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NASCAR SJAPS: Bigley Staves Off Goodson in Slim Jim All Pro Series

21 June 1999

Braselton, Ga. -Even though the $44,360 Greeson/Horton Homes 200 represented the start of the second half of the 1999 Slim Jim All Pro Series, NASCAR Touring season, the standings are so crowded at the top that it might as well have been the first race of the season. The 200- lap race, held at Lanier National Speedway on Saturday night, is likely to be an indication of how the balance of the season will go. Naples, Fla.'s Billy Bigley, Jr. held off Hal Goodson to capture his second win of 1999 and fifth of his career.

"I don't think I've ever had two wins in a season. I'd like to thank my sponsors PWC Peerless, Bilstein Shocks and the Hoosier Tires were fabulous. I can't say enough, my dad spotted for me, got me out of a few close calls.

My mom's sitting over in the pits tickled to death so I get to go back to the truck and call my wife and tell her we won," stated Bigley. "We're gonna take this car home, put it on the scales, and write every number down to a t to be ready for our return here in September."

Winder, Ga. resident Jerry Awbrey surprised the Slim Jim All Pro Series regulars as he outpaced 38 other drivers to capture his first career Bud Pole Position. The StreetWires Chevrolet driver toured his home track in a time of 14.079 seconds at an average speed of 95.887 mph. Narrowly missing his second pole position of the season was rookie Rodney Childers who landed on the outside of the front row in the C&C Boilers/Cleaver Brooks Chevrolet.

Awbrey won the drag race into turn one and took command at the drop of the green flag. The race was just three laps old when Summerville, S.C.'s Benny Gordon spun in turn four, leaving Cincinnati, Oh.'s Jeff Fultz with nowhere to go. The duo collided, Gordon was forced to the pits for lengthy repairs while Fultz was done for the evening. During the caution period the lead lap cars of Ronnie Burkett, Randy Gentry, Goodson, Robert Burroughs, Bigley and Lance Goodson all pitted.

Once the green flag was displayed again on lap 10 Awbrey again stepped out to a comfortable advantage. His lead, at times as much as half a straightaway, was twice erased during subsequent caution periods. On lap 82 Statesville, N.C.'s Scott Kilby, driving his Arndt & Herman Windows Chevrolet, ran down the leader and grabbed the lead with a pass on the low side on lap 82.

Kilby appeared to be on his way to earning the $400 Gatorade Front Runner Award for leading at the race's halfway point but when the race's fourth caution occurred on lap 98 when Gentry crashed in turn three he elected to pit during the caution period. Rules dictate that if, at the race's halfway point, the race is under caution, then the Gatorade award is awarded on the fifth consecutive green flag lap after the caution period is over. As a result Bigley grabbed the cash, with Goodson and Gary McCoy close behind.

Bigley continued to set the pace while Goodson was able to get his Nortel Networks Chevrolet close while the two maneuvered through lapped traffic. Only one more caution occurred to allow Goodson to close on Bigley when Lee Tissot spun in turn one on lap 141. When the green was again displayed Bigley and Goodson pulled away to settle things for the win but at the checkered flag Bigley held off the two-time former Slim Jim All Pro Series Champion by 0.761 seconds. Bigley earned $8,435 for the win. Goodson settled for second while Ron Young, points leader Wayne Anderson and Kilby rounded out the top five. Burroughs and Tissot finished sixth and seventh while local teammates Jimmy Garmon and 16-year-old Jason Hogan grabbed the eighth and ninth positions. Yet another local favorite, Dawsonville, Ga.'s Ricky Turner, rounded out the top 10.

The race was run in one hour, four minutes and 47 seconds and Bigley's winning average speed was 69.462 mph. There were a total of five caution periods spanning 38 laps and there were two lead changes among three drivers. Eleven of the 30 starters finished on the lead lap and all but six of the 30 starters were running at the end of the race.

The points race is extremely tight as Goodson has regained the top spot from Anderson. The Darlington, S.C. driver holds a meager four point advantage over Anderson while Bigley is just five behind Anderson with seven races left in the 1999 season. Burkett and Steven Howard hold down the fourth and fifth points positions.

Prior to the Greeson/Horton Homes 200 the Goldspeed Pit Stop Competition was held. Eight Slim Jim All Pro Series teams vied for the $500 award with Howard's Dick Brooks Automotive Chevrolet team executing a two tire change in 14.40 seconds to earn the winning laurels. The Greer, S.C.-based team is owned by Howard's sister Jagina, while the crew is led by his cousin Danny Howard.

For the third race in a row Colleyville, Tex.'s Patrick Lawler earned the Rookie-of-the-Race award, this time piloting his Manheim's Auto Auctions of Texas Chevrolet to a 13th place finish. Coy Gibbs leads Childers by eight points in this category while Lawler is in third, 14 points behind Childers.

Bigley's father, Bill Bigley, Sr., serving as both his son's spotter and crew chief earned the $300 Jasper Engines & Transmissions Crew-Chief-of-the-Race Award after his team's big win and the elder Bigley is just six points behind Goodson's head wrench Jimmy King in the season-long Crew Chief points chase.

The next event for the Slim Jim All Pro Series is Saturday night, June 26 at Caraway Speedway in Asheboro, N.C. The Arndt & Herman Windows 200 will be the 10th event on the 16-race Slim Jim All Pro Series schedule.

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