Source: Altamont Motorsports Park
Date: 04/29/2007

TRACY, California -- Modesto Calif's Mike David brought his Bennett Lane Winery Ford to victory lane, winning the first of two NASCAR Grand National West Series events set for Altamont Motorsports Park this season. David took advantage of hard racing between the #8 of Johnny Borneman and the #66 of Justin Lofton, who made contact and spun on the final lap of the 200 lap event.

The contact between Borneman and Lofton opened the door for David, the series points leader, who lead his first and only lap of the evening on the final lap of the race.

"I was watching [Borneman and Lofton] beating and banging with each other down the back straightaway." said David, "I did not know they would do that to each other but it worked out good for us."

Coming in second was the #44 of Andrew Myers of Newport Beach, Calif. Tim Woods, of Chino Hills, Calif, finished in the third position.

"We had a little carburetor problem so we were kind of sluggish coming down the back straightaway." said Myers, "Mike David and I were fighting each other and the next thing you know I saw Borneman and Lofton go into the corner down there and hit the wall."

"I felt sorry for them but I'll take second." said Myers.

Borneman, Lofton and the #9 of pole sitter, Mike Duncan, dueled it out for 93 nail-biting laps of nose-to-tail racing after the competitive caution on lap 100.

A caution on lap 193 set up the final five-lap shoot out that brought the fans to their feet in the packed grandstands on an evening where the weather for racing could not have been better.

The race was broadcast live on HDNet and will be re-broadcast on SPEED on May 9th at 12PM ET.

The first 100 laps of the Grand National race saw a strong showing from pole sitter Mike Duncan and the #54 of Tim Woods III, who qualified outside the pole. Woods took the lead on the first lap of the race and held the lead until a restart on lap 36 saw Duncan regain the number one spot. Duncan, driving the #9 Lucas Oil Chevy, held the lead until the competitive caution at lap 100.

Eric Hardin finished in the fourth position while Jason Bowles rounded out the top five.

Jamie Dick, Justin Lofton, Borneman, Duncan, and Brett Thompson finished sixth through tenth.

Tracy's Ryan Philpott cruised to his third victory in as many races in the 100 lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Western Late Model event. Philpott and his #52 "Red Rocket" are currently undefeated at AMP this season.

Philpott ran the quickest qualifying time in a field of 18 cars on Saturday but started in the eighth position after an eight car inversion. Philpott battled door-to-door with the #57 of Doff Cooksey, finally taking the lead on Lap 23 on a restart.

"[Cooksey] was hooked up on the bottom and I had to pass him on the top." said Philpott, "We were a little loose so I was going to have to pass him on the top anyway."

Cooksey, from Brentwood, Calif, retired later in the race with mechanical problems.

Danville's Tim Spurgeon started reeling in Philpott in the closing laps of the race but did not have enough laps to catch the racer from Tracy.

"The last 50 my laps my car got better." said Spurgeon, "I was getting good side bite and was hooked up."

Spurgeon remains second in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Western Late Model points, just 10 points behind leader Ryan Philpott.

"We are going to beat that #52," said Spurgeon in victory lane, "If we do anything this year we are going to beat that #52"

Finishing behind Spurgeon was Escalon, Calif's Brock Monroe. After breaking a transmission in qualifying, Monroe moved his car from the rear of the field up to the third position.

Rounding out the top five were the #98 of Glen Cook and the #18 of Chris Bammer. In a testament to the blistering pace set by Philpott, the only other car on the lead lap was the #44 of Jason Gilbert, who finished in the sixth position.

In the American Limited Stock Car action on the 1/4-mile, Josh Whitfield took the checkers with Tim Rappa, Richard Harper, Mel Wilson and Ryan Steel rounding out the top five of 14 cars that qualified for the race.

Next Saturday Altamont Motorsports Park revs up for its "Cinco de Mayo Celebration!" NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Western Late Models, Grand American Modifieds, American Limited Stock Cars and Formula-4's will hit the 1/2-mile and 1/4 mile ovals. A Mariachi Band will entertain fans in the stands while Mexican food will be the specialty on the concourse.

Source: Jeff Downey/ Altamont Motorsports Park

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