“We definitely had some close calls out there,” Lofton said after having late contact with rookie Casey Roderick. “I’m gonna go enjoy this for a while!”
An unbelievable race with three wide racing on nearly every lap. The yellow flag flew five times, including once at lap 148 for a scary wreck involving 75 year old James Hylton. Hylton was transported by ambulance to an area hospital.
The green flag dropped right on schedule with Chad Finley leading the field. Kligerman started third and out of the top five by lap thirty. Free Pennigton scraped the wall on lap four and was the first car out of the race.
The running order at lap 40 was Finley, Steve Arpin, Dakoda Armstrong, Grant Enfinger, and Frank Kimmel.
Arpin went to the high side in turn four and passed Finley for the lead on lap 48. Two laps later Armstrong had surged to the front of the pack. On lap 59 Enfinger beat Armstrong to the line by three feet to take the point.
Caution flew for the first time on lap 70. The top five for the lap 77 restart were Armstrong, Arpin, Enfinger, Kimmel, and Kligerman. Lofton was still lurking back around 12th position.
A few raindrops fell during a fierce battle for the lead between Arpin and Kimmel. They raced side by side for several laps before Kimmel took first on lap 93. At the halfway mark it was Kimmel, Arpin, Buescher, Kligerman, and Enfinger.
Bryan Silas spun on lap 116 to bring out another caution. Casey Roderick was leading on the lap 124 restart. Buescher, Kimmel, Arpin, and Kligerman rounded out the top five.
Buescher rocketed to the lead on lap 125, then was passed by Roderick on 127. Kligerman moved up to second place.
The yellow flag flew on lap 129 for the stalled car of Norm Benning. The top three for the lap 133 restart were Roderick, Kligerman, and Arpin. Kligerman moved by Roderick for the lead on 137.
Lap 138 brought another caution for a wreck involving Johanna Long and Justin Lloyd. Kligerman, Arpin, Kimmel, and Roderick were the top four on the lap 145 restart.
Lap 148 brought out another caution for Hylton’s fiery wreck in turn two. The red flag was then displayed for rescue and clean up workers.
On the lap 160 restart Arpin spun his tires causing Kimmel to slap the wall trying to avoid Arpin’s slower car. The race then settled down as Kligerman didn’t look back in route to his first win at The Rock. Roderick was second followed by Lofton, Clay Rogers, and Buescher.
Lofton hopes that this ARCA title helps him get a ride for next year. He currently has nothing lined up for 2010.
