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ARCA: Skip Smith to run in Winn Dixie 300 at Talladega

13 October 1999

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

Williamsport, Pa. native and retired Pennsylvania State Police Officer, C.W. "Skip" Smith will be entering the Winn-Dixie 300 ARCA Series race at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway on October 16, 1999. While Skip and brother Mike Smith (Smith Brothers Motorsports) have been working to establish a NASCAR Busch Series program for the 2000 season, this weekends Winn-Dixie 300 will be the first time the Pennsylvania driver has competed in the ARCA Series since the 1997 race season.

The team will enter the 1999 No. 28 Shop-Vac / Raceway Stores Chevrolet Monte Carlo, a brand-new AEROFAB Motorsports prepared superspeedway car.

Skip on why he likes racing at Talladega Superspeedway....

"Its the biggest and the fastest superspeedway in the world. I got into ARCA, asphalt and Busch Series racing simply because I wanted to be able to accomplish that and I feel very comfortable and confident on the superspeedways. Ive run at Talladega three other times before and the last time I raced there we finished seventh. You can run two and three wide at Talladega and you can hold it wide open. I really like the restrictor plate racing and I like running in the draft, and Talladega is an awesome place to do it at," said Skip Smith.

On the Winn-Dixie 300 ARCA Series event...

"We have a brand-new Billy Hess chassis with a Cecil Tipton, AEROFAB body on the car, and weve been working close with Bill Moore, our technical consultant, along with Cecil to put a good race car on the track. We had a real good test session at Talladega a couple of weeks ago with this car, and we were pleased with the results. Jeff Collins, Collins Engine Works, has built us an excellent restrictor motor for this race. During the test session, the car was very well balanced. We turned in some pole-speed times with the car being only about ninty-percent of its capabilities. We really feel that we have a shot at qualifying on the front row, hopefully on the pole. Im confident that we will be extremely competitive."

On the new sponsorship of Shop-Vac Corporation and Raceway Stores...

"Theres no question that having Shop-Vac, on the car, which is an international corporation, along with Raceway Stores, is a very good step in the right direction for this entire race team. That instills confidence in us, with these companies coming on board for the Talladega race and using our team as a marketing agent through the race program. The fact of having corporate sponsors on the car is just another step in our process to continue to upgrade our entire racing program and to advance forward with it. Were very proud to be carrying the Shop-Vac, Raceway Stores and C&E Containers colors, and were looking forward to giving them a good ride in the Winn-Dixie 300 on the 16th of October at Talladega."

Best Talladega Finish: 7th-place, October 11, 1997 in the Winn-Dixie 500K ARCA Series event.

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