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NASCAR Slim Jim All Pro Series Report: Greased Lightning 200

6 October 1997

      VETERANS TANGLE, NEWCOMER WINS INAUGURAL SLIM JIM CONCORD RACE


CONCORD, NC - (October 4, 1997) - A wild white flag lap duel between
veterans Bobby Gill and Freddie Query, which resulted in the duo
spinning their Chevrolets down the front straightaway, allowed
Concord, NC's Terry Brooks to capitalize on their misfortune to
capture his first career NASCAR Slim Jim All Pro Series win in his
first ever series start. Brooks earned $7,375 out of the $44,960 purse
to win the Greased Lightning 200 at Concord Motorsport Park in
Concord, NC on Saturday night. Brooks became the 13th different winner
in 18 series events in 1997.
      
"We picked up a miss in the engine just 10 laps into the race and we
couldn't find the problem so I had to run the race on seven
cylinders. I knew this would keep us from spinning the tires coming
out of the corners and when Bobby and Freddie spun I was just in the
right place to take advantage of their misfortune," a surprised and
happy Brooks exclaimed in victory lane.

A group of 45 drivers showed up to attempt to secure one of the 34
starting positions available for the inaugural NASCAR Slim Jim All Pro
Series event at the half mile d-shaped tri-oval. Concord resident and
Port City Racing Rookie candidate Sean Studer appeared to have secured
his first career Busch pole but Gill took to the track as the next to
last qualifier and displaced the driver of the Old El Paso Mexican
Style Foods/Food Lion Chevrolet for the top spot. Gill earned his
first Busch Pole Award of 1997, and the fifth of his career, as he
toured the track that he knows so well in a time of 15.926 seconds at
113.022 mph. As a result, the driver of the Terminal Trucking
Chevrolet earned the right to lead the field to the initial green
flag.

The Dalton, GA driver took full advantage of his pole position start
as he streaked into the lead at the drop of the green and set a tough
pace from the outset. Behind him the balance of the field settled into
a six car breakaway as Gill held a five car length advantage over a
tight train which included Studer, Larry Raines, local top qualifier
Bobby Newling, Hank Parker, Jr. and Query. A hard charging Raines
pushed his JaniKing Chevrolet past Studer and into the second position
on lap 40 with Parker displacing Studer for third on the next lap.

Raines and Parker then engaged in a side- by-side battle for the
second position until lap 47 when Parker finally prevailed. During
this side-by-side action Gill was able to pull away to a sizable
margin and began lapping cars on the 68th circuit. On lap 75 the
caution waved for a spin by Newling and wholesale pit stops ensued
among the leaders. Studer elected not to pit and assumed the lead at
this point. Other drivers opting for a similar strategy included
Daniel Johnson, Phil Elvis and Wayne Anderson. Once green flag
conditions resumed Studer was able to hold off Gill until lap 98, with
Gill obviously benefiting from his choice of fresh Hoosier tires as he
quickly disposed of the four drivers who stayed out on the track to
gain track position.

Just 10 laps later one of the more significant cautions of the entire
1997 season occurred as series regulars Steven Christian, Larry
Raines, Ron Young, points leader Jeff Fultz and Scott Sutherland got
together on the narrow front straightaway. Christian, Raines and Young
were forced to retire while Fultz went behind the wall to allow his
crew to make lengthy repairs to his JaniKing Chevrolet.

Once green flag racing resumed on lap 118 Gill was once again firmly
out front, but Query was also rumbling to the front in his
W.J. Plemons Insurance Chevrolet. The Mooresville, NC resident took
over the runner-up spot from Studer once the green flag was displayed
and then made a calculated and determined run to catch Gill for the
lead. All the while Brooks was making a steady, conservative run in
his Lyf-Tym Window Systems/Papa Joe Hendricks Chevrolet and got by
Studer for third on lap 143.  At that point he was a huge distance
behind Gill and Query, who were dicing their way through lapped
traffic, getting set up for their final duel to the checkered
flag. The top three remained in their respective positions until a
final caution occurred on lap 197 for a first turn spin by Kevin
Prince. This final caution set up a final green-white-checker finish
and Gill and Query did not disappoint the huge crowd. Crossing the
start/finish line on the white flag lap, the two got together sending
both cars into a spin and ultimately allowing Brooks to inherit the
lead for the final run to the checkered flag.

The Concord, NC resident held off Hal Goodson for the win, with
Goodson settling for second ahead of Concord's Daniel Johnson. Query
recovered to finish fourth ahead of Studer. Rounding out the top 10
were Gill, Steve Mendenhall, Anderson, Robert Powell and Elvis, with
Elvis finishing one lap down to the top nine drivers who all completed
204 laps.

After returning to the race many laps down Fultz, who had held the
series points lead since the seventh race of the season, relinquished
the top spot to 1995 series champion Goodson, who now leads by 10
points with two events remaining in 1997. Young dropped from second to
third, with Parker and David Reutimann rounding out the top five. The
balance of the top 10 now consists of Mike Harmon, Nipper Alsup,
Christian, Derrick Gilchrist and Sutherland.

As a result of his first career top-five finish, Studer earned the
$400 Port City Racing Rookie of the Race Award, his second such honor
this season.  Raleigh, NC's Mendenhall returned to the series after a
brief absence and earned Rookie of the Race Runner-Up honors after
finishing seventh. Brooks' Crew Chief Gary Wood 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 Nashville Speedway U.S.A. in Nashville, TN. The 17th Annual Manheim
Auctions All American 400, to be broadcast on a same day tape delayed
basis on TNN, is scheduled for Sunday afternoon, October 19.

By NASCAR Public Relations