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Gill Continues His Winning Ways

Bobby Gill

LAKELAND, FL - While it didn't look as if it would be his night when he qualified 24th, Bobby Gill showed the 5,000 fans in attendance at USA International Speedway why he is always on the minds of drivers in the United Speed Alliance Racing Hooters ProCup Series.

Gill out dueled Jeff Agnew in a green-white-checkered finish to win the Naturally Fresh Foods 200 Saturday night at the season-opener for the Series.

Steven Christian, who won his first career USAR Hooters ProCup Series race at USA last November, finished a solid third. Shane Huffman followed in fourth to collect his best finish in the Series while Derrick Kelley completed the top five.

Finishing sixth through tenth was Mart Nesbitt, Jason Sarvis, Kertus Davis, Mike Laughlin, Jr. and Chad Mullis.

Jeff Agnew

Gill and Agnew battled side-by-side for the race lead on several occasions, until Gill was able to get out front for good on lap 189 and hold on for his 13th Series win in just 41 races.

"We had a good car tonight and I am glad we had a little something left there at the end," said Gill. "I thought Jeff was going to make a run there at the end nut we were able to stay out front for the win." The final two-lap sprint to the finish was set up when Chris Gordon brought out the last of nine caution flags during the night on lap 194 when he spun on the track.

Mario Gosselin won the A Plus Mini Marts Pole Award with a time of 22.021 (115.989 mph) and remained out front for the first 15 laps of the race until Jeremy Bowser took the lead on lap 16 and held the top spot until Bill Plemons, Jr. passed for the lead on lap 28.

Plemons, Jr. remained out front until he pitted during a caution giving the lead to Christian. After the caution the most severe incident on the track occurred on lap 75, just after a restart, when five cars were collected on the front stretch to bring out the red flag for 14 minutes.

Plemons, Jr., Brian Vickers, Joe Harrison, Jr., Billy Mowery and Don Satterfield were involved in the incident which ended the night for all five drivers.

Bill Plemons, Jr.

"We were all racing hard and a couple of cars got together and some of us had no where to go," said Plemons, Jr. "It is a shame because we led some laps and had a really good car. We'll be back." Gill took the lead from Christian during a round of pit stops on lap 103 and remained out front for 54 laps until Agnew assumed the top spot on lap 158.

"We had a fast car tonight," added Agnew. "We just lost our tires there at the end of the race. Bobby and I raced hard and I am happy to start the season with such a strong run in our car."

The race featured 13 rookies in competition with Sarvis winning Miller Lite Rookie of the Year honors in his first race of the season. Christian also collected the Lucas Oil Products Halfway Leader Award for leading at lap 100. The next race for the USAR Hooters ProCup Series will be the Jackaroo Sauces 250 on March 17 at St. Augustine Speedway.

A total of 13 rookies raced Saturday night. Joining Miller Lite Rookie of the Race Jason Sarvis were: Dell Murphy, Toby Robertson, R.D. Smith, Chris Gordon, Kevin Sasser, Shane Sieg, Scott York, Freddie Query, Neil Browder, Brent Sherman, Tom Pistone and Neil Cox. Danny Sammons suffered a blown motor during qualifying and Larry Wilcox also suffered mechanical problems keeping both out of the race. Sammons entered the lone Dodge of the field Saturday and will compete on the entire Southern Division schedule.