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NASCAR BGN: Martin, Winston Cup Regulars, Dominate Carquest 300

23 May 1998

By Terry Callahan
The Auto Channel
CONCORD, NC: Mark Martin, a NASCAR Winston Cup regular, has won the Carquest Auto Parts 300 Busch Grand National race held Saturday at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. Martin passed Jimmy Spencer with a handful of laps remaining in the race to take the victory.

Spencer seemed to be in control of the race until he had engine problems just befor the finish. Spencer dropped to third at the checkered flag. Joe Nemechek was able to pass Spencer on the last lap for second place.

"Mark couldn't pass me, but then we had a push problem,'' said Spencer. "The motor or something gave out, something broke somewhere. We're lucky to finish third."

The top four drivers in the Busch Grand National race took to the track for the final Winston Cup practice session shorty after the checkered flag fell. Michael Waltrip finished fourth. He and fellow Winston Cup drivers Martin, Nemechek, and Spencer will race in the Coca-Cola 600 Winston Cup race on Sunday evening in Charlotte.

The complete finishing order follows with finishing position, (starting position), driver, hometown, car make, laps completed, and money won:

1. (6) Mark Martin, Batesville, Ark., Ford, 200, $46,400.
2. (10) Joe Nemechek, Lakeland, Fla., Chevrolet, 200, $29,850.
3. (35) Jimmy Spencer, Berwick, Pa., Chevrolet, 200, $23,562.
4. (18) Michael Waltrip, Owensboro, Ky., Ford, 200, $19,955.
5. (5) Matt Kenseth, Lansing, Mich., Chevrolet, 200, $31,500.
6. (1) Bobby Labonte, Corpus Christi, Texas, Pontiac, 200, $19,200.
7. (13) Mike McLaughlin, Waterloo, N.Y., Chevrolet, 200, $23,500.
8. (33) Elton Sawyer, Chesapeake, Va., Ford, 200, $18,350.
9. (41) Bobby Hillin Jr., Midland, Texas, Chevrolet, 200, $13,550.
10. (22) Hermie Sadler, Emporia, Va., Chevrolet, 200, $14,450.
11. (39) Ed Berrier, Winston-Salem, N.C., Ford, 200, $13,772.
12. (11) Dale Jarrett, Hickory, N.C., Ford, 200, $8,415.
13. (21) Jeff Green, Owensboro, Ky., Ford, 200, $11,820.
14. (36) Randy LaJoie, Norwalk, Conn., Chevrolet, 200, $17,352.
15. (7) Mark Green, Owensboro, Ky., Chevrolet, 200, $11,175.
16. (43) Tracy Leslie, Mount Clemens, Mich., Chevrolet, 200, $10,750.
17. (27) Patty Moise, Jacksonville, Fla., Ford, 199, $9,350.
18. (31) Tim Fedewa, Holt, Mich., Chevrolet, 199, $9,150.
19. (19) Joe Bessey, Scarborough, Maine, Chevrolet, 199, $13,575.
20. (14) Dick Trickle, Wisconsin Rapids, Wis., 198, $6,525.
21. (17) Mike Dillon, Lexington, N.C., Chevrolet, 198, $8,950.
22. (8) Jeff Burton, South Boston, Va., Ford, 198, $6,000.
23. (2) Kevin Lepage, Shelburne, Vt.., Chevrolet, 197, $9,170.
24. (20) Lance Hooper, Palm Dale, Calif., Pontiac, 196, $5,845.
25. (38) Jeff Fuller, Auburn, Mass., Ford, 196, $9,557.
26. (15) Robert Pressley, Asheville, N.C., Chevrolet, 196, $5,805.
27. (4) Dale Fischlein, Davenport, Iowa, Chevrolet, 196, $5,890.
28. (25) Glenn Allen, Cincinnati, Chevrolet, 191, $8,775.
29. (29) Buckshot Jones, Monticello, Ga., Pontiac, 182, $8,760.
30. (23) Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kannapolis, N.C., Chevrolet, 175, $13,245.
31. (32) Jeff Purvis, Clarksville, Tenn., Ford, 167, handling, $13,455.
32. (34) Shane Hall, Simpsonville, S.C., Chevrolet, 140, $7,715.
33. (28) Rich Bickle, Edgerton, Wis., Ford, 138, ignition, $5,700.
34. (12) Jason Jarrett, Hickory, N.C., Ford, 134, wreck, $6,285.
35. (26) Phil Parsons, Detroit, Chevrolet, 129, $7,670.
36. (40) Brad Noffsinger, Hollywood, Calif., Chevrolet, 112, $6,267.
37. (3) Jim Bown, Portland, Ore., Chevrolet, 84, wreck, $5,795.
38. (30) Jason Keller, Greenville, S.C., Chevrolet, 81, engine, $7,635.
39. (24) Kevin Schwantz, Austin, Texas, Chevrolet, 55, wreck, $7,620.
40. (16) Sterling Marlin, Columbia, Tenn., Chevrolet, 49, wreck, $5,610.
41. (9) Elliott Sadler, Emporia, Va., Chevrolet, 11, wreck, $12,125.
42. (42) Jeff Krogh, Kamiah, Idaho, Chevrolet, 9, wreck, $8,382.
43. (37) Dave Blaney, Cortland, Ohio, Pontiac, 7, wreck, $6,222.

Race Statistics:

Time of race: 2 hours, 14 minutes, 53 seconds.
Margin of victory 2.350 seconds.
Winner's average speed: 133.449 mph.
Caution flags: 5 for 27 laps.
Lead changes: 18 among 7 drivers.

Lap leaders: B. Labonte pole-2; Bown 3-7; Kenseth 8-32; M. Martin 33-43; B. Labonte 44-45; M. Martin 46-50; B. Labonte 51-54; M. Martin 55-78; B. Labonte 79-82; M. Martin 83-87; D. Jarrett 88-91; B. Labonte 92-94; M. Martin 95-95; McLaughlin 96-97; M. Martin 98-103; B. Labonte 104-113; M. Martin 114-36; Spencer 137-195; M. Martin 196-200.

Series points leaders: McLaughlin 1,685; M. Kenseth 1,684; Earnhardt Jr. 1,496; B. Jones 1,450; LaJoie 1,408; H. Sadler 1,401; Trickle 1,397; E. Sadler 1,384; Fedewa 1,377; J. Keller 1,363.