Catchfence

SPRINGFIELD, IL (8/23/10) – Heading into this weekend’s dirt race at the Illinois State Fairground, ARCA sophomore standout Joey Coulter was determined to run up front, and continue his top-five finishing streak in August. The Miami Springs, FL native did just that, staying out of trouble all day and enduring a green-white-checker finish before bringing his No. 16 Darrell Gwynn Foundation, Rip It Energy Fuel Chevrolet home in fourth place.

“The dirt tracks (Springfield and DuQuoin) are always a lot of fun for me,” commented Coulter. “I don’t have any dirt background, so every race is a new learning experience for me, but always an enjoyable one.”

Coulter Motorsports pulled into the worlds “fastest dirt mile” in the heart of the state fair, early Sunday morning, to begin the day’s activities leading up to the start of the Allen Crowe 100. Shortly after arriving, the days only practice session got underway as 35 ARCA cars began slinging dirt. Coulter would immediately lay down the second fastest time of the day and continue to work his way towards the front during the hour-long session. After completing 48 laps at the sessions end, Coulter would find himself second on the board with a time of 34.258 seconds at 105.085 MPH.

Coulter Motorsports Crew Chief Harold Holly finished up all his final adjustments, as Menards Pole Qualifying was set to begin. Coulter would go out 31st of 35 cars for his one lap qualifying effort. He would run a time of 36.035 seconds at 99.903 MPH, placing him sixth for start of the afternoon’s race.

“Harold (Holly) really had my car hooking up and taking to the track during our practice runs,” said Coulter. “We knew the track would slow down considerably during qualifying with the addition of all the rubber, so we chose to have more of a race setup in the car, and are happy to be rolling off sixth later today.”

Shortly after 1:00 PM (CT) on a beautiful Illinois Sunday, the green flag waved over the 35-car field to start the Allen Crowe 100. Coulter, knowing the tenacity of dirt racing, began pacing himself and his No. 16 Darrell Gwynn Foundation, Rip It Energy Fuel Chevrolet. He would fall back to eighth, spending time finding his rhythm before the days first caution waved on lap 27. Coulter would radio to Holly that the car “is too loose all around the track and becoming very violent on the step out.” Holly decided to bring Coulter to pit road for a full tank of fuel and a major wedge adjustment. A fast pit stop would have Coulter restarting third on lap 33.

After another quick caution on lap 37 Coulter radioed Holly saying “the left front feels like it is stuck up in the air, but the last adjustment has allowed me to get into more of a rhythm.” On the lap 41 restart, Coulter would take the green fourth and begin battling for position with several local dirt track racers. Trying to stay out of an impending wreck, and feeling the effects of worn tires, Coulter began sliding back, until a lap 56 caution.

He immediately radioed Holly saying the car was “standing up too much on the left rear during the step out, causing it to throw the car around.” Holly would call Coulter down pit road, giving him four fresh Hoosier dirt tires, a wedge and trackbar adjustment. He would take the green flag in 12th on lap 61 and began working his way towards the front. Coulter found himself inside the top-ten, in ninth by the next caution on lap 64. Right away he let Holly know that the car “feels way better and is handling amazing.”

Through two more ensuing cautions, Coulter worked his way into the top-five, making sure to pace himself and his car. A caution on lap 86 would set-up a single file restart on lap 91 with Coulter in fifth. Trouble restarting for one competitor, logged up the field, sending several, including Coulter to the back of the pack. Coulter worked his way around the slowed field in eighth, knowing he only had a few laps remaining, he began picking off cars one-by-one.

As the white flag flew on lap 99, Coulter had methodically worked his way back to fifth and was passing for fourth when the caution waved. ARCA would lock the field and set them up for a green-white-checkered finish as they took the green and white on lap 105. After completing the next mile, Coulter brought his No. 16 Darrell Gwynn Foundation, Rip It Energy Fuel Chevrolet home fourth.

“It was a great day for us today at Springfield,” said an excited Coulter. “We wanted to play conservative most of the day and make sure we were around at the end. The game plan worked out and my guys gave me another awesome car. I want to thank Darrell (Gwynn), Rip It Energy and all of my family, friends and supporters. I can’t wait to get to Chicago next week for some more great ARCA racing.”

Coulter leaving Springfield with his third straight top-five in August, will enter the final race of the Bill France Four Crown at Chicago as the point’s leader, with a 25 point lead over second. Coulter will clinch the Four Crown title regardless of any other driver’s finish with a top-five result. Make sure to tune in LIVE for the 100-lap, 150-mile Ansell Protective Gloves 150 on SPEED at 7 p.m. Eastern and catch Coulter in his No. 16 Rip It Energy Fuel, Darrell Gwynn Foundation Chevrolet.

- Coulter Motorsports Press Release