LEBANON TN (4-15-06) - Asheville, North Carolina’s Stephen Leicht, in a Robert Yates Racing Ford, earned his career-first ARCA RE/MAX Series victory in only his second series start Saturday afternoon at Nashville Superspeedway, claiming the PFG Lester 150 by a margin of 0.538 seconds over fellow rookie Brad Coleman.
“I still haven’t realized I won this race,” said Leicht. “It probably won’t hit me until tomorrow.
“I knew we had a good car, but I didn’t know if we had the experience to beat guys like Frank Kimmel. And you know, Steve Wallace has a lot of seat time in these cars.”
Leicht, who is part of a driver development program for Robert Yates Racing, seemed to have no problem finding his way around the 1.33-mile concrete speedway.
“Nashville’s a cool track,” said Leicht. “Concrete tracks are different than pavement. It’s hard to get your car to handle. I don’t think we would have got by Justin [Diercks] had he not gotten held up by that slower car. I hate to see what happened to him.”
Justin Diercks, who is part of a driver development program for ML Motorsports and Robert Yates, fared well early in the day, only to become involved in a lap 98 accident that claimed four cars and effectively ended his day. Steve Blackburn, Donny Lia and Ryan Howard were also involved in the late-race incident. There were no injuries.
Brad Coleman, in only his first career start, started third and finished second, driving a Federated Car Care Ford for Brewco Motorsports.
“This was definitely a great experience,” said Coleman, who is slated to compete in several ARCA RE/MAX Series races in 2006. “I’ve done a lot of cross training, which has helped me a lot. Road course racing, Daytona Proto-types, basically I’ve driven everything there is to drive and it’s definitely helpful.”
Coleman, an eighteen-year-old high school senior from Houston, Texas, is also scheduled to compete in the ARCA RE/MAX Series next weekend when the tour visits Salem Speedway in Southern Indiana.
And, although the field was deep with driver development programs, series veteran Frank Kimmel managed a third place finish in the no. 46 Pork the Other White Ford.
“First of all it’s great to be back here at Nashville,” said Kimmel. “The Pork car is just a little bit tight, and it’s been like that on these mile-and-a-half race tracks. This is a big race for us. I believe that by far this is the most competitive race ARCA has ever had. Great cars. I think we sent over 20 cars home. “
TJ Bell, in a no. 50 IbidMotors.com Dodge, finished fourth after starting 22nd, advancing 18 positions and earning Hoosier Tire Hard Charger honors. Rounding out the top five was Willie Allen in a Bob Schacht Motorsports Ford.
“I was very excited to be here and run this well, especially with the way we started the weekend,” said Allen. “Bob Schacht and all of the guys worked really hard to try and get it better. With all the Cup development teams, I feel really excited that I can run with these guys, and the caliber of Bob Schacht Motorsports helped me do that.”
Allen, a Tennessee native and Country Music fan, was sponsored by recording artist Diamond Rio this weekend.
In honor of his late father, ARCA RE/MAX Series championship-winning driver, owner and spotter Jack Bowsher, Todd Bowsher made an honorary pace lap at the front of the field in his no. 21 Safe Auto Insurance Ford.
Cale Gale, Todd Hansen, Damon Lusk, Michael Faulk and Steve Wallace rounded out the top ten.
CONTACT:
ARCA PR/Media Department, Office (734) 847-6726
Don Radebaugh, cell (419) 450-0611
Jackie L. Franzil, cell (419) 574-2685
http://www.arcaracing.com
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2006 ARCA RE/MAX SERIES EVENT #2
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Nashville Superspeedway, Lebanon TN, 4-15-06
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Official Results, PFG Lester 150
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FIN
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STR
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NO
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DRIVER/HOMETOWN
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TEAM & CAR
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LAPS
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STATUS
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1
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5
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55
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Stephen Leicht/Asheville NC
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Robert Yates Racing Ford
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115
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Running
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2
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3
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62
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Brad Coleman/Houston TX
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Federated Car Care Ford
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115
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Running
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3
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2
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46
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Frank Kimmel/Clarksville IN
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Pork The Other White Meat Ford
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115
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Running
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4
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22
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50
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TJ Bell/Sparks NV
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IbidMotors.com Dodge
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115
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Running
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5
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11
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75
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Willie Allen/Bon Aqua TN
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Bob Schacht Motorsports Ford
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115
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Running
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6
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9
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09
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Cale Gale/Mobile AL
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Miccosukee Gaming Dodge
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115
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Running
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7
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8
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39
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Todd Hansen/Minneapolis MN
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CopenhagenEnterprises Chevrolet
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115
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Running
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8
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21
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65
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Damon Lusk/Kennewick WA
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Construct Corps Dodge
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115
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Running
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9
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17
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14
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Michael Faulk/Ocala FL
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Michael Burton-RADD Dodge
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115
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Running
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10
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1
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61
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Steve Wallace/Mooresville NC
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Nu South Lemonade-Hantz Group Dodge
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115
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Running
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11
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15
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4
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Chase Miller/Canton GA
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Dodge Motorsports Dodge
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115
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Running
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12
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23
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25
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Billy Venturini/Chicago IL
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Hamptons Luxury Homes-Pool & Spa Depot Chevrolet
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115
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Running
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13
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20
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47
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Ryan Foster/Lowell AR
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Frank Kimmel Ford
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115
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Running
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14
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4
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98
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Erin Crocker/Wilbraham MA
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Hamburger Helper Dodge
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115
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Running
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15
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24
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6
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Dexter Bean/Westbe WI
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Dodge Motorsports Dodge
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115
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Running
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16
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25
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5
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Bobby Gerhart/Lebanon PA
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Lucas Oil Chevrolet
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115
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Running
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17
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19
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20
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Ken Weaver/Dallas TX
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1-800-4-A-Phone/Phoneco Dodge
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114
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Running
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18
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6
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12
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Mario Gosselin/St. Marie Quebec
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UnderwireOTR.com-James Carter Atty-SBR Chevy
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114
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Running
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19
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27
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7
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Andrew Myers/Newport Beach CA
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Toyotaof Escondido-Red Line Oil Chevrolet
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114
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Running
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20
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28
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60
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Brett Hudson/Owensboro KY
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HudsonMachine Chevrolet
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114
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Running
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21
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16
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24
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Chuck Weber/Mesquite TX
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Cardinal Tool Company Ford
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114
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Running
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22
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18
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74
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Josh Krug/Omaha NE
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Johnson Hardware Company Chevrolet
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114
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Running
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23
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29
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43
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Chevy White/Columbia TN
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PFG Lester-Creekstone Farms-ST2 Motorsports Dodge
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113
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Running
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24
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10
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96
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Brandon Knupp/Sidney OH
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Mark Knupp Tire & Muffler Ford
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113
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Running
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25
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14
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72
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Justin Drawdy/Fort Pierce FL
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Drawdy Bros Construction Chevrolet
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113
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Running
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26
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34
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38
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Mike Harmon/Birmingport AL
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Lonesome Pine Timber-Freeman 7 Addoc Realty Chevy
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113
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Running
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27
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30
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94
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Frank Kapfhammer/Louisville KY
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Long John Silver's-Pepsi Chevrolet
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113
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Running
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28
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33
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90
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Brett Rowe/Barboursville WV
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Imperial Bedding Chevrolet
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112
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Running
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29
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12
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3
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Jeremy Clements/Spartanburg SC
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Georgia Boot Chevrolet
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112
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Running
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30
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37
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84
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Norm Benning/Pittsburgh PA
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3KRF Chevrolet
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112
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Running
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31
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40
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26
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Brad Smith/Belleville MI
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Koolmat Ford
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112
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Running
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32
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38
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1
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Andy Belmont/Penndel PA
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Year One Ford
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111
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Running
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33
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36
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08
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Jason Hedlesky/Clinton MI
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Hardcore Motorsports Dodge
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111
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Running
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34
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39
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34
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Darrell Basham/Henryville IN
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National Distributors Leasing Pontiac
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106
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Running
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35
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7
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70
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Justin Diercks/Davenport IA
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Foretravel Chevrolet
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94
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Accident
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36
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26
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69
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Steve Blackburn/Prestonsburg KY
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Harley Davidson Pikeville-Prestonsburg-Lexington Dodge
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93
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Accident
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37
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13
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9
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Donny Lia/Huntington NY
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Eagle Creek Aviation-First Wing Management Dodge
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93
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Accident
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38
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31
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59
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Ryan Howard/Tipp City OH
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Williams Bros Lumber Chevrolet
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91
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Accident
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39
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35
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13
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Johnny Leonard/Cape Coral FL
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Affordable Roofing Chevrolet
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65
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Engine
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40
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32
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11
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ChadMcCumbee/Supply NC
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Fast Track High Performance Driving School Chevrolet
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49
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Overhtng
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41
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41
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21
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Todd Bowsher/Springfield OH
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Safe Auto Insurance Ford
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25
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Accident
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PORK POLE AWARD: Steve Wallace 29.835 (160.845 mph)
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MRGN OF VICT: .538 seconds
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CAUTIONS: 7 for 37 laps
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TIME OF RACE: 1:17:01
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AVG. SPEED: 119.424 mph
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LAP LEADERS: Wallace 1-10 (10); Leicht 11-40, 93-115 (53); Coleman 41-52 (12); Gosselin 53-57 (5);
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Kimmel 58-82 (25); Diercks 83-92 (10)
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