SPARTA KY (5-12-03) Christi Passmore started twelfth in the ARCA RE/MAX Series Channel 5-205 at Kentucky Speedway Saturday night and finished twelfth, but it was no easy task.

The Pryor, OK native, competing in her first full season in the ARCA RE/MAX Series, was assessed a penalty for an apparent controversy about passing a car after a yellow flag.

‘The penalty put us a lap down and outside the top twenty cars,’ she said, ‘and it really looked bleak at that point.  However, my spotter and team manager talked me through it, helped me get my rhythm back, and I was able to make up a lot of ground.  My pit crew stepped up to the plate once again and gave me two great pit stops.’

Passmore had been running in the top fifteen when the penalty was assessed.

‘I’m not sure how it would have turned out if I didn’t lose that lap.  The car seemed to get faster as the race wound down.  Given all the circumstances, I’m pretty pleased with the finish.’

Passmore expects to test at Kansas City in the upcoming week and race in Charlotte, NC and Berlin Speedway in Marne, MI the following week.