Michael Self Surrendering Points Lead by Not Running Salem

Michael Self had an impressive run going but sadly it'll come to an end when the ARCA Racing Series returns at Salem Speeway next Saturday. Self currently holds the points lead by five points over Sheldon Creed but since he won't compete in the race next weekend at Salem, he'll surrender the points lead.

"Although short lived, I’m especially proud coming out of the race maintaining the points lead," Self said in the ARCA release. "Unfortunately, the way my schedule lines up this year I won’t be running the full schedule. It sure would be nice to take this momentum to Salem but it just wasn’t in the cards this year. We’ll continue to race for trophies; I’ll be back again at Talladega at the end of the month.”

In two starts this season, Self has a victory at Daytona and a fourth place finish at Nashville. With Self now out of the picture, Creed will take over the points lead and comes off the momentum from his second place finish last Saturday in Nashville.

"It stings a little bit. I've never come out of the first two races of the year with the points lead. Even though it won't stand, I had a goal for the first two races, and that was to come out with the points lead. It's good for me; it's good for Sinclair Oil and it's good for Venturini Motorsports."

His Venturini Motorsports teammate Natalie Decker, who is running her first full-time season in the series, moves up to second in the points. Nashville winner Zane Smith moves up to third, Riley Herbst fourth, and Chase Purdy rounds out the top-five in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards points. Though Self isn't running Salem, he will return at Talladega at the end of the month.

"At this point, my job is to help Venturini Motorsports progress their program in any way I can and focus on Talladega." (Koelle,2018)

Photo Credit - Christian Koelle/CCK Photography