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ARCA: Hessert Capitalizes On Kimmel Mishap
Tom Hessert cut into Frank Kimmel's ARCA Racing Series points lead at the Illinois State Fairgrounds...
ARCA Communications  | http://www.arcaracing.com  |  Posted August 24, 2010   Toledo, OH
Frank Kimmel nurses his damaged car around the track in Springfield. (Photo: ARCAracing.com)
Frank Kimmel led 10 laps in the second half of the Allen Crowe 100 in Springfield, Ill., but exited the Illinois State Fairgrounds with an air of regret - much to Tom Hessert's delight.

Kimmel (No. 44 Ansell/Menards Ford), a master at the one-mile dirt oval with a record seven career wins, finished outside the top 10 at the oval for the first time since his 1996 debut, when he came home 12th following a lap 73 crash into the Turn 2 wall.

"I don't know what happened," said the nine-time ARCA champion. "I just lost the car. It got out from under me, spun the thing out to the wall and tore it all to pieces. It's just a disappointing day. They crashed there earlier, during the previous caution, and I don't know if there was anything on the track or not, but that's my excuse today. I just lost it and it messed up a good day."

Though the result was a far cry from what Kimmel had hoped would be an eighth Springfield win and a pad to his series lead, it was an improvement on what could have been. Kimmel started just 16th after repairs and earned the Aaron's Lucky Dog to return to the lead lap and improve his position.

Kimmel maintained the ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards points lead by five (3205-3200), but is feeling heat from Hessert (No. 77 Cherry Hill Classic Cars Dodge), who finished third.

"We had a good points day," Hessert said. "We weren't the fastest, but we raced smart. We took advantage of the holes that were given to us."

Craig Goess (No. 81 Greenville Toyota of N.C. Toyota), who entered the race second in the standings, fell to third but maintained a mere 10-point margin to Kimmel. Goess finished 11th but did not lead any laps.

Patrick Sheltra's (No. 60 Recycling Services/Ferguson Pipe Dodge) win helped him improve one position to fourth. The former standings leader sits just 40 points from the lead and is being closely pursued by Mikey Kile (No. 25 Venturini Motorsports Chevrolet), 45 points from first place.

The 2010 title would not only give Kimmel a record 10th series championship, but would make him the first driver to win an ARCA national championship in three separate decades. Bob Dotter was the last driver to win a championship without winning a single race, accomplishing the rare feat in 1980, the first of his three title seasons (1983, 1984).
Tom Hessert finished third last time out at Springfield. (Photo: ARCAracing.com)

Hessert's best championship finish is eighth, achieved in each of the past two seasons.

Coulter's Four Crown Lead at 25: Joey Coulter (No. 16 Darrell Gwynn Foundation/Rip It Energy Fuel Chevrolet) finished fourth at the Illinois State Fairgrounds to secure his second consecutive top-five finish on a dirt track (third at Du Quoin (Ill.) in 2009) and his third straight top-five in the month of August. In turn, Coulter maintained the lead in the pursuit of the Bill France Four Crown Award, which rewards drivers for success on a diverse slate of tracks.

The Four Crown schedule is comprised completely of the ARCA Racing Series races scheduled for August. The final Four Crown race is scheduled at Chicagoland Speedway (1.5-mile speedway; August 27). Coulter also led the Four Crown standings after his win in the first race at Berlin (Mich.) Raceway (short track, August 7) and a second-place finish at New Jersey Motorsports Park (road course, August 15).

Tom Hessert remained second, and Mikey Kile and Patrick Sheltra each rose two positions, to third and fourth, respectively.

Four Crown points are allocated without qualifying or in-race bonuses, and distributed in the same method as in the official series standings. A race winner receives 200 points, the second-place finisher receives 195, and following positions receive five fewer points per lower position until five points are awarded to a 40th-place finisher, if necessary.

The top 10 drivers in the Four Crown standings are as follows: 1. Coulter 580; 2. Hessert 555; 3. Kile 540; 4. Sheltra 535; 5. Steve Arpin 520; 6. Frank Kimmel 510; 7. Dakoda Armstrong 490; 8. Craig Goess 475; 9. Robb Brent 425; 10. Chad McCumbee 415.

Coulter will clinch the Four Crown title regardless of any other driver's finish with a top-five result Friday evening at Chicagoland Speedway.


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