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Jennerstown
to host first USAR Hooters ProCup Series Northern event |
by Tim Southers
FAYETTEVILLE, Ga. (April 16, 2001) – Ready or not the USAR
Hooters ProCup Series is making its first venture into beautiful
Jenerstown Speedway this Saturday night for the running of the
Naturally Fresh Dressings 200 presented by Rolling Rock.
Over 40 drivers are expected to attempt to start in this
history-making event at the fast one-half mile facility located
in western Pennsylvania. The race will be the first on the
northern division Hooters ProCup Series schedule. While the
southern division drivers have already competed in four events,
the end of April marks the beginning of racing in the
Pennsylvania mountains.
Several drivers who previously competed in the Series have
decided to challenge for the championship via the northern
division. Among those drivers is 1998 Hooters ProCup Series
champion Jeff Agnew. Agnew will drive the NGA/Hooters Golf Tour
Chevrolet. The Copper Hill, VA driver is excited about his
chances and his partnership with the NGA/Hooters Tour.
“We are definitely looking forward to Jennerstown,” said Agnew.
“The track reminds me a lot of Montgomery Motor Speedway on the
southern schedule. It has wide turns and the transition in and
out of them is a little like Montgomery. We tested up there and
despite rain cutting our practice short ran really well.”
With NGA/Hooters joining the team Agnew is really excited about
the possibilities of the new partnership. The deal enabled the
team to move into the northern division.
“We were planning on running the southern division races,” said
Agnew. “I thought it would be neat to go to some new tracks, but
we couldn’t have done that without a sponsor. The NGA/Hooters
Tour made that possible.”
As for learning how to get around the new tracks, Agnew feels
his experience can help solve that problem.
“You have to pay attention to your surroundings and be ready to
make adjustments as you go to accommodate yourself,” said Agnew.
“It is like the competitors in the NGA/Hooters Tour. They have
to make adjustments at each course they play on because no two
courses are the same; neither are the tracks we will race on
this year.”
Hooters ProCup Series veteran Bill Plemons, Jr. is another
southern driver who made the switch to the northern division and
is also pumped up for this weekend.
“We really liked the track when we tested there recently,” said
Plemons, Jr. “This track is a racer’s race track. Drivers
including myself will have to be patient to get around the
track. We feel we have a great car and we can’t wait to get
there this weekend.”
Another driver looking forward to Jennerstown Speedway is Regan
Smith. As this young New York native prepares to begin
competition, he looks forward to comparing his abilities and his
team to northern-based drivers.
“We tested up there last week and had a great test,” said Smith.
“Everyone is very friendly and the track is beautiful. We can’t
wait to get there.”
While several drivers from the south have decided to make the
jaunt up north, there are also many great drivers entered this
weekend that have teams based in the area around of Jennerstown
Speedway. Among those northern-based drivers is Bobby Gegetskas.
Gegetskas, known to many in the modified racing circles of the
northeast, looks forward to his first Hooters ProCup Series
start.
“We shook the car down at Thompson last week and are ready to
make the trip to Jennerstown,” said Gegetskas. “The track is
very forgiving. There are two grooves and you can pass on the
track. I expect a couple of long green flag runs, not too many
cautions.”
While Gegetskas has never raced against any of the Hooters
ProCup Series drivers, he hopes his experience in modifieds at
the track will help.
“I have raced modified cars at Jennerstown and we have been
fortunate enough to finish in the top-10 every time. Hopefully
we can get our Aaron’s Rents car in contention this Saturday
night.”
The race will begin at 7 p.m. with an autograph session
scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. The Late Models will run
immediately after the Naturally Fresh Dresings 200 presented by
Rolling Rock. A fireworks show will follow the Late Model race
on Saturday night. For more information about this event please
visit the official website of USAR at
USARProCup.com or
Jennerstown Speedway at
Jennerstown.com |
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