R. J. REYNOLDS AWARDS TOP 15 WINSTON WEST DRIVERS

Source: NASCAR Media Relations
Date: 05/28/2001

Fifteen NASCAR Winston West Series drivers will share a combined $50,000 from the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., as prize money for the first segment of this year's Winston West Leader Bonus program is distributed.

The prize money will be presented to the drivers on Saturday, June 2, prior to the start of the Kansas 100 at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City.

Austin Cameron of El Cajon, Calif, will receive $10,000 for accumulating the most championship points in the first five races of the season. Cameron, who finished in the topfive in four of those events, drives the Creative Touch/McMillin Realty Chevrolet owned by his father, Terry.

Mark Reed of Bakersfield, Calif, will receive $5,000 for being second at the end of the first five races this season. He had one victory, along with four top-10 finishes, in the Food 4 Less-sponsored Pontiac owned by his brother, Matt.

Third in the standings after the first five events eras the defending champion Brendan Gaughan, who will receive $4,000. Gaughan, of Las Vegas, had three top-10 finishes-including a victory in the NAPA/Martin Senour-sponsored Chevrolet.

Also with a victory under his belt in the first segment of the season - Steve Portenga of Sparks, Nev., will receive $3,750 for fourth in the standings. Fifth-place prize money of $3,5500, meanwhile, will go to Eric Norris of Dallas.

Receiving $3,250 for sixth in the standings is Johnny Borneman of Ramona, Calif. Scott Gaylord of Lakewood, Colo., will collect $3,000 for seventh - while Kevin Richards of Spokane, Wash., takes home $2,750 for eighth. Brandon Ash of Umpqua, Ore., will receive $2,500 for ninth and Joe Bean of San Diego will net $2,250 for 10°'.

Drivers in 11'" through 15'" will also share in the prize money. They include Sammy Potashnick, $2,000; Troy Cline, $1,900; Mike Duncan, $1,800; Ross Thompson, $1,700; and Bill Sedgwick, $1,600.

In addition to the prize money for the first segment of the program, the top 15 drivers who accumulate the most points from the sixth through the 10'" races will receive an additional $50,000. This is the fourth consecutive year that teams in the NASCAR Winston West Series are being rewarded for their performance during the course of the season.

The prize money is part of the $350,000 point fund award from R.J. Reynolds Co.'s Winston brand. The bulk of the overall point fund, meanwhile, will be distributed at the end of tire season based on the final championship standings. Brakes, RE/MAX International, Inc., and RJ Reynolds' brand Winston.

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