SES: Louisville preview

DAYTONA BEACH, FLA. (August 29 2001)-The hottest driver on the Gatorade All Pro Series, NASCAR Touring, Jeff Fultz, will return to the tough 7/16-mile oval of Louisville Motor Speedway on September 8 to defend his 2000 victory with his focus on a possible NASCAR Championship.

Fultz, originally from the Cincinnati, Oh. area, has won four of the last six series events including two at the 1.5-mile Kentucky Speedway and the last series event on the high banks of Bristol Motor Speedway. He is just 49 points behind series leader Wayne Anderson holding down third in series points.

"We definitely have had some good fortune lately," said Fultz. "We were a second place car at Bristol but as things worked out we were in the right place at the right time and when Kevin (Prince) has his problems late in the race we found ourselves at the front of the pack."

Prince is certainly looking forward to returning to Louisville where he recorded his career best finish. He enters the Louisville race 14th in series points with one top five and four top ten finishes.

"Our car was so strong at Bristol and everything looked good until our car and a lapped car had contact with 13 laps to go," commented Prince. "Bristol is not an easy track and neither is Louisville. But last year we had a good run at Louisville and with the run at Bristol the confidence of my team is strong."

"Louisville is a track where you have to be on your toes all the time. Entering the short frontstretch is wicked and you can make contact with the front wall so fast. Then you make a hard turn entering turn one and back in the gas. It is tough track to drive and there is not another track like it on our schedule," continued Prince.

Ken Weaver, Mishawaka, In., has been a regular with this series for the past three years with 2000 being his best year. He finished ninth in the year-end points with his career best finish, a third, coming at Louisville last year. In 2001 he has one top ten finish and enters this event 12th in series points.

New Albany, In. driver Josh Clemons is anxious to return to the track he considers his home track. With many laps under his belt at Louisville he has a good setup for this tough track. He has been a regular competitor at Louisville and in the last two Gatorade All Pro Series, NASCAR Touring events he has started on the outside front row. Clemons has four starts with the series in 2001 recording one top five and top ten finish.

Wayne Anderson, Wildwood, Fla. set a new qualifying mark for the series in 2000 when he turned the .438-mile track in 14.415 Secs (109.261 mph). Anderson is the 1999 Gatorade All Pro Series National Champion and he is the series points leader entering this race. Anderson also has four stops in victory lane in 2001. In the 2000 event he finished fifth.

Anderson and Fultz will be the only former winners in the field, in six series events run at Louisville, but they will have plenty of tough competition in the Louisville 250. One driver who figures to be tough is five-time track champion Keith Gardner of Louisville. Gardner, with three starts in 2001 is ranked 41st in series points.

The Wireway/Husky Corp. Rookie-of-the-Year competition continues to be a tight battle. Jody Lavender, Hartsville, S. C. leads that competition with a one point margin over Charlie Bradberry of Chelsea, Al.. Roger Parker, London, Ky. is third in rookie points and trails Lavender by nine points with four events remaining on the 2001 schedule.

Action at Louisville Motor Speedway on September 8 for the Gatorade All Pro Series, NASCAR Touring drivers starts at 9:00 am with registration. Practice will be from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm with qualifying taking place at 6:00 pm. The fastest 27 qualifiers will lock in their starting positions with five provisional positions making up the 32-car field.

The Gatorade All Pro Series, NASCAR Touring is one of nine NASCAR Touring Series that blanket the United States, bringing special events to many NASCAR Weekly Racing Series tracks and some NASCAR superspeedways and road courses. NASCAR Touring Series can provide a competitor with an entire career, or they can provide valuable experience to competitors moving through the NASCAR ranks. Corporate sponsors make significant contributions to NASCAR Touring Series point funds. The sponsors include R. J. Reynolds, Anheuser-Busch, Featherlite Trailers, Goody's Headache Powders, O'Reilly Auto Parts, Raybestos Brakes and RE/MAX International, Incorporated.

-nascar/aps