Date: 09/27/2005
The drama of taking the championship points battle down to the
final race of the season is like no other in motorsports. The
NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Northwest Series did just that
in the Dick’s Heating and Air Conditioning 200 held at the
Wenatchee Valley’s Super Oval located in East Wenatchee, Wash.
Brandon Riehl entered the event with a 14-point advantage over
two-time defending champion Jeff Jefferson and put his car on
the Bud Pole during time trials applying more pressure to the
Jefferson team looking for an unprecedented
 three-peat.
However, Jefferson had his own pressure in mind as he started
the race in third right on Riehl’s rear deck lid.
“If I win the race, then there is nothing he can do,” said Riehl
prior to the event. “And, at the same time, winning the race
doesn’t guarantee him anything.”
The only guarantee Jefferson had was his recent performance at
the 1/4-mile oval. He had won two of the last three races there
and finished second in the other in his LeMay Museum/Morgan
Transport Chevrolet. “We’ve done well here lately, but that
doesn’t mean that much today. It gives us a confidence level,
but you never know what can happen,” said Jefferson.
By needing a measure of help to overcome the points deficit
Jefferson’s strategy was very simple. “We’re going to go out and
try to win the race,” said the native of Naches, Wash. “That’s
all I can control.”
As the 25-car field thundered toward the start/finish line to
take the green flag, Riehl and Jefferson began their game of
catch-me-if-you-can. Jefferson wasted little time in moving past
Jeff Barkshire, who started on the outside pole, bringing the
championship match-up to the front of the pack.
Racing for both a win and a championship was an exhilarating
experience for Jefferson. “I don’t think that I have ever had
more fun in a race car than battling with (Riehl) early in the
race,” said Jefferson.
The Riehl/Jefferson battle reached a furious peak when the race
lead changed hands four times in eight laps from lap 47 through
54. Unfortunately, the battle ended there. It was taking place
in lapped traffic and Riehl made contact with another car and
suffered damage to the right side of his Aero Turbine/Darrel’s
Economy Muffler Chevrolet. That forced him to the pits and
effectively ended his title run.
“There’s only so much room out there and it was unfortunate,”
said the disappointed Riehl. “We got a couple wins this year and
we are continuing to improve our consistency.”
Jefferson felt for Riehl misfortune. “I was disappointed that we
couldn’t race all the way to the end. It would’ve been fun.”
“I take my hat of to them, though. They fought all season long.
I also want to congratulate Garrett Evans, Wilbur Bruce, Pete
Harding and every race team this year on their efforts this
season,” continued the race winner.
Harding came into the race 30 points behind Riehl, but never
proved to be a factor in the race. A sub-par qualifying effort
resulted in starting the race in 15th. He never could work
toward the front of the pack and eventually retired his racecar
after 111 laps with a broken right front suspension.
Auburn, Washington’s Barkshire posted his third second-place
finish of the season as he followed Jefferson across the finish
line by .325 seconds. While climbing out of his Centennial
Batteries/Pure Power Lubricants Dodge his elation was tempered
with a hint of frustration. “I’d really like to win one of these
things instead of come in second all the time,” he said.
The newly crowned three-time champion in Jefferson overheard the
comment and quickly replied to Barkshire, “It will happen real
soon. Be patient. You’re definitely on the right road.”
As disappointed as Barkshire was with his third runner-up finish
of the season, there may have never been a more frustrating
third-place finish in racing than that of Travis Bennett, out of
Ellensburg, Wash. The 2004 rookie of the year has had his share
of struggles this season, but pulled it together in the final
race to log his best finish of the season in the Wenatchee
Harley-Davidson/Wenatchee Petroleum Chevrolet. That, however,
was not enough to get the youngster into the top 10 in points.
He finished one point out of 10th this season after losing the
championship to Jefferson a year ago by the same margin.
The reason for the push to get into the top 10 is to get an
invitation to the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown. This special
awards-only event will pit the top-10 drivers from each of the
four NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division series on November 10-12 at
Irwindale (Calif.) Speedway. This event will distribute over
$500,000 in prize money and be televised live on SPEED Channel.
“I really can’t believe that it came down to one point again,”
said a despondent Bennett.
Four-time series champion Evans finished fourth. It was the
fourth top-five finish of the season for the East Wenatchee,
Wash. driver in his Leonard Evans Hyundai/Signature Finance/Pure
Power Lubricants Chevrolet.
Fifth place went to Gary Lewis out of Bothell, Wash. This season
was hard on Lewis, as well. He saw a streak of nine consecutive
seasons with at least one victory come to an end. It would have
been easy for the normal championship contender to lose focus as
the season came to a close. He came into the race with a tenuous
hold on 10th place in points and that final slot for the NASCAR
Toyota All-Star Showdown. In typical fashion, Lewis scratched
and clawed all race long while solidifying his spot in the top
10 by finishing ninth in points in the World’s Gym of
Everett/Nutter Racing Engines Pontiac.
Roger Habich, Bruce, Wes Rhodes, Tom Sweatman and Jeff Bailey
rounded out the top 10.
The top 10 in the championship point standings who will comprise
the Northwest Series contingent at the NASCAR Toyota All-Star
Showdown are led, of course, by Jefferson followed by Riehl,
Evans, Bruce and Harding. The second five consists of Barkshire,
Bailey, John Dillon, Lewis and John Bender.
Oddly enough while the top 10 drivers entering the race stayed
in tact, at the completion of the race only Dillon retained the
same position he held prior to the event.
Riehl collected his second Bud Pole Award of the season on
Saturday evening in time trials as he made his way around the
track in 12.837 seconds (70.110 mph).
The POWERade “Power Move of the Race” Award was won by Wes
Rhodes out of Olympia, Wash. in the Knight Fire Protection
Chevy. This award is given to the driver who improves his
position the most over the course of the race.
Monroe, Washington’s Roger Habich collected the Featherlite
“Most Improved Driver” Award in the Rock Church/Rock of Ages
Plumbing Chevrolet. The driver who improves his finish the most
from the last race earns this award.
The Lunati “Crew Chief of the Race” Award was won by Jefferson’s
crew chief Chuck Carruthers.
NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Northwest Series Unofficial
Standings as of September 25, 2005
TOP 15 IN POINTS
1. Jeff Jefferson - 1423
2. Brandon Riehl - 1372
3. Garrett Evans - 1348
4. Wilbur Bruce - 1325
5. Pete Harding - 1321
6. Jeff Barkshire * - 1289
7. Jeff Bailey - 1240
8. John Dillon - 1236
9. Gary Lewis - 1221
10. John Bender – 1218
11. Travis Bennett – 1217
12. Steven Howard - 1138
13. Roger Habich – 1125
14. Ed Watson – 1109
15. Matt Hall – 1057
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