MIKE JOHNSON AND ERIC HOLMES CAPTURE NASCAR TOYOTA ALL-STAR SHOW DOWN

MIKE JOHNSON AND ERIC HOLMES CAPTURE NASCAR TOYOTA ALL-STAR SHOWDOWN

VICTORIES AT IRWINDALE SPEEDWAY

IRWINDALE, Calif. (Nov. 13, 2004) – Mike Johnson of the Busch North Series emerged the winner in the NASCAR Grand National Division feature race, while the Southwest Series’ Eric Holmes came from behind to capture the 125-lap NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division race in Saturday night’s NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown at Irwindale Speedway.

Johnson, of Salisbury, Mass., started 24^th and advanced to eighth at the 100-lap break in the 150-lap Grand National race. He took the lead when the top eight cars were inverted and led the rest of the way.

“This is definitely one of the highlights of my career and it’s going to stick out for a long time,” said Johnson. “I just tried to stay consistent and out of trouble. I was lucky. The car was so much better than we were [Friday] night in the qualifying race and that says a lot about how hard this crew has worked.”

Matt Kobyluck started 26^th and finished second, while Joey McCarthy and Mike Olsen completed a Busch North Series sweep of the top four positions with Tim Woods III leading the NASCAR Grand National Division, West Series contingent in fifth place. Bobby Dragon (Busch North), West Series champion Mike Duncan, Kelly Moore, Brian Hoar, and Bryon Chew (all Busch North) completed the top ten. Johnson, who won once during the 2004 Busch North Series regular season, picked up $31,000 for his victory. By one position, Kobyluck edged Johnson to win the POWERade Power Move of the Race Award for position improvement.

The race spelled nothing but trouble for the favorites. David Gilliland (West Series) and Andy Santerre (Busch North) won Friday night’s qualifying races and pulled away from the field at the green flag, but Santerre retired after 13 laps with a broken differential and Gilliland, after leading 90 laps, was eliminated in accident two laps after the 100-lap break which also took out defending race winner Austin Cameron. A restart tangle at the 122-lap mark took out contender Ryan Moore, and Scott Lynch lost his third place when he spun coming to the white flag and was collected by Bryon Chew. Since the leader had already taken the white flag, the event ended under a combined caution and checkered flag.

The NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division 125-lap race was dominated by the homestanding Southwest Series contingent, which led every lap. Eric Holmes, of Escalon, Calif., chased fellow qualifying race winner Burney Lamar throughout the first 75 laps, but the pair found themselves on the third row after a six-car inversion for the final 50 circuits. The inversion put another Southwest Series driver, Rip Michels, in front but Holmes moved relentlessly forward and took the lead with half a dozen laps remaining. His margin of victory over Michels was just under one second.

Lamar claimed third with Craig Raudman giving the Southwest Series a top-four sweep. Erik Darnell of the Southeast Series charged from 27^th to fifth to win the POWERade Power Move of the Race Award. Jeff Jefferson (Northwest Series), Eddie Hoffman (Midwest Series), Kevin Prince (Southeast), Jason Jefferson (Northwest), and Eddy McKean (Southwest) made up the balance of the top ten. In contrast to the Grand National race, there were no major incidents in the AutoZone Elite feature and 36 of the 40 starters were running at the finish, with 32 cars on the lead lap. Holmes won $13,500.

In the “team” competition, which ranked each participating series by points after the 10-minute competition break in each event, the Busch North Series and Southwest Series were victorious. Drivers from each series shared an additional $50,000 for this “team” victory.

Unofficial Results
NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown
NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division
Irwindale Speedway November 13, 2004

(Showing finishing position, starting position, driver name, hometown, manufacturer, laps completed, winner's average speed and money won)

1. (2) Eric Holmes, Escalon Calif., Chevrolet, 125, 76.245 mph, $13,350
2. (8) Rip Michels, Mission Hills Calif., Chevrolet, 125, $10,125
3. (1) Burney Lamar, Bakersfield Calif., Chevrolet, 125, $8,650
4. (9) Craig Raudman, Bakersfield Calif., Chevrolet, 125, $7,750
5. (27) Erik Darnell, Beach Park Ill., Chevrolet, 125, $9,000
6. (12) Jeff Jefferson, Naches Wash., Chevrolet, 125, $8,550
7. (5) Eddie Hoffman, Wheaton Ill., Chevrolet, 125, $7,500
8. (20) Kevin Prince, Wilmington N.C., Chevrolet, 125, $7,250
9. (6) Jason Jefferson, Yakima Wash., Dodge, 125, $7,500
10. (18) Eddy McKean, Jerome Idaho, Pontiac, 125, $6,250
11. (3) Doug McCoun, Prunedale Calif., Chevrolet, 125, $6,000
12. (19) Pete Harding, Surrey B.C., Chevrolet, 125, $6,800
13. (7) John Bender, Snohomish Wash., Chevrolet, 125, $6,700
14. (31) Travis Bennett, Ellensburg Wash., Chevrolet, 125, $6,725
15. (17) Garrett Evans, East Wenatchee Wash., Chevrolet, 125, $6,500
16. (26) Dusty Williams, Garden City Ga., Chevrolet, 125, $5,900
17. (35) Jeff Fultz, Cincinnati Ohio, Chevrolet, 125, $5,800
18. (11) Brian Hoppe, Madison Wis., Chevrolet, 125, $5,700
19. (29) Justin Diercks, Davenport Iowa, Chevrolet, 125, $5,600
20. (10) Tim Schendel, Sparta Wis., Chevrolet, 125, $5,500
21. (23) Justin Wakefield, Woodstock Ga., Ford, 125, $5,500
22. (24) Ryan Hanson, Beloit Wis., Ford, 125, $5,500
23. (25) Joe Benedetti, Auburn Wash., Chevrolet, 125, $6,000
24. (30) Steve Carlson, West Salem Wis., Chevrolet, 125, $5,500
25. (33) Joe Herold, Poway Calif., Chevrolet, 125, $5,000
26. (39) A.J. Rhoads, Hastings Minn., Chevrolet, 125, $5,500
27. (28) Justin Hirt, Tigerton Wis., Chevrolet, 125, $5,625
28. (34) Jim Pettit, II, Prunedale Calif., Ford, 125, $5,000
29. (21) Russ Blakeley, Richmond Wis., Chevrolet, 125, $5,500
30. (36) Gary Lewis, Bothell Wash., Chevrolet, 125, $6,000
31. (4) Todd Souza, Aromas Calif., Chevrolet, 125, $5,000
32. (14) Brandon Riehl, Boring Ore., Chevrolet, 125, $6,000
33. (32) Bryan Roach, Becker Minn., Chevrolet, 124, $5,500
34. (38) Steven Howard, Roy Wash., Chevrolet, 124, $6,000
35. (16) Greg Pope, Monroe N.C., Chevrolet, 111, $5,500
36. (22) Robert Richardson, II, McKinney Tex , Chevrolet, 106, $5,625
37. (13) Greg Voigt, Santa Barbara Calif., Chevrolet, 98, $5,000
38. (37) Allen Karnes, Sharpsburg Ga., Chevrolet, 99, $5,500
39. (40) J.R. Norris, Mulga Ala., Ford, 88, $5,500
40. (15) Chris Davidson, Pearland Tex., Chevrolet, 66, $5,500

Unofficial Results
NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown
NASCAR Grand National Division
Irwindale Speedway November 13, 2004

(Showing finishing position, starting position, driver name, hometown, manufacturer, laps completed, winner's average speed and money won)

1. (24) Mike Johnson, Salisbury Mass., Ford, 150, 73.429 mph, $31,000
2. (26) Matt Kobyluck, Uncasville Conn., Chevrolet, 150, $22,000
3. (7) Joey McCarthy, Randolph N.J., Chevrolet, 150, $16,000
4. (15) Mike Olsen, North Haverhill N.H., Chevrolet, 150, $15,000
5. (23) Tim Woods, III, Chino Hills Calif., Ford, 150, $10,000
6. (9) Bobby Dragon, Milton Vt., Chevrolet, 150, $13,500
7. (13) Mike Duncan, Lamont Calif., Chevrolet, 150, $9,000
8. (5) Kelly Moore, Scarborough Maine., Chevrolet, 150, $12,500
9. (11) Brian Hoar, Williston Vt., Dodge, 149, $12,000
10. (14) Bryon Chew, Mattituck N.Y., Chevrolet, 149, $11,500
11. (6) Dale Quarterley, Westfield Mass., Chevrolet, 149, $11,250
12. (25) Daryl Harr, St. Albert Alberta, Chevrolet, 149, $7,250
13. (29) Jamie Aube, North Ferrisburg Vt., Chevrolet, 149, $10,500
14. (3) Scott Lynch, Burley Idaho, Dodge, 148, $6,250
15. (22) Mike David, Modesto Calif., Ford, 148, $6,000
16. (30) Carl Harr, Edmunton Alberta, Chevrolet, 147, $5,500
17. (18) Ryan Seaman, Toms River N.J., Chevrolet, 124, $9,750
18. (19) Ryan Moore, Scarborough Maine, Chevrolet, 122, $9,500
19. (4) Brett Thompson, Jerome Idaho, Chevrolet, 122, $5,500
20. (21) Kerry Earnhardt, Kannapolis N.C., Chevrolet, 121, $5,500
21. (20) Jose Luis Ramirez, Mexico City Mexico, Ford, 121, $5,000
22. (28) Jack Sellers, Sacramento Calif., Pontiac, 119, $5,000
23. (8) Austin Cameron, El Cajon Calif., Chevrolet, 102, $5,000
24. (1) David Gilliland, Chino Hills Calif., Chevrolet, 102, $5,650
25. (12) Eddie MacDonald, Rowley Mass., Ford, 102, $9,000
26. (17) Sean Woodside, Saugus Calif., Pontiac, 101, $5,000
27. (10) Scott Gaylord, Lakewood Colo., Chevrolet, 41, $5,000
28. (2) Andy Santerre, Cherryfield Maine, Chevrolet, 13, $9,650
29. (27) Nick DeFazio, Newport Beach Calif., Ford, 11, $5,000
30. (16) Mike Stefanik, Coventry R.I., Chevrolet, 7, $9,000