| | Associated Press
TALLADEGA, Ala. -- David Keith earned his second ARCA stock
car victory of the season on Saturday by winning the Winn-Dixie 300 -- a race marred by an eight-car crash that sent three drivers to the hospital.
Randal Ritter and Cavin Councilor both were flown by helicopter
to Carraway Methodist Medical Center in Birmingham, about 40 miles
from Talladega Superspeedway, after the violent accident on lap 58
of the 113-lap event.
Mark Gibson, also injured in the crash, was taken to the
same hospital by ambulance.
All three were awake and alert when they left the track, and all were admitted to the hospital's intensive care unit. Track
officials said Councilor had a possible spleen injury, Ritter was
diagnosed with a sternal hematoma and Gibson was being kept
overnight for observation.
Keith, who started the season with a victory in Daytona -- his
second ARCA win -- was making his eighth start of the season. He led
a race-high 40 laps and was working hard to hold off former series
champion Tim Steele when a crash by Ed Curtis on lap 109 brought
out the ninth caution flag of the afternoon and ended the duel for
the lead. Keith averaged 118.923 mph.
The race ended under the yellow flag with Kirk Shelmerdine, Matt
Hutter, Bobby Gerhart, Shawna Robinson and Lyndon Amick following
Keith and Steele across the finish line in single file.
Frank Kimmel, the 1998 series champion, finished a lap down in
13th and wrapped up his second title with just one race remaining.
He entered the race with a 300-point lead over Bob Strait, who
was involved in the multicar crash and finished 33rd. | |
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