---

NASCAR BGN Series Autolite Platinum 250 Report: #99, G. Allen

8 September 1997

 #99 Glenn Allen, Luxaire Chevrolet Monte Carlo
 NASCAR Busch Series Grand National Division
 Autolite Platinum 250 Race Report 
 Richmond International Raceway
 September 5, 1997
  
                  NO LUCKY BREAKS FOR ALLEN IN RICHMOND


 
RICHMOND, VA - For the second straight race in Richmond, Luxaire pilot Glenn 
Allen was a victim of unlucky timing on a green flag pit stop. Just like the 
spring race, Allen came in for a green flag pit stop to replace his worn-out 
Goodyear tires and as he was exiting the pits a yellow flag came out. This 
bout of bad luck caused Allen to lose 2 laps to those cars that had not come 
into pit. If the race would have stayed green for 10 more laps everyone would 
have pitted and Allen would have been able to keep pace with the leaders.

Excitement for the race began brewing during the first practice session for 
The Luxaire Team. Allen posted the fastest lap during the session among 61 
cars at the track. Allen followed that up in practice session #2 with the 
second fastest lap. With all eyes on Allen as a possible pole winner 
excitement was building. Unfortunately for Allen things didn't go as planned 
during qualifying and he recorded the 22nd fastest lap, not bad out of 61 
cars, but not what he wanted.

"We made some changes to the car in anticipation of the track being a little 
bit different for qualifying, unfortunately the tires didn't seem to react to 
the changes," Allen said. "A pole would have been awesome, but at least we 
locked ourselves into a guaranteed starting spot."

As the race began for Allen, he raced between the 10th and 20th positions 
until the green flag pit stop. The team made adjustments throughout the race, 
but the unlucky break was just to much to overcome. At one point Allen had 
made up one of the laps racing back to the caution flag with leader Jeff 
Burton, but a wrecked car pulled into the way of the leader, Burton, forcing 
him up into Allen and breaking the momentum of Allen. Allen was forced to hit 
the brakes to keep from taking himself and the leader out.

"We had one of the laps made up right there, it's too bad the wrecked car 
decided to pull right out in front of us," Allen said. "I probably could have 
gone on, but Jeff and I both might have ended up with two wrecked race cars."

In the end Allen would find his race car in the 24th position. Steve Park 
held off Randy Lajoie and Jeff Burton to claim the victory. There were 10 
cautions for 87 laps holding the average race speed to 77.747 mph.

"It's a shame we got hurt on the green flag stop, all the guys we were racing 
with prior to that ended up with top-15 finishes, I know we had a car good 
enough for that," Allen said.
 
By Luxaire Racing Public Relations