** On the strength of his victory in the June 26 race at Sears Point Raceway, points leader Kurt Busch jumped from 38th to 31st on the all-time Series money list. In 31 career races, the Las Vegas driver has averaged better than $2,000 in winnings.
He is also the first driver to win two races this season, ending a string of 11 events without a repeat winner. That string dated back to the penultimate race of the1998 season.
** Bryan Germone, Windsor, Calif., won the Bud Pole Award at Sears Point and moved himself in with some very exclusive company. His 10 career poles tie him for sixth on the all-time Series list with Troy Beebe.
Germone is among the top 10 in career victories, Bud Pole Awards and money won. He is one of only nine drivers with wins on both road courses and ovals and is one of just four drivers to win both a Series championship and the Rookie of the Year Award.
He is also the Featherlite Southwest Series single-lap record holder at Irwindale.
** Busch has averaged 152.9 points in the first 10 races this season. If he can average 156 points during the final eight races this season, or average a finish of fourth place or better, he can break the record for points scored in an 18-race Series schedule. The record is 2,774 scored by Ron Hornaday Jr. in 1993.
** The record for different winners in a season is 13, set in 1998. There have been nine different winners this season and there is every reason to expect more. Only two drivers among the top 14 in the standings have won so far in 1999.
** Greg Pursley, Newhall, Calif., won the first Featherlite Southwest Series, NASCAR Touring, race at Irwindale Speedway in May. The win was Pursley’s first in Series competition.
** Featherlite Southwest Series, NASCAR Touring, cars must have wheel tethers installed when they compete in the Irwindale 100. The rule was put into effect for all NASCAR Touring divisions after the June 26 race at Sears Point.
** In 10 races this season, 128 drivers have scored Featherlite Southwest Series, NASCAR Touring, points. Of those competitors, 19 have led a lap and 22 have won Gatorade Front Runner Award points.
** The list of Featherlite Southwest Series Rookie of the Year winners is an impressive one.
Busch (1998) is the current Series points leader. John Metcalf (1997) is a regular on the NASCAR Winston West Series.
Kevin Harvick (1995) is among the top drivers on the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, as is Rick Carelli (1987).
Steve Portenga (1992) won two Featherlite Southwest Series championships and is bidding to win his first Winston West title.
Bryan Germone (1990) is trying to win his second Featherlite Southwest Series title this year.
** Featherlite Fact of the Race: Featherlite Southwest Series, NASCAR Touring, races have been hosted by 24 tracks since the Series began competition in 1986.
Of the two dozen tracks, three have been half-mile facilities (Mesa Marin Raceway, Altamont Raceway Park and Irwindale Speedway). Those three tracks have held 49 Series races, making the Irwindale 100 the 50thSeries race to be held on a half-mile speedway.
