ARCA RACING SERIES REVIEW: CHICAGOLAND SPEEDWAY
MOORESVILLE, N.C. (September 19, 2017) – Thursday’s ARCA Racing Series (ARS) Scott 150 at Chicagoland Speedway located in Joliet, Ill., was packed with drama. For the second consecutive week, MDM Motorsports picked up the General Tire Pole Award and scored a top-five finish. Brandon Jones, driving the Australian Gold No. 8, led the Mooresville, N.C., organization with a third-place finish.
NASCAR XFINITY Series (NXS) regular Brandon Jones made his ARS return Thursday and did so in style, scoring a pole award and another third-place finish. Kyle Benjamin, a two-time winner for MDM Motorsports this season, started 8th in the CRC Industries entry and worked his way inside the top-five midway through the 150-mile event. A hectic restart in the closing laps relegated the Easley, S.C., driver to a 12th-place finish. Sheldon Creed piloted the No. 28 Davey Allison ARCA Throwback paint scheme entry with sponsorship from United Rentals and A.M. Ortega. He qualified 14th and was working his way towards the front in the first couple of laps when he was caught up in an incident, ending his night early. He went on to finish 31st in the event.
Brandon Jones, driver of the Australian Gold No. 8… Jones entered the Scott 150 to gain track time prior to Saturday’s NXS event. He won the General Tire Pole Award and led several laps behind the wheel of the No. 8 entry. Jones picked up an ARS victory at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Mich., on June 16, and was looking to do the same at Chicagoland. Following a very entertaining final restart, Jones was able to rally to a strong third-place finish.
Jones on Chicagoland: “Our Australian Gold Chevrolet was so strong this weekend at Chicagoland Speedway. Despite an early draw in qualifying, we were able to sit on the pole and start the race from the front of the field for the third time in three races this season. We were really fast early in the race, but the car started to slip away from us a little as the night progressed. We had a four-tire stop with some adjustments toward the end of the race, when I think we had a bad set of tires. The changes impacted the car a lot more than we expected and we got really free during that run. Fortunately, there was a late restart, which gave us a chance to get the tires cooled down and come back to finish third.”
Kyle Benjamin, driver of the CRC Industries No. 41… Benjamin made his return to MDM Motorsports for the first time since his win at Winchester Speedway. This weekend, with support from CRC Industries, the Easley, S.C., native made the trip to the Windy City. Working with crew chief Mardy Lindley, he qualified 8th and fought a loose race car during the event. Benjamin was able to drive into the top-five but was shuffled back on the last restart. He went on to finish 12th.
Benjamin on Chicagoland: “We had a solid car, just fought a lack of forward drive. Track position was super important all night long and we just weren’t able to get the track position we needed, when we needed it. At one point, at that last restart it looked like we might steal at top-five but it wasn’t meant to be.”
Sheldon Creed, driver of the United Rentals / A.M. Ortega No. 28… Creed made the trip to Chicagoland Speedway looking to pick up his eighth top-10 finish in nine starts. He fought a loose race car from the beginning of the weekend. After a solid 14th-place qualifying effort, the Alpine, Calif., native began the race strong, moving and looked as if he was going to have yet another strong ARS run. However, he was caught up in someone else’s mistake just a few laps into the race. The damaged sustained in the incident was too severe to continue and led to a 31st-place finish. Creed will return to the ARS next Friday at Kentucky Speedway located in Sparta, Ky., with MDM Motorsports.
Creed on Chicagoland: “It wasn’t a great day for us. But that’s how racing goes. We didn’t get a lot of laps in the race, so it is hard to say for sure but I think we actually made a lot of good changes before the race. The car felt solid at the start. I hate it for my guys and for everyone that supports me. We’ll regroup and get them at Kentucky.”
The ARCA Racing Series Presented by Menards will return to action at Kentucky Speedway for the running of the Crosley 150 next Friday, September 22, on FS1. For more information about MDM Motorsports, please visit www.MDMMotorsports.com.
