ROOKIE JOHNNY BORNEMAN BOUNCES BACK TO WIN

Source: NASCAR Media Relations
Date: 03/13/2001

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (March 12, 2001) - After garnering top-10 finishes in four of the five NASCAR Winston West Series races he competed in last season, Johnny Borneman felt confident about his rookie run this year. But after struggling somewhat in the first two races this season and facing some tough opposition from his freshman colleagues - Borneman found himself trying to make up ground.

The second-generation NASCAR Winston West Series driver did just that by winning the Tucson 250 at Tucson Raceway Park on March 10. "I had my doubts after the first couple of races," Borneman said after the victory. "I thought maybe I was doing something wrong." He credited an improved relationship with his crew chief, Mike Harvick, for the change. "We're communicating a lot better and everything seems to be working out well. I hope it continues to come around. It's going to be fun this year." Borneman's victory, which came in only his eighth race in the series, netted him $13,610 in prize money and posted awards. The win propelled him to third in the overall championship standings and second in the rookie chase. The 23-year-old Ramona, Calif., competitor slipped by fellow rookie Tony Schmidt on the final lap of the race. Borneman pulled away to win by one second in the Red Line Oil/Borneman Plastering Ford - which is owned by his mother, Debbie, and his father, John, who raced in the series in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Schmidt of Newburg, Ore., crossed the line for second in the Schmidt Racing Pontiac - followed by Brandon Ash of Umpqua, Ore., in the Unified Western Grocers Ford; Sammy Potashnick of Sikeston, Mo., in the Lucas Oil Chevrolet; and Hershel McGriff of Portland, Ore., in the MBNA/Park Corp Chevrolet - the last car on the lead lap.

Ross Thompson was sixth, followed by Troy Cline. Eighth went to John Baker, a regular competitor at Tucson making his series debut and capturing the Bud Pole Award with a lap of 88.155 mph - driving the Mid-State Trucking-sponsored Chevrolet. Mark Reed finished the race in ninth and Scott Gaylord was 10th.

The event featured seven lead changes among seven drivers - Schmidt, Borneman, Eric Norris, Mike Duncan, Tim Woods III, Kevin Richards and Baker. It was slowed for 25 laps by only three cautions, one of which was for the midway stop.

A ninth-place finish allowed Mark Reed to maintain his lead in the series championship standings. He has 483 points - followed by Austin Cameron with 451. Borneman's victory propelled him from 10th to third in the standings with 441. Richards is fourth with 417, while Duncan is fifth with 408. They are followed by Norris at 407, Gaylord with 406, Thompson with 401 and Bill Sedgwick with 387. McGriff and Joe Bean are tied with 385 each. Reed also maintained his lead in the chase for this year's rookie title. He leads the competition with 27 points - followed by Borneman with 25, Thompson with 21, Woods with 16, Brett Thompson with 11, Schmidt with 10, Scott Lynch with nine, Bobby Hillis with five and Dennis Hannel with three. Pontiac, with a win in the first two events of the 2001 season and a runner-up finish at Tucson, continues to lead in the competition for the Manufacturers' Championship in the series. Pontiac has 29 points, while Ford has 19 and Chevrolet has 14.

The next event on the NASCAR Winston West Series schedule is the Foods Co 200 at Mesa Marin Raceway in Bakersfield, Calif., on March 18. Nine NASCAR Touring Series blanket the United States, bringing special events to many NASCAR Weekly Racing Series tracks and some NASCAR superspeedways and road courses. NASCAR Touring Series are extremely popular with fans and competitors. NASCAR Touring Series can provide a competitor with an entire career, or they can provide valuable experience to competitors moving through the NASCAR ranks. Corporate sponsors make significant contributions to NASCAR Touring Series point funds. These sponsors include Anheuser-Busch, Featherlite, Goody's Headache Powders, Raybestos Brakes, RE/MAX International, Inc., Slim Jim, and RJ Reynolds brand, Winston.

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