| Can Anyone Stop Bobby Gill? | By Tim Southers
 Bobby Gill has not only dominated the 2002 USAR Hooters ProCup Series Southern season but the Victory Circle located on the front straight of USA International Speedway's 3/4 mile oval as well.
Six straight wins have set a new record for consecutive wins in a single USAR season and reaching back to the 2001 season conslusion it is a total of seven conse- cutive ProCup victories for Gill.
The 3 time ProCup champion has also swept the win in every ProCup race at the Lakeland track since the beginning of 2001.
A Sarasota native; who now dividies his time between home in Dalton, Georgia and the race shop near Charlotte, North Carolina; Bobby has traveled the hard road to success in racing.
Wife, Elaine, runs the family restaurant business in Georgia and tends to their nearly one-year-old son, Robby Lane. "I've been up here more this year than last and I've gone home a couple of times because he forgot who I was," quips Gill, who has proudly held his young son in Victory Lane most times this year.
At 44, Gill's confident style reflects an attitude that emphasizes his driving and mechanical ability foremost. It's this focus of attention to his car and team which most times leaves Bobby with little to say outside his family or the inner circle of his racing operation.
Bobby prefers to let his steering wheel do the talking.
Growing up while watching and helping his father, Billy Gill, compete on the bullrings of Florida, Bobby observed closely and spent many hours help- ing in the garage which provided an education as well as the foundation to build his career.
Early in life Bobby worked as a plumber and then a diesel mechanic before finally making a full time career of being a racecar driver. Gills' experi- ence before the ProCup Series was primarily in the Late Model type cars and throughout the success of 3 ProCup championships it has still been a long learning curve.
When asked about the ProCup and USA streaks, Bobby points out "2000 was not to good, we were beat every time there (USA). The more we run the more we learn and learning about these cars has helped."
 Stepping up the efforts for 2002 included testing a lot more than what had been the norm and it is what was learned over the winter that has helped make a difference this year as Bobby further explained.
Has this run of luck been stretched to it's limit and can the streak continue? Bobby responds with what has become a typical demeanor, causal but matter of factually, "We go to win but if we run second, we run second. It's not a bad deal for us. With the point championship races the way it is, we could win all 14 (Southern Division races) and still lose the championship."
Although his primary concern is about his car, crew and preparation; Gill places Steve Christian, Hal Goodson, Shane Huffman, Jason Sarvis and Michael Ritch on the short list of those who could bring the streak to a stop.
Does the Ford have a decided advantage over the other makes? "Ford is not really dominate. Just my Ford. Dorton builds engines for me and for Sarvis and if I wasn't in the picture he would have 2 wins" reasons Gill.
The argument seems to have some validity when it is considered that Sarvis and Goodson in Chevrolets have finished second twice this season and Huffman and Christian in Fords have a second place finish each.
250 lap around the 3/4 mile Lakeland oval this Saturday, June lst, will determine if Bobby Gill will extend his winning streak or a new name is added to the winners list for 2002.
Qualifying gets underway at 5 PM and the start of the Jackaroo Sauces 250 presented by Discount Auto Parts at 7:30.
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