|
Santerre
Outduels Kobyluck, Takes Point Lead
 |
RADFORD,
Va. (August 21, 2005)— Andy Santerre shifted his “Tour
for Four” into high gear Saturday night at Motor Mile Speedway
by winning a side-by-side duel with Matt Kobyluck in the Star Country/Dominic’s
Sausage 150, the first ever stand-alone appearance of the NASCAR
Grand National Division, Busch North Series south of the Mason-Dixon
Line. It was his 22nd career victory, third on the all-time list.
Ryan
Moore prevailed in an equally tense battle for third over Mike Olsen,
Mike Stefanik, Eddie MacDonald, and Jerry Marquis. Dale Shaw, Rogelio
Lopez, and John Salemi completed the top ten. Santerre gained the
Busch North Series point lead for the first time in 2005 as he seeks
his fourth straight title. Santerre leads Stefanik by 15 points,
Kobyluck by 49, and Moore by 88 with five races remaining.
Santerre started eighth and never threatened to take the lead until
after he pitted for two right side tires, along with most of the
other contenders, at lap 83. By lap 110 he was back in the top five,
and from lap 112 to 116 he waged door-to-door combat with teammate
Mike Stefanik for third place. That was only a prelude to the drama
to come. After taking second place from Ryan Moore he dropped to
the low side of Kobyluck on lap 130 and stayed there until he cleared
his rival on the 135th tour. The lead change was officially recorded
on lap 132. |
The
first 40 laps belonged to first-time Busch Pole winner Sean Caisse.
He pulled away effortlessly until Joey McCarthy blew his engine
in turn one and Caisse spun into the wall. He tried to continue
but damage to the front end left him 22nd in the 25-car field. Brian
Hoar then led for nine laps until his engine expired, giving Moore
(17 laps) and Olsen (31 laps) their turns at the lead until Kobyluck
took over at lap 98. Olsen, the last of the leaders to pit, was
on the move in the closing laps but could only advance to fourth.
In all, six drivers exchanged the lead seven times.
Salemi earned the POWERade Power Move of the Race
Award and Kobyluck scored the Featherlite Most Improved Driver Award.
Santerre averaged 64.887 miles per hour and won by 0.612 seconds.
Seven caution periods consumed 38 laps, but 20 cars were running
at the finish with 14 on the lead lap.
The Busch
North Series continues next Saturday night with the eagerly-anticipated
return to the series’ birthplace, the Fisher Snow Plows
150 at Oxford Plains Speedway in Oxford, Maine.
|
NASCAR Busch North Series 2005 Top 5 Point Standings:
After
Race # 8 at Motor Mile Speedway, August 20, 2005.
| 1. |
1318 |
Andy
Santerre |
| 2. |
1303 |
Mike Stefanik |
| 3. |
1269 |
Matt Kobyluck |
| 4. |
1230 |
Ryan Moore
|
| 5. |
1200 |
Mike Olsen
|
More
Information at NASCAR.com - >>
Click
Here for the GRIZCO Racing Team Official Press Release.
|
