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Clemons
Halted With Engine Failure At Kentucky
Sparta,
KY - 5/8/04 - - ARCA
RE/MAX Series rookie Josh Clemons arrived at Kentucky Speedway
Friday morning pumped about returning to the driving duties of his
No. 41 Ford Taurus.
Last
month, in his first ARCA start of the season, Clemons, a native of
Indiana wowed the ARCA regulars with an impressive top-ten finish at
Nashville.
Clemons,
28 started the two-day show competitive after notching the tenth
fastest lap in the first practice session. The United States of Mind Ford Taurus found some more
horsepower during the second session, just prior to qualifying
leaving the No. 41 team sixth fastest on the sheets.
In
time trials, Clemons continued to show talent as he muscled his
machine around the track in 32.327 seconds equaling a speed of
167.043. On the second lap of qualifying, Clemons spun his Ford
Taurus in turn three, luckily didn’t make contact with the wall
and brought his automobile to pit road. The first was fast enough to hand the former late model
competitor the fifth place starting position for the event.
With
an impressive qualifying effort, the team skipped “Happy Hour”,
the final practice session before the race. “We didn’t want to take a chance of hurting anything, or
tearing up the car,” stated Josh.
Saturday
brought bright and sunny skies around the Kentucky area, leaving the
fans in the stands and drivers ready to roar.
Pole-sitter
and defending ARCA champ Frank Kimmel led the 40 car field to the
green flag shortly after 8:00 pm, with the action starting quickly.
Rookie David Ragan lost control of his machine in turn three
and four and collected rookie Brandon Knupp, Vern Slagh, Ron Cox,
and Frank Kapfhammer.
Clemons
reported to his crew that his machine struggled to find speed at the
start, but felt the car was plenty capable of winning.
When
racing resumed, Clemons patiently hovered in the top-ten. The No. 41 was biding his time, learning the track, and
watching the veterans.
Another
caution nearing lap 30 for a accident-involving leader Frank Kimmel
saw Clemons shoot from the front of the pack to pit-road for some
crucial strategy.
The
team felt the competitors could see a long span of green flag racing
when racing resumed. Bobby Hamilton’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series team
pitted the car and they did an incredible job by adding fuel and a
chassis adjustment in record time.
Returning
to green flag condition, Clemons used patience while trying to march
his way back towards the front.
During
his mission, the No. 41 began to leak oil onto the speedway,
throwing another caution out, and sending Clemons to pit road.
The
team believed they had corrected the problem and sent the frustrated
driver back on the track. The woes continued, as he reported he still didn’t
have any oil pressure, forcing him to return to pit road and make a
left hand turn towards the garage.
The
failure of a valve spring left the team with a disappointing 28th
place finish.
“We
were hoping to have a good run,” said the driver. “The car was good on the start.
We took a gamble and pitted early, then a problem with the
motor developed and cost us another top-ten finish,” he added.
Clemons,
who’s remaining ARCA RE/MAX Series schedule is still unknown also
commented “ I would love to give a huge thanks to all our
sponsors. Without them
we would not have been here. I
only wish the results were better.”
Those
sponsors include: United States of Mind Productions, Cybertek Engineering,
Skyspy.net, Techstardesign.com, Jesse Ballew Enterprises, and Signs
of the Times.
Ryan
Hemphill went on and scored his first ARCA RE/MAX Series win in a
caution filled event. Hemphill,
who started second in the race, never relinquished the top spot
after Kimmel’s misfortune.
The
ARCA RE/MAX Series will return to a short track next weekend at
Toledo Speedway.
CONTACT:
Chris Knight, Clemons Racing
PHONE: 239-872-5191
E-MAIL: knight849@aol.com
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