Vote is Under Way for 1998 Auto Racing All-America Team

22 November 1998

BURBANK, Calif -- Ballots have been sent to the members of the American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association to select the 12-driver 1998 Auto Racing All-America Team.

The motorsports journalists will vote from among six drivers named to the ballot in each of six categories -- Open Wheel, Stock Car, Road Racing, Drag Racing, Short Track and At Large. Two from each category will be named to the first team, to be honored Jan. 16, 1999, at the annual AARWBA banquet at the Renaissance Long Beach Hotel in Long Beach, Calif. The winner of the Jerry Titus Award will also be announced at the banquet. The Titus Award, much like college football's Heisman Trophy, honors the driver earning the most votes in the balloting

The balloting will also determine a second team, drivers placing third and fourth in each category, and honorable mentions to all drivers receiving at least 5 percent of the vote.

AARWBA members have annually chosen an All-America team since 1970. Former Titus winners on this year's ballot are John Force (1996), Jeff Gordon (1995) and Dale Earnhardt (1987). Last year's Jerry Titus winner was NHRA Trans-Am champion Tommy Kendall.

The banquet is open to the public. Ticket information is available from AARWBA, 922 N. Pass Ave., Burbank, Calif. 91505, or call (818) 842-7005.

The following drivers are on the 1998 All-America ballot (0/0/0 indicates previous times elected to first team/second team/honorable mention):

     OPEN WHEEL RACING
KENNY BRACK (0/0/0) -- IRL champion, won at Charlotte, Pikes Peak, Atlanta
EDDIE CHEEVER (0/3/4) -- Indianapolis 500 winner
DARIO FRANCHITTI (0/0/0) -- Third in CART points after three wins
GREG MOORE (1/0/0) -- U.S. 500 winner, also won at Rio, 5th in CART points
JIMMY VASSER (1/0/1) -- Won three including California 500, 2nd in CART
points
ALEX ZANARDI (1/1/0) -- CART PPG Cup champion, seven race wins
 
     STOCK CAR RACING
JEFF BURTON (0/0/0) -- Fifth in Winston Cup points, two wins; 3 in BGN, 1
IROC
DALE EARNHARDT (8/2/1) -- Won the Daytona 500, eighth in Winston Cup
points
JEFF GORDON (6/0/0) -- Winston Cup champ for third time, 13 wins, many
records
DALE JARRETT (1/2/0) -- Third in Winston Cup, three wins
BOBBY LABONTE (0/1/0) -- Sixth in Winston Cup, two wins
MARK MARTIN (2/3/3) -- Second in Winston Cup/7 wins, IROC champ, 2 BGN
wins
 
     ROAD RACING
DAVID BRABHAM (0/0/0) -- PSCR GT-1 co-champion, 6 wins; one USRRC GT-1 win
PAUL GENTILOZZI (0/0/0) -- SCCA Trans-Am Champion, 7 wins
BUTCH LEITZINGER (1/2/0) -- PSCR World Sports Car champ, 4 wins; 2 in
Can-Am
BRIAN SIMO (0/0/0) -- SCCA Trans-Am runner-up, 2 wins
ANDY WALLACE (0/0/0) -- PSCR GT-1 co-champion, 6 wins; two USRRC GT-1 wins
JAMES WEAVER (0/0/1) -- USRRC Can-Am Champion, two wins, four PSCR WSC
wins
 
     DRAG RACING
RON CAPPS (0/0/0) -- Second in NHRA Funny Car, five wins
JOHN FORCE (6/1/0) -- NHRA Funny Car champion, three wins
WARREN JOHNSON (0/3/1) -- NHRA Pro Stock champion, nine wins
CORY McCLENATHAN (0/1/1) -- NHRA Top Fuel runner-up, six wins
PAUL ROMINE (0/0/0) -- IHRA Top Fuel champion, one win
GARY SCELZI (1/0/0) -- NHRA Top Fuel champion, six wins
 
     SHORT TRACK
DALE EARNHARDT JR (0/0/0) -- NASCAR Busch Grand National champion, seven
wins
RON HORNADAY JR (1/0/0) -- NASCAR Craftsman Truck champion, six wins
FRANK KIMMEL (0/0/0) -- ARCA Bondo/MarHyde champion, nine wins
JASON LEFFLER (0/0/0) -- USAC Silver Crown champ, 1 win; Midget leader, 3
wins
FREDDY QUERY (0/0/0) -- NASCAR Slim-Jim All-Pro champion, nine wins
MIKE STEFANIK (0/1/1) -- Won both NASCAR Modified and North titles, 13+4
wins
 
     AT LARGE
DAVID BESNARD (0/0/0) -- US Formula 2000 champion, eight wins
SCOTTY CANNON (0/0/0) -- IHRA Pro Modified champion, five wins
CRISTIANO DA MATTA (0/0/0) -- PPG/Dayton Indy Lights champion, four wins
JEFF SIMMONS (0/0/0) -- Barber Dodge Pro Series champ/RotY, three wins
MARK SIMO (0/0/0) -- PSCR GT-3 champion, three wins; one win in USRRC GT-3
VON SMITH (0/0/0) -- IHRA Alcohol Funny Car champion, five wins