ARCA RE/MAX Rookie Hemphill Wins at Lowe's

ARCA RE/MAX Rookies Roar at Lowe's; Ryan Hemphill Triumphs

  

By Don Radebaugh - CONCORD NC (5-27-04)  ARCA RE/MAX Series rookie Ryan Hemphill triumphed over a stellar field of able contenders Thursday night at Lowe's Motor Speedway to win the Quaker Steak & Lube 100. 

 

Hemphill, in Todd Braun's TrimSpa Dodge, passed fellow rookie Reed Sorenson for the lead inside of ten laps remaining, and then held off a gallant charge from another rookie Justin Hobgood to earn his second series victory in only his fifth attempt. 

 

"I owe this victory to the Braun Racing crew," said Hemphill from victory lane. "These guys work so hard on this deal, and I'm able to reap the benefits of their hard work. I also want to thank TrimSpa for all their support. We ran second most of the way and saved our stuff till the end giving it all we had; but I'm not sure we could have went another lap. I believe we're out of gas."

 

Hemphill, who started from the Pork Pole, never pitted during the 67-lap, 100-mile race, which was extended by 6 laps to accommodate an ARCA-mandated green-white-checker finish.

 

Sorenson, making his series debut in a Chip Ganassi Racing Dodge, led 54 laps earning the Bennigan's Halfway Lap Leader award along the way before handling issues apparently caused his Sherwin Williams-sponsored car to fade. 

 

"There was a lot of debris out there," said Sorenson. "We ran over something going down the backstretch. It shoved the front end in and the car began to push. Then I tried to drive it harder which made it push even more."

 

Hobgood, also making his series debut in Don Arnold's Germain Motor Company Dodge, closed to within a length of Hemphill on the final lap and finished second in front of five-time series champion Frank Kimmel, who finished third in the Advance Auto Parts-Pork Ford. Kimmel was the only driver among the top-five finishers who pitted. "We had to try something to keep up with those Ganassi Dodge's," said Kimmel. "We adjusted on the chassis, put on tires and came from the back. Ended up a little short in the end, but all in all, a good night for the team."

 

Sorenson, struggling to hold the bottom line, held on for fourth over Wayne Anderson, who finished fifth in the Flagship RV Chevrolet, a career-best for the Wildwood, Florida driver.

 

Hemphill led at the onset for five circuits before Sorenson, who started third, took control. Hemphill chased Sorenson most of the way before reclaiming the lead on lap 60. But a late-race caution for a multi-car crash involving Christi Passmore, Damon Lusk, Billy Venturini and Todd Bowsher prompted series officials to extend the race to 73 laps in order to serve up the green flag finish. In all, six cautions helped keep 21 machines on the lead lap and tightly bunched throughout the race.

 

Rookie David Ragan was running third late the race before a front-stretch spin relegated the Kannapolis, North Carolina driver to 19th in the final running order. In addition, Jason Jarrett, who was also running in the top-ten, ran out of gas on the final lap and fell to 18th at the finish. 

 

AJ Henriksen finished sixth in the McAdams Painting-CLR Ford in front of rookie Blake Feese who finished seventh in the Ditech.com Chevrolet. Kelly Bires, in his series debut, finished eighth in the Atlantic Pin Striping Chevrolet over rookie TJ Bell who finished ninth in Brad Kemp's unsponsored Chevrolet. Michael Simko, who finished 10th from the 24th starting position, earned the Hoosier Tire Hard Charger award for advancing the most positions.

 

Norm Benning, who crashed on lap 48, earned the Landrum Spring Hard Luck honors. Mike Buckley, who finished 15th from the 36th starting position, was awarded the Gladiator GarageWorks Gladiator of the Race award.

 

The ARCA RE/MAX Series travels next to Kansas Speedway for the Kansas Lottery $200 Grand Saturday afternoon, June 5.

 

CURRENT TOP-10 ARCA RE/MAX SERIES POINTS:  1) Frank Kimmel 1540; 2) Billy Venturini 1380; 3) AJ Fike 1240; 4) Jason Jarrett 1235; 5) Brent Sherman 1215; 6) Mike Buckley 1185; 7) Todd Bowsher 1120; 8) TJ Bell 1110; 9) Mark Gibson 1105; 10) Ryan Hemphill 1095.