NASCAR Goody's Dash Series Report: Discount Auto Parts/Quaker State 150
6 October 1997
HUTTO WINS NASCAR INAUGURAL
LAKELAND, FL - David Hutto, of Rock Hill, S.C. took his No. 16 Love
Chevrolet/Irmo Grading/Red Line Graphics Chevrolet Cavalier to victory
lane Saturday night, in the very first NASCAR sanctioned event ever
held at the USA International Speedway in Lakeland, Florida. Hutto's
win here, in the Discount Auto Parts/Quaker State 150 for the NASCAR
Goody's Dash Series marked the second victory for the 20 year old
driver in only four attempts with the Series this year.
Rookie point leader, Charles Powell III, of Goose Creek, S.C. put his
No. 72, Jazzy Power Chairs/Ocean Conversions and Mobility Pontiac
Sunfire on the pole for this event, blistering the 3/4 mile oval with
a 22.339 second lap at 120.864 mph. But Hutto was right there beside
Powell when the field was put on the grid, posting a qualifying time
of 22.373 seconds to earn him the outside front row starting spot.
Powell lead the first 5 laps, but the hard charging Hutto, overhauled
Powell on lap six and managed to hold the advantage for the next 45
laps. Powell's chances for victory went away totally, just prior to
the mid way point when a right front wheel bearing failure sent him to
the garage area for lengthy repairs. He eventually, finished 22nd in
the event, but still managed to hold on to his lead in the Rookie
points race over Ricky Bryant of Linwood, N.C.
Hutto continued to lead until lap 50, when a strong Robert Huffman, of
Claremont, N.C. made his move to take the lead. Battling in lapped
traffic on a lap 50 restart, Huffman drove his No. 37 White House
Apple Juice sponsored Pontiac to the bottom of the race track as the
field thundered down the long back stretch. From his third place
position, Huffman was able to pass both B.J. Mackey in second and
Hutto to take the advantage going into turn three.
Mackey, also a Rock Hill, S.C. native, remained a strong contender for
the first half of this event. Eventually, he too, was able to get
around Hutto and the youngster set off to chase down the leader,
Huffman. But wheel bearing problems also struck his No.71 Pontiac
forcing him to the garage for repairs and eventually, dropping him to
23rd in the final standings.
With Huffman on the point, caution on lap 85 for a spin in turn four
involving "Doc" Brewer and Robert Luckadoo evolved into a red flag
when the No. 11 Discount Auto Parts Ford of Shane Sawyer erupted in
flames on the back stretch. Fire crews quickly extinguished the blaze
and the No. 11 later rejoined the fray. But the slow down was a good
opportunity for the leaders to stop for some much needed fuel.
When racing continued on lap 92, Donny Duchesne, of Riverview, Fl. led
the field through turns one and two before getting tangled up in a
major exchange of sheetmetal on the back stretch. As the field
scattered to try to avoid the incident, car after car, most of them
lead lap competitors, were being caught up in the action. When the
crashing was over, no less than eight cars, including those of
Duchesne, Huffman and Hutto were involved. Although most of the
competitors were able to make repairs and return, Danny Bagwell's
Mountain Machine/Ricker Trucking Pontiac had to be scratched from the
event after the Cordova, Al. driver got the No. 30 up on it's side for
a long slide down the back stretch wall. The car finally righted
itself and Bagwell climbed from battered racer unhurt.
The restart found local favorite, George Crenshaw, of Lakeland, Fl. on
the point. But Crenshaw's Bad Frog Beer sponsored Pontiac's advantage
lasted only until turn one, where he turned the 07 car around after
contact with a lapped car of Ken Bellamy of Michigan City,
Indiana. Crenshaw was able to refire and continue on the lead lap. No
caution flag was displayed. Crenshaw eventually finished just outside
the top five, in sixth position.
Crenshaw's spin was the last break the "Rock Hill Rocket", David Hutto
needed as he grabbed the lead and went on to claim his second victory
in only four starts with the Series this year. This win, coming on the
heels of his win at Hickory Motor Speedway two weeks ago, is a true
indication that the 1995 Series Champion never lost a beat in his
absence from the Series.
Rookie of the Year contender, Christian Elder of Minneapolis,
Minn. gave Hutto a strong challenge for the win in the closing laps,
but eventually had to drop back to conserve enough of the Elder
Jones/Silver Bay Premium Cola Pontiac race car to hold on to his
runner up spot. Mike Swaim, Jr. of High Point, N.C. brought his
Mahoning Lumber Center/Visual Images Pontiac back from an early,
unscheduled pit stop to finish third, to further pad his Series point
lead over Brian Sockwell of Brown Summit, North Carolina. Sockwell's
race came to an early end on lap 46, when a head gasket gave up on his
No. 54 Cleaver Brooks/C&C Boiler Pontiac. Ricky Bryant came from the
14th starting spot to bring his Racing USA entry home in the fourth
position and Homestead, Florida's, Bobby Dayton also drove an
excellent race, coming from his 27th starting slot to round out the
top five in his 5 Brothers Produce/Torbet Trucking Pontiac.
The teams have about three weeks to get ready for their next date, a
200 lap feature event at the Concord Motorsports Complex in Concord,
N.C.
By NASCAR Public Relations
