Tracy Leslie - Brian Norton Photo
The 1988 ARCA Permatex Series champion held off Charlie Glotzbach and David Simko on Michigan International Speedway's two-mile oval to earn his first triumph since July of 1989 at Talladega, Ala., and the seventh of his career.
Leslie won $13,075 as he averaged 130.293 miles per hour in the race slowed by five caution flags for 20 laps. The speed in the first ARCA race here in 10 years broke the event record of 119.681 miles per hour by Joe Ruttman. That came in July of 1980 in the last ARCA 200-miler run here.
The winner led twice for a total of 31 of the 100 laps, including the last 27 trips around the high-banked oval.
Bob Keselowski, the defending series champion, dominated early, leading 60 of the first 65 laps before going out with an engine problem.
The final caution came on lap 93 when Bob Schacht spun. That allowed Glotzbach, who won his first ARCA race in more than a decade last month at Talladega Superspeedway, to pull up right behind Leslie's Oldsmobile Cutlass.
The green flag waved with four laps remaining and, after a brief challenge from Glotzbach's Buick Regal, Leslie pulled away, winning by about 10 car-lengths.
Simko, driving a Pontiac Grand Prix, then took a shot at Glotzbach, but had to settle for third place, coming up about one car-length short.
Clay Young was fourth, followed by Bill Venturini, series point leader Bob Brevak, Scott Stovall and Greg Trammell.
There were no serious accidents and no injuries reported in; the race before an estimated crowd of 45,000.
Results –
1. Tracy Leslie, Mt. Clemens, Mich.
2. Charlie Glotzbach, Sellersburg, Ind.
3. David Simko, Clarkston, Mich.
4. Clay Young, Smyrna, Ga.
5. Bill Venturini, Chicago, Ill.
6. Bob Brevak, Ashland. Wis.
7. Scott Stovall, Fort Wayne, Ind.
8. Greg Trammell, Dawsonville, Ga.
9. Chris Gehrke, Lincoln, Ill.
10. Cecil Eunice, Blackshear. Ga.
11. Carl Miskotten, Fort Wayne, Ind.
12. Ben Ness, Wooster, Ohio
13. Graham Taylor, Port Royal, Pa.
14. H.B. Bailey, Houston, Tex.
15. Dave Jensen, Grain Valley, Mo.
16. Bobby Bowsher, Springfield, Ohio
17. Keith Waid, Ouinton, Ala.
18. Joe Niemiroski, Suffield, Conn.
19. Del Markle, Fowlersville, Mich.
20. Bobby Gerhart, Lebanon, Pa.
21. Gary Weinbroer, Brookpark, Ohio
22. J.D. McDuffie, Sanford, N.C.
23. Don LaDuke, Fraser, Mich.
24. Bob Schacht, Lexington. S.C.
25. Gary Hawes, Taylor, Mich.
26. Sonny Gupta, Raleigh, N.C.
27. Tom Bigelow, Winchester, Ind.
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