ICKLER AND THE #16 NAPA TEAM GAINING ON THE NASCAR WEST SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP

Source: Bill McAnally Racing/KR
Date: 05/24/2007

ANTELOPE, California --The #16 NAPA AUTO PARTS/NAPA Filters.com team with driver Brian Ickler had two great starts in the NASCAR Grand National Division East meets West races. The first race was at Elko Speedway in Minnesota where Ickler put the #16 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS on the front row, qualifying second overall but being the fast West car he captured his first Bud Pole Award. After running in the top three for most of the 156 lap race, Ickler was collected late in the race as another racer dove under him and spun. With less than ten laps to go, Ickler got the #16 NAPA Chevrolet back under way keeping the car on the lead lap but finishing 20th. Because each series was awarded championship points in their respected divisions, Ickler gained nine positions in the chase for the championship and was now in eleventh.

The second event took the #16 NAPA team from Bill McAnally Racing south to Iowa Speedway. This was the first time the team would take the green at either track. The team had some mechanical difficulties during the practice session. First was a radiator leak but it was quickly changed out by crew chief Craig Raudman and the NAPA team. Not long after, the #16 NAPA Chevrolet encountered a motor problem and once again, the team went to work changing it out before qualifying. With not even one lap on the track with the new motor, Ickler showed the over 24,000 fans that packed the stands the caliber of driver he is and put the #16 NAPA Chevrolet on the outside of row four with NASCAR Cup Series driver Kevin Harvick on the pole. NASCAR rules on changing the motor before the race forced Ickler to drop to the back of the 42-car field before taking the green flag. Ickler quickly got thru traffic and by lap 42 of the 200-lap race, the #16 NAPA Chevrolet was 19th on the board. By lap 73, Ickler had moved up all the way to fifth preparing to challenge the leaders until lap 192 when the sway bar arm disconnected on the #16 NAPA Chevrolet. Ickler began to drop back finishing the race on the lead lap. Ickler and the NAPA team heads home remaining eleventh in the chase for the championship and only 61 points out of the top-ten.

The team is returning to Colorado National Speedway on June 2nd for the NAPA “150”. The race will be televised live on HDNet. For more information on Bill McAnally Racing and our race partners, please visit our website at www.billmcanallyracing.com.

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