COLORADO SPRINGS, CO -- Mike Wallace overcame a two-lap deficit, passed leader Sean Woodside 29 laps from the finish and won the NASCAR Winston West 150 race at Pikes Peak International Raceway Sunday.

Wallace, the middle brother in the Wallace racing clan, drove a Ford Taurus to a three-length victory over Austin Cameron in a Chevrolet Monte Carlo.

Woodside finished third in a Monte Carlo. Eric Norris, the son of motion-picture star Chuck Norris, was fourth in a Ford Thunderbird.

Wallace, who had qualified nearly 1 mph faster than anybody else, led the first lap, then pitted a lap later when his throttle linkage came apart as he entered turn three. Wallace had directed his crew to alter the design of the car's gas pedal after Saturday's qualifying, and someone forgot to tighten the linkage after finishing those repairs, Wallace said.

Wallace made the most of caution periods to make up the two-lap deficit, then used two more yellow flags to work his way from the back of the pack on each restart.

The average speed for the race was 111.894 mph. There were four caution periods for 19 laps, but there were no major incidents.

Posted: 5/16/99