ARCA: Alexander Perfect at Pocono
26 July 1999
by Don RadebaughLong Pond, PA - Much to the approval of his hometown crowd, Montoursville, Pennsylvania driver Blaise Alexander finished out a perfect week at Pocono International Raceway Saturday with an extremely popular victory in the ARCA Pepsi 200.
The 1996 ARCA Bondo/Mar-Hyde Series Rookie of the Year did everything he needed to do, including winning the pole with a new track record, leading the most laps, and most importantly, holding off defending champion Frank Kimmel at the final stripe to win his second career ARCA victory and first-ever at the 2.5 mile triangular superspeedway. Kimmel trailed by less than a half second with current point leader Bill Baird finishing third ahead of Jeff Finley and Mike Swaim, Jr. in tow to complete the top five.
After leading 41 of the 80 laps, and with Kimmel lined up directly in his rear view mirror, Alexander almost saw it all go away with two laps to go when his transmission began to falter. "I went to shift into fourth when I got the two laps to go there and I shifted and something broke, and it was like shifting into neutral," explained Alexander after the race. "I quick went back into third gear and luckily we didnt lose a lot of time but usually thats not too good for a motor. I thought it was going to hurt us, but it worked out alright. We had a Sabco motor this weekend. Ive been bugging him (Felix Sabates) forever to help me out and he finally gave me an opportunity."
Alexander, aboard his fathers Perkins Family Restaurants-Sunoco Lubricants Chevrolet, capitalized on Finleys loose Dura Lube Chevrolet and charged underneath the Lansing, Michigan driver for the lead on the 64th circuit, one he never relinquished. "I just got right up under him and its really easy to get someone loose in turn one there. It doesnt take much to take the air off him a little. He wasnt real happy I dont think, but were not racing for 25th, were racing for the win there." By the time Finley gathered it up, Kimmel had also found his way past and then reeled in Alexander but couldnt mount the charge necessary to overhaul the eventual winner.
After establishing a new one-lap track record of 164.796 mph, Alexander led at the onset for 24 rounds before Mike Ciochetti held the top-spot when most of the front-runners came down pit road for service under caution. Back under green, Kirk Shelmerdine, who like Ciochetti elected to forego pit road service in favor of track position, overhauled the Clayton, Georgia driver and led 6 laps before former NASCAR Winston West champion Lance Hooper, in the Richard Jackson-owned Lucas Oil Pontiac, took command. Hooper stretched his advantage to 20 lengths before Kimmel, in the Advance Auto Parts Chevrolet, tracked down the leader and raced on by to lead the 55th circuit. Then with laps winding down, the caution flag flew after Kevin Ray, Christian Elder and Cavin Councilor locked horns in turn one allowing the leaders one more shot at pit road for final adjustments and fresh tires. But it was Finley who drove off pit lane first after taking right side tires only while Alexander, Kimmel and Baird changed all four. When racing resumed with just four laps to go, Alexander, Kimmel and eventually Baird, all equipped with better grip, raced by Finley who struggled on badly worn left side tires.
Hooper finished sixth in front of Shelmerdine, Tracy Leslie, Bobby Gerhart and Darrell Lanigan to round out the top ten respectively. Hooper also garnered the Auto Value Halfway Leader honors while Alexander picked up the Bondo/Mar-Hyde Pole/Win Bonus award worth an additional $3,500 for winning the race from the pole. Pennsylvanian Norm Benning won the Hoosier Tire Midwest Hard Charger award for advancing from 38th to 15th in the final running order and leading ARCA rookie contender Ron Cox was the STP-Prestone Highest Finishing Rookie in 14th.
CURRENT SERIES POINT LEADERS: Bill Baird 3005, Frank Kimmel 2645, Bobby Gerhart 2610, Mark Gibson 2325, Joe Cooksey 2215, Bob Schacht 2135, Cavin Councilor 2090, Andy Belmont 2080, Ron Cox 2055, Mike Ciochetti 1970.
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