Source: NASCAR PUBLIC RELATIONS
Date: 10/25/2002

TACOMA, Wash. (October 22, 2002) – At an elegant awards ceremony on October 19, Kevin Hamlin received his second Raybestos Brakes Northwest Series, NASCAR Touring championship trophy and over $9,000 in bonus money and awards for his efforts during the 2002 season.

In addition to the champion’s trophy and ring, Hamlin picked up $2,500 from CL Bryant and 76 Racing Fuels, $4,000 for capturing the Gatorade Front Runner Award, and a special bonus from Raybestos of $2,500 for his title efforts. Hamlin will also receive a check from NASCAR as part of the 2002 Raybestos Brakes Northwest Series point fund.

Gary Lewis and Jeff Jefferson also were the recipients of prize money from CL Bryant for participation in their racing fuels bonus program.

Jefferson added a check from Budweiser for $3,000 to his evening’s awards. The payout rewarded Jefferson for his four Bud Pole Awards over the course of the season, which led all drivers. Jefferson’s car owner, Rick Allison, received the 2002 Bud Pole Award plaque.

Kelly Mann was presented with the 2002 Raybestos Brakes Northwest Series Rookie of the Year trophy. Mann also picked up a handsome jacket from Raybestos and a trip to the 2003 Daytona 500, courtesy of his fellow competitors and Northwest Racing Enterprises. Mann praised his family, including wife Karen and brother Scott for their efforts throughout the season in keeping his race car in top-flight condition.

NASCAR officials recognized three drivers with special awards during the evening’s festivities.

Ed Watson received the 2002 Most Improved Driver Award. This is the first season in which the series recognized a driver for this award and Watson was well deserving, with outstanding finishes over the second-half of the season and a 13th place in the final championship standings. Watson thanked his mentor and friend, Pete Harding, for inspiring him to never give up on stock car racing.

The series’ most prolific driver, Garrett Evans, also picked up a first time award. Evans received the 2002 Sportsman of the Year trophy for his tireless efforts to promote auto racing, assist fellow drivers, and his revival of racing in the Wenatchee Valley.

Never a man of long-winded speeches, Evans thanked his crew chief and car owner John Vickrey for all of his efforts on the track and the staff of Wenatchee Valley’s Super Oval for seeing his investment as a track owner through to the highest level.

The award of the evening went to a driver many consider the series favorite when it comes to humor and showmanship.

Joe Benedetti was voted by his peers as the 2002 Most Popular Driver and for a brief instant, had a hard time putting into words what his feelings were. Benedetti at times struggled in 2002 and said that earning the popularity award was one of the biggest highlights of his career.

The Raybestos Brakes Northwest Series is tentatively scheduled to begin the 2003 season on the last Saturday of March, at the historic Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, Wash. An announcement of the entire 2003 schedule is expected in a few weeks.

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