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HAV-A-Tampa USA National 100: Report, Results, Standings

12 August 1997

NEW RICHMOND, WI - When Bill Frye got loose in turn four with just two laps left in the HAV-A-TAMPA Dirt Racing Series "USA National 100" at Cedar Lake Speedway, Rick Aukland of Fargo, ND was in the right spot to drop to the inside, make the pass and lead the way to the checkers for a $30,000 payday. This win was the second of the year in big-money races as he captured another $30,000 check earlier when he won the "Show Me 100".

"Man, this is just awesome," Aukland said afterwards. "We outran the best in the business out there tonight and it means a lot for us to win here in front of this crowd."

At the start of the race, Rick Eckert grabbed the lead from the pole position and would hold it until lap 63 when Scott Bloomquist passed him. Bloomquist held the point until a left rear tire blew on lap 82 at which point Aukland assumed the lead. Having started eighth on the field, Aukland had spent the first half of the race moving into a position to challenge for the lead. With there now being less than 20 laps to go, Aukland led Frye, Wendell Wallace and Donnie Moran in a high speed chase for the finish.

Frye went to the high side of the 3/8 mile oval and soon tracked Aukland down, taking the lead on lap 92 and looking like a certain winner. But then as the cars exited turn four on lap 87 while working lapped traffic and Aukland was there to dive to the low side and take the lead. Moran, who had been forced to take a provisional starting spot and began the race in 23rd position followed Aukland through the hole left by Frye to nab the second spot. Frye was able to recover and finish the race in third with Eckert taking fourth and Wallace fifth.

The win was the second of his career for Aukland on the HAV-A-TAMPA series. By finishing in fifth place, while points leader Billy Moyer was suffering a blown engine and placing 21st, Wallace was able to close the points lead down to just 48 markers with three races left in the 1997 season. The HAV-A-TAMPA tour will now take two weeks off before racing resumes at Atomic Speedway in Knoxville, TN on August 29-30.

John Kaiser -- The Autochannel


RESULTS "USA NATIONAL 100"
Pos Driver                Hometown            Laps       Purse
1.  Rick Aukland          Fargo, ND           100       $31,100
2.  Donnie Moran          Dresden, OH         100        12,600
3.  Bill Frye             Greenbrier, AR      100         8,350
4.  Rick Eckert           York, PA            100         6,100
5.  Wendell Wallace       Batesville, AR      100         5,750
6.  Johnny Virden         Russellville, AR    100         4,200
7.  Clint Smith           Griffin, GA         100         4,000
8.  Scott Bloomquist      Mooresburg, TN      100         3,100
9.  Dale McDowell         Rossville, GA       100         3,100
10. Jimmy Mars            Elk Mound, WI       100         2,300
11. Freddy Smith          Knoxville, TN       100         3,050
12. Skip Arp              Georgetown, TN       99         2,600
13. Rick Egersdorf        Lake Elmo, MN        99         2,100
14. Ray Cook              Murphy, NC           99         2,400
15. Donnie Barnhart       N Little Rock, AR    99         1,800
16. Johnny Johnson        W Burlington, IA     99         1,700
17. Kevin Weaver          Gibson City, IL      99         1,600
18. Craig Scott           Cannon Fall, MN      98         1,500
19. Pat Doar              New Richmond, WI     98         1,500
20. Terry Phillips        Springfield, MO      73         1,500
21. Billy Moyer           Batesville, AR       61         2,100
22. Lance Mathees         Winona, MN           42         1,500
23. Jim Curry             Norman, IN           23         1,500
24. Lane Meyer            West Union, IA       14         1,500
ISKY Racing Cams Fast Gun Award: Rick Aukland, 15.032 secs/89.808 mph


HAV-A-TAMPA National Points standings
1. Billy Moyer              4431
2. Wendell Wallace          4383
3. Freddy Smith             4136
4. Donnie Moran             4017
5. Dale McDowell            3913
6. Clint Smith              3838
7. Skip Arp                 3815
8. Marshall Green           3524
9. Ray Cook                 3348
10.David Gibson             3297
11.Johnny Virden            3158
12.Bill Frye                2857
13.Mark Miner               2588
14.Earl Pearson Jr          2281
15.Ronnie Johnson           1810