NASCAR Slim Jim All Pro Series Report: Five Flags Event
16 September 1997
YOUNG INHERITS NASCAR SLIM JIM ALL PRO WIN PENSACOLA, FL - Although he led 111 of 200 laps, including the final 77, Eddie Mercer was relegated to a 32nd place finishing position in Saturday night's NASCAR Slim Jim All Pro 200 at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, FL. His Chevrolet failed to pass the event's post race inspection, after having a carburetor that did not conform to NASCAR specifications, per Section 5.10.1 in the NASCAR Slim Jim All Pro Series Rule Book. As a result, Conyers, GA's Ron Young inherited the win and $7,975 in cash and contingency awards from the $43,950 purse. It was Young's second win of 1997 and sixth of his career. Mercer earned the Busch Pole Award for the second year in a row as he toured the 0.500-mile oval in a time of 17.753 seconds equating to a speed of 101.391 mph. The driver of the Eddie Mercer Automotive Super Center/Phoenix Construction Chevrolet became the 11th different pole winner in 1997 and notched his fourth career pole award. Mercer took full advantage of his top starting spot by grabbing the lead at the start of the race, with outside polesitter Steven Christian quickly positioning his BellSouth Chevrolet behind Mercer's. The two ran single file for many laps while Naples, FL's Billy Bigley, Jr. had his Budweiser Chevrolet on the move, overtaking Christian for the second position on lap 34, then overhauling Mercer for the lead with a pass on the outside on lap 35. Bigley maintained the top position before and after the race's first caution, which occurred on lap 45 as a result of a single car spin by Ken Alexander. A brief caution ensued and when the green flag waved again on lap 49 Bigley, Mercer, Christian, Scott Sutherland and Ron Young occupied the top five positions. Several minor single car spins on laps 60 and 66 deprived Bigley of getting away from his pursuers, as did a multicar incident in turn one on lap 80, with the latter incident collecting the lead lap cars of Hal Goodson, Scott Sutherland and Robert Burroughs, along with several lapped contestants. This multicar incident triggered pit stops for several lead lap cars, including those of points leader Jeff Fultz and Goodson who is his closest points pursuer. On lap 95 Bigley the fifth caution period of the event occurred for another multicar incident, which included Fultz and Goodson who had pitted just a few laps earlier. The two points leaders both received minor body damage but were able to keep going and maintain their lead lap status. Most of the leaders pitted during this slow go period and Bigley relinquished the top spot to Laurel, MS's Robert Burroughs. Burroughs paced the field until lap 108, albeit on worn tires, when Goodson moved his Greased Lightning Cleaner Degreaser Chevrolet into the lead, with Young in hot pursuit. All the while Mercer was working his way back up to the front as well and regained the top spot on lap 124. From that point forward Mercer was able to hold off Young and Goodson through three brief additional cautions to cross the finish line first. Young and Goodson shadowed Mercer closely at the stripe with Larry Raines and Bigley trailing. Christian, Hank Parker, Jr., Fultz, David Jude, making his first ever NASCAR Slim Jim All Pro Series start at the wheel of the Porter Cable Power Tools Chevrolet normally piloted by Wayne Anderson and Burroughs formed the then unofficial top 10. Fultz continues to lead the series point standings with Goodson now just 49 points back in second and Young only two points behind Goodson. Reutimann continues to maintain his fourth place position while Parker jumps into the fifth spot. The balance of the top 10 consists of Mike Harmon, Christian, Nipper Alsup, Gilchrist and Larry Raines. Having made a prior commitment to run in a NASCAR Busch North Series event at Loudon, NH, Anderson drops from 10th to 13th in the current series standings. As a result of his 12th place finish, Roxboro, NC's Carl Long earned the $400 Port City Racing Rookie of the Race Award, his fourth such honor this season. Concord, NC's Sean Studer earned Rookie of the Race Runner-Up honors after finishing 13th. Along with Young's inheritance of the top position, his crew chief Larry Rapp received a similar elevation to the top spot and picked up the $300 check from Jasper Engines and Transmissions as the Crew Chief of the Race for the second time this year. Rapp increased his lead in the season long crew chief points chase. He now leads Steven Christian's crew chief, Sammy Shumate, by 18 points. The next event for the NASCAR Slim Jim All Pro Series will take place at Winchester Speedway in Winchester, IN. The $83,725 Roger Holdeman Memorial/28th Annual Winchester 400 is scheduled for Sunday afternoon, September 28, and represents the 17th of 20 races on the 1997 schedule. By NASCAR Public Relations