NORTHRUP WINS 2ND OF SEASON IN PARTS AMERICA NIGHT

Afton, NY…7/31/98.. Parts America Auto Stores presented a full evening of NASCAR

Winston Racing Series action on Friday July 31st 1998. Winners on the evening

were Jerry Northrup, Aaron Excell, Skip French, Dan Howe and Dennis Vroman.

Mark Schoonover jumped out to the early lead in the 30-lap NASCAR Winston

Racing Series feature event. Schoonover would open up a quick ten-car length

advantage by the time the field-completed lap number five. Caution came out

on the same lap as John Kollar looped off the backstretch. On the restart

Schoonover pulled away once again with Mark Gray, Jeremy Smith and Tony

Pepicelli all taking up the chase.

Pepicelli was on the move and was now up to third on lap eight and closing in

on second place Gray. Schoonover was opening up his lead as he was looking

for his first win of the season. On lap twelve, Pepicelli went by Gray for

second and was now chasing down the leader Schoonover.

Pepicelli appeared to be the quickest car on the speedway as he was starting

to gain on the leader. At the midway point, Schoonover leads; Pepicelli,

Jeremy Smith, Jerry Northrup and Mitch Gibbs complete the top five.

Schoonover was now closing in on slower traffic and Pepicelli was charging in

looking to make a race for the lead. On lap twenty, Pepicelli caught the

leader Schoonover as they raced to turn three. On the next circuit in lapped

traffic, Pepicelli took the lead.

Schoonover stayed right in Pepicelli's tire tracks as they raced through the

slower cars. On lap twenty-four going to turn three, two slower cars came

together in front of the leaders. Schoonover was able to make it through but

Tony Pepicelli was not as fortunate as he was caught up in the mix.

Schoonover would now be the race leader with Jeremy Smith in second, Jerry

Northrup in third.

On the restart, Schoonover pulled away once again leaving the field behind to

battle for the rest of the positions. Northrup was challenging Smith for

second and took the spot away as they completed lap twenty-six. Northrup was

now five car lengths behind Schoonover as they raced to turn one. Coming out

of turn two, race leader Schoonover slowed on the backstretch and pulled into

the pits with motor troubles. Jerry Northrup now moved up to the number one

spot with two laps to go.

At the checkers, Jerry Northrup collected his second win of the season by

five car lengths over Jeremy Smith. Mitch Gibbs, Robbie Green and Brian

Weaver completed the top five. Heat wins went to Mark Schoonover, Mark Gray

and John Kollar.

Aaron Excell notched his first win of the season in the 20-lap NASCAR Winston

Racing Shortrack Series Sportsman division feature event. Excell, who has had

an up and down season, was the class of the field on the night.

Excell, who started in position number four, took the lead on lap two from Dan

Yankowski and went on to win by half a straight away over second place Tim

Mayne. Excell found the right set up on the night as the only time the field

would get close is on restarts after a caution. Mayne finished second for

the second week in a row, Bill Walters, Jim Crawn and Dan Yankowski completed

the top five. Heat wins went to Aaron Excell and Arnie Slade.

Skip French collected his third win of the season and his second in a row as

he triumphed in the 20-lap Street Stock feature event. French took the lead on

lap four and had to hold off Denny Smith. Smith was able to get within a car

length of French but could not muster up enough to get by. Smith held on for

second followed by Rich Raught, Bob Zimmerman Sr and John Walker. Heat wins

went to Denny Smith and John Walker.

Dan Howe graced victory lane for the second time this season in the 15-lap

Pure Stock feature event. Howe was able to hold off Scott Brown, who finished

second, Todd Hurlburt, Bill Hawkins and Bill Cook completed the top five.

Heat wins went to Bill Cook and Todd Hurlburt.

Dennis Vroman became a first time winner in the 15-lap 4 Cylinder Stock

feature. Vroman took the lead at the drop of the green and held off all

charges to pick up his first career victory. Dave Jaindl was second, Gene

Brainard, Harold Humphrey and Jim Potts completed the top five. Heat wins

went to Dave Jaindl and Dennis Vroman.

NASCAR Winston Racing Series Modified Feature Finish 30-Laps. JERRY

NORTHRUP, Jeremy Smith, Mitch Gibbs, Robbie Green, Brian Weaver, Chris

Bushnell, Tony Pepicelli, John Kollar, Earl Walrath, Rich Tiffany, Steve

Eldred, Mark Schoonover, Mike Baldwin, Mike Clapperton, Paul Jensen, JR

Hurlburt, Brian Davis, Marty Bunker, Mark Gray, Tony Wrench, John Ritter.

NASCAR Winston Shortrack Series Sportsman Feature Finish 20-Laps. AARON

EXCELL, Tim Mayne, Bill Walters, Jim Crawn, Dan Yankowski, Steve Anderson,

Arnie Slade, Alan Johnson, Dave VanBuren, Steve Davis, Wink Hinkley, John

Marhefka, Geoff Carner, Pete Lyon, Tim Ross, Dave Crandall.

Street Stock Feature Finish 20-Laps. SKIP FRENCH, Denny Smith, Rich Raught,

Bob Zimmerman Sr., John Walker, Butch Klinger, Bob Zimmerman Jr., Phil Youngs,

Aaron Hacker, Mark Davis, Andy Clement, TJ Fitzgibbons, Bill Harris.

Pure Stock Feature Finish 15-Laps. DAN HOWE, Scott Brown, Todd Hurlburt,

Bill Hawkins, Bill Cook, Glenn Winsor, Dan Callan, Neil Palladino, Dennis

Valentine, Denny Decker, Derrick Commesso, Frank Mills, Buck Mills, Rob

Facini.

4 Cylinder Stock Feature Finish 15-Laps. DENNIS VROMAN, Dave Jaindl, Gene

Brainard, Harold Humphrey, Jim Potts, Jeff Burnett, Rob Coulman, Ralph

Jennings Jr., Bob Dedrick, Pete Christanson, Russell Card, Skip Pickwick, Jeff

Dixon, Duane Spoor, Amos Lancaster, Brian Stigerwald, Dan Davis, Lonnie

Barnes.