by Tim Southers

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. -- The 2003 season finale for the USAR Hooters ProCup Series will once again be held at USA International Speedway in Lakeland, FL. Based from the results of the first three Championship Series, the trip down to sunny Florida would be worth it on Thanksgiving weekend. The Championship Finale Hooters 300 presented by Viste will crown the 2003 National Champion for the Hooters ProCup Series and the Miller Lite Rookie of the Year.

Shane Huffman entered the Championship Series with five wins during the regular season and opened the first of the five-race format with a dominating performance at Winchester Speedway and a commanding lead in the point standings. All of that changed, however, in the course of the next two races at Jennerstown Speedway and Myrtle Beach Speedway.

After getting collected in two separate accidents at the next two races Huffman entered Peach State Speedway with a slim 12-point margin over Benny Gordon who used back-to-back wins at Jennerstown and Myrtle Beach to catapult from 14th-place to second. While Gordon has moved into second Huffman’s bad luck has also given several other drivers the chance to be within striking distance as the Series comes to USA International Speedway.

Huffman did he had to do at Peach State Speedway winning the race and was able to build a 59-point lead over Gordon going into the final race. Gordon used his top-10 finish to secure the Miller Lite Rookie of the Year Award and can now focus on the championship.

Jay Fogleman, Mardy Lindley and Jeff Agnew completed the top-five in the Championship Series point standings after Myrtle Beach with all five drivers within 44 points of one another heading into Peach State Speedway. Of the top-five drivers Huffman is the only driver of the five to score a win at USA International Speedway with his lone win coming back in the spring.

Fogleman, Agnew and Lindley have all finished as high as second while Gordon scored a fourth-place finish in May for his best finish in two starts.

While the top-five drivers will be searching for the win at USA International Speedway to hopefully lock up the championship, they will have to get by Bobby Gill. Gill, who has won more Hooters ProCup Series races at USA International Speedway than any other driver in the Series, will be an odds-on favorite despite sitting tied for 13th-pace in the standings with Eric Corbett after Myrtle Beach.

Lakeland native and former USA International Speedway competitor Joe Nemechek will be the honorary grand marshal for the Championship Finale Hooters 300. Nemechek competed in several divisions at the track before moving up to the Busch and Winston Cup Series back in the 1980’s.

In addition to the Championship Finale Hooters 300 presented by Viste, twelve teams will be vying for the 2003 Goodyear Pit Crew Challenge. The challenge will give crews an opportunity in pit stop competition to win the lion’s share of the more than $10,000 in cash and prizes for performing the fastest pit stop.

For more information on the Championship Finale Hooters 300 please contact the USA International Speedway ticket office at 800-964-7223.


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