DuQuoin: Scott Speed race report

Speed Remains Championship Points Leader; Finishes 8th at DuQuoin

DuQuoin, Ill. (September 1, 2008) -- Scott Speed endured the second and final dirt race of the 2008 ARCA RE/MAX Series season on Labor Day at DuQuoin State Fairgrounds. Speed and his No. 2 Red Bull team battled the Illinois heat and humidity to finish in the 8th position and retain the Championship Points lead.

"I am glad that the dirt races are over," said Speed. "To finish eighth at both of them and hang on to our points lead was great. Now we can get back to racing on asphalt and try to get those points back that we lost."

Speed, in true fashion, arrived at the fairgrounds wearing a pair of camouflage overalls and a straw hat. Wrestling a tight-handling Red Bull Toyota for much of the day, Speed qualified 14th for the Southern Illinois 100. Speed and the Red Bull team battled for 102 laps to take the checkered flag in the eighth position. The finish marks the team's 11th consecutive top-10 of the season.

Speed lost a little ground but continues to lead the ARCA RE/MAX Series point standings by 75 points over second-place Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.

-credit: esr