TALLADEGA, Ala. (April 8, 2009)--Day one of a two-day ARCA RE/MAX Series Open Test at Talladega Superspeedway concluded on Wednesday with Cartersville, Georgia's Mark Thompson, in a Venturini Motorsports-prepared Toyota, at the top of the speed charts among close to 20 testers.
Thompson posted a 51.03 second/187.654 mph lap around the 2.66-mile speed plant during the morning portion of Wednesday's test in a single car run and opted not to participate in the afternoon session.
The fastest car during the afternoon portion of the test was Indiantown, Florida's Patrick Sheltra (51.571 seconds/185.686 mph), who is also the most recent winner on the ARCA RE/MAX Series tour thanks to his career-first victory last Sunday at Salem Speedway in Southern Indiana. Bobby Gerhart, Butch Jarvis and Justin Lofton rounded out the top-5 overall speeds. Wednesday's test also served as a media day at the track and several local print and broadcast affiliates spent the one hour lunch break interviewing drivers and team owners.
The ARCA RE/MAX Series returns to Talladega Superspeedway on Thursday for a second and final day of testing in preparation for the April 24 ARCA RE/MAX 250 at Talladega Superspeedway.
Talladega ARCA Open Test Weds. Morning Practice Speeds:
| NO |
DRIVER/HOMETOWN |
TEAM & CAR |
TIME |
SPEED |
| 25 |
Mark Thompson/Cartersville GA |
Venturini Motorsports Toyota |
51.03 |
187.654 |
| 5 |
Bobby Gerhart/Lebanon PA |
BGR Chevrolet |
51.862 |
184.644 |
| 81 |
Craig Goess/Greenville NC |
Eddie Sharp Racing Toyota |
51.966 |
184.274 |
| 6 |
Justin Lofton/Westmorland CA |
Eddie Sharp Racing Toyota |
52.004 |
184.14 |
| 0 |
Butch Jarvis/Blountville TN |
Wayne Peterson Racing Ford |
52.074 |
183.892 |
| 60 |
Patrick Sheltra/Indiantown FL |
Sheltra Motorsports Dodge |
52.078 |
183.878 |
| 69 |
Steve Blackburn/Prestonburg KY |
Dodge |
52.213 |
183.403 |
| 00 |
Ed Kennedy/Coppell TX |
Thunder 2 Chevrolet |
52.291 |
183.129 |
| 52 |
Bill Baird/Sarasota FL |
Ken Schrader Racing |
52.312 |
183.056 |
| 90 |
Grant Enfinger/Fairhope AL |
Grant Enfinger Racing |
52.432 |
182.637 |
| 2 |
Tim George Jr/Petaluma CA |
Eddie Sharp Racing Toyota |
52.503 |
182.39 |
| 32 |
James Buescher/Plano TX |
Win-Tron Racing Dodge |
52.553 |
182.216 |
| 32 |
Bradley Riethmeyer/Hutto TX |
Win-Tron Racing Dodge |
52.711 |
181.67 |
| 74 |
JR Heffner/Stepenton NY |
Chevrolet |
52.815 |
181.312 |
| 16 |
Randy Renfrow/Willow Spring NC |
Coulter Motorsports Chevrolet |
52.836 |
181.24 |
| 20 |
Steve Arpin/Fort Frances ON |
Eddie Sharp Racing Toyota |
53.164 |
180.122 |
| 58 |
Chad Hackenbracht/Denver NC |
Chevrolet |
54.551 |
175.542 |
Talladega ARCA Open Test Weds. Afternoon Practice Speeds:
| NO |
DRIVER/HOMETOWN |
TEAM & CAR |
TIME |
SPEED |
| 60 |
Patrick Sheltra/Indiantown FL |
Sheltra Motorsports Dodge |
51.571 |
185.686 |
| 5 |
Bobby Gerhart/Lebanon PA |
BGR Chevrolet |
51.799 |
184.868 |
| 0 |
Butch Jarvis/Blountville TN |
Wayne Peterson Racing Ford |
51.807 |
184.84 |
| 6 |
Justin Lofton/Westmorland CA |
Eddie Sharp Racing Toyota |
51.917 |
184.448 |
| 52 |
Bill Baird/Sarasota FL |
Ken Schrader Racing |
51.932 |
184.395 |
| 69 |
Steve Blackburn/Prestonburg KY |
Dodge |
52.007 |
184.129 |
| 81 |
Craig Goess/Greenville NC |
Eddie Sharp Racing Toyota |
52.03 |
184.048 |
| 00 |
Ed Kennedy/Coppell TX |
Thunder 2 Chevrolet |
52.055 |
183.959 |
| 90 |
Grant Enfinger/Fairhope AL |
Grant Enfinger Racing |
52.198 |
183.455 |
| 2 |
Tim George Jr/Petaluma CA |
Eddie Sharp Racing Toyota |
52.263 |
183.227 |
| 74 |
JR Heffner/Stepenton NY |
Chevrolet |
52.37 |
182.853 |
| 48 |
James Hylton/Inman SC |
Hylton Motorsports Dodge |
52.495 |
182.417 |
| 16 |
Randy Renfrow/Willow Spring NC |
Coulter Motorsports Chevrolet |
52.504 |
182.386 |
| 32 |
Bradley Riethmeyer/Hutto TX |
Win-Tron Racing Dodge |
52.565 |
182.174 |
| 32 |
James Buescher/Plano TX |
Win-Tron Racing Dodge |
52.576 |
182.136 |
| 20 |
Steve Arpin/Fort Frances ON |
Eddie Sharp Racing Toyota |
52.926 |
180.932 |
| 58 |
Chad Hackenbracht/Denver NC |
Chevrolet |
54.43 |
175.932 |
Talladega ARCA Open Test Weds. Best Overall Practice Speeds:
| NO |
DRIVER/HOMETOWN |
TEAM & CAR |
TIME |
SPEED |
| 25 |
Mark Thompson/Cartersville GA |
Venturini Motorsports Toyota |
51.03 |
187.654 |
| 60 |
Patrick Sheltra/Indiantown FL |
Sheltra Motorsports Dodge |
51.571 |
185.686 |
| 5 |
Bobby Gerhart/Lebanon PA |
BGR Chevrolet |
51.799 |
184.868 |
| 0 |
Butch Jarvis/Blountville TN |
Wayne Peterson Racing Ford |
51.807 |
184.84 |
| 6 |
Justin Lofton/Westmorland CA |
Eddie Sharp Racing Toyota |
51.917 |
184.448 |
| 52 |
Bill Baird/Sarasota FL |
Ken Schrader Racing |
51.932 |
184.395 |
| 81 |
Craig Goess/Greenville NC |
Eddie Sharp Racing Toyota |
51.966 |
184.274 |
| 69 |
Steve Blackburn/Prestonburg KY |
Dodge |
52.007 |
184.129 |
| 00 |
Ed Kennedy/Coppell TX |
Thunder 2 Chevrolet |
52.055 |
183.959 |
| 90 |
Grant Enfinger/Fairhope AL |
Grant Enfinger Racing |
52.198 |
183.455 |
| 2 |
Tim George Jr/Petaluma CA |
Eddie Sharp Racing Toyota |
52.263 |
183.227 |
| 74 |
JR Heffner/Stepenton NY |
Chevrolet |
52.37 |
182.853 |
| 48 |
James Hylton/Inman SC |
Hylton Motorsports Dodge |
52.495 |
182.417 |
| 16 |
Randy Renfrow/Willow Spring NC |
Coulter Motorsports Chevrolet |
52.504 |
182.386 |
| 32 |
James Buescher/Plano TX |
Win-Tron Racing Dodge |
52.553 |
182.216 |
| 32 |
Bradley Riethmeyer/Hutto TX |
Win-Tron Racing Dodge |
52.565 |
182.174 |
| 20 |
Steve Arpin/Fort Frances ON |
Eddie Sharp Racing Toyota |
52.926 |
180.932 |
| 58 |
Chad Hackenbracht/Denver NC |
Chevrolet |
54.43 |
175.932 |
