GIANT 200 AT POCONO KICKS OFF VERSATILE LATE-SUMMER SURGE

(7-27-04) The Giant 200 at Pocono kicks off a late-summer surge that could hardly be more representative of the diversity in the ARCA RE/MAX Series. From a 2.5-mile high-speed triangle this Saturday, July 31, the series steers for the .4-mile Lake Erie Speedway short-track the following weekend. With no pause, it's off to the 1.33-mile Nashville Superspeedway concrete track before packing up for the Springfield, Illinois mile-dirt during the Illinois State Fair. But first, it's back to Pocono for the Giant 200. Continually updated entry lists, news, notes & much more at www.arcaracing.com; and thanks for your interest.

POCONO FACTSHEET PLUS.......

RACE: Giant 200, 7-31-04

TRACK: Pocono Raceway, 2.5-mile paved triangle

LOCATION: Long Pond, PA

DISTANCE: 80 laps, 200 miles

SANCTION: ARCA

SERIES: Event #14 of the 2004 ARCA RE/MAX Series

PROMOTER: Pocono Raceway, Inc., PR - Bob Pleban (570) 646-2300

SCHEDULE: Thurs, July 29: Practice 11am-1:25pm; Pork Pole Qualifying 3pm (1 lap, all positions)

Fri, July 30: Final Practice 9:45am-11am

Sat, July 31: Giant 200 at 1pm

POSTED AWARDS: $232,314 in prize, point and contingency money.

ARCA OFFICIAL COMPANIES: RE/MAX International Inc, Damon Motorcoach, Featherlite Trailers, Hoosier Racing Tire, Racing Electronics, Sunoco Race Fuels.

ARCA OFFICIAL PRODUCTS: Amkus Rescue Tools, Bennigan's, Cloyes Gear & Products, Cookies BarBQ Sauce, Earl's Performance Products, Fast Track High Performance Driving School, Flowmaster Mufflers, Gladiator GarageWorks, Harris Torches & Regulators, Holley HP Carbs, K&N Air Filters, K&N Oil Filters, Kluhsman Racing Products, Landrum Spring Service, Lincoln Electric Welders, Magnum Police Equipment, Motive Gear, National Pork Board, RJS Racing Equipment, Stoner Car Care Products, S-W Scales by Intercomp, University of Northwestern Ohio.

PARTICIPATING COMPANIES: ATI Dampers, Auto Meter Instruments, Berryman Products, Bilstein Shocks, Blake Carburetors, BSR Racing Products, CamAir Tire Management Systems, Clevite Engine Parts, Cometic Gaskets, CV Products, Dayco Belts & Hoses, Dodge Motorsports, Edelbrock, Endura-Tech Valve Springs, Ford Motor Company, Gatorade, G-Force Racing Gear, Hawk Brake, Hedman Hedders, Hoosier Racing Tires, Hutcherson-Pagan, Impact Racing, Jacobs Electronics, JE Pistons, Joyce Julius & Associates, JR's Garage, KoolMat, LaCross Engine Development, Leading Edge Race Cars, MSD Ignition, Mechanix Wear, Nelson Specialties, Ohlins Shocks, Penske Racing Shocks, Perfect Circle Piston Rings, Performance Drive Train Inc., Quarter Master, Reed Cams, Rhyne Racing Engines, RJS Racing Equipment, Shaver Motorsports Engines, Speed51.com, Spraker Racing Enterprises, Tex Racing, Thermo-Tec Header Wrap, Tilton Engineering, Vertigo Productions, Victor-Reinz Gaskets, Wallace Race Car Lettering.

RECORDS: Qualifying - Kyle Busch, 52.678 (170.849 mph) 2003. Race - Mike Wallace (142.668 mph) 1995.

POCONO WINNERS: Tim Steele 9 including five in a row ('96 through '98) followed by Bob Schacht 6 & Bob Keselowski 5. Mike Wallace 3; Jimmy Horton and Casey Mears 2; 1-time winners include Blaise Alexander, Casey Atwood, Kerry Earnhardt, Ben Hess, Bobby Jacks, Frank Kimmel, Damon Lusk, Ryan Newman, Jeff Purvis, Lee Raymond & Scott Riggs.

NOTES OF INTEREST: The Giant 200 will be the 39th ARCA RE/MAX Series event on the 2.5-mile Pocono triangle since 1983. The Giant 200 at Pocono kicks off a late-summer surge that could hardly be more representative of the diversity in the ARCA RE/MAX Series. From a 2.5-mile high-speed triangle, the series steers for the .4-mile Lake Erie Speedway short-track the following weekend. With no pause, it's off to the 1.33-mile Nashville Superspeedway concrete track before packing up for the Springfield, Illinois mile-dirt during the Illinois State Fair. The Giant 200 at Pocono presents an interesting mix of talent from rookies to veterans. From the veteran side, 5-time series champion and current point leader Frank Kimmel leads the way. Kimmel, who has 53 series victories including one at Pocono in 1999, is just one away from tying Jack Bowsher for second on the all-time win list. Additionally, Kimmel, who has 17 superspeedway Pork Pole awards, is just one away from tying Tim Steele's all-time superspeedway pole mark of 18. That's not all, Kimmel, who has led 2,261 laps on superspeedways, is just 47 laps away from tying Steele (2,308) as the all-time superspeedway lap-leader. However, a very, red-hot rookie by the name of Ryan Hemphill has cut way into Kimmel's superspeedway stat book. In fact, Hemphill, in only 10 series starts overall, has won 5 races at Kentucky twice, Kansas, Charlotte and most recently at Gateway. Plus, the 22-year-old Apollo PA sensation has won 4 Pork Pole awards and has led 457 superspeedway laps this year whereas Kimmel has led just 51. The battle for Rookie of the Year continues to be very close with Sparks NV rookie TJ Bell (4th in overall points) leading by just 8 points over Galesburg IL rookie AJ Fike. Hemphill, who has no regular short-track program, trails in third followed by Brandon Knupp and Tim Turner. From the veteran ranks, Lebanon PA driver Bobby Gerhart is entered as is Jason Jarrett, who will be making his 8th Pocono start on Saturday. Jarrett finished 2nd twice at Pocono in 2002. Winder GA veteran Mark Gibson will make his 272nd career series start at Pocono. Gibson has finishes of 2nd, 3rd, 4th & 5th at Pocono but never a win. Jason Rudd, nephew of Cup veteran Ricky Rudd, will make his RE/MAX Series return at Pocono. Rudd hasn't raced with the tour since 2002. Despite a very stellar entry list, Kimmel is the only former Pocono winner entered. 13 ARCA RE/MAX Series races at Pocono have been won from the pole.