ARCA: In ARCA Trucks, Guinn wins Winchester thriller
22 August 2000
Winchester IN, – In 100 laps at Winchester, the lead changed hands 15 times among five drivers. Fortunately for Erie, Michigan’s Chad Guinn, the last time it changed with 3 laps remaining, his number four was atop the electronic leader board. Guinn, who led on 5 different occasions, raced by Pete Wormcastle on the 96th circuit and barely held off the hungry pack to score his fourth career ARCA Lincoln Welders Truck Series victory Friday night at Winchester Speedway, and quite possibly, the most hard-fought of the bunch. And while the fans were treated to some of the most exciting racing ever witnessed at Winchester, the frontrunners mixed it up one more time on the last lap when Wormcastle and Michael Carter, racing for the lead, got crossed up in oil put down by Tully Esterline whose engine had just expired. Both machines made heavy contact with the outside retaining wall in turn four after completing 99 laps setting up the one-lap dash to the checkers where Guinn, in his Sonic Expediting Ford Ranger, fought off defending champion Bill Withers by inches for the win. Runner-up finisher Withers started 19th. Bobby Marvin, in his own Ed & Company-Stat Express delivery Ford, finished inches back in third ahead of current point leader Robbin Slaughter in the Carmen’s Vacuum-NAPA Ford in fourth. Dave Reeb, in the Accurate Logistics Ford, completed the top-five ahead of Todd Braun in sixth and Johnny Witham the last truck on the lead lap in seventh. Wormcastle and Carter, both having completed 99 laps, were credited with eighth and ninth respectively while Scott Belknap completed the top-10. Jeff Speakman, after winning the Hoosier Tire Pole Award, led at the onset with David Clay giving chase until Clay out-maneuvered the former leader to take control on the 21st lap. Clay held on for five laps before Speakman took over again on the 26th circuit. Speakman’s lead was short-lived however when Clay took it back on the next lap to lead three laps before Witham wrestled the top-spot away from Clay. Witham would go on to lead up through lap 71 while the nine additional trucks on the lead lap giving chase swapped back in forth for position so many times it would be impossible to describe. Witham, who never did shake his pursuers, lost the lead the Guinn who led the 72nd lap before Witham took the lead back the next lap. Witham added three more laps led to his tally before Wormcastle raced his way into lead. But Wormcastle’s lead didn’t last long either when Guinn took it back a lap later. Like Wormcastle’s short-lived lead, so was Guinn’s who handed it back to Wormcastle the next lap. Wormcastle led through lap 84 before Guinn raced by again to lead lap 85. Wormcastle wrestled in it back to lead lap 86 in time for Guinn to charge back and lead lap 87. Wormcastle then moved ahead on lap 88 and held on until the 96th circuit before Guinn took control for good. Clay and Speakman were part of the lead mix up through lap 30 before being involved in an accident which eliminated both trucks. Withers won the Ed & Company Hard Charger Award for advancing the most positions while Witham picked up the Cloyes Gear Halfway Leader Award.