NEWS & NOTES >> IRWINDALE SPEEDWAY

Source: NASCAR Winston West Public Relations
Date: 07/21/2003

Track Contact: eMail: Doug Stokes

• The race. This event is the seventh of 13 races on the series schedule for 2003.

• The track. Irwindale Speedway is a half-mile paved oval with blended banking of six, nine and 12 degrees in the corners and banking of six degrees in the straights. The track has hosted nine NASCAR Grand National Division, Winston West Series events.

• Take notes. This will be the Winston West Series' first visit to Irwindale since the track was selected as the site of the inaugural Toyota All-Star Showdown in November. Teams and drivers will be paying extra attention to their notebooks this weekend, in preparation for the $500,000 nationally-televised event, which will showcase the top 15 Winston West drivers against the top 15 Busch North drivers - their counterparts in the new NASCAR Grand National Division.

• Last year's event . Although Austin Cameron (No. 16 NAPA/NAPA Belts & Hoses Chevrolet) nabbed his fourth Bud Pole Award of the season in time trials, it was Scott Gaylord (No. 00 Oliver Gravity Separators/Denver Seminary Chevrolet) who dashed into the early lead. Gaylord set the pace for the first 55 laps, until being passed by Kevin Richards (No. 85 Monaco Enterprises/Jerry Springer Chevrolet). Cameron took charge through the mid-stages of the race. Quick pit stops became essential, as a long run of more than 160 consecutive laps of green flag racing forced teams to stop for fuel and fresh tires without the aid of a caution. The top spot was shuffled among several drivers as leaders darted into the pits. Cameron took command on lap 175 and held off Eric Norris, after a late-race caution.

• Dominance is Gaughan. NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver Brendan Gaughan was a dominant force in Winston West Series competition at Irwindale. In addition to having the most victories, winning all three times the series visited the Southern California facility in 2001, he also had six top-five and seven top-10 finishes in eight starts. Gaughan also won the most money in series competition there, with $71,690, and led the most laps, running out front for 674 laps.

• Seven different Bud Pole winners . The nine visits by the series to Irwindale have resulted in seven different drivers winning a Bud Pole Award. Sean Woodside and Cameron are the only multiple winners of the award, with two each.

• Return performance . Seventy-four different drivers have taken the green flag in the nine series races at Irwindale Speedway. Only three drivers - Cameron, Norris and Richards - competed in all nine of those events.

• Manufacturers' battle . Chevrolet has been in victory lane for eight of the nine series races at Irwindale.

• Stat of the race . Two of the nine series events at Irwindale were won by a driver starting from the Bud Pole position.

• This year - six races, six different winners . The first six races on this year's schedule featured six different winners.

• Leading the pack . Mike Duncan (No. 9 Lucas Oil Chevrolet) has the edge in terms of laps of competition led so far this year, running out front for 200 laps.

• Most laps completed . Scott Gaylord (No. 00 Oliver Gravity Separators/Denver Seminary Chevrolet) has completed the most laps of competition, running 974 out of the 975 possible.

• Best average finish . Mark Reed (No. 3 Royal Bath & Body Products Pontiac) has the best average finish so far this season. Reed, who missed the season-opener, has an average finish of 4.2 in the five races in which he has competed.

• Leading rookie . Scott Lynch (No. 08 Yerf-Dog/The Orleans Dodge) continues to lead the standings in this year's competition for the Raybestos Brakes Rookie-of-the-Year Award.

• Power move . The six races this season have resulted in six different drivers winning the POWERade Power Move of the Race Award.

• Bonus money . A combined $50,000 from the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., will be paid out through the first portion of the NASCAR Winston West Series Leader Bonus Program to the top 15 drivers in the championship standings based on the first six events. The prize money, part of the $350,000 point fund award from Reynolds' Winston brand, is to be presented to the drivers prior to the race at Irwindale.

• Karting challenge . Several Winston West Series drivers will be on hand to meet with members of the media and compete in go-karts on Thursday, July 24. The Storm Karting Challenge will be from 2 to 4 p.m. at the new Storm Karting Center at Irwindale Speedway.

• Marketing . Series drivers will visit the Farmers' Market in downtown Glendora on Thursday, July 24, to meet fans and sign autographs. The event - which is being coordinated by Joe Nava, car owner of the #77 Food 4 Less/King Taco Ford - will be from 5:30 to 9 p.m.

• Baseball recognition . Duncan was named to the 2003 NASCAR All-Star Baseball Team earlier this month. The team was headlined by Richard Petty, a seven-time NASCAR Winston Cup Series champion and former high school baseball star, and Reggie Jackson, a 14-time All-Star with five World Series titles and a car owner in the NASCAR Busch Series. Duncan was a 10th-round selection by the Oakland A's in 1985.

• The top 10 in championship standings, then and now .

Driver Points Wins Driver Points Wins 1. Steve Portenga 917 1 1. Eric Norris 1,009 2

2. Mike Duncan 901 1 2. Austin Cameron 967 3

3. Scott Lynch 882 0 3. Kevin Richards 936 0

4. Scott Gaylord 879 0 4. Mike Duncan 875 0

5. Jim Inglebright 878 1 5. Mike David 859 0

6. Johnny Borneman 854 0 6. Greg Pursley 850 0

7. Kevin Richards 850 0 7. Brandon Ash 835 1

8. Mark Reed 806 1 8. Johnny Borneman 834 0

9. Brett Thompson 781 0 9. Scott Gaylord 812 0

10. Gene Woods 713 0 10. Brett Thompson 796 0

• Blow out the candles ... Drivers celebrating a birthday during the upcoming month of August include Mike Grady, who turns 44 on the 9th; Scott Gaylord, who turns 45 on the 12th; and Travis Powell, who turns 39 on the 26th.

• From the archives . On Sept. 14, 1974, Sonny Easley piloted a Ford to victory at Speedway 605 in Irwindale, Calif.

Fast Facts

What: Grand Prix 200

NASCAR Grand National Division, Winston West Series Race #7 of 13

Where: Irwindale Speedway, Irwindale, Calif.

When: 8:30 p.m., Saturday, July 26.

Track layout: .5-mile paved oval.

Distance: 200 Laps, 100 miles.

Posted Awards: $109,114

TV: SPEED Channel

(tape-delay, Aug. 18, 8 p.m. ET)

2002 winner: Austin Cameron.

2002 polesitter: Austin Cameron.

Pre-race schedule: Saturday - Practice, Noon-12:45 p.m., 1:15-2 p.m. Qualifying, 4 p.m. Note: All times subject to change.

Field: 26 cars possible. Fastest 22 through time trials. Two provisional positions based on 2003 Winston West Series championship owner point standings, one additional position based on 2003 Winston West Series championship driver standings, one provisional starting position to Winston West Series champion.

Records: Qualifying: Butch Gilliland, June 19, 1999, 100.722 mph, 17.871 sec.; Race: Austin Cameron, July 27, 2002, 76.062 mph, 1 hr 18 mn 53 sec

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