Greg Sacks Wins All Pro Bumper to Bumper Challenge Event
3 October 1997
CONCORD, NC - Greg Sacks won the All Pro Bumper to Bumper Challenge event today at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The 40-lap event was the last-chance qualifying race to set positions 33-42 for tomorrow's All Pro Bumper to Bumper 300 NASCAR Busch Series Grand National Division race. Sacks, who started 9th in the 24-car field, snatched the lead from Lyndon Amick on lap 28 to lead the final 12 laps of the race and beat Kevin Lepage to the checkered flag by 0.257-second. Sacks' average speed for the event, which lasted 24 minutes and 30 seconds was 146.939 mph "We were focused on the 300 for Saturday, not just running fast enough to transfer," said Sacks who is piloting the No. 49 WCW Chevrolet this weekend at Charlotte. This was an opportunity to see how well we did with our preparation. When I passed Amick (for the lead), we actually went three-wide down the backstretch. I had a good run down the back and was able to get under and finish the pass on the front. I had one close call around 18 to 20 laps when we were in about 8th spot. A couple of cars got in the tri-oval grass and kicked up some dirt. I actually hit the back of the 88 (Lepage) because I had no vision there for a second." A multicar accident on lap 25 destroyed the cars of Mike Skinner, Shane Hall and Ed Berrier. Hall wiggled first coming off of turn four. He almost had the No. 85 Lucks Chevrolet saved but Skinner spun trying to check up behind Hall. Skinner clipped Hall and then went head on into the outside wall. By the time the dust cleared, Skinner's No. 7 Manheim Monte Carlo had heavy damage to both the front and rear ends. Berrier was swept up in the aftermath. All three drivers were forced to retire their cars. On lap 31, a scramble for the tenth and final transfer position triggered the second accident of the race. Morgan Shepherd, who was desperately trying to maintain track position, clipped the No. 4 Phoenix Racing Chevrolet driven by Dale Shaw. Shaw came to rest up against the outside wall. It was the second Monte Carlo he destroyed today after a crash during this morning's practice sidelined his primary machine. L.W. Miller's car car was also damaged too much to continue. The drivers who will transfer into tomorrow's 200-lap main event are: Greg Sacks, Kevin Lepage, Lyndon Amick, Mark Green, Terry Labonte, Matt Kenseth, Robert Pressley, Robbie Faggert, Dennis Setzer and Jason Keller. Larry Pearson will make the field by virtue of a former champion's provisional starting spot.
