NOTES ABOUT IRWINDALE:
This is the 10th event on the NWWS schedule in 1999 and the second visit by the series to Irwindale Speedway this season.
The inaugural NWWS race at the new 1/2-mile Southern California track in June featured 26 lead changes among nine drivers. The final lead change took place on the final lap, leading to Steve Portenga’s first win in the series.
Following this event, which marks the conclusion of the second leg of the NWWS season, acombined $50,000 in prize money from R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. will be paid out to the top 15drivers based on points accumulated in the sixth through the 10th races. Fifteen drivers shared $50,000 at the conclusion of the first leg of the schedule, also. The prize money is part of the $300,000 point fund award from Reynolds’ Winston brand.
Sill Sedgwick leads the second leg of the standings, with four of the five races on that portion of theschedule completed. Sedgwick has accumulated 686 points in those four events, followed by Steve Portenga 599, Kevin Richards 590, Brandon Ash 586, Sean Woodside 562, Jason Small 577, Butch Gilliland 555, Joe Bean 537, Mike Chase 528 and Austin Cameron 519.
NOTES OF INTEREST:
With his sixth-place finish at Portland, Woodside moved back into the lead in the NWWS championship standings. Ha led the standings initially this year after winning the season opener
Sedgwick’s victory at Portland moved him from 1 Ott, to seventh in the championship standings.
Sedgwick, who won the series championship in 1991 and 1992, has finished in the top five in all five short track events this season including the last four consecutive races.
Woodside has the best average finish overall so far this season. His average finish in the Napa/Martin Senour Chevrolet in the first nine races is 7.89.
Woodside has completed the most laps of competition, running 96.27 percent or 1,444 of the 1,500 possible in the first nine races.
Woodside had led the most laps of competition in the first nine races. He has had the Bill McAnally owned Chevrolet out front for 337 laps.
This season, competitors in the series are shuffling the lead at a record-setting pace. The lead changed 92 times in the first nine races. That figure surpassed the 68 lead changes in the first nine races last season, 63 in 1997 and 46 at the same time in 1996.
The lead has been shared among a great number of drivers this season, as well. Twenty-three different drivers led a lap of competition in the first nine races. That compares to the 23 different drivers during all of last season and 22 through all of 1997. Sixteen different drivers led a lap in 1996, while the mark was 17 in 1995.
Among those celebrating a birthday in late August is Travis Powell, who turns 35 on the 26Th
Five NWWS drivers are scheduled to make a special visit to the pediatric ward at City of Hope on Friday, Aug. 20. Drivers slated to take part are Joe Bean, Butch Gilliland, Eric Norris, Jason Small and Sean Woodside.
STATS OF THE WEEK:
Sean Woodside likes to lead the pack. he currently ranks first in terms of laps led this season. He finished second in that category last year and first in laps led in his rookie year of 1997.
NWWS Race Winners in 1999:
1. Mike Wallace 2
2. Bill Sedgwick 1
3. Sean Woodside 1
4. Butch Gilliland 1
5. Steve Portenga 1
6 Kevin Ricahrds I
7. Ricky Craven I
8. Jerry Nadeau I
NWWS Bud Pole Winners
Butch Gilliland 2
Mike Wallace 2
Sean Woodside 1
Austin Cameron 1
Jason Small 1
Kelly Tanner 1
Jerry Nadeau 1
NWWS money winnings far 1999:
1 Sean Woodside $61,765
2. Brandon Ash 57,050
3. MikeChase 56,741
4. Butch Gilliland 54,640
5. Austin Cameron 54,189
6. Mike Wallace 53,517
7. Steve Portenga 45,691
8. Eric Norris 41,715
9. Kevin Richards 41,620
10.Bill Sedgwick 36,841
NWWS Manufacturers’ Championship
1. Ford 69 Points 5 wins
2. Chevrolet 62 points 4 wins
3. Pontiac 40 points 0 wins
Sears Point Raceway Rookie-of-the-Year:
1. Jason Small 71
2. Sammy Potashnick 62
3. John Metcalf 58
4. Jerry Cain 49
5. Brendan Gaughan 48
6. Rick Ware 41
7. Davy Lee Liniger 29
8. Ross Thompson 26
9. Dean Kuhn 23
10. Mike Duncan 21
11. Billy Turner 17
12. Bobby Pangonis 13
13. David Gilliland 7
14. Scott Busby 5
15. Rick Bogart 5
16. Larry Carnes
1999 CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS:
1. Sean Woodside 1,339 Won Tucson
2. Mike Chase 1,308
3. Brandon Ash 1,293
4. Steve Portenga 1,269 Won Irwindale
5. Austin Cameron 1,221
6. Joe Bean 1,189
7. Bill Sedgwick 1,176 Won Portland
8. Eric Norris 1,151
9. Jason Small 1,137
10.Butch Gilliland 1,122 Won Mesa Marin
