ARCA RE/MAX, Chicagoland

Blount; picture-perfect in Chicagoland

by Don Radebaugh.......JOLIET IL (9-7-02) ARCA RE/MAX Series rookie
sensation Chad Blount, in Todd Braun’s APP Gas Dodge, capped off a
perfect week at Chicagoland Speedway with a convincing victory Saturday
afternoon in the ReadyHosting.com 200.

Blount, who was quickest in both practice sessions and won the Old
Milwaukee Pole award with a new track record earlier in the week,
completely dominated the race leading 120 of the 134 laps en route to
his third RE/MAX Series triumph.

“The guys worked so hard on this car, and it really showed,” said Blount
in victory lane. “Preparation is the key and these guys had that down
pat; it was perfect right off the truck. The only thing we did in the
race was put on fresh tires and gave it some gas. I’m so proud of these
guys; my dad and my new crew chief Patrick Donahue just put their heads
together and came up with the perfect set-up. I just feel great for all
the guys.”

Blount had a near two-second advantage at the checkered flag over
Arvada, Colorado veteran Rick Carelli who finished second in the RE/MAX
International Chevrolet. However, in reality, with no one able to touch
him, Blount’s margin of victory could have been much greater had it not
been for the nine cautions that waved for a variety of mishaps and
accidents throughout the 200-miler.

Through it all, there were no injuries. However, Penndel, Pennsylvania
veteran Andy Belmont, who had been running in the top-five most of the
race, was transported, conscious and alert, to Provena St. Joseph
Medical Center in Joliet, Illinois for a precautionary check-up after a
hard crash on the frontstretch. Belmont, after checking out okay, was
released a short time later.

Another caution appeared for current point leader Frank Kimmel who hit
the frontstretch wall during a restart triggering a multi-car pile-up
that ended the day for AJ Henriksen and Todd Bowsher, both of whom were
running on the lead lap. Despite bent, right-front suspension parts and
several trips down pit road for continual repairs, Kimmel soldiered on
to a solid third place finish in the Advance Auto Parts-Pork Ford.

Trans Am standout Tony Ave, in his career-first RE/MAX Series start,
recovered from an earlier spin to finish a respectable fourth in Robert
Burroughs Ford Taurus with Jason Jarrett, in the Biomet-Damon RV
Chevrolet, trailing in fifth.

Christi Passmore, headed toward what could have been a career-best
finish, was running eighth on the lead lap when Shakopee, Minnesota
driver Mel Walen spun directly in front of the Pryor, Oklahoma driver
who had no where to go when she made heavy contact with the spinning
Walen. Both machines were through for the day. As a consolation,
Passmore picked up the Landrum Spring Hard Luck award.

In addition, local Mokena, Illinois favorite Bob Strait had been running
in the top-five all afternoon until the right-front tire went down on
his Ford Taurus sending him into the turn one wall relegating the
hometown favorite to a 21st place finish.

Mt. Juliet, Tennessee rookie Chase Montgomery, who led nine laps,
continued to impress the troops after turning in another solid
performance finishing sixth on the lead lap in his father Ray
Montgomery’s Ford Taurus. Mark Gibson, in his own Williams Brothers
Lumber Ford Taurus, finished seventh in front of Billy Venturini who
maneuvered the Windy City Wire-ABC Auto Parts Chevrolet to the finish in
eighth, the last car on the lead lap. Deborah Renshaw, in Bob Schacht’s
National City Bank Ford Taurus, recovered from a flat tire and lengthy
stops on pit road to repair the resulting damage to finish ninth. Ron
Cox, in Wayne Hixson’s Buffalo Wild Wings Chevrolet, finished tenth. As
a result, Cox, who started 26th, was awarded the Hoosier Tire Hard
Charger honors for advancing the most positions throughout the race.

Ann Arbor, Michigan electrical engineer Mike Buckley turned in a solid
performance with an 11th place finish in the Midwest Mall Fronts
Chevrolet with Livonia, Michigan driver Brian Conz trailing in 12th in
Wayne Peterson’s CARB-R-ALL Chevrolet. Columbus, Ohio driver Greg Sarff
finished 13th in his own unsponsored Ford Taurus with Henryville,
Indiana veteran Darrell Basham finishing 14th. Anderson, Indiana rookie
Greg Van Alst completed the top-15 finishers.

In addition to Blount’s first-place prize money, the Walkerton, Indiana
driver also picked up the Loctite Halfway Leader award money and the
National Pork Board Pole-Win bonus for winning from the pole position.
Blount’s new 1-lap track record of 174.633 miles per hour surpassed the
old track record set by Tim Steele in 2001 by better than four mph.