Allstate TX Thunder & Lightning Fest (pt. 2)
04/20/2008
Nascar Camping World Series.
The West series cars were brought out to the track for the driver introductions and opening ceremonies. A lot of the cars looked familiar; they carried paint schemes I have seen many times before. Most of the cars are the former cup cars that got sold off when the “new car” took over this year in the primer series. As they were pushing them backwards around the Mercedes pace car to get them placed on the track, the drivers were out of the cars for introductions. There was a bit of a delay for the TV start and the command to start engines.
The first star to the green flag brought the field to a fast start with the Austin Cameron and Eric Holmes fighting it out for the lead lap. The first caution came out on lap 10 for contact between the (3) of Wes Banks and the (46) of Jeff Barkshire. Somehow the (3) Banks got a lucky dog pass on the restart. It was back to green flag racing for a bit. The (33) of Lloyd Mack managed a single car spin for the second caution and we restarted about ˝ way through the 150 lap race.
Eric Holmes and Austin Cameron were still fighting it out for the fist and second place slots. David Mayhew, Jeff Barkshire and Eric Hardin were following closely behind, making it an exciting race. The cautions and the restarts were making not allowing the leaders to gain much advantage. By the time Caution three came out, it was going to be a restart race. Cautions four, five and six again grouped the pack up and there was a lot of chatter on the radio to keep the starts clean and not lay back on the restarts.
The last caution made it a ten lap shoot out to the end. Holmes, Cameron, Mayhew, Harden, Inglebright and Bowls were bunched back up for last restart of the night. With two laps to go it was Holmes, Cameron and Mayhew fighting it out for the checkers. Homes car stated smoking and the engine was heading south. The crowd was on their feet to see if he could make the last laps of the race. As the white flag flew, the smoke was getting worse from the back of the car and he was fighting off a charge by Cameron for the checkers. Somehow that engine held, the checkers dropped and Eric Holmes got the win at Thunder Hill Raceway.
I do enjoy when the touring series stops at my local track. It creates a lot of excitement. Lots of fans filled the seats, lots of great driving and it’s a chance for my local drivers to share some of the spotlight that gets put on a national series. This was the third year the West series made a stop in Texas, judging from the crowd and the fan reactions, I think they will be back again next year to that little track just south of Austin in Kyle, Texas.
