IRWINDALE, California — Auggie Vidovich captured his first career win in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West with a victory in the King Taco 200 at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale on Saturday night.
The 29-year-old Lakeside, Calif., driver, who was the 2003 champion in the former NASCAR Elite Division Southwest Tour, dominated the event after taking the lead from Blake Koch on Lap 59.
Although it was his first series start at the half-mile Irwindale track, Vidovich had previous success there in winning the Elite Division portion of the 2005 NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown. By virtue of Saturday’s win, he secured a spot in the upcoming postseason NASCAR K&N Pro Series showcase.
Koch wound up second, followed by Brett Thompson, Moses Smith and Chris Johnson. Jonathon Gomez, Timmy Hill, Brandon Davis, Luis Martinez Jr">Luis Martinez Jr. and Eric Holmes rounded out the top 10. Brennan Newberry, making only his second series start, was running second to Vidovich in the closing stages but stalled in Turn 1 with three laps to go.
“The car was all right,” Vidovich said. “Blake, I thought he was the one who was going to get me. I was driving my heart out. Then Newberry got in position and I didn’t see much out of him, so then I just rode. When he stalled, I had a big enough lead. It really didn’t matter I don’t think.”
Greg Pursley won the Coors Light Pole Award earlier in the day and led the first 42 laps before contact with the Turn 2 wall. That handed the lead to Vidovich.
The King Taco 200 will air on SPEED on Thursday, July 15 at 6 p.m. ET.
The next event on the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West schedule is the Bi-Mart Salute to the Troops 125 at Portland (Ore.) International Raceway on July 18.
UNOFFICIAL
NASCAR K&N PRO SERIES WEST-KING TACO 200 Results
Saturday
At Toyota Speedway at Irwindale
Irwindale, CA
Lap length: 0.5 miles
(Start position in parentheses)
1. (6) Auggie Vidovich, Lakeside, Calif., Chevrolet, 200 laps, 71.528 mph, $5,500.
2. (5) Blake Koch, West Palm Beach, Fla., Chevrolet, 200, $4,100.
3. (15) Brett Thompson, Jerome, Idaho, Chevrolet, 200, $2,000.
4. (14) Moses Smith, Tempe, Ariz., Toyota, 200, $2,250.
5. (10) Chris Johnson, Claremont, Calif., Chevrolet, 200, $1,500.
6. (9) Jonathon Gomez, Twin Falls, Idaho, Chevrolet, 200, $1,910.
7. (22) Timmy Hill, Port Tobacco, Md., Chevrolet, 200, $2,875.
8. (20) Dusty Davis, Las Vegas, Nev., Chevrolet, 200, $1,350.
9. (11) Luis Martinez, Jr., Long Beach, Calif., Ford, 200, $2,125.
10. (12) Eric Holmes, Escalon, Calif., Toyota, 199, $1,785.
11. (18) Michael Self, Park City, Utah, Chevrolet, 199, $1,770.
12. (13) Taylor Barton, Las Vegas, Nev., Chevrolet, 199, $1,250.
13. (8) Paulie Harraka, Wayne, N.J., Toyota, 199, $1,725.
14. (30) Robbie Brand, Barstow, Calif., Ford, 199, $1,211.
15. (19) Josh Combs, Sacramento, Calif., Ford, 198, $1,700.
16. (7) Brennan Newberry, Bakersfield, Calif., Chevrolet, 197, lost power, $1,175.
17. (16) Chad Boat, Phoenix, Ariz., Chevrolet, 197, $1,150.
18. (26) Billy Kann, Mesa, Ariz., Toyota, 195, $1,125.
19. (28) Jack Sellers, Sacramento, Calif., Chevrolet, 194, $1,610.
20. (25) Johnathan Hale, Rio Linda, Calif., Chevrolet, 194, $1,600.
21. (24) Troy Ermish, Fremont, Calif., Chevrolet, 188, $1,090.
22. (29) Greg Rayl, Roseville, Calif., Ford, 180, $1,585.
23. (2) David Mayhew, Atascadero, Calif., Chevrolet, 146, engine, $1,580.
24. (3) Justin Johnson, Las Vegas, Nev., Chevrolet, 119, accident, $1,075.
25. (17) Brandon Davis, Huntington Beach, Calif., Toyota, 119, accident, $1,070.
26. (4) Brian Wong, Newport Beach, Calif., Toyota, 106, cooling, $1,060.
27. (21) Stan Silva, Jr., Castroville, Calif., Chevrolet, 71, accident, $1,050.
28. (23) Todd Souza, Aromas, Calif., Chevrolet, 52, accident, $1,540.
29. (1) Greg Pursley, Newhall, Calif., Ford, 50, accident, $3,130.
30. (27) Travis Milburn, Eagle, Idaho, Toyota, 5, accident, $1,525.
Race Statistics
Time of Race: 1 hour 23 minutes 53 seconds
Margin of Victory: 6.029 seconds
Fastest Qualifier: G.Pursley (97.271 mph, 18.505 seconds)
Caution Flags: 5 for 23 laps.
Lead Changes: 3 among 3 drivers.
Lap Leaders: G. Pursley 1-41; A. Vidovich 42-47; B. Koch 48-58; A. Vidovich 59-200.
Standings: 1. E. Holmes, 937; 2. D. Mayhew, 873; 3. J. Gomez, 843; 4. M. Smith, 836; 5. P. Harraka, 824; 6. L. Martinez,Jr., 795; 7. B. Koch, 793; 8. M. Self, 786; 9. T. Souza, 748; 10. G. Pursley, 745.
