By Don Radebaugh,
ARCA PR/Media

SALEM, IN –SEPTEMBER 13, 2008- ARCA RE/MAX Series veteran Frank Kimmel gave his hometown fans exactly what they came to see – a victory in the Eddie Gilstrap Motors 200 by Advance Auto Parts Saturday night at Salem Speedway.

However, it turned out to be much more than just another win for the local Clarksville, Indiana legend.

“This one’s pretty emotional,” said Kimmel in victory lane. “It’s been more than four years since we’ve won here, and to do it here at home means more than I can say. It’s also my dad’s birthday; he turned 80 today, so this one’s for him. This could not have played out any better for the Kimmel Racing team. We’ve been fortunate to win a lot of races, but this one ranks up there as one of the best – maybe the best.”

Kimmel, in the Clarksville Schwinn Cyclery-Fastline Performance Ford, survived the typical Salem short-track carnage and led the final 62 circuits en route to his ninth win at Salem and 74th series triumph of his career. The victory also puts Kimmel just five wins shy of Iggy Katona’s all-time victory mark of 79.

“The car was really, really good on long runs,” added Kimmel. “The last fifty laps or so I was holding my breath, especially through all of that lapped traffic.”

Matt Carter, in the Stine Seed-Hantz Group Ford, finished second two seconds behind the winner and earned the SunTrust Highest Finishing Rookie honors. Carter’s father and crew chief Travis Carter won the Cometic Crew Chief of the Race.

“Frank had a better handling car than we did tonight,” said Carter. “But if I had to lose to someone there’s no one else I’d rather finish second to than Frank Kimmel. It was a good run for us but to be honest the car was not that good. I don’t know if we missed on air pressures or what.”

Dexter Bean, with a badly damaged Glock Chevrolet, battled back from a spin on the backstretch that triggered a multi-car pile-up on lap 139.

“It was definitely rough racing but hey, that’s Salem,” said Bean. “I lost it coming out of two and spun on the backstretch and it really should have ended our night. We had a real good racecar and the team got the Glock Chevy back on track so that we could still manage a good run.”

Bean’s machine wasn’t the only car with damage as very few cars went back on the haulers without twisted sheet metal, including championship contenders’ Scott Speed and Ricky Stenhouse, Jr, separated by just 40 points headed into the race.

Stenhouse, who earned his third consecutive SIM Factory Pole Award, was running directly in front of point leader Speed when contact between the two sent Stenhouse’s Aflac Ford hard into the backstretch wall. Stenhouse, after spending several laps on pit road for repair, finally returned to competition, finishing 17th, 26 laps down.

Shortly after Stenhouse wrecked, Speed found himself in the middle of the aforementioned multi-car wreck on the backstretch, which left his Red Bull Toyota with damage all the way around. However, Speed was able to stay on the lead lap and maintain his point lead with just three races remaining.

Sean Caisse, who qualified second in the AISIN Toyota, led the first 85 laps before Speed got around the former leader in heavy lapped traffic. Speed showed the way for 12 circuits before giving it up to Ken Butler III when Speed opted for a pit stop under caution, along with most of the other front-runners. Butler led the next 17 laps before Brett Hudson emerged as the leader on lap 115. Hudson held on for eight laps before Carter, who also pitted with Speed, took control of the top spot on the 123rd lap. Carter’s lead lasted 16 laps before Kimmel slipped past on lap 139. From there, Carter could only watch as Kimmel continually pulled away as necessary.

Justin Allgaier battled brake issues much of the night but still managed to finish fourth in the Hoosier Midwest-AG Tech-Auto Xpress Chevrolet.

Caisse, who was involved in an on-track skirmish with Gabi DiCarlo, finished fifth with a badly bent right front fender that was rubbing against his right-front tire for the final 30 laps. Caisse also earned the Aaron’s Lap Leader award for leading the most laps.

Hudson finished sixth in the Fannon Cable Construction-Double H Hydraulics Chevrolet with John Wes Townley trailing in seventh in the Zaxby’s Ford. Speed held on for eighth. Bryan Silas finished ninth in the Nortrax-PBG Chevrolet. Michael Phelps finished 10th in the Bowen Family Homes Dodge.

Brad Smith, who started 26th and finished 16th, earned the Casite Hard Charger Award.

From Salem, several ARCA RE/MAX Series teams are making their way to Talladega Superspeedway for an ARCA Open Test on September 17th and 18th, 2008. The next ARCA RE/MAX Series race is the Loud Energy Drink 150 on Sunday, September 28th at New Jersey Motorsports Park. The race marks a return to road course racing for the diverse stock car series for the first time since 2001. For more information, visit arcaracing.com.

Official Results, ARCA RE/MAX Series
Eddie Gilstrap Motors 200 by Advance Auto Parts
Salem Speedway, Salem IN


FIN


STR


NO


DRIVER/HOMETOWN


TEAM & CAR


LAPS


STATUS

1


11


44


Frank Kimmel/Clarksville IN


Clarksville Schwinn Cyclery-Fastline Perf Ford


200


Running

2


5


46


Matt Carter/Denver NC


Stine Seed-Hantz Group Ford


200


Running

3


7


37


Dexter Bean/Westby WI


Glock Chevrolet


200


Running

4


6


16


Justin Allgaier/Springfield IL


Hoosier Midwest-AG Tech-Auto Xpress Chevrolet


200


Running

5


2


01


Sean Caisse/Pelham NH


AISIN Toyota


200


Running

6


12


25


Brett Hudson/Owensboro KY


Fannon Cable Const-Double H Hydraulics Chevy


200


Running

7


4


09


John Wes Townley/Watkinsville GA


Zaxby's Ford


200


Running

8


3


2


Scott Speed/Manteca CA


Red Bull Toyota


200


Running

9


14


11


Bryan Silas/Stuart FL


Nortrax-PBG Chevrolet


200


Running

10


10


45


Michael Phelps/Suwanee GA


Bowen Family Homes Dodge


200


Running

11


20


60


Patrick Sheltra/Indiantown FL


J&S Bulk Transport Company Inc. Chevrolet


200


Running

12


8


20


Justin Lofton/Westmorland CA


Lofton Cattle Dodge


196


Running

13


17


90


Gabi DiCarlo/Phoenix AZ


Great Clips Toyota


196


Running

14


24


34


Darrell Basham/Henryville IN


Anti Monkey Butt Powder Chevrolet


195


Running

15


21


39


Kory Rabenold/Slatington PA


Buzzy's Auto Body Chevrolet


191


Running

16


26


26


Brad Smith/Shelby Township MI


Central Michigan University Ford


182


Running

17


1


99


Ricky Stenhouse Jr./Olive Branch MS


Aflac Ford


174


Running

18


25


23


Donny Kelley/Humble TX


Porter Glass Chevrolet


174


Running

19


13


22


Ken Butler III/Lilburn GA


Aaron's Lucky Dog Dream Machine Toyota


164


Running

20


19


4


Tayler Malsam/Seattle WA


Dodge Motorsports Dodge


152


Running

21


15


41


Josh Clemons/New Albany IN


Clemons Racing Ford


139


Accident

22


18


1


Tom Hessert III/Cherry Hill NJ


Maaco Auto Painting America's Body Shop Ford


136


Accident

23


16


7


Jeff Caudell/Austin IN


Tim's Body Shop Chevrolet


95


Accident

24


23


24


Mike Harmon/Birmingport AL


Mike Harmon Racing Chevrolet


86


Accident

25


22


30


Terry Jones/Amherstburg ON


Jones Group Racing Dodge


71


Vibration

26


9


32


Matt Merrell/Portland TX


Merrell Lease Service-Red Line Oil Dodge


40


Handling

27


30


48


James Hylton/Inman SC


James Hylton Racing Dodge


4


Handling

28


28


29


Dale Shearer/Alhambra IL


Dale Shearer Racing Ford


3


Handling

29


29


84


Greg Seevers/West Milton OH


Norm Benning Racing Chevrolet


2


Suspnsn

30


27


06


Tim Mitchell/Fayetteville TN


Star Wheels Skate Center Chevrolet


0


Rear End

SIM FACTORY POLE AWARD: Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. 17.271 (115.685 mph)
MARGIN OF VICTORY: 2.080 seconds
CAUTIONS: 8 for 46 laps
TIME OF RACE: 1:37:03
AVG SPEED: 68.624 mph
LAP LEADERS: Caisse 1-85 (85); Speed 86-97 (12); Butler 98-114 (17); Hudson 115-122 (8); Carter 123-138 (16); Kimmel 139-200 (62)

Top-10 ARCA RE/MAX Series Points: 1) Scott Speed 4325; 2) Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. 4235; 3) Matt Carter 4190; 4) Frank Kimmel 4110; 5) Justin Allgaier 4070; 6) Tom Hessert III 3505; 6) John Wes Townley 3505; 8) Ken Butler III 3490; 9) Patrick Sheltra 3485; 10) Tayler Malsam 3460

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