DUNCAN NABS 1ST WIN OF 2004 AT COLORADO

Source: NASCAR
Date: 10/10/2004

ERIE, Colorado - Although Mike Duncan has led the championship standings of the NASCAR Grand National Division, West Series through most of the season - victory had alluded him. The Bakersfield, Calif., competitor changed all that by winning the NAPA 150 at Colorado National Speedway on Saturday, Oct. 10.

"This is everything. This gets the monkey off our back," Duncan said. "I think now we can be more relaxed. I think the crew has been relaxed all year, but I've been stressed out the whole time. This win is not only for myself, but for them. It makes you feel good."

The win came despite Colorado being one of the few races this year in which Duncan did not win the Bud Pole Award. Scott Lynch edged him for the fast-time mark by just .007 of a second. With a lap of 80.406 mph in the Yerf-Dog/Orleans Racing Dodge, Lynch scored his first Bud Pole of the year and third of his career.

It was Kerry Earnhardt, however, who made the early charge on the outside from fourth on the grid and took the lead from Lynch on lap 16. He dominated much of the race until lap 108, when he slid into the wall coming through turn four.

Duncan, who ran third for much of the race, had just slipped by Lynch for second and inherited the lead after Earnhardt's mishap. Duncan held off challenges by Austin Cameron through the closing stages of the event. The outcome was sealed when the yellow flag waved on the final lap and the race ended under caution with Duncan's Lucas Oil/Ron's Rear Ends Chevrolet leading the field to the finish. The win, the third of his career, netted Duncan $6,491.

Cameron of El Cajon, Calif., was second in the NAPA/NAPA Belts & Hose Chevrolet. Tavo C.T. Hellmund of Mexico City dodged spinning cars late in the event to take third in the Suzuki Motorcycles & ATVs Pontiac. Earnhardt of Kannapolis, N.C., recovered from his earlier incident to charge back to a fourth-place finish in the NAPA Belts & Hose/NASCAR Select NAPA Filters Chevrolet. Series rookie David Gilliland of Riverside, Calif., was fifth in the RaceCarCeilingFans.com Chevrolet. Rounding out the top 10 were Nick DeFazio, Daryl Harr, Sean Woodside, Nick Joanides and Gene Woods,

The race featured two lead changes among three drivers - Lynch, Earnhardt and Duncan. The pace of the event was slowed by six cautions for 27 laps.

With the win, Duncan was able to extend his lead in the championship standings by 10 points and now has a 58-point margin over Cameron - 1,787 to 1,729. Gilliland moved to third in points with 1,641. Scott Gaylord of Lakewood, Colo., slipped to fourth with 1,621. Lynch holds down the fifth spot with 1,588. Completing the top 10 are Mike David at 1,483, Daryl Harr at 1,466, Carl Harr at 1,386, Tim Woods III at 1,366 and Jose Luis Ramirez at 1,313.

Gilliland continues to lead the charge for this year's Auto Meter Rookie of the Year Award. He tops the chart with 103 points - followed by Daryl Harr with 88, Carl Harr with 83, DeFazio with 78 and Ramirez with 74.

The next event on the NASCAR Grand National Division, West Series schedule is the STARNURSERY.COM 150 at Mesa Marin Raceway in Bakersfield, Calif., on Oct. 17.

See Also .:

• Mike Duncan Driver Card
• Colorado National Speedway Track Page

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