EL CAJON, California Jeff Seifert of Jamul, Calif. led wire-to-wire Saturday night at Cajon Speedway to claim his first career NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southwest Series victory. Seifert started on the pole after Bud Pole winner Burney Lamar of W. Sacramento, Calif. drew a six invert to start the race. Seifert held off a determined challenge from Joe Herold of nearby Poway, Calif. who finished second to record his career best finish in three seasons on the Southwest Series. David Gilliland, Craig Raudman, and Danny Burson rounded out the top five finishers in the COORS Light "125" which marked the 1300th racing event held at Cajon Speedway since it opened in 1961.
The race took 54 minutes and 52 seconds to complete at an average speed of 51.260 mph. The action was slowed five times for 45 laps of caution. Seifert led all 125 laps and claimed the victory by .095 seconds over Herold. Rip Michels was the Autometer Rookie-of-the-Race with his 11th place finish. Ben Walker claimed the $750 PowerAde Power Move-of-the-Race for improving the most positions in the event (21st to 9th), and David Gilliland won the $350 Featherlite Award for improving the most positions from the previous race. Lamar claimed his second $350 Bud Pole Award of the season with a quick lap of 16.138 seconds/83.653 mph around the tricky 3/8-mile paved oval.
The next event for the AutoZone Southwest Series will be on Saturday, May 8, 2004 at Stockton 99 Speedway in Stockton, Calif.
NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southwest Series
COORS Light "125" Cajon Speedway, El Cajon, Calif., April 3, 2003 125-Laps/46.875-Miles on a 3/8-Mile Paved Oval, Purse: $44,765
Finishing position, starting position, driver, car, laps completed, reason out, money won.
1. (2) Jeff Seifert, Chevrolet, 125, Running, $2,500;
2. (1) Joe Herold, Chevrolet, 125, Running, $1,700;
3. (11) David Gilliland, Chevrolet, 125, Running, $1,700;
4. (5) Craig Raudman, Chevrolet, 125, Running, $1,600;
5. (16) Danny Burson, Chevrolet, 125, Running, $1,100;
6. (9) Dan Holtz, Ford, 125, Running, $1,400; 7. (17) Jim Pettit II, Ford, 125, Running, $1,380;
8. (8) M.K. Kanke, Chevrolet, 125, Running, $950;
9. (21) Ben Walker, Chevrolet, 125, Running, $2,070;
10. (19) Eddy McKean, Pontiac, 125, Running, $1,290;
11. (7) Rip Michels, Chevrolet, 124, Running, $820;
12. (18) Travis Bennett, Ford, 123, Running, $750;
13. (24) Todd McLauchlan, Chevrolet, 122, Running, $700;
14. (10) Bob Lyon, Chevrolet, 119, Running, $1,000;
15. (13) Todd Souza, Chevrolet, 116, Running, $975;
16. (6) Burney Lamar, Chevrolet, 101, Accident, $1,300;
17. (12) Mark Meech, Chevrolet, 100, Accident, $540;
18. (4) Mike Mendenhall, Chevrolet, 97, Running, $530;
19. (3) Nick Lynch, Chevrolet, 81, Accident, $520;
20. (14) Auggie Vidovich Jr., Chevrolet, 81, Accident, $510;
21. (22) Greg Voigt, Chevrolet, 81, Suspension, $510;
22. (23) Nick Joanides, Chevrolet, 81, Accident, $560;
23. (20) Doug McCoun, Chevrolet, 62, Accident, $910;
24. (15) Eric Holmes, Chevrolet, 35, Radiator, $910;
# Autometer Rookie-of-the-Year Contenders
Failed to Qualify: Todd Burns, Richard Johnson, John Luecht, Stan Silva Jr., Thomas Martin, Don Kerr, Darrell LaMoure, Randy Nelson, Eddie Bryans
TIME OF RACE: 54 minutes, 52 seconds
AVERAGE SPEED: 51.260
MARGIN OF VICTORY: .095 seconds
BUD POLE AWARD: Burney Lamar, Groeniger/HPS Mechanical/Victory Circle
Chassis Chevrolet 16.138 seconds/83.653 mph
POWERADE POWER MOVE OF THE RACE AWARD: Ben Walker, Camacho's Cantina
Chevrolet
FEATHERLITE AWARD: David Gilliland, Honda Cars of Corona Pontiac
AUTOMETER ROOKIE-OF-THE-RACE AWARD: Rip Michels, Stock Building Supply
Chevrolet
CAUTION FLAGS: Five cautions for 45 laps (39-45, 65-74, 83-98, 101-108,
118-12)
LAP LEADERS: One lead change between two drivers . Joe Herold (start), Jeff
Seifert 1-25
Updated AutoZone Southwest Series
Pos Driver Points:
1 Jim Pettit II 661
2 Craig Raudman 641
3 Eddy McKean 619
4 Dan Holtz 562
5 Joe Herold 527
6 Ben Walker 525
7 Eric Holmes 521
8 David Gilliland 505
9 Bob Lyon 501
10 Burney Lamar 496
