RICKY CARMICHAEL/ NO. 4 MONSTER ENERGY CHEVROLET RACE RECAP
VENUE: TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY (2.66 MILE-TRI-OVAL)
CIRCUIT: ARCA RACING SERIES PRESENTED BY REMAX & MENARDS ( RACE 5 of 20)
EVENT: TALLADEGA ARCA 250 (94 LAPS,250 MILES)
DATE: APRIL 23, 2010
START: 14th
FINISH: 31th
RACE RECAP:
· Qualifying for the Talladega ARCA 150 was held Thursday afternoon under clear blue skies. Carmichael improved on his fastest time from practice earlier in the day and secured the 14th qualifying position.
· “The key today is to be smart and stay out of trouble,” radioed Carmichael to his crew just before the drop of the green flag at the famed superspeedway. “Be on your toes today boys.”
· By lap 10 Carmichael had worked his way into the top 10. “The temperature is running hot,” he said on lap 11. Crew Chief Mike Fritts advised Carmichael to move out of the racing line to allow the front grill of the Monster Energy Chevrolet fresh air.
· While running in the eighth position Carmichael radioed back into his crew, “it is still running hot so I am going to drop back and find some clean air.” While running in the 14th position the first caution waved on lap 17.
· Carmichael came down pit road to the attention of the Monster Energy Chevrolet Pit Crew. They added fuel and pulled off tape from the front grill. “The temperature should come down now that we have removed some of the tape from the front grill,” said Fritts. Carmichael restarted in 15th spot on lap 22.
· The second caution waved immediately following the restart. Carmichael and crew elected to not pit. He lined up eighth on the restart.
· On lap 40 Carmichael, while running sixth, displayed his expert driving skills when another competitor turned him sideways while running in the lead pack going over 180 miles per hour. The No. 4 Monster Energy Chevrolet first jerked right and then left before Carmichael regained control of the vehicle without hitting anything.
· Just 10 laps following the save by Carmichael disaster struck the Monster Energy Team once again. He was running 10th when a multi-car crash transpired in the tri-oval. Carmichael was running the high line when the crash transpired in the low lane and then moved up the race track. Carmichael had nowhere to go and sustained substantial damage to the No. 4 Monster Energy Chevrolet.
· Carmichael retired from the event on lap 50 in the 31st position.
Dakoda Armstrong won the Talladega ARCA 150. Patrick Sheltra, Tim George, Craig Goess and Mikey Kyle rounded out the top five finishers.
FAST FACTS:
· The caution flag flew four times for 28 laps during the 94 lap event.
· Carmichael will return to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series this week at Kansas Speedway. The sixth Truck Series event of the season will take place Sunday, May 2nd.
RICKY CARMICHAEL: “That is what happens when you race at Talladega. I am no expert when it comes to plate racing, but the guys out here just don’t have a clue. They watch cup practice and think that you can just slam into the back of each other. I had one guy hit me so hard it jerked my steering wheel out of my hand. Then you just end up with a bunch of wrecked race cars. I hate it for my guys. They have worked so hard during the two Truck Series off weekends for me to be able to run these races. We will put this behind us and take the No. 4 Monster Energy Chevrolet next week to Kansas.”
-TMS-
CARMICHAEL: ARCA TALLADEGA RECAP
