Roulo Brothers Back to DuQuoin Victory Lane After Two Decades;
For Immediate Release: Tuesday, September 6, 2011 News & Notes from ARCA at DuQuoin State Fairgrounds (TOLEDO, Ohio) - The Thursday and Friday before the Southern Illinois 100 presented by Federated Auto Parts at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds marked the 20-year anniversary of Roulo Brothers Racing's first win on the dirt mile. The team led by Gary and Russ Roulo, ARCA mainstays for more than a quarter-century, last won at DuQuoin on September 1 and 2, 1991, as driver Bob Strait led 20 of the final 21 laps to defeat Bobby Bowsher, Dean Roper, Bill Venturini, and Mark Gibson. |
The race was red-flagged for rain on Sunday and re-started for rain Monday. Scheduled for 200 laps, the event was shortened to 139 as an 11 a.m. time limit was imposed. Though the time between checkered flags was 20 years, three days, and a shade over three hours, the difference in Strait's and Chris Buescher's ages is much wider. Strait was 42 at the time of his DuQuoin victory for the Roulos; Buescher will turn 19 in October and had not been born the last time the Roulos won at DuQuoin. "DuQuoin's always been good to us," said Gary Roulo in Victory Lane. "Obviously, Chris is new to the dirt with Springfield being his first race, but he's a fast learner and really came here and did a good job." Aside from the historical aspect of winning again at one of ARCA's oldest tracks, Roulo said the victory is impactful after a season packed with near-misses, including five second-place finishes. "It means a lot. We thought we had one earlier in the year at New Jersey with about 10 to go and (we) got taken out. That would have really set the tone at the beginning of the year, but we've worked hard to stay focused and stay up to the front. We knew we'd get some more coming up, and there's still some races left. We expect to go to Salem, Kansas, and Toledo, and be up front as well." Dillon Builds Lead with Runner-Up Finish: Despite finishing second to Chris Buescher (No. 17 Reliance Tool/David Ragan Ford Ford) in the Southern Illinois 200, Ty Dillon (No. 41 Hemelgarn/CIPT Chevrolet) still managed to increase - yes, increase - his points lead in the ARCA Racing Series standings. Though the advantage is merely five points higher than it was after the August 26 race at Madison International Speedway, it's still larger, and here's how it happened on a day in which Buescher not only won, but led the most laps: Dillon started the day 400 points ahead of Buescher, and both drivers received 25 points right away for race entry. Dillon qualified first at 106.895 mph and earned a 15-point bonus (+415); Buescher, meanwhile, qualified seventh at 102.881 mph and received no qualifying bonus. Each driver led laps during the race (+415), but Buescher led 60 to Dillon's 17. Buescher's total was higher than any other leader Monday, giving him five additional points (+410). Buescher then earned 200 race points to Dillon's 195, gaining another five (+405) but leaving him five short of his margin at the day's opening. Even after building his cushion over second, Dillon spoke with a hint of regret, an indication of his usual high standard. "I think we had this race," Dillon said. "We had a really fast car. It was really awesome at the beginning. We had a really good pit stop that put us out in front of the cars that pitted, but they just have experience on these race tracks and know how these races go. It's really hard to pass when it gets that slick, and them being out front and they didn't have to take any tires. Tires weren't that big of an issue when you're out front. Track position meant a ton. Congratulations to them. I'm really happy to be able to spin out and finish second. Our car was awesome, but I'm still upset that we had a really awesome car and didn't win. The guys did an awesome job, but things happen. It's my fault this time." Dillon now has 4335 points to Buescher's 3930, and Frank Kimmel (No. 44 Ansell/Menards Ford) is third at 3865 points, or 470 behind Dillon. Grant Enfinger (No. 36 Hoosier Tire Midwest/RaceTires.com Dodge) is fourth, 540 behind the lead. Chad McCumbee (No. 1 ModSpace Ford) and Tim George Jr. (No. 31 Applebee's/Potomac Family Dining Group Chevrolet) both rose one position, to fifth and sixth, respectively, supplanting Tom Hessert (No. 52 Federated Auto Parts Chevrolet), who fell to seventh after suffering a blown motor. Chad Hackenbracht (No. 58 Tastee Apple Chevrolet), Sean Corr (No. 82 Empire Racing Ford), and Darrell Basham (No. 34 Darrell Basham Racing Chevrolet) maintained the eighth through 10th positions. Before the race, Basham's stay in the top 10 hit a minor obstacle - and he had not even reached the track. One tire on Basham's truck went flat on the way to the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds. Luckily, fellow ARCA veterans Kimmel and Brad Smith were traveling at the same time - Kimmel in front and Smith behind. Both men stopped to help Basham, changing the tire on the side of the highway before traveling to the race track in enough time to prepare for Monday's events. The official ARCA Racing Series point standings will be released Tuesday. Buescher Wins Aaron's, Messina Awards: Chris Buescher swept ARCA's $500 lap leader awards for the second time this season, winning the Aaron's Lap Leader Award for leading 60 laps and taking the Messina Wildlife Management Halfway Leader Award for leading Lap 50. Buescher also swept those two awards at Pocono Raceway in June, and won the Aaron's award at Madison on August 26. Backup Car Takes Kimmel to Hard Charger: Frank Kimmel suffered engine woes in his usual dirt car before qualifying for Monday's Southern Illinois 100, so he elected to use a backup which had finished sixth at Madison in August. The car had never raced on dirt. Kimmel only qualified 23rd, but the position set him up to win the CGS Imaging Hard Charger of the Race Award. Kimmel advanced 17 spots in the race to finish sixth, his series-leading 15th top-10 of the season. The Hard Charger Award was his fifth of the year and second consecutive. He now carries a commanding 17-point lead over Chad Hackenbracht for the year-end award. "Not a bad day for our backup Ansell-Menards Ford, especially considering how things started," Kimmel said. "Turn 2 was our weak point today but we made up great time in the other turns. I tell you, I did more sliding than I'm comfortable with on this dirt track and I think that's where the dirt racing regulars have the advantage. Overall, I'm happy with the result and extremely proud of my guys for working so hard today. I'm excited to see what we can get at Salem, Kansas and Toledo." Vaught Hustles to Career High: Running fifth just before the final restart in the Southern Illinois 100, Will Vaught (No. 55 Manpower to Horsepower Chevrolet) knew that staying in the fifth position would represent another successful run for Venturini Motorsports, but not a new career-best finish. Vaught's third career ARCA start - and his first for Venturini - at Springfield on August 21 ended in fifth place, and improvement was necessary. Vaught shot to the outside of Kelly Kovski (No. 39 Central Illinois Security/Schluckebier Farms/ Modern Paving Chevrolet) and Andrew Ranger (No. 53 Van Dyke Baler/Bollegraaf Ford) at the green flag to start Lap 103, and held the position to drive home third. The finish was even more surprising for the Missouri native after he talked about losing power in the race's early stages. "We didn't have a very good car until the middle of the race. It started taking rubber and got better and better," Vaught said. "(The finish) was just luck. I timed that restart right and they kind of got held up and I got by both of them. Third isn't too bad." Vaught hopes to return to Venturini Motorsports in the future, but said in a familiar refrain that sponsorship money is the driving force. "It's on to getting the sponsors and working with some people for maybe the last two races of the year," he said. "I hope we're able to do something like that. I love these guys. The Venturinis are a great group of guys and have great equipment. I couldn't ask for much more. Equipment like this makes it a lot easier for a driver to get good finishes of third and fifth in the dirt races. I just hope we get some money and continue doing this." Kovski Pleased with Top Finish: In 14 prior ARCA starts, Allgaier Motorsports crew chief-turned-dirt driving ace Kelly Kovski had never finished in the top five. The Springfield, Ill. native changed that while racing in his home state Monday, finishing fourth. "I thought I had, honestly, a chance to win there probably three quarters of the way through," Kovski said at post-race inspection. "Just with all the dust, we didn't make it tight enough there in the pit stop. All in all, it was a good day. "There are a lot of guys that have tried to do this from Springfield and they just haven't had as good of equipment as I have. Luckily, my dad puts every damn dime he's got in this thing, so I get the opportunity to have fun with a good car." With the dirt slate behind him, Kovski's focus can fully return to Grant Enfinger's efforts in Allgaier's No. 36 entry, which is currently fourth in points and still searching for a win. "We just want to stay on track. This is a rebuild year. We're trying to rebuild Allgaier Motorsports back and do some good things there. As far as the team, I think we're showing it." Ranger Not So Inexperienced, After All: There's no question thatAndrew Ranger's specialty is road racing, a fact made clear in his thrilling victory at New Jersey Motorsports Park in May. That doesn't mean, though, that Ranger can't cut it on speedways or dirt tracks. Ranger finished fifth Monday in his third ARCA start of the year, finishing a run that saw him go first at New Jersey and fifth at Chicagoland in back to back races. A stretch of three top-fives in three races has Ranger thinking he can contend in 2012, the 60th season for the ARCA Racing Series. "This is probably our last race of this year within ARCA, but we probably want to do the full season next year," said Ranger, of Roxton Pond, Quebec. "We'll see how it goes. I think it's a great series. I don't know why, but in three races I did pretty well; I won and both (other) times I finished top-five. It's fantastic." Ranger's dirt expertise comes from his father Robert, a racing veteran. "My dad was a dirt modified driver in Quebec at Granby and Drummondville. I tried one of his cars maybe 10 times, but it's a very different car. The ARCA car is very fun to drive. It was my first experience with that type of car. I need to thank Bollegraaf; they supported us this weekend. My team did a really good job." Hagen Scores Top-15 in Debut, Speer Notches Career High: USAC Mopar National Midget points leader Darren Hagen (No. 25 Manpower to Horsepower Chevrolet) finished 12th in his stock car competition debut at DuQuoin, giving Venturini Motorsports two top-15 results for the day. Hagen had never driven a stock car in a race, but has tested cars for Stewart-Haas Racing. Tyler Speer (No. 11 GDE Renovations Ford) also scored a career high in the top 20, finishing 15th. Speer had finished 32nd at Rockingham in 2010 and 24th at Springfield two weeks earlier in his previous starts. Salem Up Next: The prestigious Bill France Four Crown Award will be decided when the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards races at Salem Speedway on Saturday, September 17. The 200-lap, 110-mile Kentuckiana Ford Dealers ARCA Fall Classic 200 at one of ARCA's most historic tracks will start at 7:15 p.m., with a 90-minute practice starting at 1:05 and Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell beginning at 4. All drivers in the starting field will participate in an autograph session from 4:45-5:15. Chad McCumbee of Andy Belmont Racing currently leads the Bill France Four Crown standings by 50 points and needs only a top-10 finish to win the award that recognizes drivers for success on a variety of tracks in ARCA Racing Series competition. Points leader Ty Dillon and runner-up Chris Buescher both forecasted the Salem event. "(We need to) not blow a tire and hit the wall," said Dillon, who won the pole but finished second in May. "We had a good car there, like we've had all year, so I'm excited to get back. We've been working on some things and we'll see what happens." Buescher started fifth but finished 22nd at Salem in May. His involvement in a three-car incident after just more than 50 of 200 laps caused his Ford to leave the track on a tow truck. "Our Salem car has actually had a lot of work done to it, and it should be in good shape when we go back there," Buescher said. "(The setup) is similar to Winchester, but I can't give it all away; it's a nice piece." The ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards features 19 events at 16 tracks on its 2011 schedule. The series has crowned an ARCA national champion each year since its inaugural season in 1953, and has toured over 200 race tracks in 28 states since its inception. The series tests the abilities of drivers and race teams over the most diverse schedule of stock car racing events in the world, annually visiting tracks ranging from 0.4 mile to 2.66 miles in length, on both paved and dirt surfaces as well as a left- and right-turn road course. Founded by John Marcum in 1953 in Toledo, Ohio, the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) is recognized among the leading sanctioning bodies in the country. Closing in on completing its sixth decade after hundreds of thousands of miles of racing, ARCA administers over 100 race events each season in two professional touring series and local weekly events. CONTACT: Griffin Hickman, ARCA (419) 574-2685 (mobile) Don Radebaugh, ARCA (419) 450-0611 (mobile) |
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