STRONG CAR TAKES RICHARDS TO 2ND VICTORY

Source: NASCAR Public Relations
Date: 09/26/1999

Kevin Richards had a great hand and he knew how to play it. That hand was in terms of a dominant car and he used it to win the Gold Coast 150 NASCAR Winston West Series Race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sept. 25.

It was the second win of the season and second career win for Richards, who is in his sophomore season in the series.

The early leader of the race was local favorite Brendan Gaughan who had thrilled his hometown fans by winning the Bud Pole Award with a a lap of 164.629 mph around the 1/5 mile speedway. He became the ninth different driver to win a But Pole Award in 12 races on the circuit this year.

Gaughan initially appeared to have the fastest car of the race, as he pulled away from the field in the Orleans Hotel and Casino sponsored Chevrolet. Richards, who started 12th on the grid, quickly charged his way to the front in the Monaco Enterprises Chevrolet. He caught Gaughan and passed him for the lead on lap 16. Trailing Richards to the front was Austin Cameron, who started from the 13th spot.

Gaughan, meanwhile, dropped out of the lead pack when he and several others made an early pit stop during a caution on lap 25.

Richards stretched out his lead following the restart, with Cameron trailing behind. They were followed by David Starr, who ran a solid third throughout most of the race. Richards continued to set a fast pace that put many competitors a lap down. Among those who went a lap down was Sean Woodside, who led the NWWS championship standings coming into the event. Woodside struggled to get his backup car up to speed after destroying his primary car in practice.

All of the lead lap cars made pit stops on lap 56 when the third caution came out. The field was shuffled as some teams opted for two-tire stops and others changed all four.

Steve Portenga led for the restart, followed by Tony Toste and Bean. Richards charged from seventh at the restart, with Gaughan on his heels. Toste took the lead briefly on lap 61, but gave way to Cameron five laps later.

Richards made his way back to the front and raced Cameron sid-by-side before taking the lead on lap 68. Cameron and Gaughan chased after Richards in the closing stages.

Richards crossed the finish line just over a second ahead of cameron in the MarCon /Creative Touch Chevrolet, followed by Gaughan. Butch Gilliland was fourth in the Ralph's/Food4Less/Coca Cola Ford, followed by Joe Bean in the Rudolph Foods/CPR Ford and Eric Norris. Tony Toste was seventh, with Sammy Potashnickeighth, Portenga night and Mike Chase in 10th. Starr, who was also charging forward in the closing laps contacted the wall on the final lap and ended up 16th.

The race featured five lead changes among five drivers. The pace was slowed for 23 laps by five cautions.

Despite his 17th place finish, Woodside held onto the lead in the NASCAR Winston West Series Championship standings. He has a 47 point margin with 1,740; followed by Cameron with 1,693, Chase with 1642, Ash with 1640, Bean with 1,639, Portenga 1633, Gilliland 1,627, Sidekick with 1,609 and Potashnick with 1,574. The top 12 drivers in the standing are separated by just 201 points, with two races remaining this season.

Jason Small continues to hold a slim in the fierce battle for the Sears Point Raceway Rookie-of-the Year Award. He leads with 94 over Potashnick with 90, John Metcalf with 79, Guaghan with 77, Jerry Cain with 62, Rick Ware with 47, Davy Lee Liniger wtih 28 and Bobby Pangonis with 18.

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