TOM SWEATMAN RALLIES TO WIN NASCAR NW EVENT

Source: NASCAR Public Relations
Date: 07/11/1999

TENINO, Washington -- Tom Sweatman of Cosmopolis, Wash., avoided near disaster on lap 27 and rallied to win the Pepsi 125 at South Sound Speedway, in the eighth Raybestos Brakes Northwest Series, NASCAR Touring, race of the 1999 season. Kenny Rich turned in a career best finish to place second. Series points leader Pete Harding charged from deep in the field to finish third. Rookie Wes Rhodes and three-time series champion Garrett Evans completed the top-five.

Sweatman battled pole sitter Chris Hart during the early stages of the Pepsi 125. On lap 27, Sweatman made heavy contact with Hart as the two drove into turn one of the tricky 1/3-mile oval. Sweatman was hard on the brakes to avoid wrecking Hart, nearly spinning himself. Sweatman dropped from second place to fifth. On lap 71, Sweatman made the pass on Joe Benedetti to claim second spot. On lap 75, Sweatman claimed first from Hart, making a move to the inside down the frontstretch.

Sweatman then began to check out from the rest of the challengers. A furious battle ensued for second place between Hart and Wilbur Bruce. 0n lap 110, the two drivers spin running side-by-side through turns three and four. Rich was able to drive high around the two spinning cars to claim second place. Benedetti came to a stop just short of the two sideways cars blocking the groove, stalling the engine. Benedetti would lose three laps trying to get his Pontiac running again.

"The car was really good," said Sweatman after the race. "Me and Chris (Hart) got together a couple times. Barry (White) kept telling me to be patient. I had a good racecar and I just had to go. But he kept me relaxed and I waited for my chance. The crew did a great job, the car was good, I was just part of it."

"These guys are the toughest guys in the world to run against," said a beaming Rich. "We are just tickled pink to run up front here with them."

"I knew the only way I was going to get a finish tonight was to take what was given to me and that is exactly what we did tonight," said Harding, who started 16th on the 22-car grid. "I felt I had a better car than what we qualified with. I felt confident in the car and that is a big part of it. To come out of here with a fine third place finish and pad the points lead is a real stroke for us."

Kevin Hamlin, Tom Pinkowsky, Rick Allison, Hart, and rookie Ken Kaltschmidt rounded out the top-ten finishers. The race was slowed for six cautions for 30 laps. The race distance was covered at an average speed of 60.791 mph. Hart picked up the Gatorade Front Runner Award. Rhodes captured the Bud Pole and was the Totem Travel Rookie of the Race.

The series travels next to Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, Wash., for the Parts Plus Auto Parts 125 on July 17.

NOTES OF INTEREST:

Wes Rhodes used his home track advantage to claim his first career Bud Pole. Rhodes is a three-time Winston Racing Series track champion at South Sound Speedway. No driver has more than one Bud Pole on the Raybestos Brakes Northwest Series in 1999.

Tom Sweatman became the first driver to visit victory lane twice this season on the series. He also won the Baxter Auto parts 150 on May 22, at Portland Speedway.

Pontiac reclaimed the manufacturers points lead with the win. Pontiac now leads Chevrolet 60 to 58. Both brands have four wins.

Since breaking his maiden last August at Kalispell Raceway Park, Sweatman has collected three more NASCAR Touring division wins, including a Featherlite Southwest Series win in Winter Heat at Tucson Raceway Park.

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