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MIKE
DAVID EDGES ERIC HOLMES IN THRILLING FINAL VISIT TO
STOCKTON
IN NASCAR GRAND NATIONAL DIVISION, AUTOZONE WEST
SERIES
STOCKTON
,
Calif.
(Aug. 5, 2006)
–
This year’s see-saw battle for the NASCAR Grand National Division, AutoZone West Series championship
between two drivers from California’s Central Valley
played out on their home track in thrilling fashion on
Saturday night as Mike David and Eric Holmes swapped
the lead back-and-forth in hopes of winning the final
series race at Stockton 99 Speedway.
David prevailed in the Dodge Country 200 by
Havoline and NAPA Belts & Hose, giving him a sweep
of both series visits to the quarter-mile oval this
season and a slim five-point advantage in the
championship standings.
The two drivers – both second generation
competitors at
Stockton
– had entered the event tied for first in points.
Each had hopes of victory in the final series visit to
the speedway, which is slated to close at the end of
the season.
“Eric’s
a heck of a racer. I think we just had a better car on
long runs,” David said afterward. “He was most
certainly quicker on short runs. It worked out good
for us at the end.”
Holmes, who started off the event by winning
the Budweiser Pole Award with a qualifying lap of
63.501 mph, led the first 55 laps before David briefly
edged ahead after a lap 56 restart. The pair
ultimately traded the lead five times, with David
gaining the lead for the final time on a lap 144
restart.
“I
think we just got a little better jump on him,”
David said. “The cars were so equal. If he would
have beat me on the start, I don’t know if I would
have got back around him. It’s easier to drive when
you’re out front, you’re timing is better and
everything.”
David of Modesto, Calif., driver crossed the
finish line in his Bennett Lane Winery Ford with a
margin of victory of 1.260 seconds. He netted $9,491
in prize money and posted awards. It marked David’s
fourth career series win, with three of those
victories coming at
Stockton
.
His other win was also bittersweet, as he captured the
victory in the final series event at Mesa Marin
Raceway in
Bakersfield
,
Calif.
,
before its closure last year.
Holmes of Escalon,
Calif.
,
was second at
Stockton
in the Sunoco Race Fuels/Paul Oil Chevrolet. Peyton
Sellers of
Danville
,
Va.
– who trailed David and Holmes by just 12 points
heading to
Stockton
– took third in the NAPA Auto Parts/NAPA Belts &
Hose Chevrolet. Fourth went to Austin Cameron of
El
Cajon
,
Calif.
,
in the RaceCarFans.com Chevrolet. Despite an early
spin after contact with another car – Scott Gaylord
of
Lakewood
,
Colo.
,
was able to battle his way back to take fifth in the
Oliver Gravity Separators/Denver Seminary Chevrolet.
Rounding out the top 10 were Tim Woods III, Mike
Duncan, Steve Portenga, Justin Lofton and Eric Hardin.
David now leads Holmes by five points, 1,374 to
1,369, with nine of 12 races complete this season.
Sellers is close behind with 1,342. Portenga is fourth
with 1,290, shadowed by
Duncan
with 1,289. Sixth through 10th in the
standings include Gaylord with 1,211, Jim Inglebright
with 1,210, Lofton with 1,185, Cameron with 1,158 and
Johnny Borneman with 1,150.
Sellers extended his lead in the battle for
this year’s Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award. He tops
the list with 78 points, followed by Lofton at 72,
Brian Ickler with 66 and Eric Hardin with 58. Others
include Daniel DiGiacomo at 23, James Bruncati at 20,
Eric Humphries at 16, Brian Pannone at 16, Nick Lynch
at 15, Spencer Clark at 14, Justin Fisher at eight,
Travis Powell at six and Ed Watson at two.
The
next event on the NASCAR Grand National Division,
AutoZone West Series schedule will be at California
Speedway in
Fontana
,
Calif.
,
on Sept. 1.
For
Further Information Contact:
Kevin W. Green, NASCAR Public Relations,
661/392-8543, kgreen@nascar.com
Jeremy Davidson, NASCAR Public Relations,
386/253-0611, jdavidson@nascar.com
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