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ARA Racefacts Bulletin (7/5/98)

7 July 1998

AUTO RACING ANALYSIS RACEFACTS BULLETIN

JULY 5, 1998

	Dale Earnhardt, Jr.'s (AC Delco Earnhardt Chevrolet
Monte Carlo) win in Sunday's Milwaukee DieHard 250 NASCAR
Busch Grand National event was his third of the 1998 BGN
season and came in the 17th race of the season!  Dale, Jr.
is well ahead of 1997 BGN Rookie of the Year Steve Park's
racewinning pace as Park did not win his third race until
race #25 of the 1997 BGN season on September 5 at Richmond!
	On Saturday, Mike Bliss (ASE Ultra Wheels Jim Smith
Ford F-150) took his first NASCAR Craftsman Truck victory of
1998 in the Milwaukee DieHard 200.  Jimmy Hensley finished
second in the Petty Dodge Ram and Jack Sprague was third in
the Hendrick Chevrolet; this Ford-Dodge-Chevrolet finish was
the first with the three marques in that order since October
5, 1997 at Sears Point.
	Bliss' victory was his fifth in the series and 1998 is
the fourth consecutive year Bliss has scored a NCTS, as he
won in 1995 at North Wilkesboro, 1996 at Evergreen and I-70,
and 1997 on October 18 at California Speedway.  Bliss now
has three "short track" wins, one superspeedway win and one
"mile" speedway victory!
	Bliss had one previous victory at Milwaukee: on August
1, 1993 he won the Milwaukee 100 USAC Silver Crown event!
	Saturday's 76th running of the Pikes Peak Hill Climb
produced victory for a variety of marques!
	Rod Millen won overall in an Unlimited Class Toyota
Tacoma.  Clint Vahsholtz became the first driver to win
three consecutive Super Stock Car titles, driving a Ford
Mustang.  Jeff Zwart won High Performance Showroom Stock for
the fifth consecutive time in a Porsche Twin Turbo.
	The only multiple-classwinning marque was Chevrolet, as
Larry Ragland won Super Stock Truck in a Chevrolet S-10 4WD
and Gary Lee Kanawyer won his fourth consecutive Open Wheel
title driving a Chevrolet-powered Wells Coyote.
	Chevrolet has won at least one class of the Pikes Peak
Hill Climb every year since 1966, a thirty-three (33)-year
streak!