Salem, IN (June 7, 2003) - 21-year-old Chuck Barnes Jr. finds himself a top of the Hubler Automotive Group/Blake Carburetion Rookie standing for the Sunoco Super Series heading into next weeks series event at Berlin Raceway. The Louisville, Kentucky native had a mediocre start to the season when engine problems regulated him to an 18^th place finish in the series season opener at Anderson Speedway. Barnes came back with a vengeance at Mt. Lawn Speedway with a 3^rd place finish on Memorial Day, which moved him to seventh in overall series points and into first in the Hubler Automotive Group /Blake Carburetion Rookie standings.

"We really struggled at Mt. Lawn Speedway during the open practice the week prior to the race," remarked Barnes. "We were so far off, I really wondered if we should come back for the race. I’m sure glad we did come back, we worked on the car and finally got it to turn, I was really surprised at qualifying 6^th. We started the race on the outside of row three, but when fast qualifier Kent Baledge broke a rear end at the beginning of the race, we were able to move up to third right behind Jeff Lane and Rodney Scott."

Barnes was able to keep up with the leaders and fought off Mt. Lawn Speedway veteran William Medford to get the third place finish. That finish moved him up in points and earned him some good bonus money. Being the highest finisher in the top twenty-five, prior to the Mt. Lawn race, in series points and having never raced at Mt. Lawn Speedway before combined with the Hubler Automotive Group/Blake Carburetion Rookie Of The Race Award, Barnes walked away with an extra $1,600 in bonus money.

Barnes has been racing stock cars since he was 15 years old, mainly at his home track Salem Speedway. Barnes was the 2000 Street Stock Champion and won several Super Stock races at Salem before making the jump to a Late Model in 2001. In 2001, Barnes made six starts with the Sunoco Super Series resulting in two top ten finishes. Last season Barnes competed in five Sunoco Super Series while running full time with the newly formed Salem Speedway Late Models. At Salem, Barnes led all his competitors with four victories and earned a second place finish in points to veteran racer Joe Williamson. Barnes took the Sunoco Super Series by surprise in 2002 when he out qualified forty other competitors at the Car Brite 200 at Winchester Speedway in October. Barnes went on to finish second in that event, even after spinning out with a flat tire. In his five series starts in 2002, Barnes had one top five finish along with three top tens.

While Barnes is competing with the Sunoco Super Series in his own cars, he is competing again at Salem Speedway driving the car of former Sunoco Super Series owner Steve Stewart. To date, Barnes is in first place in points with second and third place finishes and one pole in the first two events.

"Our goals are to win the Hubler Automotive Group/Blake Carburetion Rookie of The Year Award with the Sunoco Super Series and get our first series win," commented Barnes. "The series does not conflict with Salem until the 4^th of July, at that time we will just have to see were we are. We don’t have a major sponsor, my family is paying most of the bills with the series, hopefully with some luck we can compete with the series the entire season and reach our goals!"

Barnes does have some sponsorship help from Clifty Farms Country Hams and Cintas Uniforms. Barnes competes with a Port City Chassis, and is crew chiefed by his father Chuck Barnes Sr., a legend on the high banks of Salem Speedway.