SWS: Pikes Peak: Race report

Fountain, Colo. (May 19, 2002) Eddy McKean of Jerome, Idaho collected his first career Featherlite Southwest Series, NASCAR Touring victory in convincing fashion Sunday afternoon by leading 65 of 100 laps at Pikes Peak Int'l Raceway. McKean qualified fifth in a field of 38 cars and never fell below tenth before he started to make his move back to the front. McKean collected more then $10,975 and the Gatorade Front Runner Award for leading the most laps, and by virtue of his finish has reclaimed the championship points lead by two markers over Sean Woodside.

Although McKean was in another zip code most of the event, there was a great battle for the rest of the top ten. Todd Souza, the 2000 Featherlite Southwest Series ROTY rallied to finish second ahead of a determined M.K. Kanke. Fellow Idaho native Scott Lynch finished fourth, with Sean Woodside rounding out the top five. Rick Carelli led the second five, with Frank Maronski Jr. in sixth, followed by Roger Avants, Kevin Clark, and Frank Deiny Jr. in tenth. Zach Neissner from the Raybestos Brakes Northwest Series ran in the top five before a fuel leak ended his day on lap 69.

Threatening weather caused a torrid pace to be set and resulted in a new record time of the event (1 hour, 1 minute, 18 seconds). A light rain fell on parts of the track for most of the event, however, the track never got wet. 34 of the 38 starters were running at the conclusion of the race with 23 cars on the lead lap. Burney Lamar won the Bud Pole Award, with Eddy McKean taking home the Gatorade Front Runner Award, and Brandon Whitt claiming Rookie-of-the-Race honors with his 17th place finish.

The Featherlite Southwest Series takes two week off before returning to Irwindale Speedway on Saturday, June 8 for the running of the K&N Filters "150".

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