NASCAR GRAND NATIONAL DIVISION, WEST SERIES
Source — NASCAR Public Relations
Date Posted — October 25, 2004
- Championship drive . Mike Duncan (No. 9 Lucas Oil/Ron's Rear Ends Chevrolet) won this year's NASCAR Grand National Division, West Series championship with a ninth-place finish in the NAPA 150 presented by So Cal Pipe Trades at Irwindale (Calif.) Speedway on Saturday, Oct. 23. Duncan clinched the title by 16 points over Austin Cameron (No. 16 NAPA/NAPA Belts & Hose Chevrolet). A year ago, Duncan finished 14 points out of first place in the final rundown.
- Cameron collects fifth win of '04 . Cameron did everything he could to overtake Duncan in the final event, leading the most laps and winning the race. It marked his second runner-up finish in the championship standings and his fifth top-five finish in the final standings. The Irwindale win was his fifth victory of 2004 and the 13th of his career. He matched his record of 2002, when he also won five races.
- Lynch takes Bud . Scott Lynch (No. 08 Yerf-Dog/Orleans Racing Dodge) won the Bud Pole Award at Irwindale, with a lap of 98.582 mph around the half-mile oval. It was his second Bud Pole Award of the season and the fifth of his career.
- Strong Quarterley run . NASCAR Grand National Division, Busch North Series regular Dale Quarterley (No. 31 EDART/Van Dyk Chevrolet) made the trip west for a second time this year. Not to be deterred by an incident that sidelined him in the season opener, he returned to finish a close second to Cameron in the final event. Quarterley will be among the contingent of competitors slated to participate in the second annual NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown at Irwindale on Nov. 11-13.
- Another charge . Scott Gaylord (No. 00 Oliver Gravity Separators/Denver Seminary Chevrolet) made a strong charge to the front at Irwindale, earning him his second POWERade Power Move of the Race Award for 2004. Gaylord moved from 16th to fifth in the 152-lap race. At each Grand National Division event, POWERade presents the award to the driver who advances the most positions.
- Flashback . David Gilliland (No. 88 RaceCarCeilingFans.com Chevrolet) may have thought his race at Irwindale was a replay of his experience there earlier in the year. When the series visited Irwindale in July, Gilliland led the first 40 laps before suffering a flat tire. He led 49 laps early in this race, before giving up the top spot with a flat right front tire. He was able to battle back to finish fourth this time, however.
- Featherlite Award . Gilliland's fourth-place finish followed on the heels of mechanical problems he suffered at Bakersfield. His performance at Irwindale won him the Featherlite Most Improved Driver Award for improving the most finishing positions from the previous event.
- Top 10 change . With the season finale, the only change in the championship standings among drivers in the top 10 was for the 10th-place position. A 16th-place finish at Irwindale was enough to move Jose Luis Ramirez (No. 17 Del Valle/Rayere Ford) past Gene Woods (No. 7 Circle K/Monster Energy Drinks Dodge) for 10th.
- Just outside the top 15 . Despite scoring top-five finishes in four of the final five races, Brett Thompson (No. 61 Rich Thompson Trucking Chevrolet) came up just 16 points short in his bid to make the top 15 of the final standings. The top 15 drivers will be invited to participate in the second annual NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown at Irwindale on Nov. 11-13.
