NASCAR GRAND NATIONAL, WEST SERIES
Source — NASCAR Public Relations
Date Posted — January 31, 2005
- Gilliland grabs win in season opener... David Gilliland (No. 88
RaceCarCeilingFans.com Chevrolet) won the United Rentals 100 at Phoenix
International Raceway on Sunday. It was the season opening race for the
NASCAR Grand National Division and part of the Copper World Classic at PIR.
It marked the second career win for Gilliland, who was the 2004 Rookie of
the Year in the West Series.
- Bud Pole goes to Gilliland, too ... Gilliland also won the Bud Pole
Award at Phoenix, turning in a fast-lap of 127.461 mph around the one-mile
D-shaped oval.
- Series return ... Kevin Harvick (No. 92 Groeniger Chevrolet) made his
first appearance in the West Series since 2000. Harvick, who won the series
championship in 1998, led 77 laps - but finished 13th after making a
late-race pit stop for fuel.
- Successful series debut for many ... Several drivers had a successful
outing in making their debut in the West Series at Phoenix. Open-wheel star
Michel Jourdain Jr. (No. 19 ppc Racing Ford) finished sixth. After turning
18 on Saturday, Spencer Clark (No. 26 Team ASE/Splitfire Sparkplugs Ford)
qualified fifth and ran near the front for much of the event before a
late-race pit stop left him to finish 14th. Another 18-year-old, Andrew
Lewis (No. 18 Teen Arrive Alive Chevrolet), finished 16th. Andrew Myers (No.
44 Toyota of Escondido Chevrolet) finished 17th, meanwhile.
- POWERade Power Move... Scott Lynch (No. 08 Baja Motorsports/Orleans
Dodge) nabbed the POWERade Power Move of the Race Award after starting 31st
and finishing 10th. Lynch was relegated to the tail of the field after
damaging his primary car in qualifying. At each Grand National Division
event, POWERade presents the award to the driver who advances the most
positions.
- Featherlite Most Improve... The Featherlite Most Improve Driver Award
went to Daryl Harr (No. 71 WestWorld Motorsports Chevrolet). Harr, who
finished 20th in the final race of 2004, came home from Phoenix in 12th.
Featherlite presents the award at each event to the driver who improves the
most finishing positions from the previous event.
