Enfinger Conquers Salem For Third Straight ARCA Victory

Grant Enfinger celebrates with car owners Howard and Paula Bixman in victory lane after scoring his third straight ARCA Racing Series victory Sunday afternoon at Salem Speedway. Photo courtesy ARCA Media

Grant Enfinger made ARCA Racing Series history Sunday afternoon, winning his third race to start the 2014 season, becoming just the second driver in series history to do so.

“The stars are just lining up for us,” Enfinger said. “It’s pretty unbelievable.”

After leading the first 100 laps of the Federated Auto Parts 200 at Salem Speedway in Salem IN, Enfinger moved back to the front late in the race and took the lead when Ken Schrader hit the wall in turn one on the last restart. Schrader was leading when the re-start began with Enfinger in second.

“I wanted the chance to drag race him to the finish,” Enfinger said. “I think he just blew a right front there. That’s what happened. It was a lot of fun racing up front against him.”

Spencer Gallagher finished second, Frank Kimmel third and Cunningham Motorsports drivers Austin Wayne Self (fourth) and Tom Hessert (fifth) rounding out the top five.

Josh Williams, making his season debut in the No. 6 Southwest Florida Cable Construction Ford, finished sixth, just in front of Mason Mitchell. Schrader ended up eighth with Cody Coughlin ninth. Kyle Weatherman finished 10th.

Gallagher was happy with his best finish of the season and tying his career-best.

“I love this place,” Gallagher said. “It is such an exciting track. I am happy with how we finished.”

Kimmel’s team worked late Saturday to make repairs to his car after he hit the wall in qualifying Saturday. He had to start at the back of the field, but was eventually able to make his way to the front.

“I’m sure we passed more cars than anybody,” Kimmel said.

Self, in winning the SCOTT Rookie of the Race, pleased a throng of about 50 family members who made the trek to Salem from the French Lick, Indiana area.

“I think I gained a tenth of a second every time they cheered,” Self said.

Hessert earned a top five finish despite going a lap down twice.

“We did what we could,” he said. “It’s a little bit frustrating because we know we could have been better. We know what we have to do when we come back here in the fall.”

Enfinger grabbed the lead out of the gate, sailing past pole sitter Justin Boston. He built a huge early lead and led for the first 104 laps until Mitchell grabbed the top spot and he immediately pulled away from the rest of the field until a caution flew on lap 124 for debris.

After a series of cautions and restarts, Schrader finally grabbed the lead. He and Enfinger raced tight for several laps until Karl Weber spun on lap 191, putting out the caution. That came just after Weatherman and Schrader got together, damaging Schrader’s right front corner. He stayed on the track rather than pit and hit the wall after his tire finally went down.

“I wanted to get one more,” said Schrader, referencing his last win at Salem in 1999.

Enfinger, meanwhile, took the lead and held off Gallagher to win his third consecutive ARCA Racing Series race. He is just the second driver in series history to win the first three ARCA races of the season and first since Ramo Stott accomplished the feat in 1970.

“I can’t think Howard and Paula Bixman enough for giving me such great cars and allowing me to do this,” Enfinger said. “We have such great equipment. The cars are so good right now and Kelly Kovski made some great calls about the car.

“We were not very good out of the trailer. We cut our first practice short and kind of had to just sit back and re-group and give us a chance to think about it. He had a list of changes and I had a list of changes. It just came together. I was shocked at how well we qualified.”

Enfinger now heads to Talladega with a chance to win the first four races of the season – something that has not happened in the 62-year history of the series.

“That’s going to be tough,” Enfinger said. “You just never know what is going to happen at Talladega. But, we have a great plate program and I know we’ll be fast.”

ARCA Racing Series
Salem Speedway – Salem IN
Federated Auto Parts 200 – April 27, 2014

What is ED and does it happen only to older men? Erectile dysfunction causes an inability in men who are unable to achieve and maintain erections for you. levitra without rx In order to get an amazing sex life http://greyandgrey.com/buy-3511 buy generic viagra with this of this pill. It is important to have a stable erection. sample cialis We order nearly everything vardenafil online australia today over the Internet.