MAC'S RADIATOR LIMITED SPORTSMAN CHALLENGE

ROBERTS WINS CLASH, GABOURY LIMITED CHAMPIONSHIP

BY MARTY MORR

Chris Gaboury had a 13 point lead going into tonight’s contest over second place points holder Darrel Hanson and 19 points on third place Ross Roberts in the NASCAR Winston ShorTrack STP Limited Sportsman division. Through five cautions, Gaboury took the Marcon Ship Repair Chevrolet Camaro and placed fifth in a 19 car field in the 35-lap race and came away with a 12 point spread over race winner and second place points finisher Roberts to claim the championship and Rookie-of-the-year honors during the "Mac’s Radiator Limited Sportsman Shoot-out" Friday, September 17, 1999 on Portland Speedway’s Historic half-mile oval.

Gaboury started twelfth and by deftly avoiding the five cautions that colored the event, worked his way to fifth by lap-30 and stayed there until the checkered flag flew.

"It feels great to be a champion," said a happy Gaboury celebrating with a large cigar in one hand and the "King of Beers" in the other. I waited a long time for this."

As far as his future plans, Gaboury was reflective. "I hope we can move into late models," He said. "It all depends on selling this car and seeing if we can get some other good sponsors."

Ross Roberts took his eleventh starting position in the Premier Lift Trucks Pontiac, right next to Gaboury and parlayed it into a grand win on this final STP Limited Sportsman race of the Millennium. Roberts moved up to fifth by lap-15 and second after Darrel Hanson, the race leader at the time and Brad Stanwood tangled coming out of turn four. Scott Winebarger took over the lead at that time with Roberts close behind. Roberts and Winebarger battled nose to tale for the next seven laps until a caution came out. Upon realignment, Roberts had the lead and went on to victory.

"NASCAR made a good call on the re-start as I had just taken the lead," said Roberts of his fortune. "It was obvious I was faster." Roberts went on to praise his crew and sponsors for all of their support and was quite happy with his second place points finish over-all. "Darrel (Hanson) was six points in front of me coming into tonight and I beat him so it looks like I got second over-all which was my goal. You know I would’ve hated being beat by that Ford."

Winebarger finished second with Dale Holland third and Robert Eubanks claimed forth.

Fifty-five Street Stocks took to the quarter-mile oval necessitating four separate mains. Chris Shalat took top honors in the 15-lap "D" main while Susan Nelson claimed victory in the 15-lap "C" main. Grant Baker finished first in the 20-lap"B" main and Dan Wescott took a pole-position start in the 25-lap "A" main and held off 17 other cars to take the checkered first.

Starting dead-last, Dan Cherington took to the Figure 8 track and swerved, dodged, squeaked-by and caused heart-stopping action over-all in making his way to the front and victory in the 20-lap 4-Cylinder Figure Eight main.

Craig Loomis took last minute action to claim the win in the first Bomber main of the evening. Andy Flath also used a last minute maneuver to smash his way to victory in the second Bomber main.