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Short Track Roundup (8/6/97)

7 August 1997

Mobile, AL - Man! It was a busy week on the nation's short tracks with Mother Nature seeming to give almost everyone a break. The action stretches from coast to coast and into Canada. So let's get started by taking a look back at the action so you can pick up on what you missed.

On the asphalt side of the Late Model scene the NASCAR Slim Jim All Pro tour went to Greenville-Pickens in North Carolina where Derrick Gilchrist emerged with the victory. Mardy Lindley and Ron Young followed him across the line. Jeff Fultz still is holding on to the points lead here but it keeps getting closer and closer. *** The USAR had the ProCup cars in action at Orange County Speedway, NC and Mario Gosselin took home the win. Marty Ward was second, and Gary Laton third. If you like your stock cars to be big, heavy and underpowered, this is your kind of series. The Sportsman cars went to DeSoto, FL and Wayne Morris was the victor in that race. *** NASCAR Busch North ran at Thunder Road, VT and Kip Stockwell led veterans Dave Dion and Stubb Fadden across the finish stripe to record the win. *** The NASCAR Rebco Northwest Tour was in Yakima, WA and Kelly Tanner took a win, and was the first driver in 13 years to sweep the two races at this facility. Garrett Evan and Bill Lawrence rounded out the top three. *** In Southern All Star action at Lanier, GA Tony Walls beat NASCAR Craftsman Truck driver Rick Crawford and local standout Brian Smith to the finish line for the win. *** MASCAR went to Raceway Park Prince Edward Island in Canada and Greg Stewart got the win. *** The NASCAR Featherlite Modifieds ran at Thompson, CT where Rick Fuller outran Mike Stefanik and Reggie Ruggiero for the victory. *** The ACDelco/ Murray's Iceman tour visited Sandusky, OH and Stan Boyd emerged victorious over Glenn Gault and Dave Kuhlman.

The dirt Late Models were all over the place this weekend led off by the Hav-A- Tampa boys who began their Mason Dixon Summer tour in Little Rock, AR where local favorite Wendell Wallace won the race followed by Billy Moyer and Donnie Barnhart. Then it was off to Paducah, KY and Skip Arp broke his long winless streak with a hard earned win. Billy Moyer was second and Johnny Virden had one of his best runs of the season finishing third. The final race of the weekend was in Hagerstown, MD and Marshall Green emerged with the win. Rick Eckert was runner-up and Bill Frye came home third. *** The STARS Racing series began their weekend in Brownstown, IN and Steve Francis out dueled Scott Bloomquist to take the win. Rick Aukland finished third. Then they moved on to Portsmouth, OH and Rod Conley got just his second career win on the series as he led Todd Andrews and Steve Shaver across the line. *** The Southern All Stars Super Dirt Late Models ran at Chatsworth, GA and Ronnie Johnson, in a rare appearance on this series, picked up the win. Gar Dickson was second with Greg Skinner third. *** The National Late Model Sportsman Series went to Waycross, GA where sometime NASCAR All Pro competitor Skip Pannell held on for a narrow win over Ivedent Lloyd and points leader Gene Maine. *** MLRA forces were involved in the Summer Classic, where Terry Phillips took two wins at Muskogee, OK and Monett, MO. The third race in the series was won by Leslie Essary at Tri-State, OK. *** The SUPR Late Models visited 171 Speedway in Louisiana and David Ashley walked away with the winner's check. *** In UMP Outlaw Nationals action Kevin Weaver took the win at Farmer City, IL and Tony Izzo Jr was top dog at Fairbury, IL.

The Sprints and midgets provided plenty of action over the past week with the World of Outlaws on their northeast swing. The week began in Ransomville, NY where Andy Hillenburg was the winner over Dave Blaney and Jac Haudenschild. Then it was on to Lernersville, PA for the Don Martin Memorial Silver Cup and Mark Kinser retained his title by beating Sammy Swindell and Dave Blaney to the finish. The tour remained in Pennsylvania for two races at Williams Grove, and Mark Kinser continued his winning ways as he beat Steve Kinser and Sammy Swindell in the first race. The second was more of the same as Kinser again got the win, followed this time by Jac Haudenschild and Lance Dewease. The series next went to Hagerstown, MD and once again it was Mark taking the win. Sammy Swindell and Andy Hillenburg followed him home. The points battle is really tight now with Steve Kinser holding a four point lead over Swindell and just 11 over Dave Blaney. *** The Frigidaire All Stars were also busy this week as they started out in Fremont, OH where Joey Saldana beat Frankie Kerr and Mark Keegan for another win. The it was on to Quincy, MI and Saldana repeated the win beating Keith Kauffman and Kenny Jacobs this time. Moving along to I-96 Speedway, young lion Tyler Walker emerged with the win followed by Terry McCarl and the ever-present Saldana. The final stop of the week was at K-C Raceway and Kenny Jacobs took the win with Dale Blaney second and that Saldana fellow third. *** A little history was made in NAMARS action at Galesburg, MI where Sarah McCune was the first ever lady to win a NAMARS race as she beat Robby Parish and Jim Hettinger. The McCune win stopped the four race winning streak of Hettinger. *** Watsonville, CA, the Artichoke capital of the world, hosted the NARC racers for two races, and two winners. Brent Kaeding won the opener with Jason Lund taking the second event. Kaeding is leading the points in both the Golden State Challenge and the NARC Drivers standings. *** The California Sprint Car Series saw Jeff Young take the checkered flag, while the winner in Belleville Midget Nationals action was Jason Lefler. ASCS Renegades were at Southern New Mexico and Chris Ikard was the winner there.

Rounding out our look back at the week, here are a bunch of winners from the NASCAR Winston Racing Series. Madera, CA winner was Mike David, Mesa Marin, CA had Frank Adamo and Stockton, CA saw Harry Bulletto win there. Herschel McGriff won at Portland, OR, Joe Bollm at Colorado National, Mike Klem at Lakeside, MO, Jeff Capaldi at Kil-Kare, OH, Al Zeitner at Adams County, IA, Terry Ryan at W Liberty, IA Mark Setzer at Tri-county, NC. Tom Hardy won at Lanier, GA, Steve Whitener at JAX, FL, Mark Meech at Cajon, CA and Kenny Compton at West Virginia Motor Speedway. Rick Wylie captured the honors at Holland, NY, John Blewitt III at Flemington, NJ, Mike Vansparrentak at Kalamazoo, MI, Wes Troup at Old Dominion, VA, Chad Mullis at Concord, NC, Rich Mitchell at N.E. Motordrome, PA, and Jeff Myers at Asheville, NC.

That's a wrap for our look back at the short track action of the past week. This coming weekend looks to be just as busy, so make a point of visiting your local race track this weekend. You will have a great time, see plenty of action and it won't cost you an arm and a leg. Til next week...Have a Ball, Ya'll!

John Kaiser - The Autochannel