RACE:  Hantz Group 200, 6-16-06

TRACK:  Michigan Int’l Speedway, 2-mile paved oval

LOCATION:  Brooklyn, MI

DISTANCE:  100 laps, 200 miles

SANCTION:  ARCA

SERIES:  Event #8 of the 2006 ARCA RE/MAX Series

PR/MEDIA: Bill Janitz (517) 592-6666

SCHEDULE:  
Thurs, June 15:  Practice 10:15-12 noon; Pork Pole Qualifying 3pm (2 laps).
Fri, June 16:  Hantz Group 200 at 5:15pm   

POSTED AWARDS:        $216,034 in prize, point and contingency money. 

ARCA OFFICIAL COMPANIES: RE/MAX International Inc, Featherlite Trailers, Hoosier Racing Tire, Racing Electronics, Sunoco Race Fuels. 

ARCA OFFICIAL PRODUCTS: Amkus Rescue Tools, Casite, Cometic Gaskets, Cookies BarBQ Sauce, Fast Track High Performance Driving School, Flowmaster Mufflers, Holley HP Carbs, Hummers Gone Wild, K&N Air Filters, K&N Oil Filters, Klotz Synthetic Lubricants, Landrum Spring Service, Lincoln Electric Welders, Mallory Ignitions, Motive Gear, National Pork Board, SK Hand Tool, Stewart Warner Gauges, S-W Scales by Intercomp, Tex Racing, University of Northwestern Ohio, Weld Wheel Industries. 

PARTICIPATING COMPANIES: ATI Dampers, Bilstein Shocks, BSR Racing Products, CV Products, Dayco Belts & Hoses, Dodge Motorsports, Ford Motor Company, Gatorade, G-Force Racing Gear, Hawk Brake, Hurst Shifters, Hutcherson-Pagan, Impact Racing, JE Pistons, Joyce Julius & Associates, LaCross Engine Development, Mechanix Wear, Nelson Specialties, Ohlins Shocks, Rhyne Racing Engines, Speed51.com, Wallace Race Car Lettering. 

RECORDS: 
Qualifying – Justin Hobgood, 38.257 (188.210 mph) 2004. 
Race – Ron Barfield (142.461 mph) 1996. 

TELEVISION:  SPEED Channel LIVE at 5pm ET. Re-airs Wednesday, June 21 at 12 noon ET 

ARCA RE/MAX SERIES WINNERS AT MIS:  Jeff Purvis and Tim Steele are tied with 3 each. Frank Kimmel 2. Tied with 1 win each are Blaise Alexander, Ron Barfield, Chad Blount, Kerry Earnhardt, Billie Harvey, David Keith, Bob Keselowski, Tracy Leslie, Dave Mader, Casey Mears, Joe Ruttman, Stanley Smith, Reed Sorenson, Mark Thompson and Steve Wallace. 

NOTES OF INTEREST:  The Hantz Group 200 will be the 24th ARCA RE/MAX Series event at MIS since the series first raced there in 1980. Joe Ruttman won from the pole in the inaugural event on July 20, 1980; and Billie Harvey won later that same year while Harry Gant sat on the pole. It would be 19 years before another ARCA RE/MAX Series driver (David Keith ’99) would win from the pole at MIS. Other winners from the pole include Blaise Alexander in ’01, Chad Blount in ’02 and Casey Mears in ‘03. Considering the ARCA RE/MAX Series was born in Toledo OH in 1953, MIS, located about an hour from the ARCA home office, is considered by many as ARCA’s hometown superspeedway. Another rock-solid entry list, as diverse as the series itself, is ready to embark on the 2-mile oval. Of the drivers entered, only 7-time series champion Frank Kimmel is a former winner at MIS. Driver development teams entered include the #4 Dodge Motorsports-Cunningham Motorsports Dodge driven by second-generation racer Scott Lagasse. The Dodge Motorsports team is fresh from a victory at Pocono with Chase Miller in the seat. Erin Crocker is also entered in Ray Evernham’s #98 Hamburger Helper Dodge as are Brad Coleman in the #62 Brewco Motorsports Federated Car Care Ford and Billy Wease in the Penske Racing Kodak Dodge. Both Crocker and Coleman have finished a career-best 2nd in RE/MAX Series competition. Crocker finished 2nd at Kentucky last year prior to Coleman’s runner-up finishes this year at Nashville and Kentucky. Crocker and Shawna Robinson (2nd at Daytona ’99) are the highest finishing female drivers in RE/MAX Series history. Ganassi Racing’s David Stremme is filling in for Steve Wallace in the #61 Rusty Wallace, Inc Nu South Lemonade Dodge as Wallace has a Busch Series commitment at Kentucky. Lebanon, PA veteran Bobby Gerhart leads the parade of entrants into MIS atop the championship point standings, a full 100 points in front of second place Kimmel. Third in points is Damon Lusk 145 out of first with TJ Bell and Billy Venturini completing the top-5. Sons of former ARCA RE/MAX Series champions entered include Todd Bowsher (father Jack Bowsher champion in 63, 64 & 65), Billy Venturini (father Bill Venturini champion in 87 & 91) and Brian and Brad Keselowski (father Bob Keselowski champion in 89). Venturini and Keselowski serve as present-day crew chiefs for their sons.