HAV-A-TAMPA Dirt Racing Series, Tampa Nugget 100
2 February 1998
Cordele, GA. - Skip Arp of Georgetown, TN took the lead from his pole position at the start of the HAV-A-TAMPA Dirt Racing Series, Tampa Nugget 100 at Cordele Speedway and sped home to victory in the 1998 season opening race for the cigar sponsored series. Arp's black Curtis Equipment Co. Chevrolet Monte Carlo was the class of the field all weekend at the fast 3/8 mile high banked facility in East Georgia. "We were able to get in a good lap in qualifying and it really helped," Arp stated from the Winner's Circle. "We've won a couple of Hav-A-Tampa races in each of the last few years, but we want to win this championship. It's important to us. It's something we have planned as our main goal this year and its these kind of runs we need to make that happen." Arp, who has one at least one Hav-A-Tampa race in each of the last four seasons, blasted out to a big lead early on and only Donnie Moran was able to put any pressure on him late in the race, but even Moran's patented late race race charge was not enough as Arp took the checkered flag. In 1997 Arp had two wins and finished sixth in the points standings as well as garnering the prestigious Bearden Oil Award. Moran finished in second with Bart Hartman making a solid run into third. Bob Pierce finished fourth with Scott Bloomquist taking fifth. There were four cautions during the 100 lap event, the most serious of which was when Billy Ogle Jr of Knoxville, TN slammed the first turn wall on the first lap. Dale McDowell, Ronnie Johnson and Bill Frye were caught up in the incident and suffered damage. 18 cars finished the race on the lead lap. The series now moves on to the home of its sponsor as it travels to East Bay Speedway in Gibsonton, FL, near Tampa. Thursday, Feb 5, will see a 50 lapper and Friday the cars will face 100 laps around Will Cagle's East Bay Speedway. HAV-A-TAMPA TAMPA NUGGET 100 RESULT 1. Skip Arp Georgetown, TN $15,400 2. Donnie Moran Dresden, OH 8,500 3. Bart HArtman Zanesville, OH 5,000 4. Bob Pierce Danville, IL 3,500 5. Scott Bloomquist Mooresburg, TN 3,000 6. Wendell Wallace Batesville, AR 3,050 7. Freddy Smith Knoxville, TN 2,800 8. Jimmy Sharpe Vidalia, GA 2,250 9. Johnny Virden Russellville, AR 2,300 10. Ray Cook Murphy, NC 2,050 11. Jack Pennington Winston, GA 1,500 12. Mark Miner Stockbridge, GA 1,300 13. Billy Moyer Batesville, AR 1,850 14. Rick Eckert York, PA 1,100 15. David Gibson Ash Flat, AR 1,000 16. Marshall Green Dalton, GA 1,275 17. Bill Frye Greenbrier, AR 950 18. Rodney Combs Ft Meyers, FL 925 19. Alan Vaughn Belton, MO 900 20. Dan Schlieper Peewaukee, WI 900 21. Clint Smith Griffin, GA 1,200 22. Dale McDowell Rossville, GA 1,200 23. Ronnie Johnson Chattanooga, TN 900 24. Billy Ogle Jr Knoxville, TN 900 ISKY RACING CAMS Fast Gun Award Winner: Skip Arp - 16.34 seconds BORLA PERFORMANCE Heat Race Winners: Skip Arp, Donnie Moran, Bart Hartman, Scott Bloomquist, Billy Ogle Jr. John Kaiser -- The Auto Channel
