 IRWINDALE,
CA (November 12, 2005) -- The top ten drivers in each of the four NASCAR
AutoZone Elite Divisions competed in the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown on
Saturday at Irwindale Speedway to determine an overall winner. The annual race
features the top ten point earners in the four NASCAR Elite Divisions which
includes the NASCAR; Southwest Series, Northwest Series, Midwest Series and
Southeast Series. All four series compete exclusively on Hoosier tires during
the regular season and all 40 competitors at Irwindale this weekend also rode
on Hoosier tires during the special-event race. When the 125-lap race was over,
24-year-old Auggie Vidovich II was the winner. Vidovich, from Lakeside, CA, was
followed by fellow NASCAR Southwest Series drivers Burney Lamar and M.K. Kanke.
The All-Star race featured 39 starters with Southwest Series drivers Nick
Lynch on the pole and Rip Michels alongside. The race featured four leaders
among three different drivers including; Rip Michels (1-52, 54-75), Burney
Lamar (53) and Auggie Vidovich II (76-125). The race was slowed for caution
periods 13 times for 33 laps.
Vidovich earned $13,300 for the win after starting eighth. Burney Lamar
finished in second place earning $10,000, while M.K. Kanke pocketed $8,000 for
the final podium spot. NASCAR Midwest driver Eddie Hoffman finished in fourth
place followed by NASCAR Northwest's Gary Lewis.
Rip Michel finished in sixth followed by Chris Davidson, Wilbur Bruce, Pete
Harding and Jim Pettit II in seventh through tenth, respectively. Sixteen of
the 39 starters finished the race on the lead lap.
Last year, the top four finishers were Southwest Series competitors who
compete regularly at the Irwindale facility.
All 40 cars raced on Hoosier 26.5/11.0-15 "2220"
left-side and 27.0/11.0-15 "2240" right-side tires. The tires were
the same codes that were used during the majority of races in all four series
during the season.
Rick Gerhardt's Hoosier Tire West, based in Fresno, CA, was the
servicing agent for the event.
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