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Hav-a-Tamp Phillies Cigar 100: Report and Standings

10 February 1998

Gibsonton, Fla - Skip Arp marched through a field of America's best drivers
on dirt Saturday night at East Bay Speedway to snatch a victory on the
Hav-A-Tampa Dirt Racing Series for the second consecutive week.  Arp's
rousing run to the checkered flag began with a provisional starting spot in
the field for the "Hav-A-Tamp Phillies Cigar 100" as the nations leading
dirt late model series competed in the hometown of its title sponsor.  The
Georgetown, TN driver pockted over $10,000 dollars as he bested the 77
entries that were on hand to attempt to make the 24 car starting field.

        "This is hard to believe," said a jubilant Arp in the victory lane
celebration with his crew and family. "I mean, to use a provisional and
come out of here with a big win like this is just super.  The crew gambled
and it really paid off here tonight."

        The win, Arp's ninth career victory on the series, moves Arp into
the early season points lead in the national championship standings for
dirt late model racing.  After having difficulties in his heat race and the
last-chance consolation qualifier, the driver of the Curtis Equipment
sponsored Chevrolet Monte Carlo was faced with the possibility of not
making the transfer into the main event.  His only salvation came through
the use of a provisional starting spot, by virtue of his sixth place final
standing in the 1997 points chase.  Arp used the opportunity to its fullest
advantage, the went on to keep the standing room only crowd at East Bay
Speedway awestruck with his thundering run to the front.

        "I was fortunate enough to have such a good car under me tonight,"
said Arp in the winner's circle.  "We just planned on doing the best we
could and this is how it turned out.  It's another big, big win for this
team."

        Arp's remarkable run to the front included a daring pass of four
cars in turns one and two on lap 23 that moved Arp into the top-ten. 
Donnie Moran had outgunned polesitter Jack Boggs on the first lap and held
the top spot until Boggs took the lead on lap 29.  Boggs then battled with
Tim Hitt for the next ten laps, with Hitt leading lap 35. By lap 38 Arp had
become part of a five car battle for the lead and slipped past Boggs on the
next lap to move into the lead.  Arp would go on to lead the final 61 laps
en route to a Hav-A-Tampa Dirt Racing Series Victory lane visit for the
second time in 1998.

                Freddy Smith gave chase to the winner in a run that was
nearly equally impressive as that of Arp.  Smith, also started from the
rear of the field and went on to challenge Arp for the lead during the
final 20 laps.  Following Arp and Smith in the finishing order were Scott
Bloomquist in third, Hitt in fourth while Bart Hartman rounded out the top
five .  Sixth through tenth, respectively, were Johnny Virden, Dan
Schlieper, Bob Pierce, Rick Eckert and Mike Balzano.  Boggs shattered the
previous track record for late models in qualifying with lap of 14.715
seconds around the one-third mile track to earn the ISKY Racing Cams Fast
Gun pole award.  The event was slowed by eight cautions with six cars
finishing of the lead lap.  The series now takes a week off before
returning to action on February 20-21 at Waycross(GA) Motor Speedway.  For
event and ticket information on the Hav-A-Tampa Dirt Racing Series "7th
annual Walker-Jones Chevrolet 100" in Waycross call the speedway office at
(912)283-3587

HAV-A-TAMPA DIRT RACING SERIES National Point Standings Following Event #2
of 1998.

    Driver               Hometown        Points
-----------------------------------------------
1.  Skip Arp             Georgetown, TN  362
2.  Bart Hartman         Zanesville, Oh  320
3.  Scott Bloomquist     Mooresburg, TN  320
4.  Freddy Smith         Knoxville, TN   316
5.  Bob Pierce           Danville, IL    302
6.  Donnie Moran         Dresden, Oh     300
7.  Johnny Virden        Russellville, Ar288
8.  Wendell Wallace      Batesville, AR  265
9.  Rick Eckert          York, Pa        259
10. Dan Schlieper        Peewaukee, WI   253
11. Mark Miner           Stockbridge, Ga 248
12. Billy Moyer          Batesville, Ar  235
13. Ray Cook             Murphy, NC      233
14. Dale McDowell        Rossvile, Ga    231
15. Jimmy Sharpe         Vidalia, Ga     222
16. Bill Frye            Greenbrier, AR  218
17. Steve Francis        Ashland KY      207
18. David Gibson         Ash Flat, Ar    198
19. Marshall Green       Dalton, GA      195
20. Rodney Combs         Ft. Myers, Fl   191
21. Alan Vaughn          Belton, Mo      189
22. Clint Smith          Griffin, Ga     185
23. Ronnie Johnson       Chattanooga, Tn 181
24. Tony Izzo, Jr.       Bridgeview, IL  181
25. Jack Boggs           Grayson, Ky     175

John Kaiser -- The Auto Channel