ARCA

Kentucky II: Tom Hessert race report

TOM HESSERT BRINGS HOME FIRST TOP-10 FINISH ON A 1.5-MILE OVAL AT KENTUCKY Sparta, KY -- ARCA RE/MAX Series driver Tom Hessert III brought the No. 09 Cherry Hill Classic Cars Ford home with a 10th place finish after Saturday night's Click It or ...

Published: Oct 2, 2009, 4:38 PM

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TOM HESSERT BRINGS HOME FIRST TOP-10 FINISH ON A 1.5-MILE OVAL AT KENTUCKY

Sparta, KY -- ARCA RE/MAX Series driver Tom Hessert III brought the No. 09 Cherry Hill Classic Cars Ford home with a 10th place finish after Saturday night's Click It or Ticket Buckle-Up Kentucky 150 at Kentucky Speedway. Hessert, who ran in the top-five for much of the night, restarted 12th following the evening's final caution before battling for his first top-10 finish with RAB Racing.

During Friday's practice sessions, the No. 09 team made small adjustments in preparation for qualifying. Hessert toured the 1.5-mile D-shaped oval in 31.109 seconds (173.583 mph) earning a 17th place starting position for Saturday night's main event.

The Cherry Hill, NJ native wasted no time in making a charge towards the front of the 43-car field and raced competitively inside the top-10 throughout the opening 30 laps. Hessert was happy with the handling on the No. 09 Cherry Hill Classic Cars Ford through the first half of the race and even entered the top-5 just prior to half-way which is where he stayed until the evening's last caution.

Crew chief Keith Hinkein took advantage of the yellow flag and brought the No. 09 machine down pit road one last time for two right side tires and fuel. When green flag racing resumed, Hessert was scored 12th.

Due to taking right side tires only, Hessert started experiencing tight handling conditions on his No. 09 Cherry Hill Classic Cars Ford. Although he would make one final rally into the top-10 before the checkered flag, the No. 09 team would settle for a 10th place finish in the 150-mile event.

"Kentucky was a great weekend for us," stated Hessert. "We were very competitive and ran in the top 5 and 10 for the entire race. At the end of the race we were too tight to have a top five finish, but coming out of there with our first top ten as a team was great. We learned a lot throughout the weekend about our intermediate program and I am really excited for the next race with this car."

Next up for Tom Hessert and RAB Racing is the Wolverine Power Systems 200 presented by Generac from Berlin Raceway on Saturday, July 25th at 8:30 p.m. ET. Hessert looks to top his previous finish of ninth at Berlin Raceway last July in the ARCA RE/MAX Series with another strong performance in the No. 09 Cherry Hills Classic Cars Ford this weekend.

"Berlin has always been a good track for me," said Hessert. "It's a very unique race track, very short and the surface is very slick. I have had some success there in the past in open wheel races, midgets and super modified. Last year I finished 9th and I expect to be even better this year with RAB Racing."

-credit: rabr

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