Sunday

Jessica Sharp, Justin Lofton Win 2009 Hoosier Tire Superspeedway Challenge Championship

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The Superspeedway Challenge, which is a separate $75,000 point fund for races on speedway ovals greater than one mile in length, kicked off with the Lucas Oil Slick Mist ARCA 200 at Daytona on February 7. Other superspeedway challenge events on the 2009 schedule include Talladega Superspeedway (April 24), Kentucky Speedway (May 9 and July 18), Pocono Raceway (June 6 and August 1), Michigan Int’l Speedway (June 12), Chicagoland Speedway (August 28) and Kansas Speedway (October 1).

With the exception of a 30th-place finish at Michigan Int’l Speedway in June, Lofton has not finished worse than eighth on a speedway in 2009 ARCA RE/MAX Series competition. The superspeedway portion of his 2009 ARCA RE/MAX Series season included wins at Talladega and Chicagoland, second-place finishes at Kentucky and Pocono, a third place finish at Kentucky in July, a sixth-place finish at Pocono in August and an eighth-place finish at Daytona.

Superspeedway Challenge points are awarded to car owners based on race points, with the winner of a Superspeedway Challenge race earning 200 points and points decreasing in increments of five.

Heading into Thursday’s Kansas Lottery 150, the ninth and final race in the 2009 Hoosier Tire Superspeedway Challenge, Eddie Sharp Racing led the standings with driver Justin Lofton over Kimmel racing with driver Frank Kimmel and Win-Tron Racing, who has utilized drivers James Buescher, Kelly Bires, Matt Merrell, Brad Reithmeyer and Beau Slocum on speedway races in 2009.

Sharp and Lofton join an accomplished list of competitors who have earned the Hoosier Tire Superspeedway Challenge Championship. Last season, Eddie Sharp earned Hoosier Tire Superspeedway Challenge honors with driver Scott Speed. In 2007 ARCA RE/MAX Series car owner Ray Evernham and driver Erin Crocker earned Hoosier Tire Superspeedway Challenge honors, marking the first time that a female driver has earned the award. Car Owner Larry Clement is a five-time Superspeedway Challenge Champion with driver Frank Kimmel (1998, ‘01, ‘03, ‘05, ‘06). Other winners include Davey Allison (‘84, ‘85), Lee Raymond (‘86), Bill Venturini (‘87, ‘91), Tracy Leslie (‘88), Ben Hess (‘89), Bob Brevak (‘90), Bob Keselowski (‘92), Jeff Purvis (‘93, ‘94), Mike Wallace (‘95), Tim Steele (‘96), Mark Gibson (‘97), Chad Blount (‘02), Bobby Gerhart (‘04), Blake Feese (‘04) and Kyle Krisiloff (‘04).

The ARCA RE/MAX Series has recognized a superspeedway challenge champion each consecutive year since 1984. Sharp and Lofton will formally accept the 2009 Hoosier Tire Superspeedway Challenge Championship at the ARCA RE/MAX Series Championship Awards Banquet at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center in December.

Lofton currently leads the ARCA RE/MAX Series point standings by 15 points over Parker Kligerman with one race remaining in the 2009 ARCA RE/MAX Series-the American 200 at Rockingham Speedway on Sunday, October, 11. The race rolls off at 1 p.m. and airs on SPEED at 10 p.m.

- Rockingham Speedway Press Release