Patrick Sheltra Knocks Off First Career Victory

Sunday, while everyone was watching Jeff Gordon add yet another win to his already impressive Sprint Cup resume, others in a small town of Salem, IN was watching career win No. 1 for ARCA Re/Max Series regular Patrick Sheltra.

You may ask why I'm comparing Gordon and Sheltra. Well, they both had not won a points paying race in their last 47 starts, and they both pulled out a win on Sunday.

The last time the you ARCA-holics saw Sheltra, it was at Daytona in the violent crash with six laps to go, which saw Sheltra taken to the Halifax Medical Center, apparently he was not gun shy at all.

The day started with Justin Lofton starting from the pole position. Loften tried using pit strategy to help win, but it didn't work. He tried only pitting once during the race, while Sheltra pitted twice. Lofton did lead the most laps at 105.

Coming in at third was young Penske Championship Racing development driver Peter Klingerman, who lead six laps in the race. Klingerman was followed by 16-year-old Chris Beusher, and finishing fifth was NASCAR veteran Ken Schrader.

Rounding out the top 10 were Tom Hessert, Frank Kimmel, Brian Silas, Brett Hudson, and Robb Brent.

Kimmel was involved in an earlier accident and battled back to finish seventh.

"We definitely had the odds stacked against us today," said Kimmel. "The car was really good, really fast during the first half.

"But the front end damage from that wreck at halfway really hurt up the handling. I was tight in and out of the corners and when you can't get through the corners here it's really hard to run consistently fast laps. Overall, it was not what I hoped for but it's still our first top-10 for Ansell and Menards so that's good news."

After the race, Lofton was clearly disappointed that his pit strategy didn't work.

"We just missed on pit strategy," said Lofton. "We had a great car today. I want to thank my dad for the opportunity and the entire Eddie Sharp Racing team. We'll go get ‘em in Rockingham."

Lofton also took the ARCA Re/Max points lead.

But the day belonged to Patrick Sheltra and his Ferguson Pipe-Buffalo Wings & Rings Dodge Team.

"We took tires with 70 laps to go and I knew it would make us look like heroes," said Sheltra. "This was hard racing all day and I love this racetrack. I just want to thank everyone from ARCA and my crew. They've been great."

TOP-10 UNOFFICIAL ARCA RE/MAX SERIES POINTS AFTER THE KENTUCKIANA FORD DEALERS 200 PRESENTED BY FEDERATED CAR CARE AT SALEM SPEEDWAY (Apr. 5, '09)

1) Justin Lofton 455

2) Parker Kligerman 415

3) Patrick Sheltra 390

4) Frank Kimmel 370

5) Norm Benning 340

6) Craig Goess 310

6) Ken Weaver 310

8) Tom Hessert 309

9) Bryan Silas 300

9) Tim George 300

The ARCA Re/Max Series will next appear at the famed Rockingham Speedway on Apr. 19.