PORTENGA VICTORY AT TRACK WHERE ONE GOT AWAY

Source: NASCAR Public Relations
Date: 03/19/2001

Steve Portenga knows what it is like to have a victory slip away. Late last season the NASCAR Winston West Series veteran driver was within site of the finish line at Mesa Marin Raceway in Bakersfield, Calif., when a bump from competitor relegated him to a runner-up finish.

Portenga retuned to the high-banked 1/2-mile track determined to get win. That determination paid off with a victory in the Foods Co 200 on March 18.

After starting ninth on the grid in his Roto Rooter Chevrolet, Portenga pace himself through the early stages of the race. He moved to fourth by lap 80 and was second at the midway stages of the race. He charged into the lead on lap 131 and set the pace for remainder of the event.

In the closing laps, he refused to relinquish the top spot -- winning by a mere .593 of a second. His average speed for the 200 laps was 62.838 mph. Portenga -- who started his racing career while living in Sparks, Nev., but now resides near Bakersfield -- netted $12,985 in prize money and special awards. The win marked his second career victory in the West's oldest stock car racing circuit.

Crossing the line in second was Austin Cameron of El Cajon, Calif., in the Creative Touch/McMillin Realty Chevrolet. The event saw Cameron win his first Bud Pole Award of the 2001 Season and the fourth of his young career, while qualifying at 92.256 mph. Defending series and race champion Brendan Gaughan of Las Vegas, Nev., was third in the NAPA/Martin Senour Chevrolet. Fourth went to Eric Norris of Dallas in the JaniKing/Ultra Wheels Ford -- while series rookie Mark Reed of Bakersfield finished fifth in the Foods Co/Aquafinia/Sara Lee Pontiac.

Rounding out the top 10 were Joe Bean, Brandon Ash, Scott Gaylord, Troy Cline and Jeff Jefferson. The race featured eight lead changes among six drivers -- Portenga, Cameron, Gaughan, Reed, Tim Woods III, and Bill Sedgwick. The event was slowed by eight cautions for 50 laps.

Reed maintained his lead in the championship standings with 643 points, followed by Cameron with 626. Norris moved to third, meanwhile, with 567. Johnny Borneman of Ramona, Calif., is fourth with 565 -- while Portega's win propelled him to fifth with 550. Gaylord is sixth with 548 -- followed by Bean at 535, Gaughan at 532, Ash at 520 and Mike Duncan at 511.

Reed also continues to lead in the chase for this year's rookie title. He was the top finishing rookie in three of the first four events -- collecting 37 points. Borneman trails with 33, while Ross Thompson has 27, Woods has 25 and Tony Schmidt has 17. Other freshman drivers include Brett Thompson with 11, Scott Lynch with nine and Dennis Hannel with three.

The next event on the NASCAR Winston West Series schedule is at California Speedway near Los Angeles on April 28.

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