the
track record again, so that was great; we just need one more spot in the
main event.”
It was the second consecutive season that Stewart finished second to
Kimmel in the DuQuoin ARCA dirt classic. The margin of victory between
the two was about a length or .363 seconds.
Stewart started out the day with another Old Milwaukee Pole Award
accompanied by a new track record of 106.440 mph breaking the
pre-existing mark he had set last year. But while Kimmel only pitted
once for a splash of fuel and an air pressure adjustment, Stewart had to
steer for pit road twice during the 100-lap, 100-mile event. Stewart’s
first stop was routine however on his exit, the Rushville, Indiana
driver collided with Ron Cox, which caved in Stewart’s right-front
fender. As a result, Stewart came back down pit road at his next
available opportunity to get sheet metal pulled away from the
right-front tire losing valuable track position in the process.
Regardless, Stewart charged right back towards the front like a man on a
mission disposing of the likes of Ken Schrader, Red Farmer, Jason
Jarrett, Bill Baird and Joe Cooksey along the way. Stewart, with the
huge crowd on its feet, quickly reeled in Kimmel with seemingly plenty
of time to make his move. But while Stewart made several attempts,
Kimmel fought off each charge one by one as often as necessary to earn
the hard-fought victory.
Schrader, in his own Federated Auto Parts Pontiac, also had to pit twice
to clear mud away from the front grill in an effort to keep his car from
overheating. Schrader eventually maneuvered his way back to third but
ran out of time in his quest to catch the front-runners. The ageless
Farmer thrilled the audience with a respectable fourth place finish
after qualifying third in an ML Motorsports Pontiac while local
Centralia, Illinois favorite Joe Cooksey, who started 17th, finished a
solid fifth in his own Fuelvend.com Chevrolet.
In all, there were 9 cautions for a variety of spins and accidents
throughout the event including one for Baird and Norm Benning, both of
whom were running in the top-ten at the time. Baird’s car got sideways
off turn four and spun directly into the path of Benning who, with
nowhere to go, slammed hard into the side of Baird’s machine. Both cars
were heavily damaged although neither driver was injured.
Stewart led the first 22 laps while outside polesitter Doug Keller led
the next 11 after Stewart pitted. However, Kimmel, having pitted early
on, quickly raced his way to the front and took over the lead on lap 34
when Keller finally came down pit road for service. All the while
pressed, Kimmel led the remaining 72 laps.
Hesston, Pennsylvania driver Tom Eriksen charged hard from the 35th
starting position to finish seventh in his own Eriksen Water Well
Drilling Chevrolet with Jarrett trailing in eighth in the Biomet-Damon
RV Pontiac. Kevin Belmont, in James Hylton’s Ford Taurus, raced from the
26th starting position to finish 9th with 17-year-old rookie Shelby
Howard, in the Mack Trucks Chevrolet, following in tenth. 16-year-old
Justin Allgaier impressed with a solid 11th place in only his second
RE/MAX Series start while Birmingham, Alabama driver Tim Burrell picked
the Hoosier Tire Hard Charger honors for his 12th place finish after
starting 31st.
In addition to the first-place prize money, Kimmel also picked up the
Loctite Halfway Leader award. Benning was awarded the Landrum Spring
Hard Luck award.
CONTACT: ARCA PR, Don Radebaugh cell (419) 467-0800 or arcaracing.com