One-hundred and thirteen different drivers have competed on the ARCA tour thus far in 2009 and Arpin is just one-hundred fifteen points away from being positioned in the top-five of the title standings. After qualifying eighth for the event, Arpin battled his way up to third place and began to reel in the front two cars prior to a pair of pit stops under separate caution periods. Fighting back through the field after handling issues were resolved, Arpin would battle side-by-side with 9-Time ARCA Series Champion Frank Kimmel for the last two laps to eventually wind up in eighth at the end of the night.
‘Our Pinewood Sports Toyota was very strong all weekend,’ commented Arpin on the Iowa run. ‘ We just really struggled through the middle of the race with one set of tires that just had no grip. I was just along for the ride until the next caution came out and we could get them off. Jefferson (Hodges – crew chief) and the guys did a great job on the car and my spotter Jim did an awesome job keeping us clean,’ Arpin added. ‘I am not at all happy with an 8th place finish,but I do know that we are still heading in the right direction and our cars are getting better each week.’
Arpin and his team are ready for this weekend’s challenge at Kentucky Speedway, where the tour makes its second stop of the 2009 campaign at the mile and a half oval in Sparta, Kentucky. Arpin’s strong run at the lightning fast Kentucky Speedway in May was cut short when he was taken out of contention in a crash not of his own making. The number 20 Toyota Camry out of the Eddie Sharp Racing operation is backed by Pinewood Sports and Marine from Arpin’s hometown of Fort Frances, Ontario with continuing backing from Jonesboro, Arkansas based chassis builder Taylor Motorsports as well as Lo-N-Bro Enterprises and Arpin is anxious to return to Kentucky Speedway.
‘The last time we were at Kentucky it was our first race with Jefferson as our new crew chief,’ Arpin points out. He and I have come along way since then and have really developed a good relationship. I’m confident that we are going back there and are going to be a real threat all weekend long.’
Tune in for Steve Arpin’s ARCA RE/MAX Series run for the winner’s circle this Saturday night (July 18th) LIVE on SPEED TV at 9:30 p.m. (Eastern) in the ‘Click It or Ticket Buckle Up Kentucky 150’ at Kentucky Speedway. The ARCA Racing Network covers all the on-track activity for the ARCA RE/MAX Series from Newton, Iowa.
Listen and watch live streaming audio and video of practice, qualifying at ARCAracing.com inside the ARCA Nation. The official web site for the talented Canadian racer is found on the internet at www.steveaprin.net. To contact Steve Arpin Racing, send an e-mail to teamesr@hotmail.com.
About Taylor Motorsports
Located at 3501 E. Parker Road in Jonesboro, Arkansas. Jeff Taylor Motorsports manufactures and delivers Taylor Chassis racecars and quality performance.
About Lo-N-Bro Enterprises, Inc.
Paul and Jon Leach, brothers and Sun River, Montana Natives, started the business in 1998 while only 21 and 18 years old respectively. In that first stage, the entire staff was made up by the two of them. In 2001 they took their “baby” to the next step and transitioned from being an LLC to becoming a formal corporation. One of their first major projects was to build a 10,000 square foot shop on their property in Sun River that formed the base for their operations. Since that time, they have grown into a company that employs over 85 people and generates revenue of over $5,000,000.00 annually.
Paul and Jon are always looking for ways to expand their business, while also filling a niche’ within the respective areas of contracting. One of the prominent areas that they give their employees credit for is how they have helped to build Lo-N-Bro into what it is today. The quality of people that are hired, as well as retained, reaches far beyond the industry standard. Paul and Jon genuinely value each and every individual employee and want the best for them as well as the best out of them. Employees are dynamic members of the family, and thus are offered incredibly competitive wages and benefits, as well as opportunities to advance within the company.
About Eddie Sharp Racing
Eddie Sharp earned racing stripes on sea and land, behind the wheel and on the pitbox, from race-to-race and year-to-year building the dream that is now the reality known as Eddie Sharp Racing. For those drivers who have become part of the fabric and family, the business is simply called Team ESR. At Eddie Sharp Racing, it’s all about the team.Eddie Sharp set up shop in 2005 after several years of transforming young, talented drivers into ARCA championship contenders. Today, Eddie Sharp Racing has evolved into the rite of passage for any serious upcoming driver with an ambition for professional stock car racing.
- Victory Lane Communications Press Release