ARCA Season Ends at Atlanta

After a two day delay due to rain, the Automobile Racing Clubs of America (ARCA) season finally came to a close at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Monday, November 20th. Coming from one lap back in the final stages of the race, Points Runner - Up Bob Strait took the checkered flag in the Georgia Boot 400.

On the final restart of the race, Strait dived below Shawna Robinson and Justin Labonte with three laps to go and took the lead. He then outdistanced six other cars to the flag to claim victory. Others on the lead lap at the finish were David Keith, Damon Lusk, Shawna Robinson, and Kerry Earnhardt.

The race was significant for Robinson, who became the first female driver to complete the entire ARCA season. She also became the first woman to finish in the ARCA top ten in points for a season. For much of the race she was the class of the field, but restarts proved to be her downfall, and she ended the season without a visit to victory lane. She commented that she was looking for sponsorship for next season, and this race didn't help any, but somehow, I feel there will be sponsors lined up at her garage door, with the exceptional season she had in 2000.

As a result of his 8th place finish in the race, Rookie Brian Ross clinched the Prestone ARCA Rookie of the Year title. Ross, who is from Plymouth, Indiana, ended the season in fourth place in overall points standings.

Final season points standings saw Frank Kimmel take the championship, followed by Bob Strait, Tim Steele, Brian Ross, Bobby Gerhart, Shawna Robinson, Mark Gibson, Joe Cooksey, Norm Benning, and Andy Belmont completed the top ten.

ARCA will recognize these drivers, their crews, as well as others at its annual awards banquet in Cincinnati, Ohio on December 9th. Congratulations to all of the drivers, owners and crews who made the 3000 ARCA Bondo/Mar-Hyde season one of the most competitive and entertaining in recent memory.

The race was also notable because it was one of the few races in recent memory which was run on the same day and track as a NASCAR Winston Cup Race. Due to the rain, the ARCA race was held immediately following the NASCAR event at Atlanta.

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