NASCAR Elite Division
AutoZone Southwest Tour News:
NASCAR Elite Division
AutoZone Southwest Tour News:
AutoZone Southwest Series Drivers Enter Version of the Final Four at Tucson Saturday Night
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (September 12, 2004) - The NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series has its Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup. College basketball has the final four tournament, and the NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southwest Series will have its own version of the championship chase. This Saturday, September 18, NASCAR's Stars of Tomorrow will return to Tucson Raceway Park in Tucson, Arizona for the running of the Star Nursery.Com "150" presented by AutoZone. Three of the final four series races will be contested in the copper state.
Tucson Raceway Park for many years was a cornerstone of West coast racing and staged the "Winter Heat" series in the early 90's that helped propel the NASCAR careers of Greg Biffle, Ron Hornaday, and Kevin Harvick. Current Southwest Series drivers are hoping for success of their own as the series closes in on the championship.
Current 2004 point leader Jim Pettit II from Prunedale, Calif. has three wins this season, and while his streak of eight top ten finishes in ten starts this season has the series best drivers chasing the former NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series regional champion, Pettit knows you are only as good as your last race. With the top ten drivers of the NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division's four Late Model series' getting an invite to the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown to be staged at Irwindale Speedway November 11-13, Pettit is seeking not only the championship but a win at this prestigious event after a runner-up finish last year.
"I am really looking forward to Tucson this week," Pettit said. "My team has really battled through some adversity this year and winning at CNS last month proved how strong the team is. I have not had the finishes at Tucson that I would have liked, but I love racing there. The fans are great and the track produces great side-by-side action."
With the Toyota All-Star Showdown only four races away, this race will hold significance for the teams of the AutoZone Southwest Series as they jockey for a position in the top ten standings. More than 30 drivers are expected to attempt to qualify for one of 24 starting positions in Saturday's 150-lap race and vie for their share of $44,894 in posted awards in race eleven of the 14-race championship series.
2003 Southwest Series champion Auggie Vidovich returns to the series this weekend after running only a partial schedule in 2004. He last tasted victory at TRP in 2000 and looks to repeat that performance this Saturday on the progressive-banked paved oval. TRP has long been known for great side-by-side racing and if a driver is going to win, he has to have a car that works equally well in each groove.
"I like TRP," Vidovich said. "The racing is always great. There is action no matter where you race. This would be a great place to pick up my first win of the season, but I know the rest of the guys are thinking the same thing."
The driver chasing Pettit in the championship standings is Craig Raudman from Bakersfield, Calif. Raudman trails Pettit by 25 points and relinquished the top spot for the first time in five races after a 12th place finish at CNS in August.
After a disappointing middle part of the season, 2002 AutoZone Southwest Series champion Eddy McKean of Jerome, Idaho is looking for a repeat performance at TRP. McKean won last year's event to score his first short-track win and has always run good at TRP in the past.
"Tucson is a great place to race," McKean said. "I love the race track and the fans will see a great show."
Other notable drivers that are looking for a solid finish at Tucson Raceway Park include Doug McCoun who has piloted Clarence Broussard's Chevrolet into the sixth position in the standings after another top-ten performance at CNS. Danny Burson, Nick Lynch, and Bob Lyon are within 59 points of the top ten and all need solid finishes in order to gain a top ten spot in the standings and an invitation to the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown. Long-time series standout M.K. Kanke is scheduled to return to the series and debut a brand new car as he prepares for 2005.
The Star Nursery.Com "150" presented by AutoZone is set to take the green flag at 8:30 pm PDT this Saturday, where the final four races will create a shootout for the Showdown.
THE INSIDE LINE
* The race within the race ... Rip Michels tops the Autometer Rookie-of-the-Year leader board after ten events. Nick Lynch trails Michels by 13 points heading into the final four races.
* How many cars? More than 28 cars have pre-entered the Star Nursery.Com "150".
* 17 drivers have victories in 20 races staged Tucson Raceway Park since 1993. M.K. Kanke, Ron Eaton, and Ron Hornaday are the only driver's to score multiple wins.
* Jim Pettit II has completed 1,244 of 1,246 contested so far this season.
* Driver to keep your eye on: Bob Lyon has started more Southwest Series races (262) then any other driver. Lyon currently sits 13th in the standings.
* 11 drivers have started all ten races contested so far this season, and the AutoZone Southwest Series has averaged 34 cars per event through the first ten races of the season.
* Hoosier Racing Tire is the official tire of the NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division in 2004 and will award 32 tires to eligible car owners at each series event. Hoosier will also award two tires to the highest eligible Rookie-of-the-Year candidate's car owner.
* AutoZone Southwest Series contingency sponsors include: Anheuser-Busch, Auto Meter Products, Competition Cams, CV Products, Edelbrock Intake Manifolds, Featherlite Trailers, Five Star, G-Force, Holley Carburetors, Hoosier Tires, JR Pistons, Mac Tools, Mechanix Wear, Mobil 1 Oil, Moroso, Powerade, Quarter Master, Raybestos Brakes, and Timken.
MOVING UP
* Danny Burson of Albuquerque, NM has moved up to 11th place in the standings just 48 points outside the NASCAR Top-10.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
* "Despite out performances this season I am having fun. This series is as tough as anything out there." - Richard Johnson (No. 47 Radcap Products Chevrolet).
PAGE FROM THE PAST
Jim Inglebright topped Roy Testa by 1.6 seconds September 25, 1993 to win the Valvoline 100 at TRP. Inglebright had a career day capturing the win, Rookie honors, and the Bud Pole Award. Bob Lyon, Doug George, and Ron Hornaday Jr. rounded out the top five finishers. There were five lead changes among four drivers with Ron Hornaday Jr. leading the most laps (33). The race took 32 minutes and 20 seconds to complete at an average speed of 69.588 mph. Hornaday left the race with a 213 point advantage over Doug George in the championship standings. Darrell LaMoure of Phoenix, Ariz. finished 16th.
NASCAR TOP 10 AT A GLANCE
A look at the NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southwest Series Top 10 Drivers
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (August 20, 2004) - The following is a glance at the NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southwest Series Top 10 in the series championship standings heading into the United Power/Touchstone Energy "150" at Colorado National Speedway this Saturday, August 21. The race in Erie, Colo. will be race ten of 14 on the NASCAR AutoZone Southwest Series
schedule:
No. 1 - Craig Raudman (No. 2 HPS/Victory Circle Chevrolet), Victory Circle Racing. Last week's ranking: 1st. Raudman maintains the top spot in the standings after winning his second race of the season at Stockton July 31. Raudman has four Bud Pole Awards this season to set the all-time series mark at 29. He has eight top ten finishes in nine races this season and extended his points lead to 28 with five races to go.
No. 2 - Jim Pettit II (No. 03 California Hot Wood Ford), Jim Pettit Racing. Last week's ranking: 2nd. Pettit rallied to finish third at Stockton 99 Speedway July 31. Pettit trails Raudman by only 28 heading to CNS where his has four top four finishes in his last five starts at the mile high facility.
No. 3 - Burney Lamar (No. 1 Groeniger Chevrolet), Victory Circle Racing. Last week's ranking: 3rd. Lamar scored his fifth top four finish in as many races with a 4th place performance at Stockton 99 Speedway July 31. Lamar heads to CNS where he is the track record holder for the Southwest Series.
No. 4 - Eric Holmes (No. 62 KENKO Chevrolet), Beebe Racing. Last week's ranking: 6th. Holmes climbed two spots in the standings after a runner-up finish at Stockton Speedway July 31. Holmes has six top ten finishes this season and trails Raudman by 239 points. Holmes has four career victories in 57 career starts and has won nearly $150,000 in prize money. Holmes has never scored a top five finish at Colorado Nat'l.
No. 5 - Joe Herold (No. 5 Quality Chevrolet), Herold Racing. Last
week's ranking: 4th. Herold continues to have his best season in the series after another top ten run at Stockton 99 Speedway July 31. Herold finished 10th at Stockton and looks to improve on his performance at CNS and keep his momentum rolling. Herold did not qualify for the race last season at CNS.
No. 6 - Eddy McKean (No. 19 Magic Valley Pipe & Steel Pontiac), McKean Racing. Last week's ranking: 4th. McKean's 2004 can be best described as a roller coaster. After the high of winning round one at Phoenix, the former NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Regional Champion has had mixed luck at every other race. McKean ahs two top three finishes at CNS in the past three years and hopes to put the good luck back on his side this weekend. McKean has five top ten finishes this season.
No. 7 - Doug McCoun (No. 16 Camacho's Cantina Chevrolet), CBA Motorsports. Last week's ranking: 6th. McCoun had a 12th place effort at Stockton July 31. McCoun took the victory at CNS back in 1998 and looks to give Clarence Broussard his first victory in the series.
No. 8- Greg Voigt (No. 9 Auto Pro Racing Engines Chevrolet), Voigt Racing. Last week's ranking: 9th. Voigt moved up one spot in the NASCAR Top 10 after a 16th place effort at Stockton July 31. Voigt did not make the trip to CNS last season and will be seeing the facility for the first time this weekend.
No. 9 - Todd Souza (No. 6 Money By Design Chevrolet), Penney Racing. Last week's ranking: 8th. Souza falls one spot in the standings after a 21st place performance at Stockton July 31. Souza finished 20th at CNS back in 2002.
No. 10 - Rip Michels (No. 12 Stock Building Supply Chevrolet), Michels Racing. Last week's ranking: 11th. Michels continues to lead the Autometer Rookie-of-the-Year standings after nine races. Michels finished 18th at Stockton July 31 and will be visiting CNS for the first this weekend.
Charting the Champs: 2003 series champion Auggie Vidovich will not be in action this weekend. 2001 series champion Craig Raudman continues to lead the current Southwest Series standings for the fifth consecutive race. 2002 series champion Eddy McKean holds down the sixth position in the standings.
Raudman Stout at Stockton
DAYTONA BEACH, FL. (August 2, 2004) Craig Raudman of Bakersfield, Calif. lengthened his point's lead after dominating the AutoZone "125" at Stockton 99 Speedway Saturday night. Raudman started in the sixth position and within five laps, bolted past leader Mike Mendenhall for the lead. Raudman held off a late race challenge from Eric Holmes to when his second NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southwest Series race of the season and 19th triumph of his career. Holmes finished second, with Jim Pettit II in third. Burney Lamar and Nick Lynch rounded out the top five finishers.
Lamar topped all competitors in qualifying to collect his third Bud Pole Award of the season. Lamar toured the quarter-mile paved oval in 13.934 seconds/64.590 mph, with Pettit, Raudman, Lynch, and Holmes rounding out the top five. Only three tenths of a second separated the 26 competitors and relegated Danny Burson, Thomas Martin, Todd Burns, Richard Johnson, Jason Fensler, and Darrell LaMoure to have to race their way into the feature event through the 10-lap non-qualifiers race. Fensler and LaMoure transferred into the show after finishing first and second.
Lamar drew an 8-car invert putting part-time competitor Mike Mendenhall on the front row to start the AutoZone "125". Mendenhall led the first four laps before a hard-charging Raudman took the lead on lap five. Raudman would hold the lead for the rest of the event but race several challenges during the portions of the race.
The first of four caution flags flew on lap 15 when Phil Perry got into leading Autometer Rookie-of-the-year contender Rip Michels as the duo exited turn two. Michels spun down the backstretch and was unable to re-fire the car before the leaders were bearing down on him. Michels would finish in the 18th position, two laps down.
By lap 20, Raudman expanded his lead over Holmes to four car lengths. Mendenhall held down the third position with Lamar and Lynch rounding out the top five. Pettit led the second five with Cajon Speedway winner Jeff Seifert, Nick Joanides, Bob Lyon, and Tracy Bolin occupying the rest of the top ten in the running order.
As the lead pack exited turn two on lap 30, Jason Fensler got into 2002 Series champion Eddy McKean sending the championship contender spinning into the dirt apron of turn two. McKean was able to keep his car moving and got back on the track in front of leader Raudman. Raudman passed McKean on lap 31 going down the backstretch, but McKean was able to get back by the next lap. McKean had clear race track in front of him and hoped for a caution in order to catch back up the field. Unfortunately, he was the caution as Raudman tagged McKean as the pair exited out of turn four, sending the former champion out of contention.
Raudman held the point on the lap 41 restart with Holmes breathing down his neck. By lap 50, Lamar had moved into third and started to pressure Holmes. Lamar wanted to move around Holmes and have another one/two finish with his teammate Raudman. Pettit moved up to fourth, followed by Lynch, Mendenhall, Seifert, Joanides, Lyon, and Bolin.
The third caution flew on lap 85 for Jeff Belletto ending his night against the inside turn three retaining wall. When the action resumed on lap 90, Pettit started to press the issue with Holmes for second place. Over the next 25 laps Pettit would move his Ford to the inside of Holmes only to have Holmes slam the door thwarting each attempt.
Pettit would settle for third as Raudman claimed a .200 second victory over Holmes to win his second event of the season. Bud Pole winner Burney Lamar rallied to finish fourth to score his fifth straight top four finish. Rookie contender Nick Lynch scored his best finish of the season to round out the top five. Tracy Bolin, Mendenhall, Darrell LaMoure, Phil Perry, and Joe Herold finished on the lead lap to round out the top ten.
"We came here to win," Raudman said. "We had a great car and we just hung on after we made contact with the 6 car (Todd Souza). It was a great run for this team."
Finishing second to record only his second top five of the season (both coming at Stockton) was Eric Holmes. "Stockton is always a good track for me," Holmes said. "The finish moved us up in the points and will make it interesting over the final five races."
Pettit, a two-time winner this season, scored his sixth top five finish of the season but was not all that satisfied with the outcome. "I really thought I had a shot at the win tonight," Pettit said. "I tried to get under Eric (Holmes), but he made his car pretty wide and I am not going to turn him to get the position. I lost a few points tonight but I am looking forward to our next event. I always run great at Colorado, so we'll see what happens there."
Autometer Rookie-of-the-Year contender Nick Lynch was please with a fifth place finish. "We have had some bad luck this year and it feels great to finally run up front," Lynch said.
Darrell LaMoure had the drive of the night, starting 22nd on the grid to finish in the 8th position to win the PowerAde Power Move-of-the-Race and the $750 bonus. Tracy Bolin collected the $300 Featherlite Award for improving the most positions from the previous event (19). The race took just 37 minutes, 52 seconds to complete and there were four cautions for 22 laps. The was one lead change between two drivers (Mike Mendenhall 1-4, Craig Raudman 5-125) with Raudman leading 120 of the races 125 laps.
Raudman (1419) extends his point lead over Pettit (1391) to 28 points, with Lamar (1336), Holmes (1180), and Herold (1173) rounding out the top five. The next race for the AutoZone Southwest Series is Saturday, August 21 at Colorado National Speedway in Erie, Colo.
AUTOZONE SOUTHWEST SERIES TOP 20
POINTS(WINS)
1. Craig Raudman 1419 (2)
2. Jim Pettit II 1391 (2)
3. Burney Lamar 1336 (1)
4. Eric Holmes 1180 (1)
5. Joe Herold 1173 -
6. Eddy McKean 1166 (1)
7. Doug McCoun 1133 -
8. Greg Voigt 1112 -
9. Todd Souza 1098 -
10. Rip Michels 1073 -
11. Nick Lynch 1030 -
12. Bob Lyon 990 -
13. Dan Holtz 986 -
14. Danny Burson 985 -
15. Darrell LaMoure 962 -
16. Nick Joanides 927 -
17. Thomas Martin 912 -
18. Todd Burns 807 -
19. David Gilliland 794 (1)
20. Ben Walker 772 -
ROOKIE-OF-THE-YEAR STANDINGS
Name Pts
Rip Michels 84
Nick Lynch 72
Todd Burns 33
MANUFACTURE' STANDINGS
MFG Pts
Chevrolet 67
Pontiac 52
Ford 52
Dodge 0
FEATHERLITE AWARD STANDINGS
Name Pts
Randy Nelson 1
Danny Burson 1
Rip Michels 1
David Gilliland 1
Eric Holmes 1
Stephen Sadler 1
Darrell LaMoure 1
Eric Holmes 1
Tracy Bolin 1
BUD POLE AWARD STANDINGS
Name Pts
Craig Raudman 4
Burney Lamar 3
Zach Niessner 1
Boris Said 1
POWERADE MOVE OF THE RACE
Name Pts
Todd Souza 2
Doug McCoun 1
David Gilliland 1
Bob McCoun 1
Ben Walker 1
Greg Voigt 1
Rudy Revak 1
Darrell LaMoure 1
Raudman Pads Point Lead With Victory at Stockton
STOCKTON, CA (July 31, 2004) Craig Raudman from Bakersfield, Calif. scored his second win of the season and 19th career triumph Saturday night at Stockton 99 Speedway to win round nine of the NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southwest Series schedule. Raudman took the lead on lap 5 from his sixth starting position and never looked back and held off a determined Eric Holmes by .200 seconds. Local fan favorite Jim Pettit Ii finished third, with Burney Lamar and Nick Lynch rounding out the top five finishers in the 125 lap event.
Raudman extended his point's lead on Pettit to 28 points going into the 150 lap event in three weeks at Colorado National Speedway in Erie, Colo. Lamar maintains the third spot in the standings with Eric Holmes and Joe Herold rounding out the top five in the standings. Eddy McKean falls to sixth after finishing 15th followed by Doug McCoun, Greg Voigt, Todd Souza, and Rip Michels.
Lamar collected his ninth career Bud Pole Award earlier in the evening to pace the field. Lamar drew an eight car invert to start the race. Darrell LaMoure finished eighth after starting 22nd to earn the PowerAde Power Move-of-the-Race Award for improving the most positions in the event. Tracy Bolin earned the Featherlite Award for improving the most positions from the previous race (19). Nick Lynch was the top finishing Autometer Rookie-of-the-Year competitor with a fifth place performance.
The next event for the NASCAR AutoZone Southwest Series is Saturday, August 21 in Erie, Colo.
NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southwest Series
AutoZone "125" Presented by Havoline, JM Environmental, C.L. Bryant
Stockton 99 Speedway, Stockton, Calif., July 31, 2004
125-Laps/41.666 miles on a Quarter-Mile Paved Oval, Purse: $44,894
Finishing position, starting position, driver, car, laps completed, reason
out, money won.
1. (6) Craig Raudman, Chevrolet, 125, Running, $2,900;
2. (4) Eric Holmes, Chevrolet, 125, Running, $2,000;
3. (7) Jim Pettit II, Ford, 125, Running, $1,700;
4. (8) Burney Lamar, Chevrolet, 125, Running, $1,950;
5. (5) Nick Lynch, Chevrolet, 125, Running, $1,100;
6. (14) Tracy Bolin, Chevrolet, 125, Running, $1,300;
7. (1) Mike Mendenhall, Chevrolet, 125, Running, $975;
8. (22) Darrell LaMoure, Chevrolet, 125, Running, $1,750;
9. (9) Phil Perry, Chevrolet, 125, Running, $900;
10. (17) Joe Herold, Chevrolet, 125, Running, $1,275;
11. (21) Jason Fensler, Chevrolet, 125, Running, $900;
12. (19) Doug McCoun, Chevrolet, 125, Running, $1,200;
13. (2) Jeff Seifert, Chevrolet, 125, Running, $775;
14. (10) Nick Joanides, Chevrolet, 124, Running, $750;
15. (15) Eddy McKean, Pontiac, 124, Running, $1,100;
16. (20) Greg Voigt, Chevrolet, 124, Running, $1,075;
17. (16) John Moore, Chevrolet, 124, Running, $650;
18. (3) Rip Michels, Chevrolet, 123, Running, $1,025;
19. (12) Bob Lyon, Chevrolet, 112, Running, $625;
20. (13) Steve Belletto, Chevrolet, 99, Brakes, $625;
21. (18) Todd Souza, Chevrolet, 92, Running, $1,025;
22. (11) Jeff Belletto, Chevrolet, 82, Accident, $625;
# Autometer Rookie-of-the-Year Contenders
Failed to Qualify: Danny Burson, Thomas Martin, Todd Burns, Richard Johnson
TIME OF RACE: 37 minutes, 52 seconds
AVERAGE SPEED: 56.390 mph
MARGIN OF VICTORY: .200 seconds
BUD POLE AWARD: Burney Lamar, Groeniger Chevrolet 13.934/64.590 mph
POWERADE POWER MOVE OF THE RACE AWARD: Darrell LaMoure, NAPA Auto Parts
Chevrolet
FEATHERLITE AWARD: Tracy Bolin, Bolin Builders Chevrolet
AUTOMETER ROOKIE-OF-THE-RACE AWARD: Nick Lynch, Mr. Gas/Yerf Dog Chevrolet
CAUTION FLAGS: Four cautions for 22 laps (15-18, 33-40, 85-89, 104-108)
LAP LEADERS: One lead change between two drivers . Mike Mendenhall 1-4,
Craig Raudman 5-125
Updated Point Standings
Driver Points
1 Craig Raudman 1419
2 Jim Pettit II 1391
3 Burney Lamar 1336
4 Eric Holmes 1180
5 Joe Herold 1173
6 Eddy McKean 1166
7 Doug McCoun 1133
8 Greg Voigt 1112
9 Todd Souza 1098
10 Rip Michels 1073
11 Nick Lynch 1030
12 Bob Lyon 990
13 Dan Holtz 986
14 Danny Burson 985
15 Darrell LaMoure 962
NASCAR AUTOZONE ELITE DIVISION, SOUTHWEST SERIES DRIVERS EYE TOP 10 POINTS POSITION HEADING INTO STOCKTON
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 28, 2004) -This Saturday, July 31, the NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southwest Series returns to the historic Stockton 99 Speedway for the 22ND time since 1986 in the running of the AutoZone "125" presented by Havoline, JM Environmental, and CL Bryant.
For 59 years Stockton 99 Speedway has showcased some of the best Late Model racing on the West coast and has been a fixture for the for the AutoZone Southwest Series. Stockton 99 Speedway stands as the West's oldest continually operated racing facility.
Stockton 99 Speedway is a track the favors experience and series point's leader, Jim Pettit II of Prunedale, Calif. has logged more laps than any series regular on the tight and tricky quarter-mile paved oval. More than thirty drivers from the Southwest Series will attempt to qualify for one of 22 starting positions in Saturday's 125-lap race and vie for their share of $44,894 in posted awards in race nine of the 14-race championship series.
Stockton 99 Speedway's quarter-mile produces side-by-side racing almost at the drop of the green flag, which makes the 125-lap distance a sprint race and a test of will. Pettit, coming off a victory two weeks ago at Madera
(CA) Speedway earned his first series win at Stockton last season.
"Stockton is a special place for me," said Pettit. "The track creates a lot of passing opportunities. You have to know the characteristics of the track and how to use them to your own advantage. When the sun goes down and the crowd gets into it, this place is electric."
Joe Herold, from Del Mar, Calif. is quietly enjoying his best season on the series and currently sits fifth in the point standings. Herold suffered suspension problems and finished 19th here back in May and looks to solidify his position in the top five. "Stockton is tough there is no doubt about it," Herold said. "We have been fairly consistent this year, but a good run here this weekend will be a real boost."
Danny Burson from Albuquerque, NM has struggled this season on the series' short tracks and needs a solid finish in order to climb back within sight of the Top 10. Burson finished 22nd at Stockton in May.
"It seems that we are always learning something," Burson said. "We were real disappointed at Madera two weeks ago. We just want to run all the laps and hopefully that means a good finish."
Craig Raudman, of Bakersfield, Calif., has been leading the series' point standings since the fourth race of the season and sees nothing but the winner's circle Saturday night. "Stockton is a blast to drive," Raudman said. "There is a line around that place and if you're on it, then you are going to be fast. We ran real good in May and will essentially use the same set up. I am looking forward to the race."
"The local guys are always hard to beat at a place like Stockton," Raudman said. "They have a lot of laps around that place, especially Jim Pettit, and that will make it tough for the rest of us."
Former (2002) Southwest Series champion Eddy McKean from Jerome, Idaho likes his chances at Stockton. "We had a great car in May and just got bit by dumb luck," McKean said. "We are going to use the same car we used in May and hopefully this time we'll come out on top."
Other notable drivers that have experience at Stockton include Doug McCoun of Prunedale, Calif. who recently joined Clarence Broussard's team. Escalon, California's Eric Holmes who sits sixth in the series standings and won the event back in May, and series Ironman Bob Lyon from Aqua Dulce, Calif. who finished fourth in May and is poised for a return to the winner's circle. Greg Voigt has maintained a top ten point's position over the last four races and looks to improve upon his sixth place performance May 8.
The AutoZone "125" presented by Havoline is set to take the green flag at 9:00 pm PST this Saturday, where fan favorite Jim Pettit II will try to wrestle the point's lead away from Craig Raudman.
THE INSIDE LINE
The race within the race . Rip Michels (2004 NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Sunbelt Regional champion) tops the Auto Meter Rookie-of-the-Year leader board after four events. Nick Lynch, Todd Burns (2004 NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series ShorTrack Division national champion), and Stan Silva Jr. complete the standings.
How many cars? More than 30 cars have pre-entered the AutoZone"125" with several hometown heroes from the Stockton area. Drivers include Phil Perry, Tracy Bolin, and John Moore. Series regulars Doug McCoun, Eric Holmes, and Jim Pettit II are also familiar names at Stockton.
On a Roll: Burney Lamar from West Sacramento, Calif. has four straight top three finishes in the last four races. Lamar finished third at Stockton May 8.
Drivers to keep your eye on: Joe Herold from Poway, Calif. Herold had a career best finish of second at Cajon Speedway on April 3 and has vaulted into 5th place in the point standings. Herold is in his fourth year on the Southwest Series. . Craig Raudman owns the series record for Bud Pole Awards (29). Raudman already has four poles this season. M.K. Kanke returns to the series after a one race hiatus to finish his new car. Kanke will debut a brand new Victory Circle Chassis at Stockton this weekend..In 2004, drivers will once again be competing for an invitation to the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown November 11-13 at Irwindale (Calif.) Speedway. This invitational only event is for drivers who finish the season in the top ten in the final point standings in each of the four series which comprise the NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division.
Hoosier Racing Tire is the official tire of the NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division in 2004 and will award 32 tires to eligible car owners at each series event. Hoosier will also award two tires to the highest eligible Rookie-of-the-Year candidate's car owner.
AutoZone Southwest Series contingency sponsors include: Anheuser-Busch, Auto Meter Products, Competition Cams, CV Products, Edelbrock Intake Manifolds, Featherlite Trailers, Five Star, G-Force, Holley Carburetors, Hoosier Tires, JR Pistons, Mac Tools, Mechanix Wear, Mobil 1 Oil, Moroso, Powerade, Quarter Master, Raybestos Brakes, and Timken.
MOVING UP
Todd Souza of Aromas, Calif. moved into the NASCAR Top-10 with a second place performance at Madera Speedway July 17. Souza sits 8th in the standings with five races to go.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"It's hot. It's exciting, and when the sun goes down, look out." - Darrell LaMoure (No. 94 Racing for the Missing Chevrolet).
PAGE FROM THE PAST
Back on May 11, 1991 Jon Paques took a 1.6 second victory over Ron Hornaday Jr. in a race that took just 29 minutes and 7 seconds to complete. Ken Boyd finished third followed by Steve Johnson and Rick Carelli. Hornaday topped the speed charts in qualifying with a quick lap of 13.443 seconds/66.949 mph. Paques took the lead on the opening lap from his third starting position and was never challenged. Rick Carelli left Stockton with a 47 point lead over Paques. To date, Carelli and Paques were to only drivers to complete every lap contested (500).
Fast Facts
What: AutoZone "125" presented by Havoline
Where: Stockton 99 Speedway (Stockton, Calif.)
When: 9:00 p.m. PST, Saturday, July 31.
Track layout: 1/4-Mile Paved Oval
Race length: 125 laps/31.25 Miles.
Posted awards: $44,894
2003 winner:
Event Not Held
2003 pole winner:
Event Not Held
May 8, 2004 Top-Five Finishers: Eric Holmes, Craig Raudman, Burney Lamar, Rip Michels, and Bob Lyon.
2004 Point Standings: Craig Raudman, 1239; Jim Pettit II, 1226; Burney Lamar, 1176; Eddy McKean, 1048; Joe Herold, 1039.
Track contact: (209) 632-5999
Raudman Tops Standings Heading into Stockton Event
DAYTONA BEACH, Fl. (July 28, 2004) Craig Raudman of Bakersfield, Calif. has enjoyed a solid season on the NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southwest Series. A Season not unlike his 2001 championship year, but he has not been able to distance himself from the pack and only holds a scant 13 point advantage over Jim Pettit II who is closing fast. Pettit rallied to win in the series last stop two weeks ago in Madera, Calif., and is hopeful to serve up back-to-back wins and give notice to Raudman that the title chase is only just begun.
Burney Lamar, teammate to Raudman, holds down the third spot in the standings on the strength of four straight top three finishes. 2002 series champion Eddy McKean who hails from Jerome, Idaho moved back in the fourth position in the standings after a sixth place performance at Madera. While Joe Herold from Del Mar, Calif. continues his steady climb in the standings after two straight top ten performances. Eric Holmes from nearby Escalon, Calif. won the event at Stockton back in May holds down the sixth spot followed by Doug McCoun, Todd Souza, Greg Voigt, and Dan Holtz.
The AutoZone "125" presented by Havoline, JM Environmental, C.L. Bryant is set to take the green flag this Saturday, July 31 at the historic Stockton 99 Speedway. Qualifying gets underway at 5:30 pm with racing action
beginning at 7:00 pm.
AUTOZONE SOUTHWEST SERIES TOP 20
POINTS(WINS)
1. Craig Raudman 1239 (1)
2. Jim Pettit II 1226 (2)
3. Burney Lamar 1176 (1)
4. Eddy McKean 1048 (1)
5. Joe Herold 1039 -
6. Eric Holmes 1010 (1)
7. Doug McCoun 1006 -
8. Todd Souza 998 -
9. Greg Voigt 997 -
10. Dan Holtz 986 -
11. Rip Michels 964 -
12. Danny Burson 797 -
13. Bob Lyon 884 -
14. Nick Lynch 875 -
15. Thomas Martin 821 -
16. Darrell LaMoure 820 -
17. Nick Joanides 806 -
18. David Gilliland 794 (1)
19. Ben Walker 772 -
20. Todd Burns 719 -
ROOKIE-OF-THE-YEAR STANDINGS
Name Pts
Rip Michels 75
Nick Lynch 62
Todd Burns 33
Stan Silva Jr. 23
MANUFACTURE' STANDINGS
MFG Pts
Chevrolet 58
Pontiac 48
Ford 46
Dodge 0
FEATHERLITE AWARD STANDINGS
Name Pts
Eric Holmes 2
Randy Nelson 1
Danny Burson 1
Rip Michels 1
David Gilliland 1
Stephen Sadler 1
Darrell LaMoure 1
BUD POLE AWARD STANDINGS
Name Pts
Craig Raudman 4
Burney Lamar 2
Zach Niessner 1
Boris Said 1
POWERADE MOVE OF THE RACE
Name Pts
Todd Souza 2
Doug McCoun 1
David Gilliland 1
Bob McCoun 1
Ben Walker 1
Greg Voigt 1
Rudy Revak 1
Gilliland Incredible at Infineon
DAYTONA BEACH, Flordia -- David Gilliland of Riverside, Calif. thought he was going to settle for third, but a late race caution brought out by then leader Boris Said moved the second generation driver to the front of the field in the Snap-On Tools "200" at Infineon Raceway this past Saturday. Gilliland held off a ferocious charge from Burney Lamar to collect his seventh career NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southwest Series victory and first on a road course. The field was frozen on the final lap as the caution waved after the leader (Gilliland) took the white flag. Lamar finished second, with former series champion Bryan Germone finishing third. M.K. Kanke crossed the finish line in fourth, with three-time race winner Jim Inglebright rounding out the top five.
Forty-five teams attempted to qualify for one of the 42 starting positions in the 64 lap event, sending Curtis Lansing, Vince Little, and local road racing star Steve Petty packing after failing to qualify. Boris Said of Carlsbad, Calif. used his vast experience at Infineon Raceway to lead all qualifiers in the $92,944 event that featured several road racing veterans and NASCAR NEXTEL Cup superstar Kevin Harvick. Following Said in qualifying were Gilliland, Lamar, Germone, and Harvick. Eric Holmes, Kanke, Kenny Shepherd, Inglebright, and Troy Ermish rounded out the top ten qualifiers on the starting grid.
Said led the field to green just after 1pm PST followed up the hill and turn 2 by Gilliland, Lamar, and Harvick. The field sorted itself out over the first two laps as each driver let his tires get up to temperature. The first of eight cautions flew on lap nine for Autometer Rookie-of-the-Year candidate Todd Burns as he slid wide in turn #11 and found the tire barrier. Burns was unable to re-fire his mount and only suffered minor left front body damage.
When the second caution waved on lap 18 several of the front runners ducked into the pits for fuel and tires including Harvick, Auggie Vidovich, Nick Lynch, and Joe Herold. Said maintain the top position after the first round of pit stops followed Lamar, Gilliland, Inglebright, and Germone. Said led the leaders in a round of green flag pit stops on lap 25 handing the lead over to Lamar. Lamar pitted on lap later putting Darrell LaMoure at the point for the first time this season.
After the pit stops cycled through, Vidovich claimed the top spot followed by Eric Holmes, Doug McCoun, Greg Voigt, and Stan Silva Jr. Ermish Rip Michels, Wes Banks, Howard Ford, and Danny Burson rounded out the top ten in the running order at lap 32. Said regained the lead on lap 37 which he held through lap 65.
By lap 40, Said and Harvick controlled the pace, followed Gilliland, Jim Pettit II, Nick Joanides, and Kanke. There were 22 of the 41 starters running on the lead lap with five cars out of the race at that point. Former series champion Eddy McKean had a spectacular run derailed after contact with another car and the turn 11 wall caused damage to the rear suspension forcing McKean to retire on lap 53. McKean ran as high as sixth after his pit stop.
Greg Voigt and Nick Joanides each had great runs go bad late in the event in two separate crashes. Both drivers ran in the top five late in the race. Pettit saw his chance at a top five go away on lap 53 when a rear axel broke slowing his pace considerably eventually losing a lap. Championship contender Dan Holtz also had a top ten finish elude him after two late race spins, eventually finishing in the 16th position.
It looked as if the series regulars were going to take a back seat to Said and Harvick, but as Said and Harvick entered turn 11, Said's rear end locked up collecting Harvick setting up a green, white and checkered finish. With Said and Harvick falling out of the event, Gilliland, Lamar, Germone, Kanke, and Inglebright seized the opportunity and waged a spirited battle during to attempted restarts that added extra laps to the 64 lap event.
Eventually, the extra distance would take its toll on championship point leader Craig Raudman, as he ran dry on the final lap and coasted through the final lap. Gilliland took the checkered flag ahead of Lamar and Germone as the caution flag flew for an accident during the final lap freezing the field in position as the front four entered turn 7. Kanke finished fourth, with Inglebright rounding out the top five. Darrell LaMoure had his best run of the season finishing in the sixth spot, followed by Tom Dyer, Howard Ford, Joe Herold, and Autometer Rookie-of-the-Year point leader Rip Michels.
An enthusiastic Gilliland collected his first win of the season and moved into 13th in the overall standings after the event at Infineon Raceway. "This was only my second road course race and I am just thrilled that we ran up front all day," Gilliland said. "I was ready to settle for third, but when Boris and Kevin got together it changed the outcome. I am really proud of the team and their effort all weekend."
"I was pretty excited when Boris and Kevin spun," Lamar said after finishing second. "I knew that I was better than David through the esses and thought if it were to stay green I could have made the pass. I am real happy to leave here with a top five finish as it keeps us squarely in the championship hunt."
"David ran a good race and we are just happy to come in here and be competitive," Germone said. Germone made his second start of the season and hopes to land a sponsor that would enable his Michael Sebastiani led team to field a full season in 2005. "We ran great all day and the crew did a tremendous job changing tires and adding fuel on our pit stop. I think the Southwest Series is the best thing going in all of motorsports and I really want to be back full time."
Kevin Harvick looked to be heading for a second straight podium finish until the late race contact with Said ended his day. "What can I say, it was a wreck," Harvick said.
Raudman maintained his advantage in the point standings following the event after his 13th place finish, but Pettit closed the gap to within 59 points. Lamar makes up several points on the top two and sits just 35 markers behind Pettit. Joe Herold vaults into fourth position in the standings after a 9th place run at Infineon. While Eddy McKean loses ground and drops to fifth in the standings after a broken suspension relegated the 2002 series champion to a 32nd place finish.
Doug McCoun Greg Voigt, Dan Holtz, Eric Holmes and Rip Michels round out the NASCAR Top 10 in the chases for an invite to the second annual NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown. Boris Said collected the $350 Bud Pole Award, while Rudy Revak was the recipient of the $750 PowerAde Power Move-of-the-Race Award for improving the most positions in the event (27). Darrell LaMoure collected the $300 Featherlite Award for improving the most positions from the previous race. Rip Michels collected the Autometer Rookie-of-the-Race honors for being the top finishing rookie with his tenth place performance.
There were eight caution periods that consumed 31 laps and six drivers exchanged the lead six times with Boris Said leading the most laps (52).
Qualifying Results at Sonoma
SONOMA, Calif. (June 25, 2004)Boris Said of Carlsbad, Calif. collected the Bud Pole Award for the Snap-On Tools "200" Saturday at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif. for the NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southwest Series. Said toured the 1.99 mile road course in 77.853 seconds/92.020 mph. David Gilliland, Burney Lamar, Bryan Germone, and Kevin Harvick rounded out the top five qualifiers for Saturday's 64 lap race. Eric Holmes, M.K. Kanke, Kenny Shepherd, Jim Inglebright, and Troy Ermish qualified sixth through tenth.
Curtis Lansing, Vince Little, and Steve Petty failed to make the starting field of 42. The fastest 36 driver's made the field on time with provisional starting positions going to Doug McCoun, Ben Walker, Todd Souza, Nick Joanides, Richard Johnson, and Rudy Revak.
NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division
Southwest Series
Snap-On Tools "200"
Infineon Raceway, Sonoma, Calif., June 26, 2004
Qualifying Results
Qualifying Position, Driver, Car, Hometown, Lap Time (sec)/ Speed (mph).
1. Boris Said, Chevrolet, Carlsbad, Calif., 77.853/92.02
2. David Gilliland, Chevrolet, Riverside, Calif., 77.892/91.974
3. Burney Lamar, Chevrolet, W. Sacramento, Calif., 77.982/91.867
4. Bryan Germone, Chevrolet, Sonoma, Calif., 78.036/91.804
5. Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, Kernersville, NC., 78.06/91.776
6. Eric Holmes, Chevrolet, Escalon, Calif., 78.154/91.665
7. M.K. Kanke, Chevrolet, Frazier Park, Calif., 78.313/91.479
8. Kenny Shepherd, Chevrolet, Merced, Calif., 78.731/90.993
9. Jim Inglebright, Chevrolet, Fairfield, Calif. 78.895/90.804
10. Troy Ermish, Chevrolet, Fremont, Calif., 79.013/90.669
11. Tyler McQuarrie, Chevrolet, Danville, Calif., 79.074/90.599
12. Brandon Miller, Ford, Bakersfield, Calif., 79.166/90.493
13. Jim Pettit II, Ford, Prunedale,Calif., 79.289/90.353
14. Darrell LaMoure, Chevrolet, Phoenix, Ariz., 79.325/90.312
15. Tom Hubert, Chevrolet, Cottonwood, Calif., 79.382/90.247
16. Steve Belletto, Chevrolet, Modesto, Calif., 79.391/90.237
17. Stan Silva Jr., Chevrolet, Castroville, Calif., 79.734/89.849
18. Ryan Arciero, Chevrolet, Foothill Ranch, Calif., 79.828/89.743
19. Craig Raudman, Chevrolet, Bakersfield, Calif., 79.954/89.602
20. Dan Holtz, Ford, Pacific Palisades, Calif., 79.968/89.586
21. Todd Burns, Chevrolet, Riverside, Calif., 80.017/89.531
22. Auggie Vidovich Jr., Chevrolet, Lakeside, Calif., 80.077/89.464
23. Tom Dyer, Chevrolet, San Rafael, Calif., 80.188/89.34
24. Bob Lyon, Chevrolet, Aqua Dulce, Calif., 80.426/89.076
25. Nick Lynch, Chevrolet, Burley, Idaho, 80.443/89.057
26. Howard Ford, Chevrolet, Crescent City, Ore., 80.582/88.903
27. Wes Banks, Chevrolet, Modesto, Calif., 80.816/88.646
28. Dennis Dyer, Pontiac, Castaic, Calif., 80.936/88.514
29. Rip Michels, Chevrolet, Mission Hills, Calif., 80.961/88.487
30. Joe Herold, Chevrolet, Poway, Calif., 81.157/88.273
31. Greg Voigt, Chevrolet, Santa Barbara, Calif., 81.439/87.968
32. Danny Burson, Chevrolet, Albuquerque, NM, 81.528/87.872
33. Thomas Martin, Pontiac, Auburn, Calif., 81.537/87.862
34. John Moore, Chevrolet, Granite Bay, Calif., 81.843/87.533
35. Eddy McKean, Pontiac, Jerome, Idaho, 81.864/87.511
36. Gail Chase, Chevrolet, Chatsworth, Calif., 81.919/87.452
37. Doug McCoun, Chevrolet, Prunedale, Calif., 82.11/87.249
38. Rudy Revak, Chevrolet, San Jose, Calif., 82.165/87.19
39. Nick Joanides, Chevrolet, Woodland Hills, Calif., 82.248/87.102
40. Curtis Lansing, Chevrolet, Tucson, Ariz., 83.112/86.197
41. Vince Little, Chevrolet, Clovis, Calif., 84.48/84.801
42. Steve Petty, Chevrolet, Fairfield, Calif., 115.061/62.263
43. Todd Souza, Chevrolet, Aromas, Calif., 130.9/54.729
44. Ben Walker, Chevrolet, Sun Valley, Calif., NO TIME
45. Richard Johnson, Chevrolet, Antioch, Calif., NO TIME
NASCAR TOP 10 AT A GLANCE
A look at the NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southwest Series Top 10 Drivers
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (June 23, 2004) - The following is a glance at the NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southwest Series Top 10 in the series championship standings heading into the Snap-On Tools "200" at Infineon Raceway this Saturday, June 26. The race in Sonoma, Calif. will be race seven of 14 on the NASCAR AutoZone Southwest Series schedule:
No. 1 - Craig Raudman (No. 2 HPS/Victory Circle Chevrolet), Victory Circle Racing. Last week's ranking: 1st. Raudman holds the top spot in the standings after a second place effort at Irwindale Speedway May 29. Raudman has three Bud Pole Awards this season to set the all-time series mark at 28. He has six top ten finishes in six races, including one win.
No. 2 - Jim Pettit II (No. 03 California Hot Wood Ford), Jim Pettit Racing. Last week's ranking: 2nd. Pettit rallied to a fifth place finish at Irwindale Speedway May 29 after starting 17th. Pettit has four top five finishes this season as he challenges for the series title. Pettit has not fared well in the past at Infineon Raceway. Last season he finished 14th.
No. 3 - Burney Lamar (No. 1 Groeniger Chevrolet), Victory Circle Racing. Last week's ranking: 6th. Lamar vaulted back into the championship hunt after picking up the win at Irwindale Speedway May 29. Lamar moves up three spots in the standings to close to within 140 points of teammate and points leader Raudman.
No. 4 - Eddy McKean (No. 19 Magic Valley Pipe & Steel Pontiac), McKean Racing. Last week's ranking: 3rd. McKean dropped one spot in the standings after a 17th place finish at Irwindale Speedway May 29. McKean has four top ten and two top five finishes in the six starts this season. McKean finished 13th at Infineon last season after cutting a tire with five laps to go.
No. 5 - Eric Holmes (No. 62 Wild Cherry Pepsi Chevrolet), Beebe
Racing. Last week's ranking: 4th. Holmes drops one spot in the standings after 18th place finish at Irwindale Speedway May 29. Holmes has four top ten finishes so far this season and sits 171 points behind Raudman in the NASCAR Top 10. Homes finished 9th at Infineon last season.
No. 6 - Joe Herold (No. 5 Quality Chevrolet), Quality Racing. Last week's ranking: 9th. Herold climbs three positions in the standings after an 11th place finish at Irwindale Speedway May 29. Herold has one top five and one top ten finish in six starts with 729 of 775 laps completed this season. Herold finished 23rd at Infineon last season.
No. 7 - Dan Holtz (No. 23 Rialto Concrete Products Ford), Thompson Motorsports. Last week's ranking: 5th. Holtz drops one position in the NASCAR Top 10 after a 30th place finish at Irwindale May 29. Holtz has struggled over the past two races and hopes to get his championship hopes back on track at Infineon where he finished 15th last season.
No. 8- Greg Voigt (No. 9 Auto Pro Racing Engines Chevrolet), Voigt Racing. Last week's ranking: 13th. Voigt joins the NASCAR Top 10 for the first time this season after a 4th place performance at Irwindale Speedway May 29. Voigt has two top finishes this season with his best finish coming at Irwindale. Voigt finished 37th last season at Infineon.
No. 9 - Doug McCoun (No. 34 Dick's Valero Chevrolet), McCoun Racing. Last week's ranking: 10th. McCoun climbs one position in the NASCAR Top 10 after a 14th place finish at Irwindale Speedway. McCoun missed the top 10 at the conclusion of the 2003 season and is clearly focused on a solid effort at Infineon Raceway this weekend in order to maintain his momentum through the second half of the season. McCoun finished 18th at Infineon last season.
No. 10 - Bob Lyon (No. 44 Alliance Rentals Chevrolet), Lyon Racing. Last week's ranking: 8th. Lyon drops two spots in the standings after a 25th place finish at Irwindale Speedway May 29. Lyon will make his 259th career start at Infineon Raceway this weekend (series record). Lyon did not compete in the event last season.
Fast Facts
NASCAR Top 10 this week: 1. Craig Raudman, 981; 2. Jim Pettit II, 934; 3. Burney Lamar, 841; 4. Eddy McKean, 831; 5. Eric Holmes, 810; 6. Joe Herold, 763; 7. Dan Holtz, 756; 8. Greg Voigt, 755; 9. Doug McCoun, 752; 10. Bob Lyon, 744.
Races at No. 1: Jim Pettit II (3), Eddy McKean (1), Craig Raudman (2).
New arrivals in the NASCAR Top 10 this week: Greg Voigt (8th)
Most weeks in the NASCAR Top 10: Five drivers tied at five races
Biggest mover among the Top 10: Burney Lamar (6h to 3rd) and Joe Herold (9th to 6th)
Dropped out of the NASCAR Top 10 this week: Ben Walker (11th).
Raudman Leads Points Standings Heading Into Infineon, While Cup Stars Harvick and Vickers Look to Steal the Show
DAYTONA BEACH, Fl (June 21, 2004) Craig Raudman of Bakersfield, Calif. leads the NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southwest Series into Infineon Raceway located in Sonoma, Calif. for this years running of the Snap-On Tools "200". Raudman holds a 47 point edge in the standings after six events coming off a brilliant second place run at Irwindale Speedway May 29. Raudman finished 31st last season at Infineon in a season where little went his way.
In 2004 Raudman has seen a reversal of fortune completing all 775 laps contested so far this season and picking up one victory and six top ten finishes in six starts. Raudman will have to hold off challenges from series regulars, Jim Pettit II, Eddy McKean, and teammate Burney Lamar, as well as NASCAR NEXTEL Cup stars Kevin Harvick and Brian Vickers. To complete the diverse field, road racing ace Boris Said will pilot Ken Schrader's familiar #99 in Saturday's 64 lap/200 kilometer race.
NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division
Southwest Series
Infineon Raceway, June 26, 2004
Driver Roster based on Pre-Entry
Car(#), Driver, Sponsor, Hometown
1. (1)Burney Lamar, Groeniger/Tri-C/HPS /Victory Circle Chevrolet, W.
Sacramento, Calif.
2. (01)Steve Petty, World Wide Land Survey Chevrolet, Fairfield, Calif.
3. (2)Craig Raudman, HPS Mechanical/Victory Circle Chassis/Melo's Gas & Gear
Chevrolet, Bakersfield, Calif.
4. (03)Jim Pettit II, California Hot Wood/Jim Pettit Racing Ford, Prunedale,
Calif.
5. (3)Wes Banks, Valvoline/Pit Stop Auto Lube Chevrolet, Modesto, Calif.
6. (4)Tommy Fry, K House.Org/Ron's Rear End Chevrolet, Simi Valley, Calif.
7. (5)Joe Herold, Quality Chevrolet/Classic Volkswagon Chevrolet, Poway,
Calif.
8. (6)Todd Souza, Sierra Mist/Money by Design/PRS/Golfland Chevorlet,
Aromas, Calif.
9. (7)Brandon Miller, Grape King/Asia Express/Giumarra Companies Ford,
Bakersfield, Calif.
10. (8)Ryan Arciero, Sign Pros/Arciero Bros. Construction Chevrolet,
Foothill Ranch, Calif.
11. (9)Greg Voigt, Auto Pro Racing Engines Chevrolet, Santa Barbara, Calif.
12. (11)Todd Burns, Centrifugal Technologies/Villa Roma Sausage Chevrolet,
Riverside, Calif.
13. (12)Rip Michels, Stock Building Supply/LADCO/Victory Cirlce Chassis
Chevrolet, Mission Hills, Calif.
14. (15)Curtis Lansing, Little Germany Chevrolet, Tucson, Ariz.
15. (16)Ben Walker, Camacho's Cantina/LTR/TM Professionals Chevrolet, Sun
Valley, Calif.
16. (19)Eddy McKean, Magic Valley Pipe & Steel Pontiac, Jerome, Idaho
17. (23)Dan Holtz, Rialto Concrete Prod./Pipeline Carriers/Thompson Mtrsprts
Ford, Pacific Palisades, Calif.
18. (25)Brian Vickers, GMAC Financial Services Chevrolet, Charlotte, NC
19. (27)John Moore, JM Environmental Chevorlet, Granite Bay, Calif.
20. (28)Thomas Martin, Strictly Toy-Ondas Pontiac, Auburn, Calif.
21. (29)Nick Lynch, Mr. Gas/Yerf-Dog Chevrolet, Burley, Idaho
22. (30)Steve Belletto, California Hot Wood/Ashby Const./Pepsi Chevrolet,
Modesto, Calif.
23. (33)M.K. Kanke, Perricone Juices/Film Punk/RPM Motorsports Chevrolet,
Frazier Park, Calif.
24. (34)Doug McCoun, Dick's Valero/Truline/Wynns Chevrolet, Prunedale,
Calif.
25. (38)Troy Ermish, Ermish Racing.Com Chevrolet, Fremont, Calif.
26. (42)Vince Little, Bad Attitude Apparel/DBP Ent./Elite Landscape
Chevrolet, Clovis, Calif.
27. (44)Bob Lyon, Alliance Rental Solutions/LTR/Ron's Rear Ends Chevrolet,
Aqua Dulce, Calif.
28. (47)Richard Johnson, Radcap Products Chevrolet, Antioch, Calif.
29. (56)Danny Burson, Great Western Electric Chevrolet, Albuquerque, NM
30. (59)Auggie Vidovich Jr., Ransom Brothers/Hawks Ridge/Carquest Chevrolet,
Lakeside, Calif.
31. (62)Eric Holmes, Wild Cherry Pepsi/Taco Bell Chevrolet, Escalon, Calif.
32. (63)Tom Dyer, Cycle Shack Inc./Menards/Cowboy Charcoal Chevrolet, San
Rafael, Calif.
33. (65)Stan Silva Jr., A&S Metals/Stan Silva Jr. Trucking Chevrolet,
Castroville, Calif.
34. (77)Gail Chase, Kadee Installation Chevrolet, Chatsworth, Calif.
35. (86)Rudy Revak, Symmetry Group Chevrolet, San Jose, Calif.
36. (88)David Gilliland, Honda Cars of Corona/The Body Shop Pontiac,
Riverside, Calif.
37. (89)Bryan Germone, Generations of Sonoma Chevrolet, Winsor, Calif.
38. (92)Kevin Harvick, Snap-On Tools Chevrolet, Kernersville, NC.
39. (94)Darrell LaMoure, NAPA Auto Parts/Racing for the Missing Chevrolet,
Phoenix, Ariz.
40. (97)Kenny Shepherd, Mountain Dew/Save Mart/Cheetos Chevrolet, Merced,
Calif.
41. (99)Boris Said, Federated Auto Parts Chevrolet, Carlsbad, Calif.
Lamar Triumphs at Irwindale
DAYTONA BEACH, Fl. (May 31, 2004) Burney Lamar of West Sacramento, Calif. scored his fourth career NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southwest Series victory Saturday night at Irwindale (CA) Speedway after performing a patented slide job on then leader Rip Michels on lap 143. Lamar held on over the final seven laps to win ahead of teammate Craig Raudman. Zach Niessner, Greg Voigt, and Jim Pettit II rounded out the top five finishers.
Zach Niessner led 37 cars in qualifying as the only car to dip into the 17 second bracket. Eric Holmes, Raudman, Brandon Loverock, and Michels topped the speed charts after qualifying was concluded. With 27 cars making the field on time and provisional's, eleven drivers were set for a 15-lap non-qualifiers race in which four drivers would transfer. Nick Lynch, Greg Voigt, Nick Joanides, and Mike Price made the transfer spots sending Darrell LaMoure, Mike Mendenhall, Todd McLaughlan, Scott Calvin, Eddie Bryans, Kevin Para, and Richard Johnson home early.
Todd Souza benefited from an 8-car invert sending Bud Pole winner Niessner to the eighth starting spot. Danny Burson joined Souza on the front row. Souza got a good jump on the field at the drop of the green and led the first four laps before yielding to local star Brandon Loverock.
Loverock quickly lengthened his lead on the field until caution flew on lap 12 for a multi-car collision in turn two. Joe Herold, Nick Joanides, Ben Walker, Dan Holtz, Jeff Siefert, and Stan Silva were all involved.
Loverock led the field when the action resumed with Raudman moving into second place by lap 30. Rip Michels, Danny Burson, and Todd Souza rounding out the top five in the running order. Loverock continued at the point building his lead to as much four seconds over Raudman. Michels held down the third spot as the race reached lap fifty. Burson stayed in fourth spot with Lamar moving into fifth. Niessner, Kevin Vernon, Pettit, Auggie Vidovich, and Nick Lynch rounded out the top ten.
Loverock continued in the lead at the mid-way point but his time at the front quickly vanished after contact with Souza as the duo entered turn one. Loverock was able to recover from the spin and rejoined the field in the 15th position. Michels assumed the lead and let his Irwindale experience do the talking of the next 71 laps.
Lamar steadily moved forward from his tenth starting position and on lap 143 laid down a perfect slide job on Michels to take control. Lamar led the final seven laps en route to his first win of the season. The victory vaulted Lamar into third place in the season point standings after six of 14 Southwest Series events.
"This win was big for the whole team," Lamar said. "I really need to thank Les (Denherder) for all the confidence and resources he has provided me. This is by far the best opportunity that I have had in racing and to win at Irwindale tonight is certainly a career highlight."
For his part in the winning equation, Denherder could not be more pleased. "These are the kind of nights you dream about," commented DenHerder. "Finishing first and second tonight with the strong performance at Stockton three weeks ago, it does not get any better than this."
With Raudman finishing second he expanded his point to 47 markers over Pettit. "Burney certainly had a great car and there was no way I was going to catch him," Raudman said. "I am real happy for Les and the entire team. These are the kind of races championships are made of."
Niessner backed up his strong qualifying run with a third place effort; his third straight top three at Irwindale in his last three Southwest Series starts. "This was the first time this car has seen a racetrack," Niessner said. "I am real pleased. I really like coming to Irwindale, I wish there were ten races a year here."
Greg Voigt has his best career finish on Saturday with a fourth place run. "I just wanted to run my race," Voigt said. "I have struggled in the series and starting as far back as I did I knew I just had to be patient and log laps."
The race took one hour, three minutes, and 35 seconds to complete at an average speed of 70.773 mph. There were five caution flags for 33 laps. Michels led the most laps (71) with three lead changes among four drivers. Niessner scored his third career Bud Pole Award with a quick lap of 17.982/100.100 mph. Greg Voigt won the $750 PowerAde Power Move-of-the-Race finishing fourth after starting in the 28th position. Stephen Sadler won the $300 Featherlite Award for improving the most position from the previous race. Sadler finished tenth after a 30th place effort at Stockton. Nick Lynch was the top finishing Autometer Rookie-of-the-Year candidate with a seventh place performance.
Raudman maintains the top spot in the point standings over Pettit. Lamar moves up to third with McKean dropping one position to fourth and Eric Holmes rounding out the top five in the standings. Joe Herold moved back up to sixth, with Holtz, Voigt, Doug McCoun, and Bob Lyon rounding out the top ten in the standings through six races.
The next race for the AutoZone Southwest Series is Saturday, June 26 at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif.
AutoZone Southwest Series Drivers Eye Irwindale Prize
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 24, 2004) - Only two NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southwest Series drivers have visited Irwindale Speedway's victory lane more than once, David Gilliland (3) and M.K. Kanke (2). Three other active drivers look to add a second Irwindale triumph to their record, while a host of first time hopefuls will fill the pit area. This Saturday, May 29, NASCAR's fastest rising stars will return to Irwindale Speedway for the running of the AutoZone "150" presented by Southern California Pipe Trades.
Current 2004 point leader Craig Raudman from Bakersfield, Calif., is fresh off a second place finish in the series' last stop at Stockton 99 Speedway in Stockton, Calif., May 8, and is the only driver to complete each of the 625 laps contested so far this season. This will be the series' only stop at the marquee Southern California facility before the second annual NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown scheduled for November 11-13.
With the midway point of the season fast approaching, this race will hold significance for the teams of the Southwest Series as many will look to find a set-up that they can use in November and position themselves into the NASCAR Top 10. More than 35 drivers are expected to attempt to qualify for one of 30 starting positions in Saturday's 150-lap race and vie for their share of $53,744 in posted awards in race six of the 14-race championship series.
It is often said that home track experience is important when trying to compete with the veterans of the Southwest Series. Nowhere will that experience be greater then Irwindale for multi-time champions Rip Michels of Mission Hills, Calif. and Todd Burns from Riverside, Calif.
Both Michels and Burns have succeeded at the highest level of the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series competing at Irwindale Speedway over the past several seasons. Each has claimed more than 20 victories, multiple track championships, and NASCAR regional titles, with Burns claiming the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series ShorTrack Division National championship in 2003. "This has been a real humbling experience," Burns said. "I was nearly unbeatable for a couple years in the Late Model division at Irwindale, but moving up to the 'Tour', well, the results thus speak to how difficult this series is."
Michels agrees with Burns. "I used to think I had it going my way," Michels said. "The Southwest Series is the toughest competition I have ever faced. These guys all are all champions and have won more races then I have competed in. So if anybody thinks that they can just move up to the tour and be the king, you can't"
While Michels and Burns hope to put their extensive Irwindale experience to work this Saturday, other notable drivers that are looking for a solid finish at Irwindale Speedway. Dan Holtz of Pacific Palisades, Calif. sits fifth in the standings and has one top five finish at Irwindale. Eddy McKean of Jerome, Idaho, the 2002 defending series champion, has two top five finishes this season and sits third in the overall standings. Local 'hotshoe' Ben Walker Sun Valley, Calif. would like nothing to parlay his track experience and deliver win number one to Clarence Broussard, and Jim Pettit II from Prunedale, Calif. who nearly stole the show in last November in the inaugural NASCAR Toyota All-Star Shown.
The AutoZone "150" presented by Southern California Pipe Trades is set to take the green flag at 8:00 pm PST this Saturday, where track experience will duel with series experience at a track that plays host to the best in NASCAR.
THE INSIDE LINE
. The race within the race . Rip Michels tops the Autometer
Rookie-of-the-Year leader board for the fifth race in a row. Nick Lynch, and Todd Burns round out the top-three rookies.
. How many cars? More than 35 cars have pre-entered the AutoZone "150"
presented Southern California Pipe Trades.
. Nine drivers have victories at Irwindale Speedway since 1999.
Drivers include: Burney Lamar, David Gilliland, Craig Raudman, M.K. Kanke, Rocky Nash, Matt Crafton, Greg Pursley, Frank Maronski, and Kurt Busch. Kanke and Gilliland are the only drivers to score multiple wins.
. Craig Raudman is the only driver to complete every lap run this
season (625).
. Driver's to keep your eye on: Rip Michels and Todd Burns. Both
drivers have each posted over 20 wins at Irwindale and multiple championship's over the past several seasons.
. 15 drivers have started all five races contested so far this season,
and the AutoZone Southwest Series has averaged 36 cars per event through the first five races of the season.
. Hoosier Racing Tire is the official tire of the NASCAR AutoZone
Elite Division in 2004 and will award 32 tires to eligible car owners at each series event. Hoosier will also award two tires to the highest eligible Rookie-of-the-Year candidate's car owner.
. AutoZone Southwest Series contingency sponsors include:
Anheuser-Busch, Auto Meter Products, Competition Cams, CV Products, Edelbrock Intake Manifolds, Featherlite Trailers, Five Star, G-Force, Holley Carburetors, Hoosier Tires, JR Pistons, Mac Tools, Mechanix Wear, Mobil 1 Oil, Moroso, Powerade, Quarter Master, Raybestos Brakes, and Timken. MOVING UP
. Burney Lamar of W. Sacramento, Calf. has moved up in the NASCAR
Top-10 after a third place finish at Stockton May 8. Lamar sits in the 6th position, 150 points out of first place. QUOTE OF THE WEEK
. Speaking about the health and fitness tips he has been providing
some of his fellow competitors. "Everybody is looking for an edge, but ask good as these guys are, I might have shot myself in the foot." - Dan Holtz (No. 23 Rialto Concrete Products Ford). PAGE FROM THE PAST Craig Raudman claimed the victory after passing Auggie Vidovich on lap 123 and held on for his third win of the season September 1, 2001 at Irwindale Speedway. Scott Lynch, Darrell LaMoure, Frank Maronski Jr., and Jimmy White rounded out the top five finishers in the 150-lap event. Scott Brandt was the highest finishing rookie with a sixth place finish. The race took one hour, one minute, and 15 seconds to complete at an average speed of 73.469 mph.
Fast Facts
What: The AutoZone "150" presented by Southern California Pipe Trades. Race 6 of 14 for the NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southwest Series.
Where: Irwindale Speedway, Irwindale, Calif.
When: 8:00 p.m. PST, Saturday, May 29.
Track layout: 1/2-mile paved oval.
Race length: 150 laps, 75 miles.
Posted awards: $53,744
2003 winner: David Gilliland
2003 Bud Pole winner: JR Patton
Qualifying Record: Bryan Germone, Chevrolet, 17.363 seconds, 103.669 mph, May 15, 1999.
Pre-race schedule (all times local): Saturday 5/29 9:00 am Haulers Enter, 10:00 am Registration and Inspection Begins, 12:00 noon Mandatory Rookie Driver's meeting, 12:00 pm Qualifying Draw, 1:00-2:00 pm Practice, 2:30-3:00 pm Practice, 3:30 pm Mandatory Driver's/Crew Chief's Meeting 5:00 pm Time Trials, 6:00 pm On-Track Driver Autograph Session, 7:00 pm Qualifying Race, 8:00 pm The AutoZone "150" presented by Southern California Pipe Trades.
Track contact: Doug Stokes (626) 358-1100.
Ticket information: Available online at www.irwindalespeedway.com or by calling (626) 358-1100.
McKean Ready for Irwindale Memories
JEROME, Idaho (May 23, 2004) Eddy McKean, the 2002 NASCAR AutoZone Southwest Series champion, is ready for round six of the 14 race NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southwest Series schedule to be staged at Irwindale (CA) Speedway Saturday, May 29. McKean currently sits third in the championship standings after five events coming off a disappointing outing in the series last event in Stockton, California.
McKean led 54 laps at Stockton, but a suspension part failure sidelined McKean's spectacular run, resulting in a 21st place finish. McKean trials series point leader Craig Raudman by 92 points and knows that a solid finish at Irwindale is crucial for the team.
McKean's best finish at Irwindale came in the fall race last year when he rallied to a fourth place finish after starting 25th. McKean, not know as a strong qualifier on the series short tracks has boosted his efforts by hiring 1990 AutoZone Southwest Series champion Doug George to crew chief the team. George's credentials in the series are second to none. In 100 series starts, George collected nine wins, 54 top ten finishes, and had 71 consecutive starts from 1990 to 1994. He has won on both ovals and the road course at Infineon Raceway.
McKean has quickly become the series master on the one-mile tracks the series visits each year. McKean has finished no worse than third in the series last six trips to Phoenix Int'l(AZ)Raceway including winning the opening round this season. The addition of George to the team has already paid dividends as McKean has scored three top five finishes in the first five races versus just one top five at the same point last season on the short tracks.
"Doug (George) brings a lot of experience to the team," McKean said. "He has been there and is able to make the right calls. We communicate well and he understands what the car needs. His leadership has been instrumental in the improvement of our short track program this year."
George is enjoying the new union. "Eddy is certainly a driven competitor," George said. "He never stops working on the car; we are kind of similar that way. He has a lot of talent behind the wheel and I am glad to be part of the team."
After winning at Phoenix in January, McKean finished sixth at Madera, followed that with fifth and tenth place performances at Mesa Marin and Cajon Speedway respectively. Looking to turn that momentum into a win at Stockton, McKean suffered a DNF after leading 54 laps.
With his focus squarely on the 150-lap race this weekend at Irwindale, McKean and his team look to regain their early season momentum and challenge for his second series title. "Doug has really added a lot in our qualifying program," McKean said. "Qualifying is so important in this series and the closer to the front you start the better. I feel real confident in our package and race setup for Irwindale."
While McKean is intent on a second series championship, he will venture outside the series to compete in both an AutoZone Midwest and Northwest Series event in the next month.
McKean Racing is sponsored by: Magic Valley Pipe & Steel, NAAKE Motorsports, Victory Circle Chassis, and Ironclad Performance Wear.
McKean's career AutoZone Southwest Series stats include: 50 career starts, 4 wins, 18 top five and 28 top ten finishes.
McKean is also a three-time track champion at Magic Valley Speedway in Twins Falls, Idaho and a two-time NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series regional champion.
NASCAR TOP 10 AT A GLANCE
A look at the NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southwest Series Top 10 Drivers
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 23, 2004) - The following is a glance at the NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southwest Series Top 10 in the series championship standings heading into the AutoZone "150" at Irwindale Speedway Saturday, May 29. The race in Irwindale, Calif. will be race six of 14 on the NASCAR AutoZone Southwest Series schedule:
No. 1 - Craig Raudman (No. 2 HPS/Victory Circle Chevrolet), Victory Circle Racing. Last week's ranking: 2nd. Raudman takes the top spot in the standings for the first time this season after a second place effort at Stockton 99 Speedway May 8. Raudman also claimed his third Bud Pole of the season to set the all-time series mark at 28. His average finish position of 3.8 has put him back in championship form.
No. 2 - Jim Pettit II (No. 03 California Hot Wood Ford), Jim Pettit Racing. Last week's ranking: 1st. Pettit suffered his first setback of the season after a cut tire dropped the fourth year series competitor off the lead lap and a 15th place finish at Stockton. The finish was Pettit's first finish outside the top ten all season. Pettit returns to Irwindale Speedway next Saturday for the first time since his thrilling second place run in the inaugural NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown last fall.
No. 3 - Eddy McKean (No. 19 Magic Valley Pipe & Steel Pontiac), McKean Racing. Last week's ranking: 3rd. McKean led the first 54 laps at Stockton May 8 before suspension failure sidelined the 2002 Series champion. McKean finished fourth in his last race at Irwindale and looks to make up ground in the championship chase.
No. 4 - Eric Holmes (No. 62 Wild Cherry Pepsi Chevrolet), Beebe Racing. Last week's ranking: 7th. Holmes jumps up three positions in the NASCAR Top ten after claiming the victory at Stockton 99 Speedway May 8. Holmes finished third last season at Irwindale Speedway. Holmes closed the gap on the top three in the point standings to only 110 points behind Raudman.
No. 5 - Dan Holtz (No. 23 Rialto Concrete Products Ford), Thompson Motorsports. Last week's ranking: 4th. Holtz drops one spot in the standings after 14th place finish at Stockton 99 Speedway May 8. Holtz has three top ten finishes so far this season and sits 128 points behind Raudman in the NASCAR Top 10. Holtz has one top five finish in AutoZone Southwest Series competition at Irwindale Speedway.
No. 6 - Burney Lamar (No. 1 Groeniger Chevrolet), Victory Circle Racing. Last week's ranking: 10th. Lamar scored his second top five finish of the season after a third place performance at Stockton 99 Speedway May 8. Lamar, the 2001 series ROTY, is teaming with Raudman at Victory Circle racing in hopes of a one-two championship punch.
No. 7 - Ben Walker (No. 16 Camacho's Cantina Chevrolet), CBA Motorsports. Last week's ranking: 6th. Walker drops one position in the NASCAR Top 10 after a tenth place finish at Stockton May 8. Walker is quietly giving team owner Clarence Broussard the best performance the team has seen in four years. Walker has three top ten finishes in the first five races and returns to Irwindale Speedway where he has several victories in Late Model competition over the past few years.
No. 8- Bob Lyon (No. 44 Alliance Rentals Chevrolet), Lyon Racing. Last week's ranking: 9th. Lyon continues to use his vast experience on The AutoZone Southwest Series and scored his second top five finish of the season to move up one spot in the NASCAR Top 10. Lyon has started more AutoZone Southwest series races (257) than any other competitor and returns to Irwindale Speedway, a track that his given him difficulty in the past.
No. 9 - Joe Herold (No. 5 Quality Chevrolet Chevrolet), Herold Racing. Last week's ranking: 5th. Herold drops four spots in the NASCAR Top 10 after a 19th place finish at Stockton May 8. Herold is in his fourth full-time year on the AutoZone Southwest Series and has quickly established himself as a veteran competitor. Herold used an off week for the series to compete at Irwindale Speedway where he won the Spec-Truck race last weekend. Herold finished 12th in the last series stop at Irwindale.
No. 10 - Doug McCoun (No. 34 Dick's Valero Chevrolet), McCoun Racing. Last week's ranking: 12th. McCoun rejoins the NASCAR Top 10 after an eighth place finish at Stockton May 8. McCoun a long-time series standout hopes to keep momentum on his side, as each finish will determine the next race. McCoun has one top five finish at Irwindale and finished 20th in the series last visit.
Fast Facts
NASCAR Top 10 this week: 1. Craig Raudman, 811; 2. Jim Pettit II, 779; 3. Eddy McKean, 719; 4. Eric Holmes, 701; 5. Dan Holtz, 683; 6. Burney Lamar, 661; 7. Ben Walker, 659; 8. Bob Lyon, 656; 9. Joe Herold, 633; 10. Doug McCoun, 631.
Races at No. 1: Jim Pettit II (3), Eddy McKean (1), Craig Raudman (1).
New arrivals in the NASCAR Top 10 this week: Doug McCoun (10th)
Most weeks in the NASCAR Top 10: Five drivers tied at five races
Biggest mover among the Top 10: Burney Lamar (10th to 6th)
Dropped out of the NASCAR Top 10 this week: David Gilliland (8th to 12th ).
Raudman Leads AutoZone Southwest Series into Irwindale
DAYTONA BEACH, Fl. (May 23, 2004) Craig Raudman of Bakersfield, Calif. has regained his championship form from 2001 and leads the NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southwest Series point standings after five events. The AutoZone Southwest Series next travels to Irwindale (CA) Speedway Saturday, May 29 for race six of the 14-race championship series and site of the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown which will be held in November.
Raudman has five top ten finishes in the first five races of 2004 including a win at Mesa Marin Raceway back in March. Raudman has completed all 625 laps contest so far this season with an average finish position of 3.8. He has also won three Bud Pole Awards and currently holds the series record for that honor with 28.
More than 35 drivers have pre-entered the AutoZone "150" presented by Southern California Pipe Trades at the marquee Southern California half-mile facility including 2003 AutoZone Southwest Series champion Auggie Vidovich who is running a partial series schedule this season.
In the previous 12 AutoZone Southwest Series races staged at Irwindale Speedway, only M.K. Kanke and David Gilliland have won multiple times with Gilliland winning three out of the last four series visits. Gilliland will likely not make it to Irwindale due to scheduling conflicts as he currently sits third in the NASCAR Grand National West Series which will competing at Stockton 99 (CA) Speedway on the same night.
NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division
Southwest Series
Irwindale Speedway, May 29, 2004
Driver Roster based on Pre-Entry
Car(#), Driver,
Sponsor,
Hometown
1. (1)Burney Lamar, Groeniger/Tri-C/HPS /Victory Circle Chevrolet, W.
Sacramento, Calif.
2. (01)Scott Calvin, Franks Nextel Pontiac, Moreno Valley, Calif.
3. (2)Craig Raudman, HPS Mechanical/Victory Circle Chassis/Melo's Gas & Gear
Chevrolet, Bakersfield, Calif.
4. (03)Jim Pettit II, California Hot Wood/Jim Pettit Racing Ford, Prunedale,
Calif.
5. (3)Mike Price, Brek MFG Co./Cin-Tech Chevrolet, Harbor City, Calif.
6. (4)Tommy Fry, K House.Org/Ron's Rear End Chevrolet, Simi Valley, Calif.
7. (04)Stephan Sadler, Padco Carpet Cushion Inc. Chevrolet, Brea, Calif.
8. (5)Joe Herold, Quality Chevrolet/Classic Volkswagon Chevrolet, Poway, Calif.
9. (6)Todd Souza, Sierra Mist/Money by Design/PRS/Golfland Chevorlet, Aromas,
Calif.
10. (9)Greg Voigt, Auto Pro Racing Engines Chevrolet, Santa Barbara, Calif.
11. (10)Mike Mendenhall, Crower/Newton Communication Chevrolet, Santee, Calif.
12. (11)Todd Burns, Centrifugal Technologies/Villa Roma Sausage Chevrolet,
Riverside, Calif.
13. (12)Rip Michels, Stock Building Supply/LADCO/Victory Cirlce Chassis
Chevrolet, Mission Hills, Calif.
14. (16)Ben Walker, Camacho's Cantina/LTR/TM Professionals Chevrolet, Sun
Valley, Calif.
15. (19)Eddy McKean, Magic Valley Pipe & Steel Pontiac, Jerome, Idaho
16. (23)Dan Holtz, Rialto Concrete Prod./Pipeline Carriers/Thompson Mtrsprts
Ford, Pacific Palisades, Calif.
17. (28)Thomas Martin, Strictly Toy-Ondas Pontiac, Auburn, Calif.
18. (29)Nick Lynch, Mr. Gas/Yerf-Dog Chevrolet, Burley, Idaho
19. (37)Keith Spangler, 1st MED/Spangler Motorsports Chevrolet, Chatsworth,
Calif.
20. (38)Todd McLauchlan, Sid's Auto Body/ICM/SD PowderCoating Chevrolet, Alpine,
Calif.
21. (42)Vince Little, Bad Attitude Apparel/DBP Ent./Elite Landscape Chevrolet,
Clovis, Calif.
22. (44)Bob Lyon, Alliance Rental Solutions/LTR/Ron's Rear Ends Chevrolet, Aqua
Dulce, Calif.
23. (45)Kevin Para, QTM Inc./Royal Roof Chevrolet, Tustin, Calif.
24. (47)Richard Johnson, Radcap Products Chevrolet, Antioch, Calif.
25. (50)Donald Kerr, J & M Injection Molding Chevrolet, Alpine, Calif.
26. (56)Danny Burson, Great Western Electric Chevrolet, Albuquerque, NM
27. (59)Auggie Vidovich Jr., Ransom Brothers/Hawks Ridge/Carquest Chevrolet,
Lakeside, Calif.
28. (62)Eric Holmes, Wild Cherry Pepsi/Taco Bell Chevrolet, Escalon, Calif.
29. (64)Mark Meech, JS Plastering/BTI Trucking Chevrolet, La Mesa, Calif.
30. (65)Stan Silva Jr., A&S Metals/Stan Silva Jr. Trucking Chevrolet,
Castroville, Calif.
31. (70)Greg Pursley, Frank's Radio Source/NEXTEL Chevrolet, Canyon Country,
Calif.
32. (75)Nick Joanides, Colorfast/Jackson Race Cars Chevrolet, Woodland Hills,
Calif.
33. (76)Eddie Bryans, LTR Racing Engines Chevrolet, El Cajon, Calif.
34. (83)Zach Niessner, Yoke TV/Barb Myers, Royal City, Wash
35. (94)Darrell LaMoure, NAPA Auto Parts/Racing for the Missing Chevrolet,
Phoenix, Ariz.
36. (95)Jeff Seifert, Hot Rod City/Worldwide Fishing.Com Chevrolet, Jamul,
Calif.