SALEM, Ind. — Justin Allgaier fought off  Ken Schrader in the final laps to win Sunday afternoon’s Kentuckiana Ford Dealers 200 ARCA RE/MAX Series race at Salem Speedway.
Allgaier, with eight lead-lap machines lined up directly behind, also endured a green-white-checkered finish en route to his third career victory and second consecutive at the historic-half-mile Indiana oval. Allgaier became the first driver to win back-to-back at Salem since Shelby Howard swept both races in 2003. 

YOUTH AND VETERAN: Justin Allgaier (16) leads Ken Schrader to the checkered flag Sunday at Salem (Ind.) Speedway. (ARCA Photo)

“Wow, that was fun,” said Allgaier. “Kenny battled us all night. It felt like I followed him forever. We were out of tires with 20 to go. He (Schrader) pitted to get his last set with 15 to go. He was right on my bumper; he was fast, but he just couldn’t get a run on us. I can’t tell you how much this means to me. To win this race, holding off Kenny Schrader; I mean, the guy’s my hero. I can’t tell you how much I look up to him. He helped get me my start in racing. And to be the first driver to win back-to-back since Shelby Howard is really something.”
Schrader, on fresher tires, pressured the eventual winner continuously during the last 20 laps but could not find a way around Allgaier, who led the final 36 circuits.
“It wasn’t like we weren’t trying,” said Schrader, who won the pole and led 100 laps. “We wanted the win as much as Justin did. But it was a pretty good weekend overall for the Federated Auto Parts Dodge crew; I’ll take it. And I couldn’t be happier for the Allgaiers. They’re a first-class family. I’ve known them a long time. Justin earned it today. He’s one heck of a good racer. I’m looking forward to running Rockingham and Toledo.”

REWARDED: ARCA RE/MAX Series winner Justin Allgaier gets a kiss in victory lane Sunday at Salem (Ind.) Speedway. (ARCA Photo)

Matt Carter, in Larry Clement’s No. 46 Stine Seed-Hantz Group-Pork Ford, was in the mix all afternoon and finished third after leading 60 laps. Carter’s finish also earned him the SunTrust Rookie of the Race honors.
“I thought we were going to be able to have a pretty good battle going for a while there, but we had to pit with about 20 to go to put a pair of right-side tires on,” said Carter. “We had a right rear that was starting to come apart. The Stine Seed Ford was really good and I think that our performance here today really showed everybody that this 46 car can come here and race competitively.”
Eight-time Salem winner Frank Kimmel, in the No. 44 Interstate Equipment Ford, battled back to finish fourth after a few on-track skirmishes that resulted in unscheduled pit stops.
Formula One veteran Scott Speed, making his career-first short-track start, steered the Red Bull Toyota to a career-best fifth-place finish.
The finish:
Showing driver, car and laps completed: 1. Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 204; 2. Ken Schrader, Dodge, 204; 3. Matt Carter, Ford, 204; 4. Frank Kimmel, Ford, 204; 5. Scott Speed, Toyota, 204; 6. Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., Ford, 204; 7. John Wes Townley, Ford, 204; 8. Bryan Silas, Chevrolet, 204; 9. Terry Jones, Dodge, 204; 10. Norm Benning, Chevrolet, 201; 11. Patrick Sheltra, Chevrolet, 200; 12. Chase Mattioli, Dodge, 198; 13. Michel Disdier, Ford, 197; 14. Ryan Hackett, Ford, 197; 15. Tom Hessert III, Ford, 196; 16. Darrell Basham, Chevrolet, 196; 17. Ron Cox, Chevrolet, 196; 18. Brad Smith, Ford, 194; 19. Justin Lofton, Dodge, 192; 20. Ken Butler III, Toyota, 161; 21. Mike Harmon, Chevrolet, 152; 22. Dexter Bean, Chevrolet, 135; 23. Bobby Gerhart, Chevrolet, 128; 24. Jake Francis, Chevrolet, 121; 25. Gabi DiCarlo, Dodge, 112; 26. Brett Hudson, Chevrolet, 88; 27. Dominick Casola, Dodge, 73; 28. Kory Rabenold, Chevrolet, 71; 29. Donny Kelley, Chevrolet, 62; 30. Billy Leslie, Ford, 53; 31. Tayler Malsam, Dodge, 30; 32. Michael Phelps, Dodge, 29; 33. Josh Clemons, Ford, 29; 34. James Hylton, Dodge, 28; 35. Mike Koch, Chevrolet, 22.