ARCA: Marciniak fights off Esterline in LaSalle ARCA Trucks
7 August 2000
LaSalle, IL,--Troy Marciniak, in his own A&A Manufacturing Chevy S-10, held off defending race winner Tully Esterline to win the 100-lap ARCA Lincoln Welders Truck Series main event on the LaSalle Speedway quarter-mile clay Saturday night in LaSalle, Illinois. Marciniak, who had his hands full with Esterline in the end, eventually stretched his lead to three lengths at the final stripe to become the first four-time winner this year on the ARCA Truck tour. Esterline, in the Spangler Candy Company Chevy, finished a commanding second with Chad Guinn’s Sonic Expediting Ford Ranger trailing in third. Defending ARCA Truck champion Bill Withers, in the Mannings USA-Hall Electronics Ford, raced home in fourth ahead of Hoosier Tire Pole Award winner Bobby Marvin in the Ed & Company-Stat Express Delivery Ford in fifth. While the victory lane spoils were all Marciniaks, it was Esterline who may have given the fans the most to cheer about. Esterline, with a poorly handling truck, was inches away from being lapped by Marciniak when the ARCA-mandated halfway caution flag appeared giving the Spangler Candy crew the opportunity to make badly needed adjustments. When racing resumed, Esterline, at the tail-end of the lead-lap line, and with the handling much more to his liking, charged ahead to challenge. Within 15 laps, Esterline was again within inches of Marciniak but this time, it was a battle for the lead. However outside pole starter Marciniak, who would lead all 100 laps, wasn’t about to give up the top spot he had worked so diligently to maintain. Fighting hard to keep his lead, Marciniak, better on longer runs, eventually stretched his advantage enough to secure the victory. Todd Braun was a threat to overhaul the eventual winner and was running second until the Winamac, Indiana driver hooked the turn four cushion and hit the wall ending his day 29 laps from the finish. Johnny Witham, Robbin Slaughter, Michael Carter, Jack Weethee, and Stan Maitlen finished sixth through 10th respectively. Marciniak was awarded the Cloyes Gear Halfway Leader honors while Esterline picked up the Ed & Company Hard Charger Award for advancing the most positions, from 13th to second. Esterline also won the Hawk Best Brake of the Race Award. The ARCA Lincoln Welders Truck Series will next appear at Berlin Raceway in Marne, Michigan on August 12 followed by a double-header weekend with Winchester Speedway in Winchester, Indiana kicking things off on August 18 followed up by a visit to Shady Bowl Speedway in DeGraff, Ohio on August 19.