ASH DISSAPONTED AFTER CRASH AT IRWINDALE

IRWINDALE, CaLifornia (August 23, 1999) -- Brandon Ash and the NASCAR Winston West series came to Irwindale Speedway for the Snap-On 250 and City of Hope Benefit race. Brandon started third after a great qualifying attempt and led the race twice from laps 57 to 62 and again from laps 72 to 100. Both times Ash gave up the lead by going into the pits for fresh tires and fuel. Unfortunately the strategy of getting tires then retaking the lead ended when on lap 191 after a restart Ash was hit by anther car while trying to avoid a spin in turn 4. The result was broken steering arm and the end of the night for Brandon Ash.

"We had a great day til lap 191." Said Brandon Ash after the race. "A big thanks to all the local fans, and family we have in the area, for coming out to cheer us on." "The Big Daddy's BBQ, Sonoma Spas, Pacific Building Interiors Ford Thunderbird was very smooth off the corners and we were running up front all night I really thought we were going to win this one. Everything was going so well in the race. The Ash Racing- Volunteers gave me another great car and did some great pit stops. It's just an unfortunate case of two race cars trying to dive through the same hole to avoid a spin and getting together."

"A lap car spun on the first lap after the restart going into turn 4 (Lap 191). I saw it and went low to avoid the car which was sliding up the banking into 4. I was well clear when the 16 car came down from the high groove to go under the spin also and caught us in the right front tire. I was then a part of the wreck and when I spun around sideways Steve Portenga had no where to go but into my right side door and fender. The bad part was that the hit on the tire broke the tie rod and left us a lame duck out there to get ping-pong'd around. After stopping up against the car that spun originally I put it in reverse and backed away to see if I could make it to the pit. When I went forward the car just dropped to the bottom of the track. The steering was gone" added Ash.

Next up on the Winston West schedule is Salt Lake's Rocky Mountain Raceway on September 6th.

Brandon Ash is the driver of the #23 Big Daddy's BBQ, Sonoma Spas, Ash Racing Ford currently competing in the NASCAR Winston West stock car racing Series. Ash started racing stock cars in 1995 after graduating from Oakland High School in Oakland, Oregon. Ash competed in late model class at Coos Bay and Roseburg, Oregon in 1995, 1996, and 1997 winning a series championship and breaking track records at these tracks. In 1996 and 1997 Ash ran a limited NASCAR Winston West schedule and in 1998 ran a full NASCAR Winston West schedule finishing 11th in the point standings. In 1999 Ash lead the Winston West Championship points standings and has an average finishing position of 7.125 in the first eight races of the 14 race schedule. Best finishes in 1999 include two 2nd place finishes and five top 10 finishes.