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J.J. Yeley Terre Haute Preview

CARQUEST TEAM HOPE PAST SUCCESS PAYS OFF AT TERRE HAUTE TERRE HAUTE, IND. (June 9, 1999) -- CARQUEST Silver Bullet driver J.J. Yeley and the Zarounian-Helmling Motorsports team enter this Friday's USAC Pepsi Sumar Classic 100 at the 1/2-mile ...

CARQUEST TEAM HOPE PAST SUCCESS PAYS OFF AT TERRE HAUTE

TERRE HAUTE, IND. (June 9, 1999) -- CARQUEST Silver Bullet driver J.J. Yeley and the Zarounian-Helmling Motorsports team enter this Friday's USAC Pepsi Sumar Classic 100 at the 1/2-mile dirt Terre Haute (Ind.) Action Track in search of their first win of the season.

In the past, the Terre Haute Action Track has been a successful venue for both Yeley and the Zarounian-Helmling Motorsports team. With then driver Donnie Beechler, Gary Zarounian's car won the Sumar Classic in 1995 & 1997. Zarounian's car also holds the track qualifying record with time of 21.263. Meanwhile Yeley has won two feature events at the track in an USAC Sprint car, winning back-to-back events in '97, the Tony Hulman Classic and the Jim Hurtubise Memorial Sprint Classic.

"I feel real confident going into this weekend," said the 22-year-old Yeley of Phoenix, AZ. "The car has some real good history at Terre Haute and holds the one lap track record. As for myself I have won a couple Sprint Car events there and really enjoy running the track. They have re-done the track since the last time I was there and it should be an even better place to race. We are really looking forward to putting the CARQUEST car in the winners circle Friday night."

The CARQUEST team enters the race currently 5th in the 1999 USAC Coors Light Silver Bullet point standings. Yeley trails points leader Ryan Newman by 93 points.

"Even though we didn't fair as well as would have liked at the Indy Fairgrounds, we didn't get into any trouble and we picked up a lot of points," said Yeley, who started the A.J. Foyt Classic 10th in points, but with a 7th place finish moved to 5th in points. "Some of these tracks are tricky and we just have to stay out of trouble and finish the race. If we can now get a couple top three finishes with the CARQUEST car, that should moves us even further in the point standings and that's our goal this weekend."

Practice for the Pepsi Sumar Classic 100 is scheduled from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. with qualifying set to begin at 5:45 p.m. A 15-lap "qualifying race" will begin at approximately 7 p.m., followed by the 100-lap feature.

The Zarounian-Helmling Motorsports team is comprised of Rollie Helmling and Gary Zarounian. In the past two seasons, Zarounian-Helmling Motorsports has had the best record in the Silver Crown Series with four wins and nine top four finishes in only a 21 race run. In winning the last two races of the year, Zarounian-Helmling Motorsports is set to make an all out assault on the 1999 USAC Silver Crown Series Championship.

J.J. Yeley is a Phoenix, Arizona native; the 22-year-old Yeley is one of the brightest stars of open wheel racing today. The son of Judy and "Cactus" Jack Yeley, a seven time Arizona midget and two-time "World of Outlaws" midget champion, J.J. has made his presence known in midgets, sprint cars, Silver Crown and Indy Cars. J.J. was the youngest driver to compete in the 1998 Indianapolis 500 and he finished 9th. After winning many Sprint Car races in Arizona and California, J.J. came to the Midwest in 1997 to tackle the USAC Sprint Car Series, winning 5 events in his first season. Last he finished the season sixth in USAC Silver Crown points, with victories at Sacramento and St. Louis, his first two career Silver Crown victories. He had four top five finishes and was the only competitor in 1998 to win on dirt and pavement. This season J.J. will wheel the CARQUEST Silver Crown car at all fifteen of the United States Auto Club - Coors Light Silver Bullet Series races with his ultimate goal winning the USAC Silver Crown Championship for the CARQUEST-sponsored Zarounian-Helmling Motorsports team.

To listen to J.J. Yeley and the CARQUEST team's radio frequency, tune to (461.250).

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