ARCA RE/MAX 3 Races in 8 Days release, plus Factsheets

ARCA RE/MAX WARRIORS BUSY IN THE HOMESTRETCH; 3 RACES IN 8 DAYS!


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TOLEDO OH (8-25-03) The ARCA RE/MAX Series, often recognized as the most versatile stock car tour in America, will hold true to form when the series, in its 51st season, will set off on a three-race, late-season charge all within a space of eight days. Exemplary of the series' diverse nature, this particular stretch will include a legendary paved short-track, a "Magic Mile" that's dirt and a modern-day superspeedway palace.

Winchester Speedway in Winchester, Indiana will kick it off with the Winchester ARCA 200 Saturday night, August 30 under the lights with a start-time of 8 pm eastern live on SPEED Channel. 

From there, less than two days later, the series is scheduled for a 1 pm eastern start on Monday afternoon, September 1 at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds on the historic mile-dirt in DuQuoin, Illinois. Defending race winner Frank Kimmel will be shooting for his seventh consecutive win on dirt between DuQuoin and Springfield and third straight at DuQuoin. Winston Cup veteran Ken Schrader has already field an entry for the event. Although he is not entered, 2002 Winston Cup champion Tony Stewart is a possibilty having finished second to Kimmel at DuQuoin for the last two years running. The event will air on The Outdoor Channel at 10 pm eastern on September 10. 

The three-race trick will wrap up on the 1.5-mile superspeedway in Joliet, Illinois at Chicagoland Speedway with the ReadyHosting.com 200 Saturday, September 6. However, practice and Old Milwaukee Pole Qualifying is scheduled for Thursday morning and afternoon.

For much more, please visit www.arcaracing.com.

CONTACT:  Don Radebaugh (734) 847-6726 office

NOTE: The following Factsheets contain information (race schedules, broadcast schedules, track records, former winners and note packages) regarding this weekend's back-to-back ARCA RE/MAX Series races at Winchester Speedway and DuQuoin State Fairgrounds. Factsheet for the event at Chicagoland Speedway the following Saturday (Sept 6) will be forthcoming. Thanks, Don Radebaugh

WINCHESTER FACTSHEET PLUS
RACE:                          Winchester ARCA RE/MAX 200, Saturday, August 30

TRACK:                          Winchester Speedway, .5-mile paved

LOCATION:                 Winchester, Indiana

DISTANCE:                  100 Miles (200 laps)

SANCTION:                 ARCA
SERIES:                       Event #16 of the 2003 ARCA RE/MAX Series

PROMOTER:                Charlie Shaw (765) 584-9701

SCHEDULE:                 Sat, Aug 30:    Practice 1:30-3 pm; Old Milwaukee Pole Award Qualifying 4:15 pm; Start of Winchester ARCA RE/MAX 200 at 7:15 pm. 

POSTED AWARDS:            $103,276 in prize, point and contingency money

 

ARCA OFFICIAL COMPANIES: RE/MAX International Inc, Damon RV, Featherlite Trailers, Hoosier Racing Tires, Racing Electronics, 76 Racing Gas.



RECORDS:            Qualifying - Tim Steele, 1997, 16.357 seconds (110.045 mph)

                        Race - Bob Keselowski, 1990, 90.217 mph

TV:                   LIVE on SPEED Channel from 8-10 pm. Re-airs same night at 1 am. All times eastern.



NOTES OF INTEREST:  The Winchester ARCA RE/MAX 200 marks the 18th appearance of the ARCA RE/MAX Series at Winchester since the series first raced on the renowned high-banked oval in 1964. The upcoming ARCA RE/MAX 200 from Winchester, live on SPEED Channel, kicks off a grueling late-season charge featuring three races back-to-back-to-back. Following the Winchester short-track war under the lights Saturday night, Aug 30, the series will hustle off to the DuQuoin dirt "Magic Mile" in Southern Illinois for the Southern Illinois Federated Car Care 100 on Monday, Sept 1. From there, the series will steer north for the 1.5-mile Chicagoland Speedway where Old Milwaukee Pole Qualifying is scheduled for Thursday afternoon in preparation for Saturday's, Sept 6 ReadyHosting.com 200. Currently, drivers from 14 states are entered at Winchester including four-time series champion, current point leader and defending race winner Frank Kimmel and two-time Daytona ARCA 200 winner Bobby Gerhart who sat on the pole at Winchester in 2000. This year's Daytona ARCA 200 winner Chase Montgomery is also entered. From the drivers entered, only Kimmel is a past winner at Winchester. Sons of former ARCA national champions entered include third-generation driver Billy Venturini whose father Bill Venturini won ARCA titles in '87 & '91 as well as Todd Bowsher whose father Jack Bowsher was the champ in '63, '64 & '65. In addition, Jack Bowsher won the inaugural ARCA RE/MAX race at Winchester in '64. Eight of the 17 RE/MAX Series races at Winchester have been won from the pole including last year's when Kimmel held off a gallant charge from Shelby Howard. Howard, the youngest winner in ARCA RE/MAX history with his wins this year at Salem and Kansas, was also the youngest Winchester winner in history after winning in an ICAR Modified event there at age 14. In addition to Howard's entry, third-generation racer Jason Jarrett is among the entrants as is Eau Claire, Wisconsin driver Paul Menard, son of renowned Indy car team owner John Menard. Other entrants include Penndel PA's Andy Belmont whose career-best finish of second came at Winchester and series regulars Ron Cox, Mark Gibson, Norm Benning, Darrell Basham, Mike Buckley, Chuck Weber, Brent Sherman and Brad Smith. Christi Passmore and Bill Eversole are both entered and are currently tied in points in the battle for ARCA Rookie of the Year. Justin Allgaier, 17, is the youngest driver entered. Jason Hedlesky, team manager for Junie Donlavey's Winston Cup team, is also scheduled to make his first Winchester appearance in a Donlavey-prepared Ford.

Winchester Winners:  Tim Steele 4; Frank Kimmel 3; tied with 2 each are Tracy Leslie & Marvin Smith; tied with 1 each are Jack Bowsher, Gary Bradberry, Bob Keselowski, Ralph Latham, Bob Strait & Bobby Watson. 


DUQUOIN FACTSHEET PLUS
 

RACE:                          Southern Illinois 100 presented by Federated Car Care, Monday, September 1

TRACK:                          DuQuoin State Fairgrounds, 1-mile dirt

LOCATION:                 DuQuoin, Illinois

DISTANCE:                  100 Miles (100 laps)

SANCTION:                 ARCA
SERIES:                       Event #17 of the 2003 ARCA RE/MAX Series

PROMOTER:                Bob Sargent (217) 764-3200

SCHEDULE:                 Mon, Sept 1:   Practice 9-10 am; Old Milwaukee Pole Award Qualifying 11 am; Start of Southern Illinois 100 presented by Federated Car Care at 1 pm. All times local.

POSTED AWARDS:            $120,876 in prize, point and contingency money.

 

ARCA OFFICIAL COMPANIES: RE/MAX International Inc, Damon RV, Featherlite Trailers, Hoosier Racing Tires, Racing Electronics, 76 Racing Gas.

 

RECORDS:            Qualifying - Tony Stewart, 2002, 33.822 seconds (106.440 mph)

                        Race - Dean Roper, 1983, 90.101 mph

 

TV:                   The Outdoor Channel to be aired on September 10th from 10 pm to Midnight eastern time.

 

NOTES OF INTEREST:  Fresh from a short-track war at Winchester on Saturday night, the ARCA RE/MAX Series, less than 2 days later, will line up on the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds mile-dirt for the Southern Illinois 100 presented by Federated Car Care Monday afternoon, Labor Day. The event marks the 54th ARCA RE/MAX Series event held on a clay oval since 1974 and 21st at DuQuoin since the series first raced there in 1983. Past ARCA RE/MAX winners at DuQuoin include Dean Roper & Billy Thomas each with 4, Bob Hill, Bob Keselowski & Frank Kimmel each with 2, tied with 1 each - Bob Brevak, Jeff Finley, David Goldsberry, Lee Raymond, Bob Schacht and Bob Strait. The Old Milwaukee Pole Award at DuQuoin will be presented in memory of the late Dean Roper, the all-time ARCA dirt winner since '74 with 9 victories at DuQuoin, Springfield and Terre Haute. Only 1 ARCA RE/MAX race at DuQuoin has been won from the pole (Bob Hill in '96). 2002 NASCAR Winston Cup champion Tony Stewart won Old Milwaukee Pole Awards at DuQuoin in '01 and '02 setting new track records for each event. However, Stewart, for two consecutive years, has finished second to four-time ARCA RE/MAX Series champion Frank Kimmel in the race. At present, the entry list for this year's DuQuoin dirt classic has a touch of NASCAR flavor with an entry from Winston Cup veteran Ken Schrader who has entered for the third consecutive season. Three of Schrader's 9 career RE/MAX Series victories have come on dirt (Hagerstown half-mile, Indianapolis mile & Springfield mile) however Schrader has never won at DuQuoin, nor has Tony Stewart. Defending race winner Frank Kimmel has won 6 of the last 7 dirt-track events including DuQuoin in '01 & '02. Kimmel, Mokena IL veteran Bob Strait and Phenix City, AL driver Billy Thomas are the only former DuQuoin winners entered. Of the past winners, Thomas leads the way with 4 DuQuoin wins, his most recent in 2000. Local favorite Joe Cooksey from nearby Centralia IL has filed an entry. Cooksey won the Old Milwaukee Pole Award at DuQuoin in 2000. St. Joseph MO driver Doug Keller, coming off a career-best 2nd place finish at Springfield (two years in a row), qualified outside pole alongside Tony Stewart at DuQuoin in '01 & '02. 17-year old Justin Allgaier, 1 of several Illinois drivers entered, finished 11th in last year's DuQuoin classic. 

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