This weekend the “NAPA Auto Parts 150” was the 8th race of a 12-race NASCAR Grand National West Series season. The drivers piloted their cars on the one-mile Pikes Peak International Raceway for 150 laps and 1.5 hours of quality racing. There were 6 lead changes among 5 drivers. There were no “really stupid” moves, just good hard racing.
Major sponsors adorned the hoods of many of the cars and even those teams still hopeful of catching the eye of a sponsor had their cars painted and decaled to look every bit as professional as the NASCAR Nextel Cup cars. The teams were top-notch from the moment they arrived until that last hauler left.
The event began with two practice sessions that went incident free. Qualifying was next and rookie Andrew Myers set fast time with a lap of 27.520 seconds. Myers said, “Getting the pole was great. We first unloaded Friday and did laps to get familiar with the track. The car was loose so we continued to tighten the car until we got it comfortable to drive. My crew chief Phil Bonifield and Jamie Aubie were awesome. We knew we would be fast but didn’t know how fast. When qualifying came I drove it in as hard as I could… it stuck…I got right back into the gas and then out of it. I put in fast time. I am really proud of the crew, the car and the sponsors.”
Myers who started from the pole with rookie Spencer Clark to his outside said, “The race started out well…got an early lead…the car felt neutral. I lead 10 laps or so and just wanted to cruise in the top-5 for the first 100 laps. But, the motor started vibrating and making noises. I had to give up the lead. We changed tires about lap 50 but the car was getting slow at the straightway. After the stop for the rain caution we took off again but knew something was wrong. By lap 140 or so the car had a push to it and then the right front tire blew out.”
With Myers going backwards early in the race, Clark took over the lead and held it for 46 laps until veteran hot-shoe David Gilliland passed to lead for 3 laps. Gilliland’s lead was cut short by 2-time NASCAR Southwest Tour champion, Steve Portenga. But Portenga’s reign as the leader was also short-lived when the 2004 GNW champion and current point leader, Scott Lynch powered to the front and held the lead until lap 106 and right through the rain-delay.
Lynch said, “We had a great race. We were trying to be as patient as we could. The Indy rubber was down from the earlier race and the track was moist. The sprinkling psyches me out. We pitted earlier than most and a lot of them had fresher rubber in the end. We wanted to win but we are very happy with second.”
Clark took over the point for the 2nd time on lap 107. He continued to pull away from the field until smoke came from the car and he slowed on lap 131. Clark, who gave up a possible chance of winning the track championship at Las Vegas Motor Speedway to compete at Pikes Peak said, “I wish we could have finished. We decided yesterday to concentrate on the West. We came here with a brand new car and brand new team and new crew chief Travis Sharp I felt very comfortable on the track, just wish I could have made it the last 15 laps.”
Picking up the lead when Clark’s alternator went south, was the driver who led that all important last lap, Portenga. In the press conference, after his checked flag run, Portenga explained how he had a good car all weekend. He said the team felt they had to go for it now because, “We have ourself in such a hole in the point battle.” He said they fell short for the pole and could have missed the win as there was no way they could have beat the 23 car of Clark …if he didn't break. Then Portenga said with a touch of humor and a chance to plug his sponsor, “I am sure he didn’t have NAPA parts under the hood.”
Portenga went on to explain that the car was tight all day long. During the pit stops they came in earlier than expected. The team gave the car new left sides that he felt helped. When the rain came out the team brought the car in for right sides. The car was still tight. Then all of a sudden while racing Portenga said, “It felt like I got a left rear flat and then the tightness came out of the car...it kept getting lose…or else the track changed dramatically. The car got better and better.”
Portenga explained how he watched Lynch in the mirror the last 5 laps. “I didn't have anything left. I let it all hang out and prayed for no caution. It was one thing catching a car and another thing passing here. But the characteristic of this series is that it is a series of 19 professional cars. I felt it was going to be a lot of long greens and it was.”
Portenga said he was worried earlier about the 88 car of David Gilliland and that all the competition in the top 10 was pretty tough. It is a testament of just how good the GNW Series is.
Bill McAnally, multiple car owner in the GNW Series commended Portenga and his crew for the win saying, “Steve and NAPA did a great job. Good to see this group of guys winning.”
Both drivers and car owners were praising Pikes Peak International Raceway. Said Lynch, “Pikes Peak is awesome. You can find 3 lanes and you can race it whether your car is tight or loose.”
McAnally said, “Glad to come back to Pikes Peak. In fact if we get the support we might have an opportunity to visit it twice in 2006.”
So what is next for this most awesome series?
It is the state-of-the-art Super Speedway at Fontana, the California Speedway in two weeks.
Lynch said it is on to Fontana for him and commented on the fact that everyone will be starting equally there as there is no early practice/testing. “The Good Years (tires) are not done in time so there will be no testing. This means no one will have an advantage.”
Lynch went on to say, “Our speedway car being built right now. It is going to be awesome. We really enjoy racing with the big guys there--real excited--real pumped. Our goal is to keep finishing in the top five.”
Clark is also looking forward to Fontana and will also be bringing a new car. In addition to Fontana Clark anticipates racing the GNW race at Kyle, Texas and the Busch race at Phoenix, Arizona.
It is not only the drivers that have something to look forward to … their fans are also marking the calendars to watch the GNW series under the lights either in person at the track or live via the HDNet broadcast September 2nd for the “Relocate Here 200” at California Speedway in Fontana.
Note --Photo is of rookie point leader Andrew Lewis followed by NASCAR champions Portenga and Mike Duncan.
