DRIVERS SHARE $50,000 IN PRIZE MONEY

Source: NASCAR Public Relations
Date: 09/08/1999

SCOTTS VALLEY, California (Sept. 8, 1999)--Fifteen NASCAR Winston West Series drivers shared in $50,000 from R.J. Reynolds as prize money for the second leg of this years schedule was distributed on Sept 6th.

Checks were presented to the fifteen drivers prior to the running of the Bank One 250 at Rocky Mountain Raceways near Salt Lake City, Utah. Making the presentations were Dennis Huth, NASCAR vice president for touring operations and international development; Dan Henley, Reynolds’ senior manager for the series; and Mark Rogers, Reynolds’ assistant manager for the series.

Two-time series champion Bill Sedgwick received $10000 for accumulating the most points in the sixth through the 10th races. Sedgwick of Acton, Calif., finished in the top five in four of those events and sixth in the other - gathering 840 points in the process. He drove the DuPont Stainmaster Carpet-sponsored Chevrolet owned by Tim Buckley to victory lane in August.

Kevin Richards, who accumulated 765 points, was presented with $6,000. Driving the Monaco Enterprises Chevrolet owned by Gene Monaco, Richards had three top-five finishes during the second leg - including his first series victory.

The 1997 series champion, Butch Gilliland of Chino Hills, Calif, received $4,000 for his 720-point effort. The driver of the Ralph’s/Food 4 Less-sponsored Ford also had a win and finished in the top five in three of the five races.

Steve Portenga of Sparks, Nev., pocketed $3,750, with 717 points. He had three top-10 finishes, including his first series win, during the second leg. With 716 points, Sean Woodside of Saugus, Calif., received $3,500. He also had three top 10 finishes in the five races.

Brandon Ash of Umpqua, Ore., had 706 points and received $3,250. Austin Cameron of El Cajon, Calif., with 704 points received $3,000. Joe Bean of San Diego, Calif., with 702 points received $2,705. Jason Small of Bakersfield, Calif. with 698 points received $2,500. Sammy Potashnick with 660 points received $2,250.

Five other drivers who collected checks were Eric Norris of Dallas, Texas, with 618 points and $2,000; Brendan Gaughan of Las Vegas, Nev., with 616 points and $1,900; Mike Chase of Redding Calif., with 613 points and $1,800; John Metcalf of Aurora, Cob., with 593 points and $1,700; and Wayne Jacks of Las Vegas, Nev., with 585 points and $1600.

This prize money is in addition to $50,000 that was distributed for the first leg of the schedule earlier this season. This is the second consecutive year that teams in NASCAR Winston West Series are being rewarded for their performance immediately following the first five races and second five races of the season.

The prize money is part of the $300,000 point fund award from R.J. Reynolds Co.’s Winston brand. Meanwhile, the bulk of the overall point fund, estimated at $500,000, will be distributed at the end of the season based on the final championship points standings.

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