Trackside Tidbits by Debi Domby
Trackside Tidbits by Debi Domby
With one race to go Eric Lee leads Dennis Strickland by 145 points and Ricky Kargel by 160 points.
Rob Moore scored his first A division Street Stock victory, in a very close finish with Derek Wiley. Saturday the driver of the #82 was so excited he probably gave the shortest interview this season ... an exuberant "Awesome!!!" Later he sent me an email quote. "I got caught up in the moment and forgot everyone. We've trying to get that win for a long time and finally did it! I want to start by thanking my sponsors Jerry's Ace Hardware, Carsa,Downriver Coney Island and Vost Collision. I want to thank my wife for supporting me all season, my kids robbie and mariah, my mom, dad and brother. Also Barney for helping me build this car in 2005.and finally all the fans for coming out every week and cheering us on. I want to say that flat rock for the most part has a good group of drivers, crew and officials and that makes it easier to come out there every week and compete like we do ... so for that I want to thank them too," wrote Rob Moore.
In the championship, Dan Ford Jr. leads Tim Moore by 210 points. Pretty much all Ford Jr. has to do is start the feature. Moore leads Regan Ford by 75 points, Derek Wiley by 90 points and Randy DeMaggio by 100.
Dave Tanner was the fast qualifier, his first fast time of the season.
Harold Davis Jr. ran his very first Street Stock A division feature and finished 23rd after dropping out on lap 15.
If you loved our first time winner, how about someone who's last win was in the 1990s? Jim Selmi won the B division feature. It was Jim's first feature win since May 18, 1996! "Pretty good for an old guy, huh? The car was so bad in practice that I was going to pack it up and go home. We worked on it a bit and it was better in the feature," said Selmi, who at 70 years of age is one of our oldest drivers at the track (if not the oldest). Also with the win Jim, got bragging rights for the Selmi family, as son Scott finished fourth (with a broken exhaust header) in the Street Stock A division feature. I had an email that said the Jim Selmi has taken over as ARCA's oldest winner, surpassing Jim Bridge who was 68 when he last won.
I wish I could tell you how much Rich Abel is ahead of Joe Gramlich, but the B division points aren't listed on the website, but Gramlich does have a shot at the championship.. Gramlich gained 15 points on Rich, who had a water pump problem in the feature (and the fixed it in the pits during a caution).
Last week Steve Chartrand won the B division feature. He would like to thank his girlfriend Stacy for her support and State Of Mind Tattoos for sponsoring him.
The Figure 8 division had championship races at both Flat Rock and Toledo. The result was the same for champion, Dennis Whisman, won it at both tracks, but getting there was polar opposites.
Saturday night, Whisman went into the feature 20 points up on Robbie Loving. Loving took the lead on the get-go. Sam Hall spun coming into the X and took off... unfortunately, as he crossed the X, he slammed into the rear quarter panel of Robbie's car. Both cars went to the pits for repairs and returned for the restart. Loving started last and finished eighth after a harrowing race where he seemed to have a bullseye on the #16.
"I really hated to see Robbie (Loving) get hit at the start. I really wanted to race him for the championship and the win tonight. Winning the last race of the season here ... Beautiful!" said the driver of the WBVS Photos, NES Rentals, Leppen Chiropractic, Stanley's Market, Quality Clutches, A-1Transmission, Rich Lee Racing Engines after Saturday's win and champions run.
At Toledo, Whisman led Jeremy Vanderhoof going into the feature by, I think it was 45 points. Whisman was leading when he tangled with the lapped car of Eddie Snorf on lap 13. Whisman suffered a flat right front tire and soldiered on the remaining 12 laps of the feature. He finished ninth, three laps down, but it was enough to win the championship by five points over Vanderhoof.
"I had a flat tire, that didn't help much. I forgot to thank my brother Joey last night. Flat tire and I still was able to win the championship," said Whisman after Toledo's championship.
For Vanderhoof, he did everything he could ... winning his fourth race of the season. "It's a bit hard, win four races and finish second in the championship. We had a good year. I want to thank C & D Used Cars, Drakes Towing and LimeLight Motorsports," he said after the feature.
Toledo, August 31
Dave Kuhlman, the all time race winner in the ARCA Allegiant Air Gold Cup, added another to his total with the victory in Sunday's 100-lap season finale. His career 10th win came in his second start of the season. Like he always does after a victory, Dave kissed victory lane. "You always have to pay your respects to the track after a win. As much as I've been gone this season, it's nice to finally get to race. I had a great racecar. Harold (Fair Jr.) kept the pressure on me the whole race. I was pretty much flat out the whole race. This is the first full race I've ran all season, I was here earlier but only ran two laps that time. I want to thank all the crew that helped get the car back together. The car was on rails. That is the hardest I think I've ever raced here to win a race. Our cars (mine and Harold's) were dead even. If I would've let up Harold was right there," said the driver of the Zieler's Farm Market, Giles Auto Body, 5 point Embroidery, Wheeler Deeler #24.
Second place went to the 2008 Champion of the ARCA Allegiant Air Gold Cup, Harold Fair Jr. It is his second consecutive (third overall, he also won in 2002) championship in the division. The top two finishers were the only two cars on the lead lap. "I think Dave (Kuhlman) and I would've had a really good race. But just like it has been all year, the same guys bump and bang and unfortunately the toe-in was knocked out. Other than that the car ran well and we're looking forward to the Glass City in a couple weeks," said the driver of the Royal Truck and Trailer #71.
Who says you need brand new tires to run competitively. All you need is a good driver and a well handling car. Claude Plante Jr., made his first appearance at the track since the 2007 Glass City and finished third. Plante Jr., started outside front row and led the initial 25 laps. He eventually finished third, the first car one lap down. And all this with tires he ran last year in the Glass City (for the record he ran 101 laps in that race)! "The tires were from Glass City. Our objective was to come out tonight and get money for tires so I could run the Glass City in a couple weeks. I'm surprised with the third place. I figured I had a fifth place car after qualifying and made one change and wow ended up third. I want to dedicate this race to my dad. We nearly lost him to a massive heart attack ... he's doing better and it's our first race since all that happen," said the driver of the #16.
Justin Schroeder finished second in points, trailing Fair Jr. by 45 points. Schroeder had dropped back to sixth but passed Ron Allen in the last 25 laps. It was Schroeder's best points finish in his stock car career. Dennis Strickland finished third in points, five points behind Schroeder. The remainder of the top 10 were Paul Pelletier, 805 points, Brent Jack, 780; Harold Fair Sr., 720; Bob Mikolajczyk, 720; Steve Cronenwett Jr., 660; Joe Hawes, 655; Ron Allen, 635.
Brian Keselowski was there tonight, driving Stan Gall's #29. Unfortunately a broken crankshaft cut his race short.
Making his first half mile run is Scot Bunge. "I'm having so much fun out there that I can't wipe the grin off my face," the former Figure 8 and Factory Stock driver said. His night was cut short when his car's rear end broke.
Heather Williams finished 14th. "I lost the power steering in the car right at the beginning of the race. So I drove like a man today. Other than my arms being a bit sore, driving the 100 laps didn't bother me much."
Joe Hawes had a harmonic balancer come off on the car in hot laps, which in turn tore the front break line off of the car. He then backed into the wall, and had to park his car with rear end damage.
John Rowloff was also in the pits and had oil pressure problems after qualifying and was unable to run.
The hard luck award of the season goes to Brent Jack. He had a win and another top five finish, but the three other races in the series, it seems nothing has gone right. Tonight he dropped out with apparent engine problems.
Paul Pelletier dropped out because of broken plug wire.
Dave Arnold Jr. won the Factory Stock feature, his fifth of the season. The win secured his first Factory Stock Championship. "I've been running the Factory Stocks for about two and a half years and although I was leading coming into the final race, it's still a surprise to me that I won the championship. I want to thank my dad, Dave Sr., mom Rhonda, girlfriend Jessica ... also my daughter Destinee and nephew Anthony. Also I want to thank my sponsors, A-1 Auto Parts, Futrel Auto Recycling, Tower Used Tires, Dave White Chevrolet, Groff Engines, Speedway Tires and Rosanne Racing," said the young champion. Arnold Jr. finished 265 points ahead of Eric Huston in the final tally.
Eric Huston car sustained severe front end damage in an accident in the feature.
Art Lafreniere won the B main...it is his first win since opening night last year (2007).
Last week Kevin Little won the B main, it was his first career feature win. I'd have to look but he's been driving off and on for probably about 15 years... he has won several races as a car owner but this was his first one as the driver.
Another leftover from last week ... Jarrod MacZink finished fourth in points in the Sportsman his highest career points finish.
Trackside Tidbits by Debi Domby icechips@hotmail.com