Steve Arpin Victorious at DuQuoin Mile; Mikey Kile Finishes 3rd |
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Topics: Southern Illinois 100, Steve Arpin, Mikey Kile
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Emily Teeter
Venturini Motorsports
September 6, 2010
DuQuoin, Illinois (9-6-10) Steve Arpin, coming off a 2nd-place finish at Chicagoland one week earlier, turned in a dominating performance Monday afternoon in the 58th running of the Southern 100 at the historic DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Dirt Mile. Arpin, driving his No.55 Mike's Hard Lemonade Chevrolet, held off Tom Hessert and Venturini Motorsports' teammate, Mikey Kile, for his 3rd victory of the 2010 ARCA Racing Series campaign.
"We had an awesome race car from the get-go," Arpin said in victory lane. "We were real tight right off the bat. I was nervous. I was honestly more nervous than I've been in a long time about being able to get to the front. But, Billy (Venturini, crew chief) and Kevin made an awesome adjustment during the pit stop and (they) asked me just to trust them. They hit it right on. I think that is the most fun I can ever remember having in a race car."
"This one is just a little bit extra special to me because, like with my dirt racing background, that's all I really have done before," added Arpin. "To be able to come back here to the dirt and get an ARCA win is something I've really wanted, especially at this level."
Arpin's victory gives Venturini Motorsports its first ever victory on a dirt track and its fourth of the 2010 ARCA Racing Series season.
"It was a great day for Venturini Motorsports," said team manager Billy Venturini. "We have a long, and pretty honorable history in this series, and it was great to finally get a win here on the dirt. We've won just about everywhere else so this was special. We spent a lot of time with Mark Richards and Rocket Chassis. Mark's knowledge has really improved our dirt racing program."
Mikey Kile, driving the No.25 Venturini Motorsports car turned in another solid dirt race performance with a 3rd place finish in the Southern 100 at the DuQuoin Dirt Mile. Kile, who took 2nd place two weeks ago at the Springfield Dirt Mile, put himself back-on-track, after a disappointing finish last week in Chicago, for a shot at ARCA Racing Series Championship.
"It was a good points day," Kile said. "I don't know if we had a third place car, but track position was key. We were running fifth and the guys in front of us had some misfortunes. We were able to take advantage of it. It was a good day for Venturini Motorsports, first and third. Congratulations to those guys (55 Team), and we're looking forward to going to Toledo."
With only 4 races remaining in the ARCA season, Kile sits 140 points out of the top spot for the Championship chase. The Venturini Motorsports team turns its focus back to short-track racing as they return to the Toledo Speedway next weekend for the running of the Northwest Ohio Ford Dealers 200.