USAR: Gosselin wins at Concord
31 May 1999
Completes spectacular "May Speedweeks" with ProCup victoryConcord, NC - Mario Gosselin completed his month of May in "super" fashion when he won his second consecutive race during the May Speedweeks celebration held at Concord Motorsports Park the night prior to the running of the Coca-Cola World 600 at nearby Lowes Motor Speedway.
Gosselin drove his W.J.Plemons Investments sponsored Monte Carlo into the lead on lap 193, then held off hard charging Michael Ritch at the checkers to win the Naturally Fresh Foods 250 presented by Todays Fireplaces. His one car-length win .202 seconds was his second series win of the year.
The 27-year-old Lake Wales, FL driver completed a spectacular month of May with his 12th United Speed Alliance Racing (USAR) Hooters ProCup victory in only his 38th career start. Gosselin won his first ever ARCA start at Lowes Motor Speedway the previous weekend when he dominated the Easy Care 100 in his first super speedway race.
"What a week, " said Gosselin shaking his head during a wild victory lane celebration. "Ritch was tough there at the end, but we had the car and the team tonight to win this race. Id really like to thank my crew chief Ian Landrey and this DGM Motorsports crew for two great weeks of racing. We did it (win) where we had to. I hope the other teams here in Charlotte this week liked what they saw."
USAR points leader Jay Fogleman, Durham, NC used his track record Discount Auto Parts pole position run (105.957 mph) to lead the first 41 circuits of the race before giving way to Toby Porter, Greenville, SC, after his Kidde Thunderbird made hard contact with Jeremy Bowsers Key Bank and Trust Thunderbird resulting in a blown right front tire.
Porter had his Pepsi Monte Carlo out front for two laps before Gosselin made his bid for the lead. Gosselin passed Porter on lap 44, then held off all challengers for 119 laps while picking up an additional $1,000 from Lucas Oil Products for winning the Halfway Challenge.
Gosselin eventually pitted under caution on lap 173, relinquishing the lead to Mart Nesbitt, Asheville, NC. Nesbitt, enjoying his best race of the season, held the top spot in his State Fair Brand Corn Dogs Monte Carlo for 19 laps before Gosselin retook the lead on lap 193. Nesbitts eventually finished fifth, his best series finish.
Gosselins lead was jeopardized late in the race when the seventh and final caution flag came out with 10 laps remaining allowing Ritch to close within striking distance.
Ritch, High Point, NC, did everything he could in his Jackaroo Sauces Monte Carlo to pass his chief rival but came up a car length short at the finish.
"I had a car equal to him (Gosselin), " said Ritch after the race. "I just couldnt get by him short of wrecking either one of us." Gosselin won $9,000 from the $76,850 purse. Fogleman rallied late in the race to finish third while Porter held on to fourth.
"Im just glad to finish one of these things," said a delighted Porter who had failed to finish three consecutive races.
Bobby Gill, Dalton, GA finished sixth and trails Fogleman by 25 points in the $200,000 series points race. Gill entered the race as the only driver to have completed all of the laps run this year. His AquaTech Monte Carlo however finished one lap down.
Bowser eventually finished 12th to earn the Miller Beer "Rookie of the Race" Award.
Mardy Lindley, Taylors, SC leads the Miller Beer "Rookie of the Year" points race despite finishing 24th. He holds an 11-point advantage over Buford, GA driver Steve Christian and his Lucas Oil Products Monte Carlo. Christian struggled most of the day qualifying 27th, finishing 16th.
Jabe Jones, Toccoa, GA started 30th in his Coors Light Monte Carlo and finished 13th to earn the W.J.Plemons Investments Hard Charger Award.
During one stage of the race, Derrick Kelley, Auburndale, FL came from last to second before his Discount Auto Parts Monte Carlo lost a panhard bar. He finished 26th.
Ricky Hendrick IV, Charlotte, NC made his first Hooters ProCup start. The 19-year-old son of NASCAR Winston Cup car owner Rick Hendrick sat on the outside of row one in his DuPont Refinishes Monte Carlo finishing 27th following an accident involving Justin Labonte.
Labonte finished seventh in his Penrose Hot Sausages Monte Carlo.
Local favorite Clayton Rogers, who graduated from high school earlier in the day, qualified seventh and finished eighth in his Fire Protection Services Company Taurus.
Scott Sutherland, Jefferson, GA finished ninth in his Road Rescue Monte Carlo while defending series Champion Jeff Agnew finished 10th in his Twin Cities Motor Exchange Monte Carlo.
Mike Laughin, Jr., winner at Tri-County Motor Speedway finished 11th in his Valenite Taurus.
The race will air Friday, June 4 at 9 p.m. on the Speedvision Network.
USA International Speedway will be the site of the eighth race of the Hooters ProCup season on Saturday, June 12. The State Fair Brand Corn Dogs 250 will start at 8 p.m.
Editors Note: For hundreds of hot racing photos and racing art, be sure to visit The Racing ImageGalleries and the Visions of Speed Art Gallery.