NASCAR Trucks/WWEST: Orleans Racing Hopes to Build on Great Start to its 2000 Season
23 March 2000
March 23, 2000 (Las Vegas, Nev.) - Orleans Racing heads off this weekend to Mesa Marin Raceway in Bakersfield, California, where it hopes to build on what it feels has been a great start to its 2000 season. The team ran consistently well in both the NASCAR Craftsman Truck series and Winston West series events this past weekend at Phoenix International Raceway, finishing 13th in the Chevy Trucks 150 and 4th in the Winston West NAPA Auto Parts 100. Orleans Racing is entered in both the Dodge California 250 Truck race and Outback Steakhouse Presents the Coors 250 West race this weekend at Mesa Marin. Orleans driver Brendan Gaughan said "We definitely got our year off to a good start last weekend. Shane Wilson was excellent, brought a good deal of teamwork skills to the Truck effort. He coached the guys on pit stops for the past two weeks, and it really showed. We gained spots every time we came into the pits." "We had some good luck in the West race. There were a lot of wrecks; we were in front of most of them so it didn't become a factor. The one wreck that was in front of us, I saw it, someone gave me a shove that sent me to the bottom, and I got through it easily. We're very satisfied with our results at Phoenix, and, hopefully, we'll finish well at Mesa. The Truck is already prepared, so we've been able to spend this week just fine tuning." Bill McAnally, president, Orleans Racing, said the team is also looking forward to visiting this weekend with NAPA's owners, manufacturers and employees from the Fresno distribution center, and will have a racecar on display in NAPA's hospitality tent throughout the weekend. He said, "We're happy with the 4th place finish in the West. We were hoping for a top 20 in the Truck race, and we exceeded that by finishing 13th. My hat is off to the team for a great effort running two races on the same day. Brendan did a great job driving the NAPA/Martin Senour car to strong finishes. We're all looking forward to a good weekend at Mesa." The Dodge California 250 will be broadcast on ESPN2 on March 26 beginning at 7:00 p.m. EST, and the Outback Steakhouse Presents, the Coors 250 will be broadcast on Speedvision on May 6 at 9:00 p.m. and on May 11 at 12:00 p.m. EDT. Orleans Racing owns and operates the No. 16 NASCAR Winston West Series and the No. 62 Craftsman Truck Series teams sponsored by NAPA Auto Parts/Martin Senour Automotive Finishes/NAPA Filters/NAPA Belts & Hoses/Orleans Hotel & Casino Chevrolet Monte Carlo. The teams are operated under the direction of team co-owner Bill McAnally. In addition to winning the 1999 NASCAR Winston West championship, McAnally's team led the series in the Gatorade Front Runner Award and the Clevite Engine Builder Award races, laps completed and best average finish. Results from the 1999 Winston West season included two wins, five top fives and ten top ten finishes and two Bud Pole Awards.