ARCA: Tight title battle ahead of Toledo.

With four races left on the 2010 schedule Patrick Sheltra (Sheltra Motorsports) and Tom Hessert (Cunningham Motorsports) are tied for the lead of the ARCA Remax series championship, and head to the Toledo Speedway this weekend for the Northwest Ohio Ford Dealers 200 with everything to fight for.


And with third placed man Craig Goess (Eddie Sharp Racing) just five more points behind the leading duo top spot in the championship could belong to any one of the three by the time the series leaves Toledo.


In a highly open and competitive season 13 drivers have claimed victories in the 16 races run so far. 11 of those were first time ARCA race winners, setting a new series record for maiden victories.


Joint-leader Sheltra is one of only two double winners in 2010. The Florida native has two victories to his name, having claimed back-to-back triumphs in the Allen Crowe 100 and Chicagoland 150 last month.


However the other multiple winner isn’t involved in the title battle. Venturini Motorsports’ Steve Arpin has racked up three race victories in 2010, but a handful of bad results and the fact that he’s missed two events leave the Canadian down in 13th in the standings.


Still in with a title shout – despite failing to make it to victory lane in 2010 – is ARCA legend Frank Kimmel (Kimmel Racing), the nine-time series champion. He’s set to make his 31st consecutive start at Toledo this weekend, having debuted at the track in 1990. Kimmel currently sits fourth in the title battle, but could still haul in the leading trio to claim an incredible 10th ARCA championship.


"Toledo is a racetrack that has been very good to me over the years," said the Indiana-born driver.


"Having so much past success at a particular track definitely helps boost the team's confidence heading into a race weekend," added Kimmel, who in 30 career starts at Toledo has earned nine wins, taken 22 top-five finishes, won three poles and led a total of 1,113 laps.


After the Toledo event ARCA heads to Salem Speedway (September 18) and Kansas Speedway (September 30) before concluding at Rockingham Speedway on October 8 with the American 200.

Watch ARCA highlights as part of Motors TV's winter programming.


James Weeks.