June 24, 1999

         James Powell III to Pilot #37 Super Late Model
                  in 1999 Powell Memorial Race

Tuesday the 29th of June is a big day in Ocala. The fourth annual Powell Memorial 125 will be the main event at Ocala Speedway in a very special night of racing and fireworks. The race is expected draw the top Late Model drivers from near and far to compete for the $5000 winners purse. There are 26 drivers sign in as of today with another dozen expected to show on Tuesday.

The race is a tribute to the former track owners, who were killed in a plane crash near Gainesville a few years ago. The races scheduled include the 125 Late Model event, a 25 lap Hobby Stock race, and a celebrity race, featuring county officials and other local dignitaries. The fireworks display is touted to be one of the largest and most spectacular in Florida this year.

James Powell III, of Astor, Fl., will be behind the wheel of the #37 Gilbert-Allen Racing Monte Carlo for the running of the Fourth Annual Powell Memorial 125.   Powell will be gunning for his first victory in the event memorializing his family members who lost their lives in an airplane crash five years ago. 

Since joining forces earlier this year with the Gilbert-Allen Racing team of Mark Cowheard, Powell has turned in some strong performances in the familiar #37 Late Model.  He is currently third in the Florida Sunbelt Late Model Series points race with a 2nd and a 3rd to his credit and led the first 122 laps of the other 125 lap Sunbelt race before being taken out in a late race incident.

James Powell III has been to Ocala Speedway's victory lane too many times to count but never to receive the Powell Memorial winner's trophy.  Doing so would mean joining the ranks of NASCAR Busch Series star Jeff Purvis (the inaugural Powell Memorial winner in 1996), 1998 NASCAR Slim Jim All Pro Series Champion Freddie Query (the 1997 Powell winner) and NASCAR Slim Jim All Pro driver David Reutimann, who won last year's Powell race in the Mark Cowheard fielded #37 entry.

While James Powell III would dearly love to win the race held in memory of his lost family members, the real winner will be Ted Novinger, the beneficiary of this year's Powell Memorial Race.  Novinger was severely burned in a racing accident earlier this year and the family is in great need of financial assistance. All proceeds, according to speedway officials will go to help the Novinger family.

Racing action will start at 7pm. Call the speedway at (352) 622-9400 for further details.