NASCAR Busch North Sunoco 300: Preview
3 September 1997
NASCAR Busch Series North, Grand National Division Thompson Sunoco 300 Thompson International Speedway GARDINER, ME - The drivers and teams have had nearly an entire season to prepare for the longest event in the NASCAR Busch North Series, Grand National Division, stand-along schedule. On Sunday, September 7 the Thompson Sunoco 300 will determine which team has prepared best for the 187.5-mile grind. Even though this will be the second year that the NASCAR Busch North Series is featured in this historic race, there is still an element of uncertainty surrounding preparation and race strategy. Last year's event was ended just 213 laps into the scheduled 300 when the skies opened up, and a number of teams had not had the chance to unfold their entire race strategy. Jeff Fuller of Auburn, Mass., taking a weekend off from his NASCAR Busch Series activity, went into the record books as the only driver to have won the Thompson Sunoco 300 as both a NASCAR Featherlite Modified Tour driver and a NASCAR Busch North Series driver. Fuller was chased across the line, however, by Mike Stefanik of Coventry, R.I., Brad Leighton of Center Harbor, N.H., Dave Dion of Hudson, N.H., and Jerry Marquis of Broad Brook, Conn. - all winners on the 1997 NASCAR Busch North Series schedule. Dion, Stefanik and Marquis are locked in a championship battle, and each is looking at the Thompson Sunoco 300 for a boost in his efforts to lock up the 1997 title. Marquis won this year's June event at Thompson, while Stefanik is no stranger to Thompson's victory lane in the NASCAR Featherlite Modified Tour. Current fourth-place runner Andy Santerre of Cherryfield, Me. has had a good deal of success on Thompson's high-banks and is looking forward to using the Thompson Sunoco 300 to add his name to the Championship possibles list with a good run at Thompson. But, points battle aside, there isn't a driver on the NASCAR Busch North Series who would not like to add a victory in the prestigious Thompson Sunoco 300 to their resume, and predicting a winner in this year's event is just too difficult to even consider. An expanded field of entries is expected for this event which is one of the best-paying events on the 1997 schedule. Drivers and teams alike all understand that it takes something extra to win this event, and they will all be looking for the key which will unlock the gate to victory lane. By NASCAR Public Relations