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Pro Spec Racer: Willes Scores First Pro Spec Racer Win At Road Atlanta

25 July 1999

BRASELTON, Ga. - Jack Willes, of Cornelius, N.C., captured his first-career Pro Spec Racer victory at the 20-lap, 50.0-mile Round Four race, part of the Southern Dash Weekend at Road Atlanta. Jim Goughary Jr., of Jupiter, Fla., was second, with Warren Stilwell, of Hartville, Ohio, in third.

Willes, who started from the pole in the No. 49 Willes Racing Spec Racer, saw both Goughary Jr. and Stilwell lead during the 39 minute, 18.730 second contest, but took the point on lap 19, speeding away to a 0.794-second victory.

"A great race," said Willes. "I had a lot of expectations with the championship and this being my home track. The track was really slick. I just concentrated on being smooth and went for the lead when I could."

Goughary Jr., who started third in the No. 29 Speedcom.com/Finish Line Auto Spec Racer, led laps 11 through 14, but lost his point lead in the drivers' championship to Willes, 59 to 58.

"I wanted to score points in this race and really battle for the win in the second race tomorrow." said Goughary Jr. "We worked together for the first few laps then battled for the lead."

Stilwell started second in the No. 28 Stilwell Racing Spec Racer, but fell back to third at the start. After lingering behind the top two for 14 laps, Stilwell, who won the series' two prior Road Atlanta events in 1994 and 1995, took the lead, only to lose it to Willes with two laps to go.

"I had a chance to do something when I got up front, but couldn't make it stick," said Stilwell. "Last lap I was setting up to make a run on Jim, but missed a shift."

Neil Tilbor, of New Smyrna Beach, Fla., finished fourth, followed by John Annis, of Tampa, Fla.

BRASELTON, Ga. - Results from the 20-lap, 50.0-mile Pro Spec Racer race, part of the Southern Dash weekend at Road Atlanta, with finishing position, starting position in parenthesis, driver, hometown, laps complete and reason out, if any. All cars are identical Spec Racers with Ford engines and BFGoodrich Tires.

1. (1), Jack Willes, Cornelius, N.C., 20.
2. (3), Jim Goughary Jr., Jupiter, Fla., 20.
3. (2), Warren Stilwell, Hartville, Ohio, 20.
4. (20), Neil Tilbor, New Smyrna Beach, Fla., 20.
5. (4), Scott Sylvester, Cashiers, N.C., 20.
6. (7), John Annis, Tampa, Fla., 20.
7. (14), Chris Funk, Kansas City, Mo., 20.
8. (8), Carl Harris, Houston, Texas, 20.
9. (11), Keith Scharf, St. Louis, Mo., 20.
10. (29), Keith Grant, Cordova, Tenn., 20.
11. (36), Steve Rehkemper, Chicago, Ill., 20.
12. (21), Darren Pritt, Seattle, Wash., 20.
13. (19), Robert Sak, West Bloomfield, Mich., 20.
14. (28), John Greene, Gainesville, Ga., 20.
15. (15), Denny Stripling, Mckinny, Texas, 20.
16. (30), Kelly Toombs, Prairie Village, Kansas, 20.
17. (27), Ken Cowin, Flowery Branch, Ga., 20.
18. (26), Richard Doty, Haddon Heights, N.J., 20.
19. (23), Mick Robinson, Melborne, Fla., 20.
20. (31), Steve Stansfield, Fort Collins, Colo., 20.
21. (25), Steve Djelebian, Windsor, Ontario, 20.
22. (35), Clint Lindburg II, St. Louis, Mo., 20.
23. (34), Bill Robinson, Atlanta, Ga., 20.
24. (24), Jim Marinangel, McHenry, Ill., 20.
25. (17), C. Peter Pope, Hickory, N.C., 20.
26. (32), Greg Farrar, Claskston, Mich., 20.
27. (33), John Bowden, Lawrence, Kansas, 20.
28. (22), Wade C. White Jr., Ill., 20.
29. (38), Wells Dickson, Des Moines, Iowa, 20.
30. (6), Johnny Meriggi, The Woodlands, Texas, 19.
31. (40), Neil Brown, Tulsa, Okla., 19.
32. (16), Gary Phillips, Berkeley Lake, Ga., 17, Mech.
33. (39), Amid Shayesteh, Richmond, Ind., 17, Mech.
34. (5), Derek Schofield, Lakeland, Fla., 15, Mech.
35. (9), Dana L. Webster, Atlanta, Ga., 14, Mech.
36. (13), John Black, Olympic Valley, Calif., 10, Crash.
37. (18), Jeff Futrelle, Augusta, Ga., 8, Mech.
38. (10), Brian Schofield, Lakeland, Fla., 6, Mech.
39. (37), Rod Scharf, Greenwood, Ind., 0, Mech.
40. (12), John Strickler, Olathe, Kansas, 0, Mech.

Time of race: 39 minutes, 18.730 seconds.
Average speed: 76.312 miles-per-hour
Margin of victory: 0.799 seconds
Fastest race lap: No. 28 Warren Stilwell, 1:43.559 (86.906 mph)
Lap leaders: Laps 1-10, No. 49 Willes, laps 11-14, No. 29 Goughary Jr.,
laps
15-18, No. 28 Stilwell, laps 19-20, No. 49 Willes.
Cautions: one for four laps.

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