KILBY WINS RACE AND TITLE

SCOTT KILBY COMPLETES CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON WITH WIN

NEWPORT, TENNESSEE - Scott Kilby, of Statesville, North Carolina, driving 
the A&H Windows Chevrolet Monte Carlo set the quick time in qualifying, 
started on the pole and won the Thunder in the Mountains 250, American 
Racing Association (ARA) Kool Seal Challenge Series event, at Newport 
Speedway on Saturday night, October 20.  In a race that saw five lead 
changes among four drivers, Kilby finally emerged as the winner of the 
$5000 first place money in the final ten laps of the event.  It was Kilby's 
fifth win of the season.

Sixteen year-old Danny O'Quinn, Jr., from Coeburn, Virginia, in the O'Quinn 
Trailer Sales Chevrolet looked to be the fastest driver in time trials, 
until Scott Kilby - the final car to qualify - turned the high-banked 
4/10th-mile track with a final lap of 13.218 seconds.  Kilby's fast lap 
nudged O'Quinn to the outside of the front row.  Kilby won the Battery 
Supply of Virginia Pole Award and started on the inside of the front row 
for the 250-lap event.

"The bonus points for the pole took the pressure off of us as far as the 
series championship," Kilby said.  "Because of the reputation of the 
toughness of this track we decided to start up front and hopefully stay out 
of trouble.  At that point, the only way to lose the championship was to be 
the first car out of the race."

At the fall of the green flag, the challenge was on as Danny O'Quinn raced 
from his outside position into a brief lead on the first lap.  Kilby 
regained the front spot on the second lap as a tight pack pushed and shoved 
for position behind the race leader.

There were eight cautions, including a competition caution at the halfway 
mark in the 250-lap race.  The most critical for the points championship 
was the third yellow flag which came on lap 45 as Keith Bumgarner, of 
Conover, North Carolina, second in points coming into the race, tangled 
with Scott Campbell, of Clyde, North Carolina, while racing for position.

Bumgarner had qualified eighth in the Country Chair Ford Taurus and had 
suffered with brake problems throughout the race.  The accident ended 
Bumgarner's championship hopes.  Until that point, Bumgarner had finished 
every lap of every ARA Kool Seal Challenge Series race during the entire 
2001 season.

By lap 69, Keith Stiltner, from Grundy, Virginia, in the Race Mining 
Pontiac had worked his way from a sixth place starting spot into the 
lead.  Stiltner held the lead through the competition caution at halfway 
and on through lap 168 when he fell out of the event with an overheating 
racecar.

"I ran over a piece of drive shaft or something when the caution came out 
for the 122 car (Dennis Queen of Waynesville, NC)," Stiltner said.  "This 
was a tough race to get to the lead, and even tougher to keep the lead."

As Stiltner slowed, Stephen Leicht, from Asheville, North Carolina, in the 
Action Racing Collectables Ford Taurus went to the front, but was passed 
before the start-finish line by defending series champion Greg Marlowe, 
from Troutman, North Carolina.  Marlowe, in the Southern Pride Chevrolet 
Monte Carlo, led from lap 169 until lap 240 when he coasted into the pits 
with a blown motor.

After falling as far behind as sixth position, Scott Kilby had climbed back 
into second spot.  When Marlowe brought out the final caution, Kilby 
regained the lead and went on to win.

"Fifty laps from the end, we didn't think we'd win this race," Kilby 
said.  "My car got too loose in the first half of the race.  I really had 
to run too hard early to try and keep the lead.  After a while, I just had 
to slow down to keep from spinning out.  In the first part of the second 
half we weren't real pleased with the changes we had made to the car.  But, 
it came around."

Finishing in second was Lee Tissot from Arden, North Carolina in the 
Madison Florist Chevrolet Monte Carlo.  Tissot started 14th in the car 
owned and driven on a weekly basis at Newport by Mitch West.

"I had a pretty good car," Tissott said following his career best ARA 
finish.  "The only problem we had was a spin with Mark Ketron.  He got a 
little excited and we got together.  He really didn't mean to do it.  The 
racing was just that close all night.  Late in the race, the other cars 
started sliding sideways and mine didn't.  I guess that's because I'm used 
to running these 250 lappers."

Ketron, from Kingsport, Tennessee, driving the McDonalds Chvrolet Monte 
Carlo also recovered from the caution on lap 114 to finish third - also a 
career best ARA finish.  Westley Huffman, from Blythewood, South Carolina, 
finish fourth in the Pre-Paid Legal Chevrolet.  And, Tim Weaver from 
Statesville, North Carolina, in the Got Jesus Chevrolet finished fifth.

The victory clinched the 2001 ARA Kool seal Challenge Series Championship 
for Kilby.  It is the first national title for the veteran stock car racer.

"I'd just like to express my appreciation to the people that started this 
series and those that are working to see it continue to grow," Kilby 
said.  "I always knew that I had what it took to win a national 
title.  This series gave me a chance to prove it.

"The competition was tough this year, and the good part is that this A&H 
Windows Team won the championship.  The bad part is that the competition 
will only get tougher as more racers discover this series."


UNOFFICIAL ORDER OF FINISH
Thunder in the Mountains 250
American Racing Association
Kool Seal Challenge Series
Newport Speedway
Newport, Tennessee
Saturday, October 20, 2001

Finish,Start,Car#,Driver,Hometown,Laps

1,1,30,Scott Kilby,Stateville NC, 250
2,14,27,Lee Tissot,Arden NC,250
3,5,26,Mark Ketron,Kingsport TN,250
4,4,5,Westley Huffman,Blythewood SC,250
5,13,79,Tim Weaver,Stateville NC,250
6,3,99,Stephen Leicht,Asheville NC,250
7,10,101,Pete Silva,Leicester NC,249
8,12,0,Brian Ramsey,White Pine TN,249
9,15,40,Scott Campbell,Clyde NC,248
10,17,8,Ed Surrett,Asheville NC,244
11,18,13,Johnny Dixon,Parrottsville TN,244
12,9,07,Greg Marlowe,Troutman NC,240
13,16,1,Robbie Henry, Maryville TN,233
14,2,01,Danny O'Quinn Jr,Coeburn VA,195
15,6,22,Keith Stiltner,Grundy VA,169
16,7,122,Dennis Queen,Waynesville NC,130
17,8,95,Keith Bumgarner,Conover NC,54
18,11,10,Jimmy Doyle,Hendersonville NC,13

Battery Supply of Virginia Pole Award - Scott Kilby 13.218 seconds

Lead Changes:  5 among 4 drivers
Kilby - Pole
O'Quinn - 1
Kilby - 2-68
Stiltner - 69-168
Marlowe - 169-240
Kilby - 241-250

Cautions:  8 for 47 laps


UNOFFICIAL FINAL 2001 POINTS
American Racing Association
Kool Seal Challenge Series

  1. Scott Kilby,Statesville NC,544
  2. Keith Bumgarner,Conover NC,509
  3. Westley Huffman,Blythewood SC,433
  4. Greg Marlowe,Troutman NC,429
  5. Keith Stiltner,Grundy VA,342
  6. Frampton Ferguson,Furman SC,299
  7. Stephen Leicht,Asheville NC,292
  8. Tim Weaver,Statesville NC,293
  9. Danny O'Quinn,Coeburn VA,284
10. Andy Loden,Troutman NC,217