LEWIS CLAIMS SECOND WIN IN A ROW

Source: Scott Harra
Date: 08/21/2000

TWIN FALLS, Idaho (August 19, 2000) - Gary Lewis won for the second race in a row and for the fourth time this season in claiming the NAPA Auto Parts 150 at Magic Valley Speedway in Twin Falls, Idaho. Lewis took the lead from eventual runner-up Joe Benedetti on lap 119 and was not seriously challenged for the rest of the race. Shane Biles finished third. Kevin Hamlin and Kenny Rich rounded out the to five. It was Hamlin who jumped out to the early lead, taking the point from pole-sitter John Dillon going into turn one of the first lap. Hamlin held the lead for just a short time before Dillon was able to get underneath Hamlin going into turn one on lap six. Dillon brought a freight train of cars with him as Hamlin was shuffled back to fifth place. Dillon continued to lead until lap 50. Rick Suran was fighting to stay on the lead lap just in front of Dillon. As Dillon attempted to put Suran down a lap, the two cars got together, cutting a tire on Dillon's machine. That put Chris Hart into the lead. A cut tire and spin would send Hart to the pits and out of the lead two laps later as well.

That put Benedetti into control of the race. Lewis stalked Benedetti for the next 60 laps as the two pulled away from the rest of the field. On lap 119, Lewis pulled along the inside of Benedetti coming off turn four. Benedetti was forced to check up to avoid the slowed car of Jeff Flynn. Lewis took advantage and Benedetti was not able to seriously challenge Lewis for the remainder of the race.

Biles put on a show working his way from the 11th starting position to claim third. Over the closing laps Biles and Hamlin had a fierce battle for third place. "Passing Joe (Benedetti) was a real tough deal there," said Lewis in victory circle. "He had a real good car and he was running real fast. We are real good buddies and I didn't want to give him the fender or anything like that. I'd like to thank my crew. We were missing some of our key crew members this week, we've got a bunch of old-timer guys with us and they did an awesome job."

"The lapped traffic helped Gary get the lead," said Benedetti after the race. "But he had the fastest car at the end anyway. I kind of ran the car hard in the middle of the race. I had such a big lead there for a while that I was liking it and I wanted to stretch it out some more. I want to thank the crew for coming all this way and working so hard. I whined about the car all day and we made it better. I just used it up too much in the middle of the race."

"We had some concern over the left side tires in practice so we were saving the tires," said Biles. "Unfortunately, I think we saved them too long. We started going there at the end and we kind of just ran out of laps." Gary Lewis claimed his fifth consecutive Bud Pole award, tying a record held by Garrett Evans. Joe Benedetti claimed the Gatorade Frontrunner Award. Gaylon Stewart was the Totem Travel Rookie of the Race. The race was slowed by just three caution flags for 18 laps. The average speed was 67.475 mph, just off the race record. The Raybestos Brakes Northwest Series travels next to Tri-City Raceway in West Richland, Wash., for the Schuck's 125 on September 3.

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