RAYBESTOS BRAKES NORTHWEST SERIES, NASCAR TOURING, APPROACHES MIDSEASON POINT HEADING TO WENATCHEE VALLEY

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (June 30, 2001) – The Raybestos Brakes Northwest Series, NASCAR Touring prepares to run the Budweiser 125, July 7, at Wenatchee Valley’s Super Oval. The event marks the beginning of the second half of the racing season for the premier stock car series in the Pacific Northwest.

The first six races have produced as many different Bud Pole Award winners. No series driver has captured more than one fast time award. Three have earned their first ever quick time awards in the series, Kevin Hamlin, Steve Hodge, and Bryan Wiener.

Only Hamlin, Ron Eaton, and Gary Lewis have won events on the series through the first six races. One of Hamlin’s two victories came at the May stop for the series at Wenatchee Valley’s Super Oval. Hamlin also claimed a win at Tri-Cities Raceway in June. Eaton has wins at South Sound Speedway in Tenino, Wash. and Yakima Speedway. Lewis captured the season opener at Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, Wash. and his first ever career road course win at Portland International Raceway.

Eaton led the early stages of the season-long battle for the Raybestos Brakes Northwest Series crown. The Lakewood, Wash. native set the goal of capturing the fourth title of his racing career, but has fallen on hard times with mechanical gremlins over the last two races. This opened the door for Hamlin to take the points lead after Tri-Cities and he increased the margin to 50 points over Joe Benedetti as the teams head to Wenatchee Valley’s Super Oval. Eaton has fallen back to fourth place in the points standings.

Eaton should rebound at Wenatchee Valley. While he is second in series career Bud Pole Awards, Eaton earned his first ever Bud Pole Award at Wenatchee Valley’s Super Oval at the May event and finished second to Hamlin in the race.

The battle for the Totem Travel Rookie of the Year title is very close as the midway point of the 2001 campaign approaches.

John Bender of Arlington, Wash. leads Troy Conrad, who hails from Puyallup, Wash., by a mere five points at the halfway mark of the season. Bender is in third place in overall season points while Conrad sits in eighth. The pair has several races put together of fine runs on the Raybestos Brakes Northwest Series, including four top-5 finishes for Bender, and two for Conrad.

Hamlin returns to the scene of his second career victory, Wenatchee Valley’s Super Oval. Hamlin is the record holder as the youngest driver to ever win a race on the series, accomplishing the feat in 1999. Now he hopes to be the youngest ever to win a title on the Raybestos Brakes Northwest Series. Patience is the buzzword in the American Dream Motorsports pit area as the second half of the season gets underway.

“Were just going to have to go it one race at a time. We just want to finish up front the whole year and make sure the car comes home in one piece,” Hamlin said. “The biggest thing is being consistent and finishing up front.”

The Raybestos Brakes Northwest Series is one of nine NASCAR Touring Series that blanket the United States. NASCAR Touring brings special events to many NASCAR Weekly Racing Series tracks and some NASCAR superspeedways and road courses. 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. The sponsors include Anheuser-Busch, Raybestos Brakes, Featherlite Trailers, Gatorade, Goody’s Headache Powders, O’Reilly Auto Parts, RE/MAX International Inc., and R.J. Reynolds brand Winston.