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| Jason Bowles |
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Jimmie Johnson Foundation
150 presented by Shamrock Farms
STORY BY: Gaye Carmichael
(Avondale, AZ, 4/16/09) It was a great race on the Phoenix International Raceway mile, with NASCAR Camping World Series - West, driver, Jason Bowles of Ontario, CA, racing the #6 Sunrise Ford in the Jimmie Johnson Foundation 150, presented by Shamrock Farms. to capture the victory, his first of the season in this series. With this win, Bowles Series- West, career victories are now seven and Bowles earned a lions share of the $201,324. posted awards for this event.
"I got to thank my guys, they did a great job. I didn't think I had it (the win) until I crossed the line. I had a good car and Steve (Park) raced me super clean all night long. My car was a little tight all night when I drove on the bottom. I had a good restart (after the final caution) and I was able to hold them off. (the field of cars challenging)" said Bowles
Eric Holmes of Escalon, CA, driving the #20 NAPA Toyota, in a last ditch charge,, raced past Park to take second. Holmes has scored a third place finish, a victory and now a second place. thus far, with this the third race of the season. Holmes is the current point leader in the race for the Series - West championship title.
"In practice, it (the car) wasn't that great but in the race when I shot to the lead, it went like a rocket. My car was really good, racing out front. I had a good time. It was fun." said Holmes.
Third place went to Steve Park of Northport, NY, driving the #35 Waste Management Recycle America Chevrolet. Since there wasn't a race scheduled on the East Coast this weekend, Park decided to come west for this event.
"It was just fantastic racing with Jason (Bowles). The fans got a great race. I was slipping and sliding. We were racing door handle to door handle. They (Bowles and Holmes) raced good and it was awesome. We did the best we could to hold these guys off. It was really fun. I really enjoyed myself more than I thought I would. I really don't know these guys out here and I would have to ask my spotter who they were. I didn't have anything to do this weekend so I came out here. I like to race. I am forty-two years old and enjoying myself." said Park
Starting from sixteenth, Mike David of Modesto, CA, also driving a Toyota, the #2 sponsored by Bennett Lane Winery, scored an awesome run, moving up the field, to score in fourth at the line. David had won this event at P.I.R in 2008 and drove a great race, hoping to have a repeat win.
David Gilliland of Riverside, CA, who is racing the Kevin Buckler, American Monster Chevrolet in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in the SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500 at P.I.R on Sunday of this weekend and a graduate of Series - West racing, came out early to compete in this Series - West event, driving the Northeastern University Toyota. The day started off with a great run in qualifying, clocking in a 27.892 second, 129.069 mph lap, for second fast time. When the green flag flew out for the feature event, it was a drag race run between Pursley and Gilliland with Gilliland, taking the lead on the first lap. Gilliland raced three laps in front before bring out the first caution of the night, when he was in an accident in the first turn and damaged the car enough to have to retire from the event.
Jack Sellers (CA) brought out the second yellow when he had an accident in the fourth turn, but he was able to continue. Jim Inglebright (CA) lost his motor on the front stretch on the twenty-sixth lap, Jamie Dick (NM) had a tire go down in the second turn, Blake Koch (FL), had a mishap in the second turn, then on the eighty-third lap, the caution went out for a car that had spun, but when the dust had settled so you could see, the car had already returned to the race, Johnny Borneman (CA) and Jim Warn (OR) had an accident in the first turn and with just a few laps to go, the final caution flew out for Warn, again when he had another accident. None of the drivers were injured and other than these caution laps, this race was very exciting.
Gilliland, Bowles, Holmes and Park, all had a run in the lead. Pit stops would have the leaders having to race back through the field to get back to the front. There was always action going on as they challenged through out the race for positions. This race would have three abreast racing out to take a new green, drag racing, swapping positions, nose to tail running, then a pack of five with a half track lead over the rest of the field, The race at the end, had fourteen cars on the lead lap at the checkered. The move over flag flew out continuously during the last thirty or so laps of the race, as the field on the lead lap were racing side by side so much, then slower cars entered into the fray and it began to look scary. The Officials did a great job and what a way to start the kick off of a weekend of NASCAR racing at this fast one mile oval in the desert.
Greg Pursley of Newhall, CA, posted a 27.784 second, 129.571 mph lap to score fast time in qualifying, driving his #26 Gene Price Motorsports/Star Nursery Chevrolet, running well throughout the race to score in fifth at the line. Sixth was picked up by Andrew Myers (CA), followed by, Koch, Paulie Harraka (NJ), Brett Thompson (ID), Terry Henry (CA), Warn, Todd Souza (CA), Daryl Harr (CAN), David Mayhew (CA), Austin Dillon (NC), Moses Smith (AZ), Keith Spangler (CA), Wes Banks (CA), Jonathon Gomez (ID), Travis Bennett (WA), Kyle Kelley (CA), Kristin Bumbera (TX), Billy Kahn (AZ), Jack Sellers (CA), Brian Jackson (CA), Ryan Foster (CA), Johnny Borneman (CA), Chris Johnson (CA), Jamie Dick (NM), Jim Inglebright (CA), Jonathan Hale (CA), David Gilliland (CA) and Phil Dugan (ID). (Please note this finish is unofficial.)
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