SCOTTS VALLEY, Calif. (May 22, 1998) -- Sean Woodside and Gary Collins have both tasted victory in the NASCAR Winston West Series at Mesa Marin Raceway in Bakersfield, Calif. Both would like to add another win. Each driver also wants to put his sponsor in victory lane at the high-banked 1/2-mile facility.
They will get that opportunity in a race in which the sponsors for both teams will also serve as sponsors far the event. It will take place May 24 when the NASCAR Winston West Series visits Mesa Mann Raceway for the Re-refined Oil Memorial Day 200, presented by 76 Firebird Motor Oil, Safety Kleen's America1s Choice Oil and CARQUEST Auto Parts. The event features posted awards of more than $97,0O0.
Woodside drives the 1-80O-CLEANUP/76 Lubricants Pontiac owned by Ray Claridge. The 27-year-old competitor from Saugus Calif., has one win, four top-5 finishes and five top-10 finishes in five races this season, his sophomore year in the series. Woodside developed his skills as a driver in the NASCAR Winston Racing Series where he won a sportsman championship at the now-shuttered Saugus (Calif.) Speedway and finished in the runner-up spot in the late model division at Mesa Mann Raceway.
Collins, a veteran of the NASCAR Winston West Series, competes in the America's Choice Oil Chevrolet. He has one top-five finish in the two races he has entered in the series this season. The Bakersfield, Calif., driver is a former open competition stock car champion with extensive experience in the NASCAR Winston Racing Series and the Featherlite Southwest Series, a NASCAR touring division.
In addition to his talent as a driver, Collins is also known for his fabrication work. His West Coast Fabrication shop constructed the first truck for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
The Mesa Mann Raceway event involves a special sponsorship that combines the efforts of three national corporations, a county and state agency, and the race track to promote the use of re-refined oil. Joiniing with Safety-Kleen, 76 Lubricants and CARQUEST Auto Parts are the Kern County Waste Management Department and the California Integrated Waste Management Department.
In addition to Woodside and Collins, other California drivers expected to compete in the event include defending series champion Butch Gilliland of Anaheim, current series point leader Kevin Harvick of Bakersfield, Tony Toste of Pismo Beach, Craig Raudman of Redding, Jeff Davis of Anaheim Hills, Jerry Cain of Canyon Country, and Bruce Bechtel of Corona. Other competitors expected to enter incitide Kelly Tanner of Woodinville, Wash.; Kevin Richards of Spokane, Wash.; Scott Gaylord of Lakewood, Colo.; Wayne Jacks of Las Vegas, Nev.; Brandon Ash of Umpqua, Ore.; and Ron Burns of Phoentx, Ariz.
