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NASCAR-SJAPS: 1998 NASCAR Slim Jim All Pro Series Race Facts - Homestead-Miami 50

18 March 1998

WHAT:	Homestead-Miami 50
WHERE:	Miami-Dade Homestead Motorsports Comp., Homestead, FL, 1.5 mi.
oval
WHEN:	Saturday, April 4, 1998, 12:00 p.m.
DISTANCE:	50 laps (75 miles)
POSTED AWARDS:	$59,650
TV/RADIO:	none

FIELD: 32 cars. Starting positions 1-28 will be determined by time trials (2 laps), positions 29-32 will be available to any of the top 30 eligible drivers in the final 1997 NASCAR Slim Jim All Pro Series Championship point standings, who have entered the event, but have not qualified for one of the original 28 starting positions. If a starting position(s) remains unfilled, then that starting position(s) will become available to the next eligible car from the qualifying procedure for the event.

SANCTION: National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR)

PROMOTER: Homestead-Miami Speedway, LLC

CONTACTS: Jim Noltimier, NASCAR, (770) 486-3591
J.J. O'Malley, Miama-Dade Homestead Motor. Comp., (305) 230-5249

SCHEDULE:	Thursday, April 2 (Optional Day)
	Registration	9:00 a.m.
	Team Hauler Parking	11:00 a.m.
	Inspection (NO PRACTICE)	12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
	Friday, April 3
	Registration & Inspection	6:00 a.m.
	Drawing to determine order of qualifying	7:30 a.m.
	Mandatory Rookie Drivers' Meeting	7:30 a.m.
	Practice	8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
	Time Trials (2 laps, all positions)	1:30 p.m.
	Final Practice (TIME PERMITTING)	Following Time Trials
	Saturday, April 4
	Garage opens	7:00 a.m.
	Mandatory Drivers' Meeting	10:00 a.m.
	Homestead-Miami 50	12:00 p.m.

THE RACE: The Homestead-Miami 50 is the second of 19 events on the 1997 series schedule. Consisting of 50 laps, the race will produce the highest per lap payout in 1998. The Series will return to the track for the season ending event, which will once again be 100 laps, equalling 150 miles.

RECORDS: Track Qual. Record: Sean Studer, Concord, N.C., Chevrolet, 37.572 seconds, 143.724 mph, 11/8/97
Fastest Avg. Speed: (50 lap) Nipper Alsup, Mooresville, NC, Chevrolet, 50 mins., 26 secs., 89.227 mph, 3/16/97 (100 lap) Hank Parker, Jr., Denver, N.C., Chevrolet, 1 hr., 14 mins., 20 secs., 121.076 mph, 11/8/97

1997 REVIEW: Mooresville, N.C.'s Nipper Alsup picked up his only career Slim Jim All Pro Series win in the 1997 season opener. Alsup grabbed the lead from Hank Parker, Jr. on lap 40 and held off the Denver, N.C. driver to win by 0.2 seconds. Alsup earned $7,100 for the victory. Parker held on for second over Derrick Gilchrist, Jeff Fultz and Shawn Hendricks.

NOTES OF INTEREST:

Scot Walters, Nipper Alsup and Hank Parker, Jr. have each won a series event at the 1.5 mile superspeedway. All have moved on to loftier NASCAR pursuits opening the door for a fourth winner in four events. Walters and Parker are running for rookie-of-the-year honors in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and Busch Series-Grand National Division, respectively. Alsup is now focusing his efforts on the NASCAR Winston West Series as well as an occasional start in the Craftsman Truck Series.

The state of Florida is always well represented and this event will be no exception. Sunshine state drivers expected to compete include Jimmy Cope, David Reutimann, Billy Bigley, Jr., and Mike Franklin, Jr., as well as rookies Ronnie Burkett, Nevin Jenkins, Scott Bramlett and Carl Hedin, Jr.

STAT OF THE WEEK: A new points leader will emerge after the completion of this event. Wildwood, Fla.'s Wayne Anderson won the season opener at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla. He is pursuing rookie-of-the-year honors in the Craftsman Truck Series and will be focusing his efforts on that event during the Homestead event. As a result he will likely surrender his points lead, but is expected to run selected Slim Jim All Pro Series events in 1998 with backing from his longtime sponsor Porter Cable Professional Power Tools.

MEDIA SERVICES: NASCAR Online, NASCAR's Official Internet Site on the World Wide Web can be accessed at http://www.nascar.com and offers up to the minute information on the Slim Jim All Pro Series and all of NASCAR's racing divisions.

The NASCAR MEDIAFAX SERVICE is a 24-hour, 7-days-a-week, fax-on demand system offering results, statistics, press releases, qualifying and race reports and other information. The number to call is 201/302-RACE (media use only).