NASCAR SJAPS: Anderson Doubles Up ar Caraway Speedway
25 July 1999
Asheboro, N.C. - July 25, 1999 - Wayne Anderson made it a clean sweep at Caraway Speedway in 1999 when he won the $41,000 Arndt & Herman Windows 200 for his third win of the season in the Slim Jim All Pro Series, NASCAR Touring. The Wildwood, Fla. resident earned $8,165 for the victory, and extended his series point lead in the process. "This Grand American Race Car team has got Caraway covered," stated an exuberant Anderson in victory lane. The 31-year-old driver proceeded to hold court, grabbing the microphone and thanking numerous parties for the victory. "Frankie and Augie Grill and the whole Jani-King crew provide me with a great race car and it makes my job easy. The Hoosier tires were great tonight and it just feels great to win back-to-back here at Caraway." Exactly 30 cars showed up to vie for a starting position in the 30-car starting field and 1998 Slim Jim All Pro Series Champion Freddie Query, making his first series start of 1999, captured the $300 Bud Pole Award and set a new track record in the process. The Greased Lightning Cleaner Degreaser Chevrolet driver earned the distinction of being the first driver to exceed 100 mph at the 0.455-mile oval. The Mooresville, N.C. driver sped around the high-banked oval in a time of 16.325 seconds at an average speed of 100.337 mph. It was Query's sixth career Bud Pole and he is the ninth different driver to win a Bud Pole Award in 1999. At the drop of the green flag outside front row starter Billy Bigley, Jr. grabbed the early advantage over polesitter Query and set the early race pace. On lap 24 Bigley's Peerless Woodworking Chevrolet suddenly slowed on the backstretch as his mount developed rear end problems that forced the Naples, Fla. driver to the pits for lengthy repairs. Query then assumed command but Hal Goodson dove under Query on lap 29 to take the lead in his Nortel Networks Chevrolet. The first of eight cautions waved on the next lap as Rodney Childers and George Ingole got together and spun in turn four. During the caution period many of the leaders pitted handing the lead to Colleyville, Tex. rookie driver Patrick Lawler. Lawler then proceeded to keep his Manheim's Auto Auctions of Texas Chevrolet out front for 33 laps until fellow rookie competitor Shane Sieg wrested the lead away from Lawler on lap 65. The 16-year-old Sieg then led until lap 95 when Greer, S.C.'s Steven Howard took the top spot just prior to the caution waving after Tina Gordon spun in turn four. Green flag racing resumed on lap 99 and Howard saw nothing but Gatorade green as he captured the $400 Gatorade Front Runner Award for the third time in 1999 for leading at the race's halfway point. The Dick Brooks Automotive Chevrolet driver then paced the field until the race's fifth caution occurred on lap 130 when Lawler and Brian Smith got together in turn four. Howard then ducked into the pits to execute his mandatory pit stop. Howard's pit stop completed the cycle for all of the lead lap cars handing the lead to Anderson. On lap 189 the final caution waved when Hal Goodson and Freddie Query, running second and third respectively, made contact in turn four and Goodson's Chevrolet spun. Goodson chased down Query during the caution, the cars bumped, then Goodson blocked Query's machine. NASCAR officials directed Goodson to park his car for the evening and Query was directed to drop to the tail of the lead lap cars for the restart. On the ensuing restart Anderson powered away to a 1.127 second win over Conyers, Ga.'s Ron Young. Young settled for second over Steve Mendenhall earning both drivers their top finishes of 1999. Howard rebounded for a fourth place finish while Lee Tissot also earned his best finish of '99 to round out the top five in fifth. The sixth through 10th positions fell to David Reutimann, Jeff Fultz, Scott Kilby, Query and Ronnie Burkett. Anderson established a new race record for the 200-lap race in one hour, 16 minutes and 27 seconds. His winning average speed was 71.419 mph. The eight cautions ate up 46 laps and there were eight lead changes among seven drivers. Eleven of the 30 starters finished on the lead lap and 19 cars were running when the checkered flag waved. Anderson now holds a healthy 127-point lead over Bigley while Goodson is just two points behind Bigley in third. Burkett closed to within 21 points of Goodson and Howard continues to hold down the fifth points position. Bluffton, S.C.'s A.J. Frank picked up the Rookie-of-the-Race award on the strength of finishing on the lead lap in 11th position. Coy Gibbs continues to lead the Rookie-of-the-Year points by 12 over Childers. Lawler is just three points behind Childers in third. Just as Anderson won his second race in a row so go the fortunes for his crew chief Augie Grill. Grill picked up the $300 Jasper Engines & Transmissions Crew Chief Challenge Award and took the lead in the points for the year-ending Jasper Award. Grill now leads Goodson's crew chief Jimmy King by 10 points in the category. Slim Jim All Pro Series teams will jump right back into action next weekend when the series heads to Louisville, Ky. for the running of the NAPA Auto Parts 300 at Louisville Motor Speedway. The Louisville race will be the 12th race on the 16-race Slim Jim All Pro Series schedule and will be the only 1999 race that will be 300 laps in length as well as the only series event to be run in Kentucky this year.
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.