BAKERSFIELD, California -- When the NASCAR Autozone Elite Division Southwest Series teams took the green flag, April 9th, at Bakersfield's Mesa Marin Raceway they were planning on running the HPS Mechanical/Victory Circle 150. What they actually got was the Auggie Vidovich Jr show.
The Lakeside, California driver, in his Centrifugal Technologies/Villa Roma Sausage Chevrolet, completely dominated the event and won it flag to flag meaning he led all 150 laps.
However, the Vidovich show almost got cancelled on lap 138. Coming out of turn three, Vidovich was working his way around the lapped car of Nick Jonaides. The two cars touched each other and the race leader skidded down to the infield grass with some fender damage in a very dicey moment that almost cost him the race.
The incident did eradicate a full 15 car length lead and Vidovich had to run out the final 12 laps with a rear view mirror full of Burney Lamar's Chevrolet. Reigning series champion Jim Pettit II was third while NASCAR Northwest Series regulars Gary Lewis and Travis Bennett completed the top five.
Lamar and Pettit had a lot in common while working towards their respective second and third place finishes. Both drivers suffered hard crashes during a practice session the day before and had to roll up back up cars. That meant their crews spent a very late night to make sure their drivers would have everything they needed for the race.
Prior to the race Lamar, along with his team owner Les Denherder, announced they were donating their race winnings to cancer research.
