RECAPPING PHOENIX:

**** A series record was set at PIR with 15 drivers finishing in the lead lap. The previous mark of 14 was accomplished at Portland in 1973 and at Sonoma last October.

**** With his fast lap at Phoenix, Mike Wallace joined his younger brother, Kenny, on the list of Bud Pole Award winners in the NASCAR Winston West Series. The event was one of four NWWS races he plans to race this season.

**** Wallace established a race record with an average speed of 80.717 mph for the 100-lap event. NWWS races at PIR between 1977 and 1984 were 156 laps. Last year's event was 150 laps.

**** Brandan Ash became the only driver to finish in the top five in the event in 1998 and 1999. He finished fifth both years.

NOTES ABOUT BAKERSFIELD:

**** This is the fourth of 14 races on the NWWS schedule and the first of two visits to Mesa Mann Raceway this season. It is one of eight short track races slated this Season.

**** The defending champion of the race, Butch Gilliland, has won this event the past two years. In addition Gilliland won the Bud Pole Award in three of the past five years.

**** Among active drivers, Gilliland has started the most NWWS races at Mesa Marin Raceway. He has taken the green flag at the high-banked 1/2-mile facility 25 times.

**** Gilliland has gone six races without a win in the series. That is the longest stretch the 1997 NWWS champion has gone without a win since 1996. In that stretch he competed in eight races between his first victory and his second on May 18, 1996. His most recent visit to victory lane was Aug. 16, 1998 at Monroe, Wash.

**** Bill Sedgwick, with six victories is the driver with most NWWS wins at Mesa Marin Raceway- He reached victory lane in 1990, 1991, 1992, twice in 1993, and 1995.

**** Sedgwick also has the most Bud Pole Awards at Mesa Mann Raceway with six. He won one in 1989, two in 1990, and one each in 1991, 1993 and 1995.

**** Three active NWWS drivers had their most recent win on the high-banked 1/2-mile track. Sedgwick's last visit to victory lane was in Bakersfield on April 23, 1995. The most recent win for Mike Chase was at Mesa Marin on June 17, 1995. Joe Bean collected his only NWWS victory there on Aug. 24, 1996.

**** Gary Smith finished third in both NWWS races at Mesa Marin Raceway in 1997. He finished second in both NWWS races there in 1998.

**** Chevrolet has the most wins among manufacturers, with 16 victories. It has only visited victory lane Once in the past nine NWWS races at the high-banked 1/2-mile facility, however.

NOTES OF INTEREST:

**** In the three NWWS races run this season, Chase has the best average finish, with 4.66. Ash is second in that category with 6.33.

**** Chase and Ash are the only drivers who have completed all 400 laps of competition run so far in the series this year.

**** Chase and Ash are also the only drivers to finish in the top 10 in all three races so far this season.

**** Sean Woodside is fifth on the list of career money leaders in the series with $361,375 in 31 races. He has competed in less than half the number of events raced by each of the other drivers in the top five.

**** Drivers celebrating birthdays in April include David Gilliland, who turned 23 on the 1st, and Bob Howard, who turns 56 on the 22nd,

STATS OF THE WEEK:

**** The average starting position of NWWS winners at Mesa Marin Raceway is 3.68. Ten of 35 events were won from the pole position.

Source: NASCAR Public Relations
Posted: 4/7/99