Query Sweeps Slim Jim All Pro Series Races at Lanier
7 September 1998
Gainesville, Ga. - Mooresville, N.C.'s Freddie Query earned his second win in as many tries at Lanier National Speedway on Saturday night when he raced under the checkered flag in the $44,360 Kroger 200 presented by Oral-B for the Slim Jim All Pro Series, part of NASCAR's Touring Division. The Greased Lightning Chevrolet driver earned $8,800 and broke a tie with Mike Cope for most career Slim Jim All Pro Series wins. Query has now visited victory lane 15 times."I've got to give a lot of credit to Mike Love (former multi-time Lanier track champion). He helped me a lot when I used to come down here and couldn't grab my tail down here, but we found a combination that worked good here and won some of the races in years' past. We won here earlier in the year with a different setup even though I really didn't like it. Tonight we went back to a setup that we used when the track was wore out and it worked great. The track got slick at the end of the race and it got even better," Query stated.
Just as Query captured victories in both Slim Jim All Pro Series races held at Lanier this year, Darlington, S.C.'s Hal Goodson swept Bud Pole qualifying. Driving the Fain Enterprises-owned Nortel/Northern Telecom Chevrolet Goodson lapped the 0.375 mile oval in a time of 13.881 seconds at an average speed of 97.255 mph. Back in July Goodson grabbed the pole in 13.880 seconds, just 0.001 seconds faster.
Bahama, N.C.'s Scott Riggs produced an exceptionally strong qualifying run which landed his Horizon Motorsports Chevrolet on the outside of the front row for the 200 lap race. At the drop of the green Riggs shot into the lead and led the first 12 laps until Goodson ran him down. Goodson led from lap 13 through 23 before Query dropped Goodson to the second position.
Green flag conditions prevailed until lap 88 when debris was sighted on the track, which was dropped from Jeremy Thompson's Chevrolet. During the caution period all of the leaders pitted except for Greer, S.C.'s Steven who elected to stay on the track. Howard then led from lap 91 through 105, picking up the $300 Gatorade Front Runner
Award for leading at lap 100, then yielded to Suwanee, Ga.'s Mike Garvey, who was the first car out of the pits during the first caution period.
Just before the race's third caution on lap 125 Query drove by Garvey on the low side to regain the lead. Query had to weather two short caution periods before earning his seventh victory in 14 starts. Conyers, Ga.'s Ron Young passed Garvey on lap 195 to take the runner-up spot with Garvey settling for third. Goodson and Scott Kilby rounded out the top five.
Completing the top 10 were Derrick Gilchrist, Bobby Gill, Steven Christian, Ronnie Burkett and Randy Gentry. Eleven cars were running on the lead lap at the completion of the race and 26 of 30 starters were still running when the checkered flag was displayed to Query.
For the second week in a row a Slim Jim All Pro Series race was run in record time. Query covered the 200 lap, 75 mile distance in 58 minutes and 29 seconds at a winning average speed of 76.945 mph and his margin of victory over Young was 0.37 seconds. There was a total of five caution periods totaling 37 laps and there were six lead changes among five drivers.
With his fourth place finish Goodson maintained the lead in the Slim Jim All Pro Series point standings, but now by just six points over Query. Steven Christian, Derrick Gilchrist and Billy Bigley, Jr. round out the top five in the points chase.
By virtue of his third top five finish of the year at the wheel of his Arndt & Herman Windows Pontiac, Statesville, Ga.'s Kilby earned Rookie-of-the Race honors. Kilby now leads Burkett by four points with five races left in the 1998 season.
Query's son Alex earned $300 from Jasper Engines & Transmissions for Crew-Chief-of-the-Race honors. Query now leads Goodson's Crew Chief David Honney by 18 points in the chase for Crew-Chief-of-the-Year honors. The Kroger 200 will be televised on September 21 at 8:00 p.m. eastern time on Fox Sports South. Viewers will also find the race on The Sunshine Network on the same day at 9:00 p.m. and will repeat on September 22 at 9:00 a.m. Check local listings for air dates and times for Home Team Sports' broadcast.
The next event for the Slim Jim All Pro Series is Sunday afternoon, September 13 at Memphis Motorsports Park in Memphis, Tenn. The Kroger/Greased Lightning 100 will be the 15th event on the 19-race 1998 Slim Jim All Pro Series schedule.
