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Hooters ProCup: Gill sizzles in the Jackaroo Sauces 250 at USA International

7 September 1999

FAYETTEVILLE, GA -- As the race fans of central Florida prepared their grills to celebrate the Labor Day Weekend, Bobby Gill turned up the heat at USA International Speedway as he basted the field of the Jackaroo Sauces 250 for his third USAR Hooters ProCup Series victory.

Gills No. 5 Naturally Fresh Foods /PGT Ford Taurus charged into the lead on lap 36 after starting from outside the second row. Gill dominated the 250-lap event at the .750-mile semi-banked oval by leading 202 circuits and posting a 1.16 second margin-of-victory over runner-up Mario Gosselin.

"Usually every time I run here the car always tightens up halfway through the race," said Gill. "This time we didnt have to make any changes to the Naturally Fresh Foods/PGT Ford Taurus. It was an awesome day.

"The guys really hit the set up on this Billy Hess car and Keith and Jeff Dorton at Automotive Specialists put together a great motor for us," Gill continued. "You couldnt ask for a better car than what we had.

"We really needed this one. Mario had some bad luck last race that put him behind a little bit. Another win helps us protect our points lead and put a little more pressure on Jay (Fogleman) and Mario. But we still have six more races to go so its not over with yet. Anything can happen."

Gills victory in the Jackaroo Sauces 250 extends his points lead over Fogleman to 75 and 140 over Gosselin after 14 of 20 events in the $1.5 million Series.

The No. 10 W.J. Plemons Investments Chevrolet, also powered by an Automotive Specialists engine, piloted by Gosselin finished a respectable second after collecting his sixth $1000 Discount Auto Parts Pole Award and leading the first 35 laps of the race.

"We really didnt have anything for Bobby (Gill)," said Gosselin. "We just had to stay as close to Bobby as we could and keep Jay (Fogleman) behind us so we wouldnt lose too much ground in the points.

"We were a little too tight going into the corners. Well have to work on that for next time. We still have a lot of opportunities to make up ground but well have to be smart and not lose any ground either."

The JFCO Motorsports team joined up with sponsors Premiere Motorsports and Steve Husketh out of Pittsboro, NC, in unveiling a brand new Ford Taurus for Fogleman to wheel around USA International. Fogleman started the race third and finished third.

"For the last two nights, Ive averaged about four hours of sleep each night trying to get our new car ready to come to the race track," said Fogleman. "Weve worked hard all week. It was just a super run for us. I would liked to have won the race but we really really had a good night.

"The Ford Taurus is a totally different car than the car we won with the last time out. Its brand new to us," Fogleman continued. "The car was just a little bit loose all night. The adjustments are going to take some time to figure out but its a great car.

"I was in bad shape with about fifty laps to go," Fogleman said, referring to his physically suffering from over-heating during the Jackaroo Sauces 250. "It was really hot. I just tried to hold on so that I could make a charge and get a good finish and not hurt ourselves in the points. I was fine once I got cooled off and got some air."

Naturally Fresh Spring Water driver Andy Thurman, continuing his comeback from early season motor problems, posted his second top-five and fourth top-ten in the last five races with a fifth-place finish.

Eighth-place finisher Johnny Rumley, driving the Sikkens-sponsored Chevrolet Monte Carlo, led 10 laps and was the only driver besides Gill and Gosselin to lead any laps on the evening.

After taking the summer to run in six Busch Grand National Series races, Justin Labonte returned to the Hooters ProCup Series in the No. 44 Penrose Hot Sausages Chevrolet finishing ninth.

Mike Laughlin Jr. remains fourth in the points standing after finishing 28th as a result of a disqualification for ignoring a black flag from the officials. Laughlins Valenite Tools Ford Taurus cut a left rear tire 77 laps into the event. The black flag was being shown to Laughlin to issue a stop and go penalty as a result of not restarting the race in the proper position.

While Rookie driver David Pletcher collected the $1,000 Miller Lite Rookie of the Race with a seventh-place showing in the Jackaroo Sauces 250, Steve Christian evened the score in the $10,000 Miller Lite Rookie of the Year Award race.

Christian finished tenth in the No. 0 Lucas Oil Products Chevrolet, just three positions in front Mardy Lindleys Aloe Lu Ya Pontiac. While the difference in points was only 12, it was enough to tie up the rookie race with six races remaining. Now it is a question of who wants to claim the cash and the title more.

Jeff Emery collected the $500 W J Plemons Hard Charger Award after improving nine positions, starting 24th and finishing 15th

Gill, Gosselin and Rumley swapped the lead among themselves five times during the Jackaroo Sauces 250 and yielded to 10 cautions for 55 laps at USA International Speedway.

USAR Hooters ProCup Series and the Jackaroo Sauces 250 from Lakeland, FL, can be seen on Speedvision Sunday, September 12 at 8 p.m.

The next time the stars and cars of the Hooters ProCup Series are put to the test will be back in the Hill Country of Ashboro, NC, at Caraway Speedway for the Auto Lock 250. The gates will open at 4 p.m. for fans that wish to come early and watch qualifying and take part in the pre-race autograph session. The green flag will drop at 8 p.m.

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