NASCAR GRAND NATIONAL WEST SERIES
Source — NASCAR Public Relations
Date Posted — March 29, 2004
- First series win... The victory by rookie David Gilliland (No. 88
Honda Cars of Corona Chevrolet) in the Lucas Oil 150 at Mesa Marin Raceway
on March 27 was his first win in the NASCAR Grand National Division, West
Series. It came in only his second series race with the MRG Motorsports
team.
- Different winners... Gilliland became the 25th different driver to
win a series race on the high-banked, half-mile Bakersfield track. Seven
different drivers have won the last seven series races there.
- Like father, like son... Gilliland's father, Butch Gilliland, had 13
career series wins. Three of those victories were at Mesa Marin Raceway.
- Laps completed... Only two drivers completed all the laps of
competition in the first two races of the 2004 season. Mike David (No. 2
Injury Helpline.com Ford) and Scott Gaylord (No. 00 Oliver Gravity
Separators/Denver Seminary Chevrolet) completed all of the 301 laps in those
two events combined.
- First top-10 finish... Three drivers notched their first top-10
finish in the Lucas Oil 150. Nick DeFazio (No 77 Mission Foods/Pipe Trades
Ford) was 7th, Carl Harr (No. 02 WestWorld Motorsports Chevrolet) was 9th
and Tony Gomez (No. 36 Marjon RVs/Lakeside Contractors Chevrolet) was 10th.
Another top-10 driver with a career-best finish was Daryl Harr (No. 71 Best
Western Chevrolet), who finished 8th
- Leading money winner... Austin Cameron (No. 16 NAPA/NAPA Belts & Hose
Chevrolet) has moved atop the list of Career Money Leaders in the series,
with winnings of $761,236.
- On the air... The Lucas Oil 150 is scheduled to air on the SPEED Channel cable network at 9 a.m. ET on Saturday, April 3.
