NASCAR Slim Jim All Pro Series Race Report: Winchester 400
1 October 1997
NASCAR Slim Jim All Pro Series
Roger Holdeman Memorial/28th Annual Winchester 400 Race Report
Winchester Speedway
September 28, 1997
PARKER ADDS NAME TO PRESTIGIOUS WINCHESTER WIN LIST
WINCHESTER, IN - Denver, NC's Hank Parker, Jr. earned a $13,975
payday, and added his name to a prestigious list of winners, as he
bested a stellar field of NASCAR Slim Jim All Pro Series drivers to
win the $83,725 Roger Holdeman Memorial/28th Annual Winchester 400 at
Winchester Speedway on Sunday afternoon. It was the second career Slim
Jim All Pro Series win for the sophomore driver, and the 22-year-old
became the 12th different winner in 17 series events in 1997.
"I want to thank my Dad for helping me get my racing program started
and I want to especially thank Freddie Query for helping me get this
car ready. Anybody could have won driving this Delco Voyage
Batteries/NGK/DuraGloss Chevrolet today. The last 25 laps the car ran
as good as it did during qualifying," a surprisingly fresh Parker
stated in victory lane.
Huntersville, NC's Nipper Alsup earned his second Busch Pole Award of
1997 after driving a near perfect lap around the high banked half mile
oval. The driver of the Lift Services Wire Rope Specialists Chevrolet
bested second fastest qualifier Derrick Gilchrist by more than two
tenths of a second to earn the right to start the 400 lap marathon
from the top starting position.
At the drop of the green flag Alsup took command of the field and
quickly jumped out to a five car length lead with Parker, Gilchrist,
Mike Harmon and Scot Walters in tow. Alsup's lead was extinguished on
lap 15 when Ken Alexander's Greased Lightning/True Value Chevrolet was
spun by Tony Ridner, with Spanks Overbeck and Keith White also getting
collected in the fracas. Alsup was able to stop his mount without
making any contact with the wrecked racers, but his path was blocked
to the start/finish line and he was forced to fall back into line on
the lap 23 restart in the 20th position.
Gilchrist inherited the lead but could only maintain the top spot for
10 green flag laps as Parker showed his muscle, powering by Gilchrist
on lap 34. From then until lap 114 Parker enjoyed a healthy lead
until the race's fifth caution period occurred on lap 112, which was a
result of a turn two accident collecting Vern Slaugh, Brian Ross and
Ray Skillman. All of the leaders pitted at that point, with the
exception of Wayne Anderson, who then inherited the lead with Mike
Harmon moving up to assume the second position.
Anderson also showed his might as he proceeded to lead until lap 179,
when the sixth caution occurred as a result of an accident between
Slaugh and Sean Studer. Pit stops came full cycle at that point, with
Anderson and Harmon pitting for Unocal 76 racing fuel and Hoosier
tires. Parker once again assumed the top spot and led from lap 181
until lap 293.
The seventh caution waved when Steven Christian made contact with the
turn two wall, leaving debris on the backstretch on lap 291. Once
again all of the leaders pitted, but Anderson's Porter Cable Power
Tools crew got him out first. When green flag racing resumed on lap
298 Anderson looked like the driver to beat but he ran out of fuel on
lap 347 and had to dive into the pits for a fill and a shot of ether
to get his Chevrolet restarted.
This turn of events handed the lead to Parker for the final time as he
led the rest of the way to capture the win.
Series points leader Jeff Fultz wound up second ahead of Birmingport,
AL's Mike Harmon, with Ron Young finishing fourth and the final car on
the lead lap. Carl Young rounded out the top five. Finishing sixth
through 10th were Hal Goodson, Brian Rievley, Jeep Pflum, Scott
Sutherland and Derrick Gilchrist.
Fultz continues to lead the series point standings with Young
displacing Goodson for the second position. Young trails Fultz by 61
points with three events remaining. Goodson now trails Young by eight
points. Parker moves into fourth and Harmon into fifth after their
respective first and third place finishes. Sixth through 10th
positions are held by David Reutimann, Christian, Gilchrist, Alsup and
Larry Raines.
As a result of his fifth place finish, Roxboro, NC's Carl Long earned
the $400 Port City Racing Rookie of the Race Award, his fifth such
honor this season. Kansas City, MO's Billy Deckman earned Rookie of
the Race Runner-Up honors after finishing 13th. Parker's Crew Chief
Ronnie Carrier picked up the $300 check from Jasper Engines and
Transmissions as the Crew Chief of the Race for guiding the team's
efforts into victory lane.
The next event for the NASCAR Slim Jim All Pro Series will take place
at Concord Motorsports Park in Concord, NC. The Greased Lightning 200
is scheduled for Saturday night October 4, and will be the first ever
visit for the NASCAR Slim Jim All Pro Series to the fast half mile
tri-oval.
By NASCAR Public Relations
