(Schererville,
Indiana) Eric Gordon led all the way Tuesday night in winning
the South Shore 125 at Illiana Motor Speedway, the inaugural race
in the Permier Racing Associations Big Car Series.
Gordon
held off Tracy Hines who was only 15-hundreths of a second behind
when the checkered flag fell.
The fastest 6 qualifiers drew "suitcases" to determine
their starting positions. Gordon, who was 5th fastest during time
trials, drew the number one spot and started from the pole position.
Jay Drake, the fastest qualifier, started outside of Gordon on
the front row.
The race was slowed by four caution periods, the first coming
out on lap 10, when Jimmy Kite stalled in turn two. But he managed
to stay on the lead lap, and drove an outstanding race to finish
8th.
The
only contact with the wall was by Tom Capie on lap 113, but he
was uninjured. That caution period did require the race to go
"overtime", because the last ten laps of PRA races,
must be run under green. Hines pressured Gordon several times
during the last 10 circuits, but could never find the opportunity
to pass.
Veteran
Dave Steele , who started 6th, was the first out of competition
with mechanical problems. Twelve of the eighteen starters were
running at the finish of the 125 lap affair.
Next up for the "Big Cars" is a return visit to Indianapolis
Raceway Park on July 5th. 26 cars qualified at IRP on the night
of May 17th, but the racing part of the program was rained out.
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