Goody's Dash Series, Heads For The Mountains And Lonesome Pine

May 3, 2002

DAYTONA BEACH, FL. - So far, the 2002 Season has taken the Goody's Dash Series, NASCAR Touring to the beach, the lowcountry, and to the land of Tar Heel. With Lonesome Pine Speedway as the next stop on the schedule, it is time to head for the mountains of Virginia. The race is scheduled for Saturday, May 11, 2002.

Talk to anyone who has been to Coeburn, and you will receive a similar expression. "Lonesome Pine is one of the prettiest tracks. You drive up this mountain road, and it is so nice when you get up there on top where the track is located."

For one driver in particular, this is close to home. Tim Nichols, a guy known as the mountain man, has plenty to say about Lonesome Pine Raceway. "I have won in every kind of car I have ever raced at Coeburn," relates Nichols. "It is one of the most beautiful and true three-eighths mile race tracks you will ever lay eyes on. It has two distinct grooves. You can get your car to work on either the bottom or on the top, which ever suits your driving style. Yep, I am happy about being close to home." When asked if his experience at Coeburn gives him the edge to capture his first Series win, Nichols responded with a sincere look of focused determination. There was no verbal response, but the look said it for him. No doubt a win at Lonesome Pine would be a sweet experience for Nichols and his Highland Motorsports Team.

The Goody's Dash Series first visited the Coeburn track in the fall of 1983. The show was a double-header. Larry Hoopaugh won both events. Michael Waltrip sat on the Bud Pole for the first race. The Series returned to the track in 1992, Johnny Chapman was the winner. And the last time the Series raced at Coeburn was June 5, 1993. George Crenshaw won that event and Mickey York sat on the Pole.

Track promoters, Gloria and Larry Barbare have pulled out all the stops to make this a nice event for the Series and the fans. This is the Barbare's first season at Coeburn. They relocated to the Lonesome Pine Raceway at the end of last season.

The track is located 5.5 miles east of US 23 on ALT US 58, then 0.8 miles SE on SR 813. Somewhere, up on top of a mountain.

NASCAR.com is the official website of NASCAR. Click on the Touring Series tab and visit nascartouring.com/goodysdashseries/ for all the latest news and statistics for the Goody's Dash Series and all of the NASCAR Touring divisions.

For More Information on the Goody's Dash Series, Contact:
Randy Claypoole, NASCAR (386) 437-1560 or email [email protected]


GOODY'S DASH SERIES, NASCAR TOURING RACE FACTS

WHAT: Lonesome Pine "150"
Goody's Dash Series, NASCAR Touring
Race # 4

WHERE: Lonesome Pine Raceway, Coeburn, VA
(3/8 mile semi-banked asphalt oval)

WHEN: Saturday, May 11, 2002

DISTANCE: 150 Laps (56.25 miles)

POSTED AWARDS: $31,450 (Including $1,700 Goody's Dash Series, NASCAR Touring Championship point fund money.)

FIELD: 28 cars including four provisional positions. Two provisionals will go to drivers and two will go to car owners based on the driver and car owner points of the current season.

SANCTION: National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR)

PROMOTOR: Lonesome Pine International Raceway, LLC

CONTACTS: Larry Barbare, Lonesome Pine Raceway - (276) 395-5001
Randy Claypoole, NASCAR - (386) 437-1560

MEDIA COVERAGE: Log on to NASCAR.com (nascartouring.com/goodysdashseries/)

SCHEDULE:

Saturday, May 11:
9:30 a.m. Haulers enter.
9:30 a.m. Registration & Inspections begin.
12:00 Noon Drawing to determine order of qualifying.
12:30 p.m. Mandatory Rookie Driver's Meeting.
1:00 to 2:30 p.m. Practice.
3:00 to 3:30 p.m. Practice.
3:45 p.m. Mandatory Driver's & Crew Chief's Meeting at Dash Trailer.
5:00 p.m. Time Trials (2 Laps.) (Fastest 24 cars will earn starting
positions 1 thru 24.)
7:00 p.m. LONESOME PINE "150"

News of Interest:

*Jake Hobgood has yet to win a race this season. But he has been closer to victory lane than any of drivers who are winless in 2002. He has been the runner up in all three races this season. He was leading at Daytona when a late race miscue on pit road caused him to receive a penalty that sent him to the rear of the pack. He battled through a pack of cars, coming from sixth to second place in the last one thousand feet of the last lap. At Hardeeville he finished second in a racecar that had a crumpled hood. At Orange County he was on his way to the win when a last turn skirmish robbed him of the win. He again finished second.

*Robert Huffman has tasted victory in the first two events of the season. He finished in fifth place at Orange County Speedway, and holds a slim lead (5 points) over Jake Hobgood in the hunt for the 2002 Series' Championship.

*Cam Strader is poised to make a move. The Defending Series' Champion is winless in 2002. At Orange County Speedway he had every intention of vying for the win when a barrel roll down the front stretch sidetracked his plans.

*Other drivers due for a win are standing in a line that stretches deep into the line-up. Scott Weaver had a very strong car at Orange County, and something as simple as a fan belt sent him to the garage early. David Hutto will be looking to get back on track after destroying a car in testing at Lowes Motor Speedway. Danny Bagwell has not won a race since 1997 at Homestead. Lonesome Pine Raceway owes him one. Legend has it that he blew up the engine in his pickup truck, climbing the mountain, on his last visit to the track.

ARCHIVES:

May 4, 1995 - Dave Stacy scored the second win of his career at Nashville Speedway at the Fairgrounds. Stacy is most remembered, however, for taking a dip in Lake Lloyd during the running of the Goody's Dash Series event at Daytona International Speedway in 1994. His car spun out of control exiting turn two and ended up sitting in the lake. Stacy had shirts printed for the 1995 season that promoted "Dave Stacy's Lake Lloyd Tour."

Back to Press Release Archive