Source: NASCAR
Public Relations
Date: 09/01/2003
WEST RICHLAND, Washington -- Jeff Jefferson of Naches, Wash.
held off a determined
challenge from his younger brother Jason to win the Ranch & Home
"125" Sunday evening at Tri-City Raceway. The win was Jeff
Jefferson's third triumph of the season and second consecutive
victory in NASCAR Elite Division, Raybestos Brakes Northwest
Series competition in 2003. The win also allowed Jefferson to
close the gap on series point leader Chris Hart to just 26
points going into the final two events of the season. Jason
Jefferson finished second to record his eighth top five finish
of the season and all but seal the Victory Circle Chassis'
Rookie-of-the-Year title. Two-time and
defending series champion Kevin Hamlin finished third, with Gary
Lewis and John Dillon rounding out the top five finishers.
Jason scored his third Bud Pole Award of the season with a quick
lap around the half-mile triangular-shaped oval with a time of
18.148 seconds/99.184 mph. Kevin Hamlin clocked in second fast,
followed by Brandon Riehl, Jeff Jefferson, and John Dillon
rounding out the top five qualifiers. The field was set with a
ten-car invert putting rookie Rod Schultz Jr. on the front row
along Joe Benedetti. Travis Powell was the only driver not able
to start the event after a practice crash left his Powell Awards
Chevrolet damaged beyond repair.
Schultz Jr. led the field to green but lost the handle entering
turn one, leaving the field to scatter for open real estate. The
red flag was displayed and the field lined up for a complete
restart. The second take worked out much better as everyone kept
their machines pointed in the right direction allowing outside
front row starter Joe Benedetti of Auburn, Wash. to get the jump
on the field and lead lap one.
Benedetti's time at the front was short lived as he developed a
push in the center of the corner causing his Emerald City Floor
Coverings Chevrolet to drift high, and by lap 6, current rookie
competitor Jeff Bailey of Kennewick, Wash. passed the former
rookie-of-the-year and assumed the lead. By lap ten Bailey led
series point leader Chris Hart, Garrett Evans, Benedetti, and
Jeff Jefferson.
Evans ducked underneath Hart for second on lap 11, thrilling the
crowd after his three race absence. The first caution flew on
lap 16 for Robert Tesch from Keizer, Ore. Tesch's Chevrolet
caught fire under the hood entering turn one, but he quickly
pulled off the track and the local safety crew extinguished the
flames almost immediately.
Front row starter Rod Schultz Jr. spun as the field took the
green flag for the restart on lap 20, but was able to rejoin the
field and no caution was displayed. Schultz dropped back to 12th
place in the running order. At the lap 25 mark, Bailey was in
complete command of the event stretching his lead to 20-car
lengths over Evans. Hart, Jeff Jefferson, Benedetti, Dillon,
Jason Jefferson, Hamlin, Riehl, and Lewis were all in tow.
Jeff Jefferson moved to the third position by lap 50 and closed
on Bailey and Evans making it a three way battle for the lead.
Hart led the next group, followed by Jason Jefferson, Dillon,
Hamlin, Riehl, Lewis, Benedetti, and Travis Bennett. Rookie Rod
Schultz Jr. spun for the third time and again no caution flag
was displayed as he was able to merge back into the race without
incident.
Series point leader Chris Hart and third place point holder
Jason Jefferson waged a spirited battle from lap 51 through lap
61 that kept the crowd on their collective feet. Jefferson was
finally able to complete the pass on the outside of Hart as the
pair exited turn four on lap 61.
At the halfway point of the race, Bailey continued to dominated
and extend his lead over Evans. Jeff Jefferson was glued to the
rear bumper of Evans, followed Jason Jefferson, Hart, Hamlin,
Dillon, Riehl, Lewis, and Benedetti. Bennett held down the 11th
spot, with Matt Hall moving up to 12th, followed by Steven
Howard, Rod Schultz Sr., Rick Suran, and Ed Watson.
Jeff Jefferson moved by Evans on lap 65, with Hamlin pressuring
Hart for fifth. Hamlin was able to get by Hart on lap 67
bringing Dillon and Riehl along dropping Hart eighth. The second
caution period came on lap 72 for oil on the track. Brian Saling
from Spokane, Wash. lost a motor, but he did not drop the oil.
The race was red-flagged for clean up of the oil and the field
pulled to the front stretch infield. While stopped it was
discovered that race leader Jeff Bailey was the car dropping the
fluid. Bailey's rear-end plug had blew out depositing rear end
grease all around the track. He would have to pit following the
red flag and he would loose 20 and an apparent first career
victory.
Jeff Jefferson assumed the lead on the lap 76 restart, but would
battle brother Jason for the top stop over the 49 laps. The
Jefferson brothers held the top two spots at lap 80, with Evans
in third, followed by Hamlin, Hart, Riehl, Dillon, Lewis,
Bennett, and Hall. The Chevrolet of Evans started to push
severely, but the wily veteran was able to keep Hamlin at bay.
The final caution flew on lap 105 when the cars of Hart and
Riehl tangled coming out of the tri-oval with Riehl's Chevrolet
climbing over the left front of Hart's Yakima Implement
Chevrolet. Both cars spun scattering the field, but both driver
were able to drive their away and rejoin the field.
Over the closing 18 laps, the Jefferson's battled for bragging
rights, but each attempt at the lead that Jason made was blocked
by his older brother. While first and second tussled for the top
spot, Hamlin was finally able to make the move around Evans for
third. Lewis and Dillon also made it by the four-time series
champion in the closing laps.
Jeff Jefferson crossed the finish line .097 seconds ahead of his
brother Jason Jefferson to win his second consecutive race in
the AuBeta Networks. COM sponsored Chevrolet. Jason Jefferson
finished second, followed by Kevin Hamlin, Gary Lewis, and John
Dillon. The second five were led by Garrett Evans, with Travis
Bennett in sixth, Brandon Riehl in eighth, with Rick Suran and
Joe Benedetti rounding out the top ten finishers.
As Jeff Jefferson celebrated in Victory Lane his right front
tire was noticeably flat. "I knew the tire was going down over
the last 20 laps and I was praying the race would stay green,"
Jefferson said. "This is an important win for us as we were able
to gain some points on Chris (Hart). He has been nearly perfect
all season, but tonight the luck went our way."
Jefferson went on to credit his crew for the win. "This is a
team effort," Jefferson said. "Rick Allison has given me the
opportunity to drive a first class car and Chuck Carruthers is
incredible with the set up every race. This has been and
incredible season so far and now it is going to be real exciting
over the final two races."
Finishing second but losing ten points to his brother was Jason
Jefferson. Jefferson tried to find a way around his brother, but
in the end was comfortable with second. "I can't be real
disappointed with second," Jefferson said. "I always want to win
and I always want to win here at Tri-Cities. Jeff was smooth
tonight and I just did not have the bite off the corner when it
counted. All I have wanted all season is top five and top ten
finishes. We have been able to do that, thanks to Sam (Roebuck)
and the crew. The fans got a great race to watch tonight and the
fight for the championship is not over."
"Garrett (Evans) and Chris (Hart) are tough guys to pass,"
Hamlin said. "They don't block you, they just know how to use
the track better than anyone. Starting so far back hurt us but I
know we all put on a great show for the fans."
Normally a fifth place finish would not bring a smile to 1990
series champion John Dillon, but after not finishing a race in
nearly two years, he is quite happy with the outing. "Hey, we
finished one of these things," Dillon said. "I do not race very
many times during the year and I know that hurts us, but I know
we can be competitive. It was a lot of fun racing like that
again."
The race took 49 minutes and 48 seconds to complete at an
average speed of 78.331 mph. The margin of victory was .097
seconds with two lead changes between three drivers. There were
five caution periods totaling just 12 laps. Jason Jefferson won
his third Bud Pole Award of the season with a lap of 18.148
seconds/99.184 mph and collected the $325 bonus. Gary Lewis won
the $750 bonus for the Powerade Power Move-of-the-Race for
advancing the most positions in the event (14th to 4th). Jason
Jefferson was the Victory Circle Chassis' Rookie-of-the-Race for
the ninth time in 12 races.
Chris Hart looses his advantage in the point standings but hangs
on to the point lead after a 15th place finish. Hart now leads
Jeff Jefferson by just 26 points going into the final two events
of the season at tracks were he has two top five finishes
already this season. Jason Jefferson sits 46 markers behind Hart
to hold down the third position in the standings. Gary Lewis
maintains the fourth spot, with Kevin Hamlin moving up to fifth
on the strength of two straight top five performances. John
Bender drops to sixth after a 20th place finish at Tri-Cities,
with Joe Benedetti holding on to the 7th position. Rick Suran
moves back by Jeff Bailey for 8th, dropping Bailey to 9th, and
Steven Howard rounds out the NASCAR Top 10.
The next race for the Raybestos Brakes Northwest Series is
Saturday, September 13 at the Magic Valley Speedway in Twin
Falls, Idaho were the series will make their second visit of the
season in the running of the annual NAPA Auto Parts "150".
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