Photo – GMS Racing facebook page
Grant Enfinger is our guest on Fan4Racing NASCAR Weekend Preview on Thursday, September 10, 2015 at 9 pm ET. Call 929-477-1790 or tweet @Fan4RacingSite or @SteveOnTheGrid with any questions or comments during our LIVE broadcast.
For the second consecutive year, Grant Enfinger and his No. 23 team are coming home victorious from the ‘Magic Mile’ of dirt track racing in the Southern Illinois 100 presented by Federated Car Care at DuQuoin State Fairgrounds with GMS Racing. This is Enfingers’ fifth ARCA Racing Series victory of the 2015 season.
Earlier on Monday, Enfinger won the pole award to start the 100-lap event from the front row. From the beginning of the race, Enfinger pulled away from the rest of the field, leading the first 13 laps on the one-mile oval.
Reporting to he crew chief Jeff Stankiewicz that he was loose in turn one, the pit crew made minimal air pressure adjustments during a routine four-tire pit stop to help tighten the loose condition. Enfinger restarted in the 12th position.
On lap 48, Enfinger raced his way into the second spot before reporting to his crew that the motor was overheating and losing water. Fortunately, the caution flag flew on lap 52 and Enfinger came down pit road and the GMS Racing crew hooked up the cool down unit to replenish the water and clean the radiator from dirt build up before returning to the field in the 14th position.
Enfinger reported the water pressure gauge was reading zero and returned to pit road giving his crew the time to remove the dirt from the radiator and add a splash of fuel. Rejoining the field, Enfinger battled his way back into third position before a caution came out on lap 98.
On the last restart, under green-white-checkered conditions, Enfinger passed the No. 22 of Kyle Weatherman entering turn two for the lead on lap 103. The last lap pass allowed Enfinger to bring home the victory for his No. 23 GMS Racing team.
“That was definitely a crazy race for us,” said the race winner during a post-race interview. “The Good Lord was looking out for us today. I felt like we were the class of the field until around lap 50. We were behind Frank Kimmel and the water temperature reached well over 300 degrees causing the motor to overheat. Fortunately a caution occurred at the right time and the GMS Racing team was able to put water back in the radiator before any serious damage occurred. Once we got past that I was ready to get back to the front.
“I can’t thank GMS Racing enough for the quality of equipment that we are bringing to the track each and every week. Thank you to all of my supporters: Triple-K Construction, Baldwin Container Company, Allegiant Travel and WURTH U.S.A.”
Next up for the ARCA Racing Series is the Federated Car Care Fall Classic 200 at Salem Speedway on September 19th, with live coverage on ARCARacing.com