DAYTONA BEACH, Florida -- The following is a glance at the NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southwest Series Top 10 in the series championship standings heading into the Budweiser "125" at Stockton 99 Speedway Saturday, May 8. The race in Stockton, Calif. will be race five of 14 on the NASCAR AutoZone Southwest Series schedule:
No. 1 - Jim Pettit II (No. 03 California Hot Wood Ford), Jim Pettit Racing. Last week's ranking: 1st. Pettit leads the standings for the third straight race after surviving for a 7th place finish at Cajon April 3. Pettit hopes to keep his hot streak alive at Stockton after finishes of 3rd, 1st, 2nd and 7th in the first four races of the 2004 season. Pettit is the defending race winner at Stockton.
No. 2 - Craig Raudman (No. 2 HPS/Victory Circle Chevrolet), Victory Circle Racing. Last week's ranking: 3rd. Raudman moves up one spot after a 4th place performance at Cajon Speedway April 3. Raudman sits just 20 points behind Pettit in the chase for the championship. Raudman is searching for his career leading 28th Bud Pole Award this weekend.
No. 3 - Eddy McKean (No. 19 Magic Valley Pipe & Steel Pontiac), McKean Racing. Last week's ranking: 2nd. McKean rallied to finish 10th at Cajon April 3 but dropped to third in the standings. McKean has four top 10 finishes in the first four races of 2004 as he eyes his second series championship.
No. 4 - Dan Holtz (No. 23 Rialto Concrete Products Ford), Thompson Motorsports. Last week's ranking: 5th. Holtz logged a sixth place effort at Cajon April moving him up one spot in the standings. Holtz has three top 10 finishes in the first four races. Holtz tested well at Stockton in April and looks forward to his first top five finish at the tricky quarter-mile oval.
No. 5 -Joe Herold (No. 5 Quality Chevrolet Chevrolet), Quality Racing. Last week's ranking: 11th. Herold nearly collected his first series victory at Cajon Speedway April 3, but had to settle for a career best second place finish. Herold jumps six positions in the standings to join the NASCAR Top 10 for the first time this year. Herold did not qualify for the Stockton event in 2003.
No. 6 - Ben Walker (No. 16 Camacho's Cantina Chevrolet), CBA Motorsports. Last week's ranking: 7th. Walker continues his solid string of finishes with a 9th place performance at Cajon April 3. Walker moved up one spot in the standings for the second straight race and is enjoying his best season on the series.
No. 7 - Eric Holmes (No. 62 Taco Bell Chevrolet), Beebe Racing. Last week's ranking: 4th. Holmes dropped three positions in the standings after a 24th place finish at Cajon Speedway April 3 for his first finish outside the top ten this season. Holmes finished 5th in last year's event.
No. 8- David Gilliland (No. 88 Honda Cars of Corona Pontiac), The Body Shop Racing. Last week's ranking: 13th. Gilliland moved back into the top ten with a 3rd place finish at Cajon Speedway April 3. Gilliland has two top five finishes in four races this season. Gilliland recorded a 6th place finish last season at Stockton.
No. 9 - Bob Lyon (No. 44 Alliance Rentals Chevrolet), Lyon Racing. Last week's ranking: 9th. Lyon maintained the 9th spot in the standings after a 14th place finish at Cajon Speedway. Lyon has returned to the series full-time in 2004 after making only a handful of starts in 2003. Lyon has 256 career starts in the series, the most of any driver active or retired.
No. 10 - Burney Lamar (No. 1 Groeniger Chevrolet), Victory Circle Racing. Last week's ranking: 8th. Lamar drops two spots in the NASCAR Top 10 after finishing 16th at Cajon Speedway April 3. Lamar joined the HPS/Victory Circle team for the 2004 season and teaming with former series champion Craig Raudman. Lamar has one top five and two top ten finishes in four 2004 starts.
NASCAR Top 10 this week: 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.
Races at No. 1: Jim Pettit II (3), Eddy McKean (1).
New arrivals in the NASCAR Top 10 this week: Joe Herold (5th)
Most weeks in the NASCAR Top 10: Five drivers tied at four races
Biggest mover among the Top 10: Joe Herold (11th to 5th)
Dropped out of the NASCAR Top 10 this week: Todd Souza (11th), Doug McCoun
(12th)
