USAR: Tri County raain date preview

FAYETTEVILLE, Ga. (October 1, 2000) -- United Speed Alliance Racing continues its grueling schedule to close out the season with its second consecutive three-race stretch in four weeks. The Hooters ProCup Series visits Tri-County Speedway this Friday night for the running of the Naturally Fresh Foods 250 presented by Johnsonville Bratwurst. The race, originally scheduled for April 15th, had been rained and will be the first of two races in eight days in the Catawba Valley-area of North Carolina. The 2000 season for the USAR Hooters ProCup Series has five races remaining. Bobby Gill enters this weekend with a 191-point lead over Steven Christian in the chase for the $750,000 Hooters ProCup Series championship. Gill, who has won seven races this season, can also become the first driver in the history of the USAR Hooters ProCup Series to top the $100,000 mark in regular season earnings with a finish of second or higher Friday night at Tri-County. While Gill enjoys a comfortable margin over Christian, Mardy Lindley leads a group of six drivers separated by just 107 points from third through eighth place. Jeff Agnew, by way of his first-ever USAR Hooters ProCup Series win, broke into the top-five in the points standings, just four points ahead of Clay Rogers. Speaking of Rogers, the Mooresville, North Carolina driver leads Brian Vickers by 36 points in the battle for the prestigious Miller Lite Rookie of the Year Award and its $10,000 prize. Jon Wood remains in the hunt, just 55 points away from the lead. While Gill has tied the mark for most wins in a season with seven, there have been seven different winners during the 2000 season. That number is just one short of the record for most different winners in a season set in 1999. This weekend's race at Tri-County Speedway could give the series its eighth different winner. There are two drivers who have competed and won at Tri-County in the past, but have yet to get a win this season: 1997 USAR Hooters ProCup Series champion Mario Gosselin and Mike Laughlin, Jr. Gosselin is the only active driver in the series to have won a Discount Auto Parts Pole Award at the 4/10-mile facility and won the last race held at Tri-County in August of last year. He is currently fourth in the points standings and has yet to win in 2000 with a new team and car. Gosselin holds the record for all-time wins in the Hooters ProCup Series with 15 and has won five races each season since 1997. Laughlin, Jr. won his first-ever Hooters ProCup Series race last May at Tri-County and also is looking for his first official win in 2000. Laughlin, Jr. finished first at Myrtle Beach Speedway earlier this season before his win was negated after he failed a post-race inspection. Tri-County will also be a homecoming of sorts for USAR drivers such as Shane Huffman, Karen Schulz, Toby Robertson, Ronnie Davidson, Mart Nesbitt, Jimmy McClain, and Tim Edwards. These drivers have either raced at the facility or the race will be the closest to their home this season. Qualifying will begin at 4:30 p.m. with gates scheduled to open at 4 p.m. on Friday. Tickets for the race are available at Hickory Motor Speedway (828) 464-3655.