Wednesday

Joey Coulter’s Bid For Victory Lane Ended with Late Race Run-In

Filed under ARCA, Press Releases

DAYTONA BEACH, FL (2/8/2010) – Miami Springs, FL native Joey Coulter and his Rip It Energy Fuel, Coulter Motorsports team headed into Saturday’s Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 at Daytona full of optimism and determination. Rightfully so, as the young standout stayed near the top of the boards all week at the famed high-speed oval, turning heads every time he hit the track.

“Daytona Speedweeks this year was truly a thrilling experience,” commented Coulter. “We arrived 110% prepared and unloaded extremely fast and competitive, which made my job that much easier. Going into Saturday evening’s race, I couldn’t have been more pumped up and ready to race.”

Coulter would use the five-hour practice session on Thursday to hone in his No. 16 Rip It Energy Fuel, Darrell Gwynn Foundation, Tempest Cycles Chevrolet around the 2.5-mile superspeedway. ARCA rules mandated the session would be for single car runs only, saving drafting practice for Friday evening’s “happy hour.” This allowed veteran crew chief Harold Holly plenty of time to finesse their rocket ship and prepare it for qualifying the next morning.

As Thursday’s practice session came to a close, Coulter would find himself fourth fastest of the 52 times posted, at 49.488 seconds and 181.862 MPH. This would set the team up for a great qualifying run Friday morning. But before qualifying, Coulter found himself as a guest commentator on arcaracing.com, which allowed him to call out the first 10 qualifiers. After his broadcast stint, Coulter would pilot his No. 16 Rip It hotrod to a third starting spot for the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200. He would turn a quick lap of 49.770 seconds at 180.832 MPH.

“Our car was super fast all week and it handled phenomenal,” said Coulter. “Harold (Holly) and the guys did a great job setting this thing up and getting it through practice and qualifying.”

Due to an intense thunderstorm, Friday evening’s “happy hour” was cancelled, allowing no drafting practice before Saturday’s big show. But Coulter was not worried and prepared for the ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards season opener.

The green flag would wave over Coulter and his No. 16 Rip It Energy Fuel Chevrolet, and he immediately set his sights on the front. He would quickly move his way into second place before the completion of the first lap. The caution would soon wave for a lap six wreck, where Coulter would call in that his car was fast throughout the center and pulled on exit. Racing resumed on lap 16, however a slew of cautions would limit any green flag on-track activity, and a subsequent 21 minute, lap 27 red flag put a halt to all on track activity.

When the red was finally lifted and the yellow was shown, crew chief Harold Holly would bring Coulter to the pits for two fresh right-side Hoosier tires and a tank full of Sunoco race fuel. Coulter would restart the race in the eighth position with 31 laps showing on the board.

He would not, however let his restart position deter him as he quickly worked his way through traffic. Within four laps, Coulter passed several cars to find himself in a single car draft in the fourth position. He would remain in fourth, drafting in a single car freight train. A lap 53 caution gave Coulter and Holly and a chance to discuss the cars handling, where Coulter would report a snug feeling behind the car in front of him. Holly had Coulter turn a half-round of front brake in the car, which would almost immediately rectify the situation on the lap 56 restart.

Coulter and his No. 16 Rip It Energy Fuel Chevrolet stayed in the fourth position until a jolt, from a car behind on lap 65, sent him up the track and into the second groove. Coulter, finding himself alone in the outer line did his best to race against the car running below him. He stayed in the fifth spot, side by side with fourth, until a competitor came up from behind and shoved Coulter sideways and into the grass. Speeding through the wet grass, Coulter managed to keep his car in a straight line and regained control as he got back on the track entering turn one.

The green flag continued to wave, and Coulter found himself trying to regain the now faded draft. On lap 69 he would radio in that he had a left front flat and quickly made his way to the pits for a four-tire stop. After fixing the damage, the crew got the No. 16 back out, now two laps down. Coulter would remain composed and under control as he wrestled his Rip It Energy Fuel, Darrell Gwynn Foundation, Tempest Cycles Chevrolet to the checkered flag in 26th place.

“We got taken out and sent into the grass by a competitor of ours and it is really frustrating,” commented an infuriated Coulter. “We had the best car out there all night and I was just waiting for the right time to make my move. I want to thank Rip It Energy Fuel and my mom and dad for supporting me. I also want to thank Harold (Holly) and all of my guys for working so hard this week. We will be back even stronger at Palm Beach, and I can’t wait to get back racing.”

- Coulter Motorsports Press Release