More than 20 drivers made their way to Kentucky Speedway on Thursday to participate in a full day ARCA RE/MAX Series open test session designed to serve as a warm-up for the Friday, July 13 WLWT Channel 5-150 at 1.5-mile superspeedway.

Unofficially, Pete Shepherd, in a No. 99 Roush Fenway Racing Ford, posted the quickest time and speed (30.59 seconds/176.528 mph). Shepherd, a native of Brampton, Ontario, made his ARCA RE/MAX Series debut in 2006, finishing a career best fourth in his first series attempt at Gateway Int'l Raceway.

Shepherd is a veteran of CASCAR and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. His grandfather, Bill Zardo, raced ARCA-sanctioned Late Models at Flat Rock Speedway during his racing career.

Shepherd was followed closely on the speed charts by Robb Brent, who attended the Kentucky test under the tutelage of the Keselowski family. Brent was unofficially quickest early in the session but ended his day after making contact with the outside wall coming off of turn four.

Brian Scott, making his ARCA RE/MAX Series debut, was unofficially clocked third quickest. Scott spun his Country Joe Racing Dodge coming out of turn four but did not make contact with the wall. Colleyville, Texas native Ryan Lawler, also making his ARCA debut, was unofficially fourth quickest.

2007 ARCA RE/MAX Series national championship point contenders Michael McDowell and Justin South also tested, unofficially posting the fifth and sixth quickest times. They were followed on the speed charts by not one, but two Kimmels. Eight time and defending ARCA RE/MAX Series champion Frank Kimmel and his nephew Will (son of Frank's crew chief/brother Bill Kimmel and a crew member on the No. 46 Pork Ford) both tested. Will, who is 19 years old, tested an ARCA RE/MAX Series car at Daytona Int'l Speedway last December and is an accomplished Late Model racer at Salem Speedway in Southern Indiana.

ARCA RE/MAX Series Rookie of the Year contenders Phillip McGilton (left), in a Brewco Motorsports Ford, and Patrick Sheltra, in a Premier Motorsports Chevrolet, each experienced their share of problems during the test session. McGilton backed his No. 47 SIPerformance Ford into the turn two wall after spinning during the afternoon portion of the full day test. Sheltra's day ended early after his team experienced engine problems.

Rob Bunker, in the No. 4 Cunningham Motorsports Dodge, spun late during the practice session but did not make contact with the wall.  Bunker's car owner, Kerry Scherer, is currently third in the 2007 Hoosier Tire Superspeedway Challenge Championship behind Bill Gerhart and Ray Evernham. The upcoming WLWT Channel 5-150 at Kentucky Speedway could play an integral role in deciding the 2007 Hoosier Tire Superspeedway Challenge, which is a $62,500 total point fund within the 23-race ARCA RE/MAX Series schedule and includes race events at Daytona, Nashville, Kentucky, Pocono, Michigan, Kansas, Gateway, Chicagoland and Talladega.

The ARCA RE/MAX Series, now in its 55th consecutive year of competition, will make the second and final 2007 appearance to Kentucky Speedway on July 13th for the WLWT Channel 5-150. The race marks the ARCA RE/MAX Series' 15th appearance to Kentucky since the track's inception in 2000. The ARCA RE/MAX Series heads into Kentucky during what has become its most competitive era ever; The series has seen 24 different winners in the last 33 events, beginning with Kraig Kinser's trip to victory lane at Talladega Superspeedway in September of 2005.

With 11 of 23 events completed in 2007, the ARCA RE/MAX Series has only seen two repeat race winners; Chad McCumbee (Nashville, Pocono) and Erik Darnell (Kentucky, Michigan). Other 2007 race winners include Bobby Gerhart (Daytona), James Buescher (Lakeland), Brian Keselowski (Salem), Scott Lagasse, Jr. (Kansas), Billy Leslie (Winchester), Ken Butler III (Toledo) and Frank Kimmel (Iowa).

The WLWT Channel 5-150 at Kentucky Speedway rolls off LIVE on SPEED at 8 p.m. Eastern on Friday, July 13, 2007. Tickets are available by calling Kentucky Speedway at (888) 652-RACE.

SOURCE: NASCAR Communications