Factsheets
RACE: Messina Wildlife Animal Stopper 200
TRACK: Pocono Raceway, 2.5-mile triangle
WHEN: Saturday, June 5, 2010
LOCATION: Long Pond, Pennsylvania
RACE DISTANCE: 200 miles (80 laps)
EVENT: Event #7 of the 2010 ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards
SANCTION/WEBSITE: ARCA/ARCAracing.com/ARCAnation.com
TRACK PR: Bob Pleban (570) 646-2300
SCHEDULE: Fri, June 4: Practice 10:15-11:55 AM. Menards Pole Qualifying by Ansell 1:45 PM
Sat, June 5: Driver Intros at 12:30 PM. Messina Wildlife Animal Stopper 200 at 1:00 PM
POSTED AWARDS: $203,100
ARCA OFFICIAL COMPANIES: RE/MAX International Inc, Aaron's, Ansell Gloves, Featherlite Credit, Featherlite Trailers, Hoosier Racing Tire, Menards, Messina, Racing Electronics, Sunoco Race Fuels, Mallory Ignitions, Lincoln Electric Welders.
ARCA OFFICIAL PRODUCTS: Amkus Rescue Systems, Bilstein Shocks, CGS Imaging, Cometic Gaskets, Eibach Springs, Fast Track High Performance Driving School, G-Force Racing Gear, Klotz Synthetic Lubricants, Mo'sGold, Print Resources, SW Scales by Intercomp, University of Northwestern Ohio.
PARTICIPATING COMPANIES: Ford Motor Company, Hutch/BSR, Ilmor Racing Engines, JE Pistons, Joyce Julius & Associates, Performance Friction Brakes, Race Safe Systems, Roush-Yates Engines, Toyota.
INTERNET/RADIO: Live Timing & Scoring and Live Streaming Audio on the ARCA Racing Network at ARCAracing.com.
RECORDS: Qualifying - Kyle Busch, 52.678 (170.849 mph), 2003. Race - Mike Wallace, 142.668 mph, 1995.
DEFENDING RACE WINNER: Joey Logano
DEFENDING POLESITTER: NA (Rained Out)
TOTAL ARCA RE/MAX SERIES RACES RUN: 49
NO. OF RACES WON FROM THE POLE: 17
NOTES OF INTEREST:
Pocono, Race #7
The Messina Wildlife Animal Stopper 200, the seventh of 20th events in 2010, marks the 50th ARCA Racing Series race at Pocono since 1983. However, the first ARCA race at Pocono was in 1969 on the now defunct ¾-mile oval won by Bobby Watson in a Dodge. Watson held off Benny Parsons to pick of the victory.
Driver Development Teams in with Penske Racing and RCR
The Menards 200 will have a portion of Driver Development flavor with the addition of entries from Driver Development teams such as Penske Racing (Cunningham Motorsports/driver Dakoda Armstrong) and Richard Childress Racing (driver Tim George, Jr.). Armstrong and George campaign fulltime on the ARCA tour, and have had recent success. For Armstrong, it was his momentous win at Talladega Superspeedway in late April, while George finished a career-best third at Talladega.
Veterans Kimmel, Gerhart Teach the Pocono Trade
Local favorite/veteran Bobby Gerhart stands to make his 42nd career Pocono ARCA start whereas Kimmel is on track to make his 35th. Kimmel has three wins at Pocono in 1999, 2005 and 2006. Gerhart has 23 top-10 finishes but no victories. Gerhart's career-best Pocono finish was 3rd in 2004.
Championship Points Battle Tight to Pocono
Indiantown, Florida's Patrick Sheltra, on the strength of six consecutive top-10 finishes so far in 2010, is leading a close championship points battle by just 10 points over Rocklin, California's Justin Marks. Fort Frances, Ontario's Steve Arpin, racing part-time for JR Motorsports in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, is third in points 65 points out of first. Cherry Hill, New Jersey's Tom Hessert, who drives for Cunningham Motorsports, is fourth in points 90 points from first. Westlake, Louisiana's Mikey Kile, who drives for Venturini Motorsports, is fifth 130 points from first.
5 Different Winners in 6 Events in 2010; 4 First-time Winners
After six events in 2010, there have been five different winners - Bobby Gerhart (Daytona), Justin Marks (Palm Beach roadcourse), Steve Arpin (Salem & Texas), Dakoda Armstrong (Talladega) and Chris Buescher (Toledo). Four of the five aforementioned drivers - Marks, Arpin, Armstrong and Buescher - are first-time series winners.
Youngest to Oldest
57 years separate the youngest driver in the field from the oldest. 18-year-old Chad Finley, born on March 17, 1992, is the youngest driver entered while 75-year-old James Hylton is the oldest. Hylton will turn 76 on August 26th. Hylton is entered in his own no. 48 Radon.com Ford while Finley is entered in the no. 29 Brad Keselowski Racing Auto Value Certified Service Centers Chevrolet.
Two Former Pocono Winners
Frank Kimmel and Chad McCumbee are the only former Pocono winners entered for the race.
5 Pennsylvanians Entered
Lebanon PA's Bobby Gerhart, a 6-time Daytona winner, highlights the list of Pennsylvanians entered for the race. Other Pennsylvanians include cousins Chase Mattioli and Nick Igdalsky (both from Long Pond), grandchildren of Pocono Raceway patriarchs' Drs. Joe and Rose Mattioli. Igdalsky is also the Senior VP of Pocono Raceway. Also entered from the Key Stone State are Kyle Martel, also from Lebanon and Steve Fox from Hazleton.
ARCA Driver Ed Pompa Supporting Double H Ranch Kids at Pocono
Instead of looking for sponsorship for his car, Pompa has been securing sponsorship for campers at the Double H Ranch in Lake Luzerne, NY, founded by Paul Newman and Charlie Wood, in 1992. "Double H is dedicated to giving kids with serious illnesses a chance to forget about their problems, and just be kids for a week," said Pompa. "While most businesses are looking to sponsor a driver like Frank Kimmel or Bobby Gerhart, or one of the new young drivers, the Double H Ranch program offers other worthy options for potential sponsors with drivers like myself who are not well known." Pompa takes any sponsorship money he can raise and sends it directly to the Double H Ranch. "I started this program (with the ARCA car) last year," continues Pompa. "I would approach businesses and individuals, and if they would make a charitable donation to Double H, I would put their name, or their company logo on the car for the race. Double H gets 100% of all the money raised; I don't take any for the car."
Past Pocono Winner's List Impressive
Tim Steele is the all-time winner at Pocono with 9 victories, including five in a row ('96 through '98) followed by Bob Schacht with 6 and Bob Keselowski with 5. Mike Wallace & Frank Kimmel each have 3; Jimmy Horton and Casey Mears each have 2; 1-time winners include Blaise Alexander, Justin Allgaier, Casey Atwood, Kerry Earnhardt, Ryan Hemphill, Ben Hess, Bobby Jacks, Travis Kvapil, Justin Lofton, Joey Logano, Damon Lusk, Chad McCumbee, Michael McDowell, Chase Miller, Ryan Newman, Jeff Purvis, Lee Raymond, Scott Riggs and Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.
