Bryon Chew Wins First Busch East Series Race In Thrilling Finish With Mike Johnson At Holland; Third Place Mike Olsen Closes On Point Leader Sean Caisse
HOLLAND, N.Y. – Bryon Chew scored his first NASCAR Grand National Division, Busch East Series victory after six years of trying Saturday night at Holland International Speedway, leading only three laps of the Fuccillo Auto Park HUGE 150. Dueling side-by-side with leader Mike Johnson on a restart at lap 145, the Long Island driver finally claimed the lead for good on the white flag lap, winning by 0.221 seconds. Mike Olsen edged Tracy Gordon for third and closed to within 22 points of leader Sean Caisse, who placed eighth.
Caisse won his second consecutive Busch Pole award and led the first 63 laps, seeking a historic third straight win to open the season. Then Olsen, looking for his first wins since 2003, caught Caisse and the pair swapped the lead five times during the middle stages. With less than 40 laps to run Johnson, locked out of victory lane since 2004, surged to the front, only to be overcome by Chew on the decisive restart. Gordon, the last Busch East Series driver to win three in a row back in 2000, was a swift mover in the closing laps but ran out of time to mount a challenge for his first win since 2002. MacDonald’s fifth pace run was his best with the new team he formed on the eve of the season opener.
Gordon won the POWERade Power Move of the Race Award for advancing 11 positions from start to finish, while Johnson captured the Featherlite Most Improved Driver award for turning around a miserable finish at Stafford Motor Speedway one week ago. For the first time, John Freeman was the leading Sunoco Rookie contender.
Four drivers- Caisse, Olsen, Johnson, and Chew- traded the lead nine times as nine caution periods slowed the action for 47 laps. Of the 26 starters, 23 were running at the finish with 15 on the lead lap. There were no significant incidents as all three retirements were due to mechanical issues.
The Busch East Series resumes action Thursday night, June 29, at Thompson (Conn.) International Speedway in a doubleheader with the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour.
NASCAR GRAND NATIONAL DIVISION, BUSCH EAST SERIES
Fucillo Auto Park HUGE 150
Holland International Speedway, Holland, N.Y., Saturday, June 24, 2006
Finish
Start
Car #
Driver
Hometown
Car
Laps
Money Won
Reason Out
1
7
99
Bryon Chew
Mattituck, N.Y.
Buzz Chew Chevrolet Chevrolet
150
$7,733
2
8
96
Mike Johnson
Salisbury, Mass.
Johnson Lumber Ford
150
$3,733
3
2
61
Mike Olsen
N. Haverhill, N.H.
Little Trees Chevrolet
150
$3,133
4
15
33
Tracy Gordon
Strong, Maine
The Woodworks/Archer Corp. Ford
150
$2,800
5
3
48
Eddie MacDonald
Rowley, Mass.
N.E. Mechanical Overlay Chevrolet
150
$2,433
6
10
3
Joey McCarthy
Randolph, N.J.
STI Motorsports Chevrolet
150
$2,083
7
3
01
Charles Lewandoski
Stafford Springs, Conn.
Lewandoski Construction Chevrolet
150
$1,983
8
1
44
Sean Caisse
Pelham, N.H.
Casella Waste Systems Chevrolet
150
$2,883
9
14
16
Kip Stockwell
Braintree, Vt.
Stockwell Racing Chevrolet
150
$1,783
10
5
40
Matt Kobyluck
Uncasville, Conn.
Mohegan Sun Chevrolet
150
$1,783
11
9
03
Rogelio Lopez
Mexico
Telmex Chevrolet
150
$1,733
12
19
1
Alex Hoag
Bath, N.Y.
Mavericks Fortune Racing Chevrolet
150
$975
13
11
5
John Freeman
Huntersville, N.C.
Freeman's Stereo Video Chevrolet
150
$950
14
23
26
Scott Bouley
Thomaston, Conn.
Towne & Aurell Excavating Chevrolet
150
$1,658
15
12
21
Carlos Pardo
Mexico
Tia Bonia Chevrolet
150
$900
16
24
24
Patrick Dupree
Onchiota, N.Y.
Outback Steakhouse Chevrolet
149
$825
17
16
12
Ruben Pardo
Mexico
Supercuts Dodge
149
$800
18
6
45
Brian Hoar
Williston, Vt.
Goss Dodge Dodge
148
$1,508
19
17
30
Jeff Anton
Russell, Mass.
Engineered Floors Chevrolet
143
$1,458
20
25
10
Pierre Borque*
Ottawa, Ont.
Full Metal Minerals Chevrolet
141
$700
21
13
14
Joe Masessa
Franklin Lakes, N.J.
Skin Cancer Foundation Chevrolet
137
$1,433
22
22
25
Jeremy Clark*
Cortland, N.Y.
ING Chevrolet
118
$700
23
26
97
Brent Cross
Cortland, N.Y.
Cummings Auto Machine Chevrolet
117
$700
24
20
84
Dion Ciccarelli*
Severn, Md.
Jamerson Motorsports/Star Sales Ford
114
$700
Engine
25
18
15
John Salemi
Nashua, N.H.
Waste Management Chevrolet
49
$1,433
Suspension
26
21
8
Rich Gould
N. Brunswick, N.J.
Nassau Painting Chevrolet
45
$700
Engine
TIME OF RACE: 57 minutes, 50 seconds
AVERAGE SPEED: 57.579 mph
MARGIN OF VICTORY: 0.221 seconds
CAUTION PERIODS: 9 for 47 laps
LEAD CHANGES: 9 among 4 drivers
LAP LEADERS: Sean Caisse 1-63, Mike Olsen 64-74, Caisse 75-84, Olsen 85-95, Caisse 96-98, Olsen 99-116, Mike Johnson 117-146, Bryon Chew 147, Johnson 148, Chew 149-160
BUSCH POLE AWARD: Sean Caisse, Casella Waste Systems Chevrolet (14.494 seconds @ 93.142 mph)
POWERADE POWER MOVE OF THE RACE AWARD: Tracy Gordon, Archer Corp./The Woodworks Ford
FEATHERLITE MOST IMPROVED DRIVER AWARD: Mike Johnson, Johnson Lumber Ford
UNOFFICIAL BUSCH EAST SERIES POINT STANDINGS (wins)
1. Sean Caisse (2) 527
2. Mike Olsen 505
3. Matt kobyluck 483
4. Bryon Chew (1) 474
5. Charles Lewandoski 434
6. Mike Johnson 428
7. Kip Stockwell 398
8. Jeff Anton 390
9. Eddie MacDonald 385
10. Joey McCarthy 380
NEXT RACE: Thompson Intl Speedway, Thompson, Conn., Thurs., June 29
