USAR Hooters ProCup Team Press Releases

Contact: Jason Wise, (704) 663-7223 
or E-Mail: Jwise28@aol.com 

- For Immediate Release - 

Myrtle Beach Not Kind to Smith 

USAR ProCup Series Driver Regan Smith Sees String of Circumstances End His Night Early 

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (October 15, 2001) - They say "that which doesn't break you, makes you stronger." If so, then USAR ProCup Series driver Regan Smith is set to enter a Tough Man Contest. 
After qualifying the No. 28 Lucas Oil/ Diamond Cut Jeans Chevrolet Monte Carlo in the 23rd position for this past weekend's USAR ProCup Series event at Myrtle Beach Speedway in Myrtle Beach, S.C., Smith was optimistic that his night would end with a strong finish. 



"While we struggled in qualifying, I felt like we would have a good car for the race," Smith said. "Our night, however, didn't turn out quite like I wanted." 

When the green flag waved, Smith was fighting a loose condition and came to the attention of his pit crew during an early caution period. Once back on the track, Smith began to make his move back through the field. Smith, however, would continue to fight with the handling of his No. 28 Lucas Oil/ Diamond Cut Jeans machine and lost the lead lap during the middle stages of the 250-lap race. 

With the laps winding down, Smith began to search around to find a comfortable groove to run on the track, and discovered the "Harry Gant Line" on the topside of the speedway. By lap 163, Smith had worked his way back up to being the first car one lap down. Just when it seemed Smith's night was beginning to turn around, he radioed his crew on lap 214 that he had a tire going down. Once his crew changed the flat left rear tire, Smith was mired back in traffic that would prove costly to his bid for a solid finish. 

On lap 230, the No. 57 machine of Joe Harrison, Jr. spun in turn two and Smith had no where to go, and the two made contact, causing damage to Smith's right front that would end his night early. Smith was credited with a 31st-place finish. 

"It was just one of those nights," Smith said. "I want to thank Lucas Oil and Diamond Cut Jeans for all their continued support and hopefully we'll put them in victory lane before the season's over. We'll regroup and get ready for Concord." 

Smith and his USAR competitors get a weekend off before heading back into action Oct. 27 at Concord Motorsports Park in Concord, N.C. 

Smith's endorsement agreement with Diamond Cut Jeans is helping to place the 18-year-old in elite company within the racing industry. Smith joins NASCAR Winston Cup drivers Ricky Craven, Ron Hornaday and Mike Skinner, along with FOX television commentator and former NASCAR Winston Cup crew chief Jeff Hammond and NASCAR Busch Series and ARCA Series driver Kerry Earnhardt as a spokesperson for the Texas-based company. 

"I am very honored to be included with these drivers and I look forward to helping Diamond Cut Jeans promote their product line of men's, women's and children's jeans to auto racing's loyal fan base," Smith said. 
To learn more about Regan Smith, visit his website at www.regansmith.com.

 

 

 

Contact: Patrick Rogers 
Racing Relations
(336) 210-8529
E-mail:  pat@racingrelations.com 10/15/01


Third at Myrtle Beach Keeps Huffman Atop USAR Point Standings

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - It might not have been the outcome he was looking for, but driver Shane Huffman's third place finish Saturday night in the Mark Brooks Memorial Hooters 250 at Myrtle Beach Speedway, was enough to keep him out front in the race for the 2001 USAR Hooters ProCup Series Championship.  As the Four Champions Championship Series, a four-race playoff type format that will determine the USAR champion, reaches it's halfway point, the Hickory, N.C. native still holds a scant one point lead over two-time defending champ Bobby Gill.

After winning the pole for the second consecutive race, Huffman appeared ready to put on another dominant performance, similar to his victory in the Four Champions Series opener at Jennerstown two weeks ago.  This race, however, would quickly turn into a battle of patience and pit strategy as the four-time winner paced early leader Hal Goodson from second and  subsequently found himself in fifth entering pit road on lap 123 with the last group of lead cars to make their stops.  

 

Another stellar effort by the "Brat Bunch" had the Johnsonville Ford Taurus off pit road first and sitting 11th for the lap 129 restart.  From there, Huffman charged through the field to claim the top spot on lap 152, where he remained until ultimately surrendering the lead to Goodson on lap 211.

"We missed it just a little tonight," said crew chief Ronnie White.  "The car was loose on the first set of tires, then we over-corrected and were tight on the second set.  We didn't have anything for (Goodson), but we could have been better."

"We did what we had to do tonight," said Huffman.  "We probably didn't have the car to win, so we got the best finish we could, but it's way too early to start counting points.  We're coming to these races to win and the points will take care of themselves."

Fans can catch all of the action from the Mark Brooks Memorial Hooters 250 via tape-delayed broadcasts by the Speedvision Network on Thu., Oct. 18, at 9 p.m. and Fri., Oct 19, at 1 a.m. & 12 p.m. (all times EST).

Huffman and the XTRA Motorsports "Brat Bunch" return to action Sat., Oct. 27, when the USAR Hooters ProCup Series visits the Concord MotorSports Park in Midland, N.C. for round three of the Four Champions Championship Series.  The Eastern Foods Four Champions Challenge will again be on the line, with a chance for Huffman to claim a $10,000 bonus if he can capture a second win during the Four Champions Series.  

For more information, visit www.shanehuffman.com or www.usarprocup.com.     

 

 

 

 

 

Crash Eliminates Puryear
 

    Stacy Puryear driving the Naturally Fresh Foods Pontiac started 18th and finished 28th at Myrtle Beach Speedway in the USAR Hooters ProCup race presented by The Alabama Theater. A late race crash with only fourteen laps to go involving the cars of David Houpt, Bill Plemmons, Jon Kerley, Daniel Johnson and Puryear ended a good finish for him. Puryear got turned around early in the event which put him one lap down. He made several bids to get his lap back but was unsuccessful. On one attempt he got together with Charlie Ford and unintentionally spun him. 

 

    "We struggled to find a set up to my liking all day. We were just too far off when we first got here. The Naturally Fresh Foods team worked really hard for me. I really wanted to finish well to try to obtain a sponsor for next season but it just wasn't meant to be tonight. With me being the only full time employee and the financial situation we're in, we just can't do any testing like the other front running teams. It's showing in our performance" said Puryear.

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