BIG ONE AT TALLADEGA ENDS CARMICHAEL'S DAY

RICKY
CARMICHAEL/ NO. 4 MONSTER ENERGY CHEVROLET RACE RECAP

VENUE:
TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY (2.66
MILE-TRI-OVAL)

CIRCUIT:
ARCA RACING SERIES PRESENTED BY REMAX &
MENARDS ( RACE 5 of 20)

EVENT:
TALLADEGA ARCA 250 (94 LAPS,250 MILES)

DATE:
APRIL 23, 2010

START:
14^th

FINISH:
31^th

RACE
RECAP:

·        
Qualifying
for the Talladega ARCA 150 was held Thursday afternoon under clear blue skies.
Carmichael improved on his fastest time from practice earlier in the day and
secured the 14^th qualifying position.

·        
“The
key today is to be smart and stay out of trouble,” radioed Carmichael to his
crew just before the drop of the green flag at the famed superspeedway. “Be on
your toes today boys.”

·        
By
lap 10 Carmichael had worked his way into the top 10. “The temperature is
running hot,” he said on lap 11. Crew Chief Mike Fritts advised Carmichael to
move out of the racing line to allow the front grill of the Monster Energy
Chevrolet fresh air. 

·        
While
running in the eighth position Carmichael radioed back into his crew, “it is
still running hot so I am going to drop back and find some clean air.”  While running in the 14^th
position the first caution waved on lap 17.

·        
Carmichael
came down pit road to the attention of the Monster Energy Chevrolet Pit Crew.
They added fuel and pulled off tape from the front grill. “The temperature
should come down now that we have removed some of the tape from the front
grill,” said Fritts. Carmichael restarted in 15^th spot on lap
22. 

·        
The
second caution waved immediately following the restart. Carmichael and crew
elected to not pit. He lined up eighth on the
restart.

·        
On
lap 40 Carmichael, while running sixth, displayed his expert driving skills when
another competitor turned him sideways while running in the lead pack going over
180 miles per hour. The No. 4 Monster Energy Chevrolet first jerked right and
then left before Carmichael regained control of the vehicle without hitting
anything.

·        
Just
10 laps following the save by Carmichael disaster struck the Monster Energy Team
once again. He was running 10^th when a multi-car crash transpired in
the tri-oval. Carmichael was running the high line when the crash transpired in
the low lane and then moved up the race track. Carmichael had nowhere to go and
sustained substantial damage to the No. 4 Monster Energy Chevrolet.

·        
Carmichael
retired from the event on lap 50 in the 31^st position. 

Dakoda Armstrong won the Talladega ARCA
150. Patrick Sheltra, Tim George, Craig Goess and Mikey Kyle rounded out the top
five finishers.

FAST
FACTS:

·        
The
caution flag flew four times for 28 laps during the 94 lap event.

·        
Carmichael
will return to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series this week at Kansas
Speedway. The sixth Truck Series event of the season will take place Sunday, May
2^nd.

RICKY CARMICHAEL:
“That
is what happens when you race at Talladega. I am no expert when it comes to
plate racing, but the guys out here just don’t have a clue. They watch cup
practice and think that you can just slam into the back of each other.  I had one guy hit me so hard it jerked my
steering wheel out of my hand. Then you just end up with a bunch of wrecked race
cars. I hate it for my guys. They have worked so hard during the two Truck
Series off weekends for me to be able to run these races. We will put this
behind us and take the No. 4 Monster Energy Chevrolet  next week to Kansas.”