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SKIP ARP STORMS TQ WIN AT PITTSBURGH IN HAV-A-TAMPA ACTION
...TENNESSEE DRIVER CRUISES TO THIRD SERIES WIN OF THE SEASON
(Pittsburgh, PA) Skip Arp used patience and his lightning fast Chevrolet Monte Carlo to pick up over $10,000 dollars Sunday and his third win of the HAV-A-TAMPA Dirt Racing Series season. The victory, Arp's 10th of his career on the tour came at the circuit's inaugural visit to the Keystone State and Pittsburgh's Pennsylvania Motor Speedway (PPMS). The race saw three different leaders with the only caution flag of the day waving just 10 laps short of the conclusion. Arp blasted by Rick Aukland on the backstretch on lap 61 and never looked back.
"This is only the second time that I've been at Pittsburgh and I like this place even more now," said Arp with a grin in the winner's circle. "We came here looking for good things, I really liked this track when we were here last fall and we felt confident that we would have a strong performance here in Pennsylvania."
The Sunday afternoon affair at PPMS was the second event of the series double-header weekend in West Virginia and Pennsylvania. Aukland had captured the win in Saturday night's race and appeared to be headed to another winning run on Sunday, but Arp's smooth ride around the half-mile track was strong enough to deny Aukland of back-to-back wins on the tour sanctioned by the United Dirt Track Racing Assodiation (UDTRA).
Greensburg, PA driver Gary Stuhler had started from the pole and led the first lap but could not hold off the charge of Aukland as he darted into the lead on lap two. Aukland would go on to lead the race through lap 60 when Arp slashed by him exiting turn two on the 61st lap.
"The car was super today," added Arp. "GRT Race Cars has really given us a winning combination and I want to thank Joe Garrison and the guys at GRT for all of their help. Their support gives our crew a lot of input and it makes our job easier at the shop and when we unload at the track."
Following Arp and Aukland to the stripe were Bart Hartman in third, Wendell Wallace in fourth, as points leader Scott Bloomquist rounded out the top-five.
"Skip did a good job out there," commented Aukland following the race. "I thought that maybe we could do something with him on the restart following the caution, but he was strong on the start and pulled away from us."
The balance of the top-ten in the finishing order, respectively, were Rick Eckert, Donnie Moran, Todd Andrews, Freddy Smith and Mike Balzano. The caution flew on lap 90 when Gary Stuhler, who had been running in the top-five suffered an apparent flat tire and slowed in turn four. The problem turned out to be more severe and Stuhler's evening ended on lap 92 as he headed to the pits.
The HAV-A-TAMPA Dirt Racing Series takes next weekend off before returning to action on May 29-30 at Tazewell Speedway in Tazewell, TN. The "Ray Neely Memorial 100" at Tazewell Speedway will be the first televised event of the season for the tour on SPEEDVISION. During the 1998 season 32 HAV-A-TAMPA Dirt Racing Series broadcasts may be seen on SPEEDVISION from June through Secember. For event and ticket information on the nation's leading late model tour visit to Tazewell, TN (May 29-30) call the Tazewell Speedway office at (423) 626-2222.
FOR ADDITIONAL HAV-A-TAMPA DIRT RACING SERIES INFORMATION
VISIT THE OFFICIAL WEB SITE OF THE SERIES
www.havatamparacing.com
Official Finishing Order For HAV-A-TAMPA Dirt Racing Series Event # 11 of 1998
Sunday, May 17, 1908
Pittsburgh's Pennsylvania Motor Speedway (Imperial, PA)
Purse: $50,150
Driver/Home town/ purse paid
1. SKIP ARP (Georgetown, TN) $10,500
2. RICK AUKLAND (Fargo, ND) 6,000
3. BART HARTMAN (Zanesville, OH) 3,000
4. WENDELL WALLACE (Batesville, AR) 3,000
5 SCOTT BLOOMQUIST (Mooresburg, TN) 2,600
6, RICK ECKERT (York, PA) 1,800
7 DONNIE MORAN (Dresden, OH) 2,100
8. TODD ANDREWS (Duke Center, PA) 1,400
9. FREDDY SMITH (Knoxville, TN) 1,700
10. MIKE BALZANO (Parkersburg, WV) 1,100
11 STEVE FRANCIS (Ashland, KY) 1,000
12. DALE McDOWELL (Rossville, GA) 1,450
13. EARL PEARSON (Jacksonville, FL) 900
14. JACK BOGGS (Grayson, KY) 875
15. RAY COOK (Murphy, NC) 1,350
16. JACK PENNINGTON (Winston, GA) 825
17. BOB SALATHE (Bedford, PA) 800
18. ED FERREE (Saxonsburg, PA) 750
19. STEVE BAKER (Fairmont, WV) 700
20. GARY STUHLER (Greencastle, PA) 700
21 BILLY MOYER (Batesville, AR) 1,550
22. DAVEY JOHNSON (Greensburg, PA) 700
23. TIM HITT (Weston, WV) 700
24. DAN SCHLIEPER (Pewaukee, WI) 1,200
lSKY Racing Cams Fast Gun Pole Award: Donnie Moran, 20.17 seconds (93.703 mph)
BORLA Performance Exhaust Heat Race Winners: Gary Stuhler, Rick Aukland, Skip Arp, Todd
Andrews, Freddy Smith, Scott Bloomquist
HAV-A-TAMPA Dirt Racing Series Point Standings (Following Event # 11 of 1998)
1. Scott Bloomquist 1830
2. Skip Arp 1692
3. Freddy Smith 1610
4. Wendell Wallace 1592
5. Donnie Moran 1565
8. Dale McDoweIl 1552
7. Billy Moyer 1511
8. Ray Cook 1418
9. Dan Schlieper 1401
10. Marshall Green 1236
11. Ronnie Johnson 1198
12 Earl Pearson, Jr. 1146
13. Clint Smith 1073
14 Jack Pennington 1055
15. Jack Boggs 948
1998 Pittsburgh's PA. Motor Speedway Press Releases Page