TALLADEGA, Ala. – Michael Annett garnered a pair of firsts on Friday.
His victory in Friday’s Automobile Racing Club of America race at Talladega Superspeedway was his first in the series in four starts. He has not finished outside the top 10 in any race this season.
Annett, 21, also handed Toyota its first win in the series and just its second in stock car racing. The manufacturer picked up a win in NASCAR’s Busch Series earlier this year with driver Jason Leffler in Indianapolis.
“It was nerve-racking. You can lead the first lap and then you remember you have to do it 93 more times,” Annett said. “I just tried to stay low and hug that yellow line.”
Annett stole the spotlight from a pair of talented open-wheel drivers making their stock car racing debuts.
Former Formula One driver Scott Speed finished seventh and reigning Indianapolis 500 champion DarioFranchitti finished 17th.
Eight-time ARCA champion Frank Kimmel nearly clinched his ninth series title with his second-place finish.
Michael McDowell, second in points, wrecked and finished 33rd on Friday.
Erin Crocker’s 18th-place finish allowed her to clinch the ARCA superspeedway championship, becoming the first female driver to gain that honor. The title is awarded to the driver who accumulates the most points on the series’ superspeedway races during the season.
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