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Archives 2000-2009

2009: Justin Lofton secures Eddie Sharp Racing's first ARCA RE/MAX Series Championship by a slim, five-point margin to produce the third-closest final points spread in history. Lofton earns six race wins and five pole awards despite season-long pressure from Penske Development rookie Parker Kligerman, who scores nine wins (including four consecutive) for the Cunningham Motorsports Team of Briggs Cunningham, Kerry Scherer and Mark Gibson. Kligerman, Sean Caisse, Patrick Sheltra and Patrick Long are first time Series winners. Frank Kimmel finishes third in points but is winless for the first season since 1995. Paul Hahn earns the ARCA Lincoln Welders Truck Series title for the second consecutive year and third time overall. RE/MAX, Int'l, concludes a nine-year run as Series Title Sponsor of ARCA's national tour.

2008: Justin Allgaier, driving cars fielded by his father's Springfield, Illinois-based team, wins the last three races of 2008, overcoming a 105-point deficit in the final race of the season at Toledo Speedway to earn his career first National Series Title and break Frank Kimmel's unprecedented streak of eight consecutive Championships. Allgaier's 2008 ARCA RE/MAX Series successes, which includes six victories overall, leads to a contract with Roger Penske to race in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Kimmel finishes second to Allgaier in the point standings, earning his seventeenth consecutive top-10 points finish, while Matt Carter, driving the same Larry Clement-owned Ford that Kimmel earned all nine of his championships in, finishes third in points and earns the Rookie of the Year title in the closest rookie point battle in history. Six rookies post top-ten points finishes, including Scott Speed, who uses the 2008 season to transition from Formula One to stock cars in anticipation of a full time ride in the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, and up-and-coming sprint car racer Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., who drives for full time ARCA RE/MAX Series team Roush Fenway Racing. First time Series winners include Matt Hawkins, Scott Speed, Joey Logano, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., Matt Carter and Justin Lofton. Paul Hahn earns the ARCA Lincoln Welders Truck Series title and Jeff Brehmer, Sheri Miller and Missy Fox join the full time ARCA RE/MAX Series office staff.

2007: Frank Kimmel earns his ninth ARCA RE/MAX Series championship with three wins and announces at the conclusion of the season that he will amicably split with long-time car owner Larry Clement to form his own race team with crew chief/brother Bill Kimmel in 2008. Building on a competitive 2006 race season, the series sees 15 different race winners, including Rookie of the Year Michael McDowell who leads the series with four wins and announces a 2008 NASCAR campaign under the Michael Waltrip Racing banner. First time series winners include Chad McCumbee, Billy Leslie, Ken Butler, III., Jeremy Clements, Michael Annett, Bryan Clauson, Michael McDowell, Erik Darnell, Scott Lagasse, Jr., and James Buescher, who becomes the youngest race winner in ARCA RE/MAX Series history by posting a victory at USA Int'l Speedway just two days shy of his seventeenth birthday. Erin Crocker earns the Hoosier Tire Superspeedway Challenge Championship for Gillett-Evernham Motorsports car owner Ray Evernhmam, becoming the first female winner of the award. ARCA officials announce the "2011" plan which adds strength and stability to the series by announcing sponsor extensions with major players RE/MAX, Int'l, Hoosier Racing Tires, Racing Electronics, and Mallory Ignitions/Mr. Gasket through the 2011 season. The plan also establishes a clear set of technical rules through 2011. Bill Withers earns his second ARCA Lincoln Welders Truck Series title.

2006: Frank Kimmel continues to rewrite the recordbooks with an unprecedented eighth championship title, the only driver to do so in a national stock car tourcompetiting on both superspeedways and short tracks. The ARCA RE/MAX Series enjoys its most competitive season ever, with 17 different drivers finding victory lane in 23 events, andtwelve first-time winners including Stephen Leicht, Billy Venturini, Chase Miller, David Stremme, Brad Coleman, Brian Keselowski, Cale Gale, Brent Sherman, Jusin Allgaier, Phil Bozell, Chuck Barnes and Blake Bjorklund. In addition, there are 15 pole award winners in 2006, tying a record set in 1992. Country Joe Racing driver Bjorklund clinches the Rookie-of-the-Year title. Bobby Gerhart finishes second in points and wins a record-breaking fourth Daytona ARCA 200 victory. Paul Hahn earns the 2006 ARCA Lincoln Welders Truck Series title. The Hardcore Motorsports ARCA Safety Initiative is launched. Long-time ARCAofficials Marc Williams and Ric Kargel join the full-time ARCA staff.

2005: Frank Kimmel wins record 7th championship, joining Richard Petty and the late Dale Earnhardt as the only drivers to do so on a national stock car tour that competes on both short tracks and superspeedways. Joey Miller clinches Rookie of the Year honors and the most Pork Pole awards throughout the season with 6. Miller also leads 1002 laps in 15 races, more than any other driver. Kimmel earns eight victories, bringing career total to 64. Bobby Gerhart becomes a three time ARCA Daytona winner, tying ARCA legend Iggy Katona. Chad Blount and Joey Miller win four races each and NASCAR Nextel Cup competitors Ken Schrader and Travis Kvapil also pick up victories. There are five first time winners in 2005, including David Ragan, Kvapil, Steve Wallace, Dawayne Bryan and Kraig Kinser. Kimmel and series veteran Mark Gibson make their 300th career starts. The ARCA RE/MAX Series, in its 54th year of competition, enjoys record car counts, with 155 different teams and 201 different drivers competing in the series over the course of the 23-race schedule. Evernham Motorsports developmental driver Erin Crocker leads a wave of high profile NASCAR teams using the series to gain experience and earns two Pork Pole awards along the way. Brett Rowe wins the ARCA Lincoln Welders Truck Series Championship and acquires six victories, bringing his series total to eleven wins, for a 50 percent career win ratio. Jackie Franzil joins the ARCA staff in the PR/Media/Marketing departments, assisting PR Director Don Radebaugh.

2004: KIMMEL SECURES 6th TITLE; HEMPHILL WOWS REGULARS - Frank Kimmel wins 6th series title becoming only driver in history to win 5 consecutive championships. Kimmel’s car owner Larry Clement wins 6th car owner title while Kimmel’s crew chief and brother Bill Kimmel wins Holley Performance Crew Chief of the Year for 5th consecutive season. Car owner Billy Gerhart wins Superspeedway Challenge championship. TJ Bell wins Rookie of the Year by just 14 points over runner-up AJ Fike. Kimmel adds 6 victories bringing career total to 56. Kimmel also surpasses $3 million mark in all-time team earnings. Rookie Hemphill makes news matching Kimmel’s ’04 win mark with 6 victories. Despite the success of Kimmel and Hemphill, there are still 11 different winners in 22 events, 6 of which are first-time winners including Blake Feese, Hemphill, Kyle Krisiloff, Reed Sorenson, Joey Miller and Scott Riggs. Brent Sherman finishes second in points, and announces full NASCAR Busch Series schedule for ’05. Ken Schrader wins 11th career series triumph at Toledo Speedway from the pole. Retired Bill Baird makes news with comeback win on Springfield mile-dirt passing Kimmel with less than 2 laps remaining. Other ’04 winners include Jason Jarrett. Series title sponsor RE/MAX Int’l extends title sponsorship through 2008 season. Series officials also announce a new partnership with Mallory Ignition mandating all RE/MAX Series teams utilize purpose-built, ARCA-issued Mallory Ignition systems designed to limit engine revs to 8800 RPMs. Lincoln Electric extends title sponsorship of ARCA Lincoln Welders Truck Series through 2009. The Lincoln Welders Truck Series also completes its 6th season of competition crowning Chad Guinn series champ for 3rd consecutive season.

2003: KIMMEL WINS BIG IN 2003; SECURES 5th ARCA RE/MAX SERIES TITLE - Frank Kimmel wins 5th series title becoming only driver in history to win 4 consecutive championships. Kimmel’s car owner Larry Clement wins Superspeedway Challenge championship while Kimmel’s crew chief and brother Bill Kimmel wins Holley Performance Crew Chief of the Year for 4th consecutive season. Bill Eversole wins Rookie of the Year by just 10 points over runner-up Christi Passmore. Kimmel adds seven victories bringing career total to 50; yet there were still 11 different winners in 22 events, six of which were first-time winners including Tony Stewart, Paul Menard, Kyle Busch, Casey Mears, Chase Montgomery and Shelby Howard. Howard also becomes youngest winner in series history with his win at Salem at the age of 17. Howard also becomes youngest superspeedway winner in history with his win at Kansas prior to turning 18 in late July. Stewart wins pole at DuQuoin mile-dirt for 3rd consecutive season and scores career-first win at DuQuoin. Jason Jarrett finishes second in points, his second runner-up run in three seasons. Ken Schrader wins 10th career series triumph at South Boston Speedway from the pole. Remaining winners include Mark Gibson, Mario Gosselin and Kirk Shelmerdine. Series title sponsor RE/MAX Int’l extends sponsorship through 2005 season while Hoosier extends through 2006 season. Sunoco Race Fuels becomes official fuel of ARCA RE/MAX Series for next 10 years. Series officials also ink 3-year agreement with SPEED Channel to televise minimum of 13 races each season. The ARCA Lincoln Welders Truck Series completes its 5th season of competition crowning Chad Guinn series champ for 2nd consecutive season.

2002: KIMMEL CROWNED ARCA RE/MAX KING AGAIN The ARCA RE/MAX Series completed its 50th season of competition in 2002 crowning Frank Kimmel as its driving champion for the fourth time in five seasons while runner-up driver Chad Blount earned ARCA Rookie of the Year honors. Outside of Kimmel’s 10 wins, there were nine different winners, six of who were first-time winners including Damon Lusk, Jeff Fultz, Chad Blount, Fred Campbell, Casey Atwood and Keith Segars. Larry Clement wins his 4th car owner championship. Blount’s car owner Todd Braun wins Superspeedway Challenge championship while Kimmel’s crew chief and brother Bill Kimmel wins the Holley Performance Crew Chief of the Year award for the 3rd consecutive season. Kimmel becomes first driver in series history to surpass the $2 million mark in career earnings. Lusk’s victory over Blount at Atlanta is the closest margin of victory (.001 seconds) in RE/MAX Series history. Remaining winners in ’02 include Bobby Gerhart who wins the Daytona ARCA 200 for the second time as well as Winston Cup veteran Ken Schrader wins won from the pole at South Boston, his career ninth RE/MAX Series triumph. Chase Montgomery makes news at Daytona when, at 18, he becomes the youngest polesitter in Daytona/ARCA history. Sixteen-year-old Shelby Howard is the focus of a segment featured on the ABC news/magazine show 20/20. Winston Cup driver Tony Stewart sets a new one-lap track record at DuQuoin and finishes second to Kimmel in the race for the second consecutive season. ARCA ends it 23 year sanction of the ARCA Midget Series while the ARCA Lincoln Welders Truck Series completes its fourth season of competition. Officials also announce the addition of V-6 engine to ARCA Truck competition. Longtime Flat Rock/Toledo Speedway tech official Bobby Thomsen replaces the retiring Terry Oliger as Operations Director.

2001: KIMMEL CHARGES TO THIRD ARCA RE/MAX TITLE- The ARCA RE/MAX Series completes its 49th season of competition crowning Frank Kimmel as its driving champion for the third time in four seasons while third-generation driver Jason Jarrett earns ARCA Rookie of the Year honors. There are 11 different winners as well as four first-time winners including Jarrett, Billy Bigley, John Finger and Ed Berrier. Kimmel's car owner Larry Clement wins Superspeedway Challenge championship while Kimmel's crew chief and brother Bill Kimmel wins Holley Performance Crew Chief of the Year for second consecutive season. Jarrett, who finishes second in points, wins career-first superspeedway race at Kansas. Tim Steele runs limited schedule with four wins. Kerry Earnhardt, eldest son of NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt, wins three races in five starts at Michigan, Pocono and Atlanta. Other winners include Ryan Newman at Daytona, Blaise Alexander at Michigan and veteran Bobby Gerhart at Talladega while Nextel Cup veteran Ken Schrader wins career-eighth at South Boston. Nextel Cup driver Tony Stewart, in a Kimmel team car, sets new one-lap track record on DuQuoin mile-dirt. Justin Labonte, son of two-time Nextel Cup champion Terry Labonte, enters first ever Dodge Intrepid in RE/MAX Series competition at Nashville. ARCA announces new television partnership with 60-million home network SPEED Channel. All-time record 16 superspeedway races dot the 25-race schedule.

2000: ARCA RE/MAX SERIES CROWNS KIMMEL AS 2000 CHAMPION - After a difficult start in 2000, Frank Kimmel and crew eventually smoothed over the rough edges with resounding success and convincingly clinched their second ARCA RE/MAX Series championship in three seasons. The popular Jeffersonville, Indiana driver recorded 6 victories along the way while establishing himself as ARCA’s all-time money winner with a grand total of $1.3 million in career earnings. In all, there were ten different winners in 20 events in 2000 as well as three first-time winners including NASCAR drivers’ Lyndon Amick, Kerry Earnhardt and Ryan Newman. Overall, Kimmel’s 11 top-five and 13 top-ten finishes were more than enough to clinch the title handily over runner-up finisher Bob Strait. Strait, however, clinched the ARCA Superspeedway Challenge championship. Kimmel also led 965 laps in 12 events, more than twice as much as any other driver. In addition, Shawna Robinson, in Michael Kranefuss-prepared Fords, became the first female driver in ARCA history to, not only finish in the top-10 points, but compete in every race. The Des Moines, Iowa native also established a one-lap new track record at Michigan Int’l Speedway with a speed of 184.606 mph. Crew Chief and brother Bill Kimmel won, not only the Clevite-Victor Reinz Mechanic of the Year, but also the Cornwell Tools Crew Chief of the Year honors. Plymouth, Indiana's Brian Ross won the ARCA Rookie of the Year honors and finished 4th in points. Growth in the series continued with a total of 3 million in posted awards distributed while attendance grew to 627,000 with 16.2 million television viewers. Bondo/Mar-Hyde Corporation ended its 6-year title sponsorship of ARCA's premier series while officials of the ARCA racing sanctioning body and global real estate franchiser RE/MAX International announced a 3-year agreement in which RE/MAX will hold exclusive title sponsorship of ARCA’s premier racing series, to be known as the ARCA RE/MAX Series. ARCA launched its 3rd web site since in 3 years. The ARCA Lincoln Welders Truck Series completed its second season with 16 events while the ARCA Auto Value Midget Series completed its 21st consecutive season.