this season in both the NASCAR Winston West
Series and in Irwindale's premier NASCAR Dodge series weekly SLM
division, became the fifth different winner this year after 12 of 19
scheduled SLM races. The race, round six of the ten-race Miller Lite Big
Ten Challenge Series, went 75-green flag laps in a time of 23:51.102.
With a SLM inversion of ten, ninth-fastest qualifier Woods started second. He dropped to third twice during the first five laps. Woods then chased third-starter Kazuto Yanagawa, leader of the initial 44 laps, amid lapped cars, which slowed Yanagawa from laps 30-44 and eliminated his 35-yard advantage. Woods ducked under "K.Z" for the lead in the fourth turn on lap 45 as they lapped a slower car and then opened a half-straight lead over Yanagawa by lap 70.
Rip Michels took second from Yanagawa on lap 72 and closed to within 30-yards of the winner during the final four circuits. Yanagawa finished third. Twenty-one of the 23-starters were racing at the finish and 12 drivers completed all 75-laps. Fox Sports Net2 taped three of the five features Saturday for one-hour telecasts during the final three Thursdays of August.
Fan-friendly and popular Woods hopes to find a second sponsor to advance his career to NASCAR's Busch Grand National Division "to be the next driver of color" in a national stock car series. To celebrate his victory, Woods climbed from his car at the finish line, sprinted across the track and climbed the fence to salute fans. Later, he told the media, "I'm proud of the fact I'm the only driver to win a SLM main event in each of Irwindale's four seasons."
een flag race.
Happy SLM winner Woods came to the press box and related: "It's been a frustrating season so far. You could see the effort by our team and the results weren't there. (Two thirds were his best finishes.) We've lost a rear end on opening night, broken an axle, had a flat tire and were involved in a multi-car crash in the first turn. It's great to start up front and run in clean air."
Woods hoped his showing in Saturday's SLM main portends success in Irwindale's July 27 Winston West 200-lap race. He said attendees that evening will include many West Coast legends of stock car racing for a reunion and hall of fame induction and he respects their pioneering efforts. In his winner's interview Woods dedicated his win to the memory of Art Crawford, the track's volunteer press box manager, who had passed away earlier in the week. |
