Holmes Records Career-Best ARCA Finish at Salem
(MUNFORD, AL) -Bret Holmes recorded a career best third-place finish in Saturday’s ARCA Racing Series race at Salem Speedway (IN). The Munford, Alabama driver now has three top-five finishes and has not finished outside of the top 10 in his five ARCA starts this season.
“It felt great, but we definitely have some more potential,” Holmes said. “I’m glad our team could rack up another good finish, but we want more than that. Our goal going into every race is to win, and when we don’t we improve on what can make us better.”
Due to rain showers in the area, qualifying was canceled and the starting lineup for the race was set by practice times, putting Holmes 12th on the grid.
Under the first caution, Holmes took two tires while the majority of the field took four, including the leader. A long green-flag run followed and the 19-year-old driver found himself a lap down; however, he was able to get back on the lead lap under the next caution. In the end, the call by his crew chief, 2015 ARCA Racing Series Champion Grant Enfinger, paid off. Un
“I really think if we had a little more drive off of the corners, the results would have been different,” said Holmes. “If I didn’t have to start on the tail of the field after getting that and with four fresh tires, the results would have been different. We were the fastest car at the end we just really didn’t need to get lapped there. Grant made a great call to wait to take all four tires at the end unlike the other teams and that helped us tremendously at the end. Luckily we gambled right on the cautions and it played in our favor.”
Holmes returns to Five Flags Speedway (FL) next weekend where he will solidify his 2016 Pro Late Model championship. He will then make his sixth of seven ARCA Racing Series starts on September 23 at Kentucky Speedway.
For more on Bret Holmes, visit www.bretholmes.com, and be sure to follow him on Twitter, @BretHolmes2.
Sources: 51 Sports