Michigan's Fred Campbell Wins at Kalamazoo
Former Track
Champion Becomes Seventh Winner in Eight Races
Kalamazoo,
Mich. (July 3, 2002) - In the inaugural Sunoco Super Series event at
the historic Kalamazoo Speedway, former track champion Fred Campbell
grabbed his first series victory. Campbell of Battle Creek, Mich.,
passed Chris Orr on lap 64 and then led the remainder of the race.
Campbell, who pocketed $4,040, was .751 second ahead of Orr at the
checkered of the Kalamazoo 150 Presented By Hardings Friendly Market.
"This
is a great win for us," said an elated Fred Campbell in victory lane.
"We have a lot of bad luck this year and were taken out early at Toledo.
This makes up for it."
At
the drop of the green flag, Chris Orr darted into the lead with Fred
Campbell, Bob Holley, Bobby Parsley, Andy Bozell and Jeff Bozell running
at the front of the pack. On the 21st circuit,
Parsley bypassed Holley for third with Jeff Bozell passing Andy Bozell
for third on lap 8.
The
first portion of the race featured a lot of side-by-side racing. While
the top five competitors shuffled positions, 2000 series champion and
rookie of the year Scott Hantz and Junior Hanley began charging to the
front of the field.
At lap
44, Hantz was scored in sixth position after starting 18th
and Hanley was listed in eighth slot. On the 55th
circuit, Hantz suddenly slowed after running in fifth place. He was
finished for the evening and finished in 27th
position.
Series
flag Keith Ousley waved the green flag on lap 61, with Fred Campbell
starting to flex his muscle. He powered underneath Orr and grabbed the
lead heading into the third corner. A few circuits later, Holley dropped
Orr to third place.
Just
past the lap 75 mark, Campbell and Holley began to slightly edge away
from Orr, Jeff Bozell, Andy Bozell and Junior Hanley as Brian Campbell
began catching the front runners. The fourth caution of the event
occurred on the 84th go-around.
Racing
action returned to the .375-mile oval with Campbell continuing to lead
and then on the restart, 1997 series champion Kenny Tweedy went spinning
in turn three which caused a pile up. Matt Hagans, Evan Jackson and
Bobby Murany all suffered severe damage and were finished racing for the
evening.
During
the final 50 circuits, Campbell was able to hold Orr for the victory.
Orr passed Holley for second on lap 104. With less then ten lap to go,
Andy Bozell got by Jeff Bozell for fourth place. Hanley finished sixth,
with Brian Campbell, J.R. Roahrig, Brent Hook and Jeff Lane rounding out
the top-ten finishers.
Bob
Holley recorded his first ever pole and was the fastest of 29 cars to
earn the Tobacco Depot Fast Qualifier Award. Holley toured the .375-mile
oval in 13.343 seconds / 101.177 mph. Jim Crabtree Jr. was the winner of
the Lane Automotive/K&N Performance Filters Hard Charger, finishing in
12th position after starting in 24th slot. Tim
Phillips was the Hubler Group/Blake Carburetion Rookie of the Race. Fred
Campbell and Jeff Lane were the winners of the Goodyear Performance
Awards. Fred Campbell was the winner of the Sweet Move the Race. Fred
Campbell was the awarded lap leader bonus from Acro-Tech Manufacturing.