Team: S P Racing
Car: # 65
Driver: Sammy Potashnick
Owner: Sam Potashnick

PIKES PEAK, CA -- The 1999 NASCAR Winston West Series has produced another tough field of rookies. We have heard about drivers like John Metcalf, Rick Ware, Jerry Cain, Brendan Gaughan but quietly leading the pack is Sammy Potashnick.

Potashnick from Sikeston, MO first made an impression in the stock car world when he raced ARCA in 1996 and 1997. In just four Winston West races ran this year; he has finished with 2 top-tens and 1 top-five. A natural on the super-speedways, this could be Potashnick's race to win. What does Potashnick think of the track and his chances? Find out below!

RacingWest: What is your overall impression of the Pikes Peak International Raceway?
Sammy Potashnick: The track and the facility and both really nice, and the track has big wide sweeping turns.

RW: How do you think the high altitude will effect you as a driver?
SP: The altitude should not be a factor because I work out at the gym daily and so do most of my crew members. The race is not that long and the weather shouldbe nice and cool.

RW: How do you think the high altitude will effect you as a driver?
SP: Werner Automotive Research, Carl Wegner, tunes the motors for al these different situations.

RW: With this race being 150 laps, how will the pit strategy be different from the 200-lap race of a year ago?
SP: I did not run PPIR last and the year before I think it was 300 laps.

RW: What are the major differences between the last track the NASCAR Winston West Series raced at, the California Speedway and Pikes Peak International Raceway?
SP: This track is one mile shorter than California.

RW: How do you size up the competition level in the Series this year with so many drivers from last year gone and so many new ones competing?
SP: Being a rookie this year, I can only say that the competition is as tough as any series I have run.

RW: Based on your agenda for the end of the season, where are you now in relationship to where you planned to be at this time?
SP: We are pretty much on track, except we have had a few set backs in the last two races. We are looking forward to a better finish at PPIR.

Source: RacingWest
Posted: 5/13/99