Barron Selected by AARWBA

KOOL/TOYOTA ATLANTIC CHAMPIONSHIP NEWS UPDATE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: James Hyneman BARRON NOMINATED TO AARWBA ALL-AMERICA BALLOT

MENIFEE, Calif. (Nov. 19) - - 1997 KOOL/Toyota Atlantic Championship winner Alex Barron, of Vista, Calif., has been nominated as an At-Large candidate for All-America honors by the American Auto Racing Writers & Broadcasters Association (AARWBA).

The 27-year old southern Californian clinched the Atlantic title in round 12 of the 12-race series at Laguna Seca Raceway, Sept. 6, where he won the race from the pole and improved his final point total to 178.

Barron highlighted an outstanding year of Atlantic competition with four poles (Nazareth, Milwaukee, Toronto, Laguna Seca), five wins (Nazareth, Milwaukee, Mid-Ohio, Road America, Laguna Seca), fastest race laps at six different race venues (Nazareth, Trois-Rivieres, Mid-Ohio, Road America, Vancouver, and Laguna Seca), nine podium finishes, earned Atlantic "Rookie the Year," and won the series' championship.

The veteran go-kart racer dominated in laps led (192 laps out of 431) and miles led (293.791 over 714.742 miles) while driving for Lynx Racing. The next closest lap leader only tallied 79 laps.

1997 was Barron's first year in the Atlantic championship and his second year of full-time competition in open-wheel formula-style cars. He also ran in the 1996 U.S. Formula Ford 2000 Championship with DSTP Motorsports which is a satellite "junior team" of Lynx Racing.

This is the fourth consecutive year that the KOOL/Toyota Atlantic Championship has had an All-America nominee. In all, 22 Atlantic drivers have received All-America nominations since 1978.

1996 Atlantic champion Patrick Carpentier led all 1996 nominees in accumulated votes within the At Large category to become the first Atlantic driver in 23 years to be honored as a First-Team All-American.

Previous Atlantic drivers who were named to the AARWBA All-America Second Team include former Atlantic champions Richie Hearn (1995), David Empringham (1994), Chris Smith (1992), Mark Dismore (1990), Tom Gloy (1980), and Howdy Holmes (1978).

Six other drivers have received Honorable Mention All-America honors including 1996 PPG CART World Series Champion Jimmy Vasser (1991), Claude Bourbonnais (1990), Jocko Cunningham (1989), Hiro Matsushita (1989), Dean Hall (1988), and R.K. Smith (1987).

The AARWBA All-America Team annually recognizes the top-12 drivers from the motorsports year. Votes are collected from the AARWBA membership in six distinct categories. 12 first-team All Americans will be honored at the All-America Team Banquet at the Hyatt Regency in Long Beach, Calif., on Jan. 10, 1998.

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