BRETT THOMPSON NETS 1ST WEST SERIES WIN AT MESA

Source: NASCAR
Date: 10/18/2004

BAKERSFIELD, California -- Brett Thompson made a late-race charge to win the STARNURSERY.COM 150 at Mesa Marin Raceway on Sunday. He slipped past Mike Duncan just 13 laps from the finish and then held off a challenge from Mike David to record his first career win in the NASCAR Grand National Division, West Series.

Duncan dominated the competition on his home track – winning the Bud Pole Award and pacing the field for a majority of the laps in the Lucas Oil/Ron’s Rear Ends Chevrolet. A qualifying speed of 93.313 mph around the high-banked half-mile track netted Duncan his seventh Bud Pole Award of the season.

Although he appeared headed for a second consecutive series win, Duncan began to fade in the late stages of the race. Thompson – who had started third on the grid, but ran fifth through the first 50 laps – made a late-race charge to the front. He was up to fourth by lap 80 and third by lap 120. Soon after slipping past Austin Cameron for the runner-up spot, Thompson moved his Rich Thompson Trucking Chevrolet to the low groove and took command coming out of turn four.

The 27-year-old driver from Jerome, Idaho, was then faced with mounting his own defense – as a late-race caution set up a four-lap dash to the finish. He held on to take the checkered flag with a margin of victory of .350 of a second – netting him $5,550 in prize money and posted awards, including the $300 Featherlite Most Improved Driver Award for the event.

“My heart just about stopped on that last restart,” Thompson said afterward. “I wasn’t sure what was going to happen. I knew we were good on the long run. I wasn’t sure what would happen on the short run. I knew Mike David was behind me and he would race me clean.”

David of Modesto, Calif., finished second in the Bennett Lane Winery Ford, followed by Sean Woodside of Saugus, Calif., in the Jerry Springer Pontiac. Cameron of El Cajon, Calif., crossed the line in the NAPA/NAPA Belts & Hose Chevrolet just inches ahead of Duncan to complete the top five. Tim Smith, Carl Harr, Daryl Harr, Scott Lynch and Tim Woods III rounded out the top 10. All 10 finished on the lead lap.

Despite finishing behind Cameron, Duncan was able to extend his point lead by five points in the championship standings by collecting bonus points for leading a lap and leading the most laps. The Bakersfield, Calif., driver has a 63-point advantage headed into the final event of the season – 1,952 to 1,889. Although mechanical problems left him sidelined with an 18th-place finish, series rookie David Gilliland of Riverside, Calif., was able to hold onto third in the standings with 1,750 points. Scott Gaylord of Lakewood, Colo., is just five markers back, however, with 1,745. Defending series champion Scott Lynch of Burley, Idaho, is close behind in fifth with 1,726.

Completing the top 10 in the standings are David with 1,653, Daryl Harr with 1,608, Carl Harr with 1,532, Tim Woods III of Chino Hills, Calif., with 1,500 and Gene Woods of Ontario, Calif., with 1,420.

Gilliland continues to lead in the chase for the Auto Meter Rookie of the Year Award. He tops the list with 111 points, followed by Daryl Harr with 97; Carl Harr with 93; Nick DeFazio with 84; and Jose Luis Ramirez with 81.

The next event on the NASCAR Grand National Division, West Series schedule will be the season finale – NAPA Auto Parts 150 Presented by Southern California Pipe Trades at Irwindale (Calif.) Speedway on Oct. 23.

See Also .:

• Brett Thompson Driver Card
• Mesa Marin Raceway Track Page

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