Mikey Kile wins ARCA Wildlife 200

Mikey Kile needed a late caution in the Racing for Wildlife 200 ARCA Racing Series event at Michigan International Speedway on Friday, got it, unlike last week at Pocono, and posted his first victory in 16 attempts on the circuit.

It appeared pole-sitter Craig Goess had the field covered, leading from the start, until he pitted under green with 25 laps remaining in the 100-lap event. But a caution appeared when Chase Mattioli spun out. That allowed Kile, who was running second, to pit under yellow, assume the lead and he was never threatened after that.

Kile saw just the opposite situation the previous week at Pocono when he led for 67 laps of the 80-lap event and appeared ready to win when a late caution flag pushed him back in the field with Goess taking advantage of the situation for his first win this season.

“I think all the racing Gods were with us this week," said Kile, the 27-year-old from Westlake, La. “We led most of the laps last week at Pocono and came up short when we got a caution we didn’t need, but the roles were reversed today and a caution came out when we needed it."

Kile was the sixth different first-time winner this year and seventh different winner in eight races.

“I didn’t know who I was racing and who was on the lead lap after the caution," Kile said. “I didn’t know if I was racing the 81 (Goess) or what. I felt like us and the 81 were the class of the field. I figured if we didn’t get another caution after that we would be in good shape."

Goess finished sixth and was the last car on the lead lap after going a lap down during the late caution period.

“We ran away from everybody all day," Goess said. “You can’t come back from being a lap down. What will help me sleep tonight is that were the dominant car all day. It was a solid weekend for us."
Joey Coulter finished second followed by current ARCA points leader Patrick Sheltra, Justin Marks and Frank Kimmel.

There is plenty of track action at Michigan International Speedway on Saturday. NASCAR Camping World Truck Series takes the track for VFW 200 practice and qualifying; and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers take final practices for Sunday’s Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400.

Results

FIN

STR NO DRIVER/HOMETOWN TEAM & CAR LAPS STATUS
1 2 25 Mikey Kile/Westlake LA Sears Auto Center-DieHard Toyota 100 Running
2 8 16 Joey Coulter/Miami Springs FL Rip It Energy Fuel-Darrell Gwynn Foundation Chevrolet 100 Running
3 3 60 Patrick Sheltra/Indiantown FL Recycling Services-Ferguson Pipe Toyota 100 Running
4 12 32 Justin Marks/Rocklin CA Construct Corps Toyota 100 Running
5 9 44 Frank Kimmel/Clarksville IN Ansell-Menards Ford 100 Running
6 1 81 Craig Goess/Greenville NC Greenville Toyota of NC Toyota 100 Running
7 18 29 Chad Finley/Lansing MI Auto Value Service Centers-Air Lift Company Chevrolet 99 Running
8 14 31 Tim George Jr./New York NY RCR Development Chevrolet 99 Running
9 10 11 Bryan Silas/Stuart FL Rockingham Speedway-PBG Ford 99 Running
10 19 36 Robb Brent/Shelby Township MI Orchard Chrysler Dodge Jeep Dodge 99 Running
11 6 22 Dakoda Armstrong/New Castle IN Ferrellgas Dodge 99 Running
12 5 6 Nelson Piquet/Brasilia Brazil Qualcomm-ESR Development Toyota 99 Running
13 27 15 Alli Owens/Daytona Beach FL ElectrifyingCareers.com Chevrolet 99 Running
14 16 5 Bobby Gerhart/Lebanon PA Lucas Oil Chevrolet 99 Running
15 13 77 Tom Hessert/Cherry Hill NJ Cherry Hill Classic Cars Dodge 98 Running
16 22 27 Michael Simko/Clarkston MI Wolverine Power Systems Chevrolet 98 Running
17 15 1 Chad McCumbee/Supply NC Modspace-Red Cross Disaster Relief Ford 98 Running
18 21 82 Sean Corr/Goshen NY Empire Racing LLC Ford 97 Running
19 28 14 Nick Igdalsky/Long Pond PA Modspace-Red Cross Disaster Relief Ford 95 Running
20 23 58 Chad Hackenbracht/New Philadelphia OH Tastee Carmel Apples Chevrolet 95 Running
21 24 76 Jerick Johnson/Faribault MN American Legion-David Law Firm Chevrolet 94 Running
22 30 23 Frank Wilson/Belmont WV Drug Testing Centers of America Chevrolet 94 Running
23 26 17 Chase Mattioli/Long Pond PA JoinAPS.com-Shriners Hospital Ford 93 Running
24 34 26 Brad Smith/Shelby Township MI ApplianceZone.com Ford 92 Running
25 33 34 Darrell Basham/Henryville IN Darrell Basham Racing Chevrolet 92 Running
26 25 70 Tony Palumbo/Frankfort IL NOTW Ford 91 Running
27 29 7 Kent Schenkel/Huntington IN Schenkel Racing Dodge 91 Running
28 38 10 Rick Clifton/Circleville OH Fast Track High Performance Driving School Chevrolet 90 Running
29 20 3 Brent Brevak/Ashland WI Brevak Racing Dodge 84 Running
30 36 48 James Hylton/Inman SC Radon.com Ford 83 Running
31 35 28 Rob Jones/Bowie MD Hixson Construction Chevrolet 80 Running
32 40 94 Jason Basham/Henryville IN Darrell Basham Racing Chevrolet 77 Wheel Bearing
33 7 55 Steve Arpin/Fort Frances ON Mike's Hard Lemonade Chevrolet 68 Overheating
34 4 42 Clay Rogers/Troutman NC Beard Oil-Conoco Philips Lubricants Chevrolet 67 Clutch
35 17 09 Grant Enfinger/Fairhope AL BeasleyAllen.com-Roush Yates Performance Products Ford 53 Alternator
36 11 99 Josh Richards/Shinnston WV Will Kinser Autism-Roush Yates Performance Products Ford 25 Accident
37 31 30 Terry Jones/Amherstburg ON Jones Group Racing Dodge 22 Engine
38 37 06 Dennis Strickland/Carleton MI Wayne Peterson Racing Ford 17 Engine
39 32 59 Mark Gibson/Winder GA G Force Racing Dodge 4 Handling
40 41 96 Mike Buckley/Ann Arbor MI ApplianceZone.com Ford 3 Battery
41 39 68 Larry Meadors/Louisville KY Mark Gibson Racing Chevrolet 1 Handling

MENARDS POLE AWARD PRESENTED BY ANSELL:
Craig Goess 38.490 (187.062 mph)
MRGN OF VICT: 4.637 CAUTIONS: 2 for 13 laps
TIME OF RACE: 1:21:51 AVG SPEED: 146.610
LAP LEADERS: Goess, 1-74 (74); Kile, 75-100 (26)