SCOTTS VALLEY, Calif., (January 6, 1998) -- The Curtain will go up on a new year and a new era for the NASCAR Winston West Series with the season opening $84,667 Winter Heat 200 at Tucson Raceway Park, AZ on Jan 11.
The 1998 season, featuring a nationwide commemoration of NASCAR's 50th Anniversary, is one in which the NASCAR Winston West Series is experiencing unprecedented growth.
Expansion of the West's oldest stock car racing circuit was fueled by an announcement in November by series sponsor Winston that it will boost its contribution to the point fund from $50,000 to $300,000. In addition, track operators are increasing their participation - skyrocketing the point fund to a record level of approximately $500,000.
The outpouring of interest is expected to take the level of competition in the series to an all-time high. Many fans, meanwhile, may find they need a scorecard to keep track of their favorite drivers-- with changes among current teams, the return of old teams and new teams joining the series.
NASCAR Winston West Series Champion Butch Gilliland will return to defend his title. However, the Anaheim, CA competitor will drive for a new team owned by his wife, Laurie. Their son, David, will remain as his dad's crew chief.
Beginning their sophomore season are three drivers who each had an excellent rookie year -- Sean Woodside, Gary Smith and Kevin Culver. Woodside will remain with the Golden West Motorsports team owned by Ray Claridge. The Chevrolet driven by Culver, with Richard Kieper at the helm, will sport a different number -- changing from 25 to 98. Smith will change to a new team, meanwhile, driving the Pontiac owned by Dick Midgley.
That trio will face tough competition from series veterans such as Scott Gaylord, Larry Gunsleman, Wayne Jacks, Bill McAnally and Kenny Smith. Jeff Davis and Rick Scribner, two NASCAR Winston West Series veterans who competed on a limited basis in recent years, have announced plans to run the full schedule of events for 1998. Dirk Stephens, who won the NASCAR REB-CO Northwest Tour Championship in 1992 and the NASCAR Winston West Series rookie title in 1993, has also announced plans to return to the series in 1998.
The competition for this year's Sears Point Raceway Rookie-of-the-Year Award is expected to be stiff. Among the list of talented drivers expected to register for the program is two-time NASCAR REB-CO Northwest Tour Champion Kelly Tanner of Woodinville, WA.
The NASCAR Winston West Series season opener is part of the Winter Heat program of races from Tucson Raceway Park. The event will be televised nationally by cable network ESPN2, beginning at 3 P.M. EST.
