LateModelStock.com - News

Studer Conquers Louisville

LOUISVILLE, KY (May 19, 2001) – For the seventh time in nine races this season the USAR Hooters ProCup Series has crowned a different winner. The diverse field also gave, for the fourth time this season, another first-time winner when Sean Studer outlasted the 24-car field to win the Naturally Fresh Dressings 250 Saturday night at Louisville Motor Speedway.

Sean Studer

Studer was able to hold off Mardy Lindley during the final seven-lap sprint to grab his first win in the Hooters ProCup Series, driving the Naturally Fresh Dressings-sponsored car for Mitch Shook.

Mike Herman, Jr. followed Lindley for third as the top three drivers all finished on the lead lap. Bill Plemons, Jr. and Jeff Agnew completed the top five one lap down.

“I want to thank my dad for being there for me all this time,” said an emotional Studer in victory lane. “I also want to thank Mitch Shook and Eastern Foods for giving me the opportunity to drive this car. Stacy (Puryear) drives this car in the southern division and he came up here to help us out and the crew did a great job.”

Studer was one of the fastest cars throughout the day, starting the race third, behind Brian Vickers and Sunoco Pole Award winner Regan Smith.

Smith led the first 14 laps of the race before he and Vickers made contact in turn one, making both drivers move up the track and opening the lane for Studer to take the lead for the first time during the race.

Vickers moved into the lead on lap 56 and stayed out front until the leaders pitted under caution on lap 85, giving the lead back to Smith.

Smith held the lead until lap 136 surrendering it to Lindley when he pitted for tires under caution.

Studer took the lead from Lindley on lap 156 and remained out front the rest of the night for the win.

The race was slowed under caution nine times for 61 laps with several multi-car incidents during the race.

The second caution flag of the night was thrown on lap 24 when Brendt Metzel and Chad Beahr made contact coming out of turn four. Tim Bainey, Jr. and Danny Abold also made hard contact in turn four. Abold suffered the most severe damage in the accident, ending his night early. The remaining three cars continued, however Beahr had to park his Ford early on lap 55.

The third caution of the night also occurred in turn four when Charlie Ford went into a spin collecting Donnie Hill. Richard Hampton was unable to avoid Hill and made hard contact into the right rear of Hill’s car.

The final caution flag of the night was given on lap 235 when Chad Pendleton and Lonnie Rush both spun in turn four. Both cars were able to continue, although Rush dropped from his fourth-place position after the spin. Rush rebounded to a seventh-place finish in the final rundown.

Ford finished sixth; Rush was seventh. Southern Division driver Don Satterfield collected his first top-10 finish of the season in eighth. Bobby Gegetskas collected his first top-10 finish of the season in ninth, with Smith completing the top-10.

Rush collected the Miller Lite Rookie of the Race Award with his top-10 finish. Smith also won the Lucas Oil Products Halfway Leader Award in addition to his second Sunoco Pole Award of the year.

Dale Delozier avoided major trouble and collected the W.J. Plemons Investments Hard Charger Award.

The night was not good to Canada’s Jason McLellan. McLellan entered the race in the top-five points standings only to fall to ninth after his car suffered mechanical problems during practice. McLellan started the race in a Charlie Ford-owned back-up car to collect starting points.

The USAR Hooters ProCup Series Northern Division will return to action in two weeks when Indianapolis Raceway Park hosts the running of the Naturally Fresh Dressings 200 presented by Lucas Oil Products on Saturday night June 2nd.

LOUISVILLE MOTOR SPEEDWAY 
May 19, Unofficial Results


 1. (3) SEAN STUDER, CHEVROLET, 250, $10,000
 2. (4) MARDY LINDLEY, FORD, 250, $5,000
 3. (7) MIKE HERMAN, JR., FORD, 250, $4,000
 4. (5) BILL PLEMONS, JR., FORD, 249, $3,200
 5. (9) JEFF AGNEW, CHEVROLET, 249, $2,600
 6. (6) CHARLIE FORD, CHEVROLET, 248, $2,400
 7. (8) LONNIE RUSH, CHEVROLET, 247, $3,200
 8. (10) DON SATTERFIELD, CHEVROLET,246, $2,000
 9. (16) BOBBY GEGETSKAS, CHEVROLET,246, $1,900
 10. (1) REGAN SMITH, CHEVROLET,246, $3,800
 11. (15) KYLE SHOEMAKER, FORD,244, $1,700
 12. (20) DALE DELOZIER, CHEVROLET,244, $2,100
 13. (2)  BRIAN VICKERS, CHEVROLET,239, $1,550
 14. (12) CHAD PENDLETON, CHEVROLET,230, $1,500
 15. (11) GLENN SULLIVAN, CHEVROLET,217, $1,450
 16. (18) TIM BAINEY, JR., FORD,197, $1,400
 17. (21) B.J. UNDERDOWN, CHEVROLET,192, $1,350
 18. (22) BRENDT MATZEL, CHEVROLET,130, $1,300
 19. (14) DONNIE HILL, CHEVROLET,81, $1,250
 20. (13) RICHARD HAMPTON, CHEVROLET,80, $1,200
 21. (23) CHAD BEAHR, FORD,55, $1,150
 22. (17) DAVE HOUPT, CHEVROLET,28, $1,150
 23. (19) DANNY ABOLD, CHEVROLET,24, $1,150
 24. (24) JASON MCLELLAN, PONTIAC,1, $1,150


 TIME OF RACE: 1:42:28

 MARGIN OF VICTORY: .82 SEC.

 CAUTION FLAGS: 9 FOR 61 LAPS

 LEAD CHANGES: 5 AMONG 4 DRIVERS

 LAP LEADERS: 1-14 SMITH; 15-55 STUDER; 
 56-84 VICKERS; 85-136 SMITH; 
 137-155 LINDLEY; 156-250 STUDER.