SNOHOMISH, Washington — Gary Lewis shattered Pacific Raceway’s track qualifying record by nearly two seconds and went on to win the NOS Energy Drink Road Course Challenge held on the twists and turns of the facilities nearly three-mile circuit.
Now with a top-5 run in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West and a late model win under his belt, Lewis gears up for what may be the toughest four-week stretch of his career-attempting to win four consecutive Montana and Idaho 200 races. Momentum from the road course victory is a key to preparation for both events, he noted.
“Having momentum on your side helps a ton in racing for sure,” the four-time late model champion acknowledged. “Everybody knows that and we know there is a very tough challenge ahead of us with the big 200’s coming up but our SEFNCO Communications race team will be prepared for that challenge you can bet on that.”
Setting the qualifying bar higher and winning a third straight NOS Energy Drinks challenge event to go along with a win at Portland International Raceway earlier in his career is an incredible accomplishment, he added.
“The car was crazy fast this week. We have run a differnet set-up each year we’ve been to victory circle there in Pacific which is a little crazy but we need to keep trying to stay ahead of the curve so we don’t fall behind (on set-up). I always did good when I was a kid racing go-karts but I had no idea (when starting out in late models) that I would take to this road course stuff so well and enjoy the challenges it brings.”
Since 1998 Lewis has won four touring championships and is fast approaching 100 career main event victories with nearly $200,000 in prize money. All of that has been done behind the wheel of a Victory Circle racing chassis. The Sign Factory USA Chevrolet that the Snohomish, Wash.
native has at his disposal currently is for sale at the end of the season so Lewis would like to go out of his summer campaign with a strong performance on the heels of the Pacific Raceway victory, he noted.
“Fortunately for us so far in over ten years of racing the Victory Circle Chassis we have been able to just get stronger and stronger with each new car we build. That brand of chassis has never let us down since we debuted it in 1998 when I first switched and captured the NASCAR Northwest Tour championship. The problem is this car once someone buys it might give us another serious competitor that we will have to compete with after it’s sold.”
The challenge of racing with a strong car against great competition be it on a road course or in prestigous events like a Montana 200 is what drives Gary Lewis Racing.
“For me I love a new challenge, which may be winning multiple races in a row, which is something that has never been done before or racing on a new track and series (like the West Series race in Roseville, Calif.). I just love a new challenge (at this point in my career),” Lewis explained. “To be sure, not that what we normally race is not a challenge because they all are very much so, but just doing something new is what I look for right now.”
With an impressive list of drivers pre-entered for the Montana and Idaho 200 events, Lewis indicated the challenge might be closer then one thinks.
“Everyone I race with challenges me to work harder, learn more and try to improve my skills. If you’re not doing that at every race then you might as well give it up because this is not a sport that comes easy.”
For all the latest news on the Northwest’s premier late model racing team, Gary Lewis Racing LLC, log onto www.garylewisracing.com or find the team on Facebook. Lewis fans, advanced tickets for the 20th Annual Coors Light Montana 200 are on sale at the track’s website including discounted specials through July 15. For more information log onto www.montanaracewaypark.com
