By Don Radebaugh,
ARCA PR/Media

SPARTA, KY - MAY 10, 2008 - SunTrust Rookie of the Year contender Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., in the No. 99 RoushFenway.com Ford, got the best of Scott Speed over the course of three late-race restarts to earn his career first ARCA RE/MAX Series victory in only his sixth series start Saturday night at Kentucky Speedway.

The Olive Branch, Mississippi driver not only left with the top trophy, he also left with the point lead by a slim five point margin over Frank Kimmel.

“I don’t know if it has really sunk in yet,” said Stenhouse. “I think the win probably won’t sink in until a little later on. We’ve come out here and have had good runs and to finally have a win is great. We’re coming towards the end of a long stretch of races and so hopefully after winning here we can do well at Toledo and go off on a high point before taking a few weekends off. The Roush Fenway Ford Fusion and the Roush Yates engines are awesome. We could pull up next to someone and just keep going. I’ve actually been struggling really bad on the restarts until those last few. The thing that really helped was nailing those restarts.”

Speed, who led 55 of 112 laps in the Red Bull Toyota, had a 10-length advantage over the field with less than 10 laps remaining before a series of late-race wrecks bunched the field up time and time again. Speed survived the first green-white-checkered restart, but not the second during which Stenhouse got a run and blew by on the outside. Speed would get one more chance to get the lead back on the final restart, but to no avail. Stenhouse held firm and cruised under the checkered flag .374 seconds in front of Speed, who finished second.

Surrey British Columbia driver Ryan Fischer battled back from an early-race spin to finish a career-best third in the Venturini Motorsports-TufTruckdirect.com Chevrolet. Fischer’s crew chief Billy Venturini earned the Cometic Crew Chief of the Race award as a result.

Speed’s teammate Ken Butler III, who started 20th, finished fourth in the Aaron’s Lucky Dog Dream Machine Toyota earning the Casite Hard Charger award. John Wes Townley finished fifth in the Zaxby’s-SPS-BB&T Ford.

Rookie Sean Caisse, in his first series start, was impressive earning the SIM Factory Pole Award and leading the first seven laps before Bill Davis Racing’s Michael Annett took control of the top-spot on lap eight. Annett led up through lap 31 before rookie Jake Francis marched his way into the lead on lap 39. Francis led the next 13 circuits before Speed, fresh from his one and only pit stop, passed Francis for the lead on lap 52. From there, Speed kept the field at bay, leading the way up through lap 106 before Stenhouse took control for good.

The race was extended 12 laps to accommodate the ARCA-mandated rule that no race can finish under caution. Ten cautions slowed the race for 55 laps for a variety of incidents. Despite all the cautions, only five cars were listed as ‘accidents’ on the final result sheet. There were no injuries.

The late-race restarts also played havoc with teams’ fuel mileage plans. Tom Hessert III was running third coming to the final restart when his Maaco Auto Painting Ford ran out of gas. Speed’s fuel tank also went bone-dry as the Manteca, California driver crossed under the checkered flag after stretching his final run 84 laps.

Stenhouse also earned the SunTrust Highest Finishing Rookie of the Race honors while Speed was credited with the Aaron’s Lap Leader award for leading the most laps. Francis was the Klotz Halfway Leader. Caisse posted the Accel Fastest Lap of the Race.

ARCA RE/MAX Series Returns to Short Track Racing; Hometown Toledo Speedway Up Next:
From Kentucky, the ARCA RE/MAX Series is headed to Toledo Speedway for the Hantz Group 200 presented by Federated Car Care on Sunday, May 18th, 2008. Arcaracing.com will feature live timing and scoring for all ARCA RE/MAX Series on-track sessions at Toledo.

2008 ARCA RE/MAX Series Event #6
Kentucky Speedway, Drive Smart! Buckle Up Kentucky 150
Official Results

FIN
STR
NO
DRIVER/HOMETOWN
TEAM & CAR
LAPS
STATUS

1
15
99
Ricky Stenhouse, Jr./Olive Branch MS
RoushFenway.com Ford
112
Running

2
7
2
Scott Speed/Manteca CA
Red Bull Toyota
112
Running

3
5
25
Ryan Fischer/Surrey British Columbia
TufTruckdirect.com-Venturini Motorsports Chevrolet
112
Running

4
20
22
Ken Butler III/Lilburn GA
Aaron's Lucky Dog Dream Machine Toyota
112
Running

5
8
09
John Wes Townley/Watkinsville GA
Zaxby's-SPS-BB&T Ford
112
Running

6
21
39
Brett Hudson/Owensboro KY
Fannon & Rice Cable Construction Dodge
112
Running

7
10
60
Patrick Sheltra/Indiantown FL
Ferguson Pipe-FloraGanics Dodge
112
Running

8
23
11
Bryan Silas/Stuart FL
Nortrax-Shell Rotella T Chevrolet
112
Running

9
4
28
Michael Annett/Des Moines IA
Pilot Travel Centers Toyota
112
Running

10
17
32
Dominick Casola/Holmdel NJ
A. Casola Farms Dodge
112
Running

11
6
4
Tayler Malsam/Bellevue WA
Dodge Development Program Dodge
112
Running

12
22
77
Todd Hansen/Farmington MN
Mad Croc Energy Drink Chevrolet
112
Running

13
11
44
Frank Kimmel/Clarksville IN
Ford Drive One Ford
112
Running

14
19
1
Tom Hessert III/Cherry Hill NJ
Maaco Auto Painting-Boudreaux's Butt Paste Ford
112
Running

15
18
18
Billy Leslie/Algonac MI
Titan Tires & Wheels Ford
111
Running

16
27
5
Bobby Gerhart/Lebanon PA
Lucas Oil Chevrolet
111
Running

17
25
7
Frank Kapfhammer/Louisville KY
Long John Silver's-Pepsi Chevrolet
111
Running

18
31
23
Donny Kelley/Humble TX
Porter Glass Chevrolet
111
Running

19
12
48
Jake Francis/Painesville OH
Bonner Farm-Interstate Trailer & Equipment Dodge
111
Running

20
28
47
Tom Berte/New Berlin WI
CGS Premier Chevrolet
111
Running

21
14
16
Justin Allgaier/Springfield IL
Hoosier Tire Midwest-AG Tech Chevrolet
110
Running

22
24
37
Dexter Bean/Westby WI
Glock Chevrolet
110
Running

23
13
20
Justin Lofton/Westmorland CA
Lofton Cattle Dodge
109
Running

24
34
84
Norm Benning/Pittsburgh PA
Norm Benning Racing Chevrolet
108
Running

25
29
90
Gabi DiCarlo/Phoenix AZ
Great Clips Toyota
107
Running

26
36
06
Tim Mitchell/Fayetteville TN
Star Wheels Skate Center Ford
107
Running

27
35
26
Brad Smith/Shelby Township MI
Brad Smith Motorsports Ford
107
Running

28
1
01
Sean Caisse/Pelham NH
Advics Toyota
106
Accident

29
16
46
Matt Carter/Denver NC
Stine Seed-Fort Dodge Animal Health-Pork Ford
98
Accident

30
3
30
Jesse Smith/Wildwood MO
Lloyd's Barbeque-Spam-Hormel-Jones Group Dodge
98
Accident

31
2
00
Robb Brent/Shelby Township MI
Orchard Chrysler Dodge Jeep Chevrolet
98
Accident

32
40
21
Todd Bowsher/Springfield OH
Jack Bowsher & Associates Ford
86
Running

33
30
29
Ron Cox/Soddy Daisy TN
Brown's Tax Service-East Tech Design Chevy
80
Engine

34
37
79
Mike Koch/Mountain Home AR
K&K Racing-Karl's Plumbing Chevrolet
71
Running

35
33
34
Darrell Basham/Henryville IN
Anti Monkey Butt Powder Chevrolet
58
Handling

36
32
24
Mike Harmon/Birmingport AL
Elite 2 Racing Chevrolet
36
Accident

37
39
94
Jason Basham/Henryville IN
Darrell Basham Racing Chevrolet
21
Overhtng

38
9
45
Michael Phelps/Suwanee GA
Bowen Family Homes Dodge
11
Engine

39
26
14
Grant Enfinger/Fairhope AL
BeasleyAllen.com Attorneys Ford
8
Vibration

40
41
0
Wayne Peterson/Pulaski TN
Wayne Peterson Racing Chevrolet
0
Clutch

41
38
8
Greg Seevers/West Milton OH
Norm Benning Racing Chevrolet
0
Vibration


SIM FACTORY POLE AWARD: Sean Caisse 30.275 (178.365 mph)
MARGIN OF VICTORY: .374 seconds
CAUTIONS: 10 for 55 laps
TIME OF RACE: 1:53:14
AVG SPEED: 89.020 mph

LAP LEADERS: Caisse 1-7 (7); Annett 8-38 (31); Francis 39-51 (13); Speed 52-106 (55); Stenhouse 107-112 (6)

ARCA RE/MAX Series Points: 1) Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 1365; 2) Frank Kimmel 1360; 3) John Wes Townley 1320; 4) Matt Carter 1315; 5) Tom Hessert 1295; 6) Scott Speed 1240; 7) Justin Allgaier 1230; 8) Patrick Sheltra 1215; 9) Ken Butler 1165; 10) Tayler Malsam 1140.






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