JOLIET IL (9-4-03) Four-time ARCA RE/MAX Series champion and current point leader Frank Kimmel steered the Advance Auto Parts-Pork Ford to his 33rd career Old Milwaukee Pole here Thursday at Chicagoland Speedway. The Jeffersonville, Indiana driver posted a speed of 173.544 mph around the 1.5-mile superspeedway.

"Our first lap wasn't good enough to get the pole, so my brother (Bill/Crew Chief) called me on the radio and said you've got to go," said Kimmel. "So I settled myself down a little and drove it down in there the way you need to. The car feels real good. If anything, it's a little loose up off the corners, but we'll tighten that up with our race set-up. But overall, the car's great; I'm not complaining."

Veteran Greg Sacks, in the Fresh Seafood from Florida Dodge, qualified outside pole with a speed of 172.927 mph in only his third ARCA RE/MAX Series attempt.

"Well, we weren't very good in practice, so we changed everything except the kitchen sink," said Sacks. "The car was way too tight, but it's a lot better now. The first lap (in qualifying) was great, then I overdrove the car in turn one on the second lap and it pushed up the track. We're still a little tight, but it's much better. We'll make a few more adjustments, and we should be in great shape for the race."

Christi Passmore, in the GAP Roofing-Royal Trading Ford, qualified third. Joe Ruttman, making his return to ARCA RE/MAX Series competition, qualified fourth in the Emerson Industrial Automation-CR Chevrolet. Nashville, Tennessee driver Darryl Sage qualified fifth the Murtco Chevrolet.

Saturday's ReadyHosting.com 200 from Chicagoland Speedway is scheduled to get underway at 1 pm eastern. Local AM radio station WJOL will carry live, flag-to-flag coverage beginning at 10 am.

2003 ARCA RE/MAX SERIES EVENT #18 Chicagoland Speedway, Joliet IL, 9-6-03 Official Starting Grid, ReadyHosting.com 200 STR NO DRIVER/RESIDENCE TEAM & CAR TIME SPEED
1 46 Frank Kimmel/Jeffersonville IN Advance Auto Parts-Pork Ford 31.116 173.544
2 88 Greg Sacks/Mattituck NY Fresh Seafood from Florida Dodge 31.227 172.927
3 91 Christi Passmore/Pryor OK GAP Roofing-Royal Trading Ford 31.681 170.449
4 39 Joe Ruttman/Ontario CA Emerson Industrial Automation-CR Chevrolet 31.712 170.283
5 19 Darryl Sage/Nashville TN Murtco Chevrolet 31.721 170.234
6 44 Brent Sherman/N Barrington IL Serta Mattress-Hickory Farms Ford 31.765 169.998
7 64 Shelby Howard/Greenwood IN Mack Trucks-Beck Dodge 31.923 169.157 8 9 Matt Hagans/Brownsburg IN Eagle Creek Aviation-First Wing Mngmnt Dodge 31.970 168.908
9 17 AJ Henriksen/Mooresville NC Fastenal-Engineered Components Chevrolet 32.011 168.692
10 23 Ron Cox/Soddy Daisy TN Shaver Engines Pontiac 32.077 168.345
11 67 Jason Jarrett/Hickory NC Gladiator GarageWorks-Damon RV Chevrolet 32.084 168.308
12 25 Billy Venturini/Chicago IL ABC Auto Parts Chevrolet 32.475 166.282
13 75 Michael Simko/Clarkston MI Mound Steel-Michigan Steel Erectors Pontiac 32.532 165.990
14 96 Ken Weaver/Dallas TX 1-800-4-A-Phone Ford 32.566 165.817
15 59 Mark Gibson/Winder GA Williams Brothers Lumber Chevrolet 32.747 164.901
16 66 Bob Strait/Mokena IL Hendren Motorsports Ford 32.898 164.144
17 21 Todd Bowsher/Springfield OH GFS Marketplace Ford 32.949 163.890 18 28 Mike Buckley/Ann Arbor MI ETSSolutions Chevrolet 33.280 162.260 19 38 Jon Morley/Columbus OH Quaker Steak & Lube Ford 33.575 160.834 20 49 Dan Shaver/Charlotte NC Petro Express Pontiac 33.850 159.527
21 1 Andy Belmont/Penndel PA Verizon 1-800-USE-THE-VZ Ford 34.293 157.467
22 78 Dale Schweikart/Linden PA The Autobarn Dodge 34.525 156.408
23 84 Norm Benning/Pittsburgh PA Tobin's RV & Boat Cleaner Chevrolet 34.646 155.862
24 06 Jimmy Thiel/Woodhaven MI Catylist.com-BASF Pontiac 34.802 155.163
25 2 Jerry Middleton/Richmond IN Servpro of Indiana & Ohio Chevrolet 34.847 154.963
26 5 Randy VanZant/Brookville OH Mike's Body Shop-Devers Truck Bodies Pontiac 34.985 154.352
27 26 Brad Smith/Dearborn MI Pro-Tech Lighting Ford 35.213 153.352
28 34 Darrell Basham/Henryville IN Basham Racing Chevrolet 36.392 148.384
29 33 Mark Schulz/Sanger TX Mark Schulz Racing Pontiac 36.492 147.978 30 24 Chuck Weber/Mesquite TX Excel Communications Chevrolet 39.372 137.153
31 6 Wayne Peterson/Pulaski TN Reid's Auto Color-Nealco Chevrolet 39.505 136.692
32 42 Fred Zack/Glendale WI Fred Zack Racing Chevrolet 39.978 135.074 33 08 Bill Eversole/Chelsea MI Think Pink Energy Drink Chevrolet Provisional
34 48 Carl McCormick/Jacksonville FL Hylton Motorsports Ford Provisional
35 7 Clint Vahsholtz/Woodland Park CO Vahsholtz Automotive Ford Provisional
36 8 James Hylton/Inman SC Benning Motorsports Chevrolet Provisional 37 35 Wayne Anderson/Wildwood FL TC Motorsports-Flagship RV Chevrolet Provisional
38 14 Greg Sarff/Columbus OH Cardinal Tool Company Chevrolet Provisional 39 56 Allen Patterson/Abbeville SC Jan Gibson Chevrolet Provisional



Have an opinion on this story? Post a message on the Message Board!
or send a letter to the editor!