Team Featured at Grand Opening of Sumter, SC ParkerStore in Special Appearance

(Fayetteville, NC – April 17, 2000) Jimmy Mars rode to an impressive runner-up finish in Sunday night’s Hav-A-Tampa Dirt Racing Series event at Fayetteville Motorsports Park. Mars launched his ParkerStore sponsored Dodge Intrepid to a win in the evening's fourth qualifying heat race and then roared on to claim the second position in the night's 60 lap feature event at the four-tenth's mile oval in North Carolina. The strong showing resulted in the fourth top-five run of the season in Mars' tenth feature start and moves the Elk Mound, WI driver closer to the top-ten in the Hav-A-Tampa national point standings.

"We got off to a slow start this season, but with the help of the ParkerStore people, Mopar Performance and Gary Stanton Engines, we are turning things around," Mars said. "A second-place finish in our third time out with this new Dodge has encouraged us for what we can do in the future."

Mars used the Mopar Performance horsepower to guide his Rocket Chassis to the checkered flag behind Rick Eckert who took the win. The Fayetteville Motorsports Park race was delayed by a day due to rainy conditions, but patience paid off for the Jimmy Mars Racing efforts with the second place finish on Sunday night.   The previously scheduled Friday night Hav-A-Tampa event at Sumter, SC fell victim to rainy weather and has since been rescheduled for July 11th.

Mars and crew took advantage of the South Carolina trip to attend a special grand opening ceremony of the brand new ParkerStore in Sumter, SC on Thursday afternoon. The team’s racecars and equipment were the centerpiece for the grand opening celebration for the ParkerStore event.

"They had a great turn out for the open house", said crew chief Chris Mars. "This has to be the biggest crowd of the shows we've done."

Hundreds of customers attended the lunch hour promotional event at the new Sumter, SC location. Key personnel from ParkerStore were in attendance as well, including Bill Douglas, regional manager for the Southeast Region; Doug Ainsworth, service center manager at the Greensboro Service Center; Steve Lohr, connector territory manager; and Bill Eaton, vice president of sales and marketing for the Fluid Connectors Group.

"This is absolutely a first rate race team," said Parker Store Hose & Equipment, Inc. general manager, Mike Larkins. "We've got a big group of people going out to see Jimmy run this weekend. Their cars and equipment were awesome. We're really happy with how the whole event turned out."

Mars will take advantage of the upcoming off-weekend on the Hav-A-Tampa schedule (April 21-22) in order to compete at his home track, Red Cedar Speedway in Menomonie, WI. Following the special Easter weekend appearance near home, the Jimmy Mars Racing efforts will move west as the Hav-A-Tampa series invades Texas Motor Speedway in the Dallas-Ft. Worth Metroplex on April 28-29.

OFFICIAL UDTRA RESULTS OF ROUND 11 AT FAYETTEVILLE MOTORSPORTS PARK:

1. 2 24 Rick Eckert York, PA Pont. 60 $10,500
2. 4 1m Jimmy Mars Elk Mound, WI Dodge 60 $6,000
3. 8 28 Dennis Erb Jr. Carpentersville, IL Chev. 60 $3,350
4. 3 15 Steve Francis Ashland, KY Chev. 60 $3,000
5. 1 96 Terry English Benton, KY Chev. 60 $2,200
6. 13 00 Freddy Smith Knoxville, TN Chev. 60 $2,300
7. 12 89 Marshall Green Dalton, GA Chev. 60 $1,600
8. 17 66 Bill Frye Greenbrier, AR Pont. 60 $1,600
9. 21 4b Ed Basey Augusta, GA Chev. 60 $1,200
10. 25 1p Earl Pearson Jr. Jacksonville, FL Ford 60 $1,100
11. 7 17m Dale McDowell Rossville, GA Chev. 60 $1,350
12. 9 53 Ray Cook Brasstown, NC Ford 60 $1,450
13. 10 30 Steve Shaver Parkersburg, WV Chev. 59 $1,100
14. 6 6m Wendell Wallace Batesville, AR Pont. 58 $1,375
15. 23 84 Roger Best Maryville, TN Chev. 58 $850
16. 24 17e Lance Elson (R) Wellsburg, WV Chev. 58 $825
17. 22 99 Donnie Moran Dresden, OH Pont. 53 $1,300
18. 14 17g Mike Gault (R) Gaffney, SC Pont. 53 $750
19. 19 2 Kent Wright White Plains, VA Chev. 48 $700
20. 15 s9 Dan Schlieper Pewaukee, WI Chev. 37 $1,200
21. 18 CV3 Clayton Christenberry Knoxville, TN Chev. 25 $700
22. 16 70 Jeff Smith Dallas, NC Chev. 23 $700
23. 20 6h Billy Hicks Mount Ary, NC Pont. 16 $700
24. 11 31 Skip Arp Georgetown, TN Chev. 15 $1,200
25. 5 0 *Scott Bloomquist Mooresburg, TN Ford 60 $1,200