The
"Racing For Clean Air" Team Captain Andy Santerre
Widens
Points Lead With Top-10 Finish At Watkins Glen
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Brad
Leighton overcame a 20th place start and a broken shifter to win
Saturday's Mohegan Sun 150 presented by Pepsi at Watkins Glen International.
The win was his first at The Glen, but his third in five starts
in 2004 and the 24th of his Busch North Series career. It gave him
a sweep of the two road races on the 2004 Busch North schedule.
Leighton defeated Brian Hoar by 0.211 seconds, averaging 72.951
miles per hour for the 151.9 mile distance. Dale Quarterley, the
pre-race favorite, finished third to remain without a Glen triumph
despite a history of dominant performances.
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Matt
Kobyluck, carrying event sponsor Mohegan Sun's colors, took fourth,
with Mike Stefanik completing the top five. Paul Wolfe, point leader
Andy Santerre, Joey McCarthy, Rick Bell, and Jeremy Treadway filled
positions six through ten.
It
seemed Leighton's chances were destroyed when his shift lever broke
loose early in the race, but his crew was able to repair it under
caution. Both Leighton and Hoar made their pit stop early, on the
19th lap, and cycled to the front as Kobyluck and Quarterley surrendered
the lead at their stops. Leighton made the winning pass on lap 35,
but was never able to shake Hoar from his mirrors.
Santerre
led only the first lap, but widened his point lead over Mike Olsen
from 37 to 82 points by finishing seventh while Olsen, hindered
by a one-lap penalty for an unapproved tire change, was 19th.
While
Leighton improved by 19 positions on his way to the victory, Paul
Wolfe picked up 22 spots from 28th to sixth to earn the PowerAde
Power Move of the Race Award. Dale Quarterley finished 15 places
better than the last Busch North Series race to claim the Featherlite
Most Improved Driver Award. No Busch Pole Award was presented since
qualifying was rained out and the lineup set by points.
One
major accident marked the race, involving Bill Penfold, Jimmy Morales,
Mike Johnson, and Bryon Chew in turn four, which produced a 38-minute
red flag for clean up and repair at lap 9. All but Penfold continued
in the race. No driver injuries were reported.
The
Busch North Series continues next Saturday night, August 21, with
the Irving Oil 150 at Beech Ridge motor Speedway in Scarborough,
Me.
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NASCAR
Busch North Series 2004 Top 5 Point Standings:
After
Race #11 at Watkins Glen International Speedway - August 14, 2004.
| 1. |
1804 |
Andy
Santerre |
| 2. |
1722 |
Mike
Olsen |
| 3. |
1582 |
Kelly
Moore |
| 4. |
1568 |
Dale
Quarterley |
| 5. |
1566 |
Matt
Kobyluck |
More
Information at Nascar.com - >>
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