RAYBESTOS BRAKES NORTHWEST SERIES

 AT THE 2002 MIDPOINT - TIGHT POINTS BATTLE,

NEW FACES, AND AMAZING FAN SUPPORT

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 18, 2002) – The Raybestos Brakes Northwest Series, NASCAR Touring 2002 season is on pace for one of its best points battles in recent years as the second half of the racing schedule gets underway with the July 20 running of Frank’s Chevrolet 125 at Yakima Speedway.

As the 2002 schedule moves into its second half this week at the famed .500-mile Yakima Speedway, the series, which is in its 18^th year of competition, has witnessed dominating performances from its defending champion, a newcomer running the first full season of his career has also made some noise while two past champions remain in the hunt for their second career series titles.

The first 7 events have produced three different winners, a dominant Bud Pole winner, and a close battle for the Gatorade Front Runner Award. Only 119 points separate first place through third place in the points standings.

Here is a review of the first half of the Raybestos Brakes Northwest Series season leading into this weekend’s racing action: 

• Championship race – Defending series champion Kevin Hamlin has been on top of the points ladder since June of 2001. This season Hamlin won four of the first five races before coming back to the pack in the series last two stops, Wenatchee and Monroe, Wash. Jeff Jefferson is the only other driver to win multiple races this season (2), Pete Harding has captured one victory to date. Jefferson has run partial seasons in the past before joining past series driver Rick Allison’s team last fall. Drivers who have yet to win this year after finding victory circle in 2001 include Gary Lewis, Shane Biles, and Ron Eaton. All three drivers currently rank in the top-15 in series points standings heading to Yakima.
• Rookie battle – Kelly Mann has been the Raybestos Brakes Northwest Series Rookie of the Year points leader from the first day of competition. Mann has won Rookie of the Race honors at five of seven events. Mann’s best career finish on the series this season is ninth place, accomplished twice in 2002. Travis Powell is second in rookie points followed by Aaron Young. Powell has run occasional races over the last few season preparing for his rookie quest while Young is in his first full season of racing on the Northwest Series. Powell picked up Rookie of the Race honors at South Sound Speedway in May; Young was the winner of the award at the series last event held at Evergreen Speedway.
• Best finish – Hamlin’s run at the first stop for the Raybestos Brakes Northwest Series at Yakima Speedway ranks highly in this category. Hamlin and his American Dream Motorsports Chevrolet were spun out in turn No. 2 on the first lap of the Frank’s Chevrolet 125. The field reverted back to a complete restart. Hamlin worked patiently around first place Ralph Hubbert and took the lead at the completion of lap 1, proving that his racecar had not suffered serious damage in the spin. It was Hamlin’s first series win on the famed Yakima Speedway and gives him victories on all but two racetracks on the current series schedule.
• Best resurgence – Two drivers clearly deserve recognition, Chris Hart and Garrett Evans. Hart had a disappointing tenth place finish in the final 2001 points standings while Evans, last season’s defending champion, did not event place in the top-10. This year both drivers find themselves solidly inside the top-10 in series points and have at times had outstanding runs despite not finding victory circle. Hart has finished as high as second place in a race this year while Evans led 67 laps at the first South Sound Speedway event this year to capture the Gatorade Front Runner Award for leading the most laps at an event.
• Comeback of the Year (at midseason) – Gary Lewis experienced two disappointing races in the first three events to fall to 12^th in the series points standings. Lewis has put together three straight top-3 and four top-5 finishes in the last four races to move into a tie with Jefferson for third place on the points ladder.
• Keep an eye on – Troy Conrad, as he bids to win his first career event on the Raybestos Brakes Northwest Series. Conrad has been a front-runner at every series race, and has finished all but five laps of racing action to lead series drivers in that category. The series next three events are run on tracks that Conrad has found success on during his days in the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series, presented by Dodge late model ranks and during his rookie campaign last year (past late model champion at Yakima Speedway, 2001 series best finish of fourth at South Sound Speedway, and past winner of the elite late model Montana 200 run at Flathead Valley Raceway in Kalispell, Mont.)
• More interest in the garage – 39 separate drivers have run at least one series event in 2002 at the halfway point. The number is on track compared to 2001 and should pick up with the announcement that the Napa 150 from Magic Valley Speedway in Twin Falls, Idaho, and the Northwest Racing Enterprises 150 at Wenatchee Valley’s Super Oval, will be televised on SPEED Channel in October as part of the NASCAR Monday broadcasts.
• Who’s watching – Fan attendance at this seasons events has been outstanding with capacity crowds at nearly every event. The largest fan turnout of the season occurred at the Parts Plus 125 held at Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, Wash. Attendance should be at an all time high for an event when the series stops in Twin Falls, Idaho (September 14) and Wenatchee, Wash. (September 28) for the SPEED Channel broadcasts.

View The Northwest Series On NASCAR.com With Results - Standings & Driver Profiles