SWS: Vidovich focused on final races

Vidovich series points leader focused on final stretch of series

LAKESIDE, CA â^À" Current NASCAR Elite Division-Featherlite Southwest Series points leader, Auggie Vidovich, is focused on the final stretch of the season with six races remaining as the heads to Irwindale this Saturday. Fortunately for the team and his sponsors, Vidovich feels the best is yet to come from the talented young driver who loves to compete at the Irwindale, Bakersfield and Phoenix tracks usually finishing well.

Vidovich finished a strong fifth earlier in the year when the series stopped by Irwindale in June for race seven of the series. Vidovich challenged for the lead and was tapped from the side by the leader on lap 117. Vidovich quickly recovered from the spin and crossed the finish line with a fifth place finish. In fact, Vidovich has lead a total of two races only to be taken out on the way to the finish line.

Vidovich continues to lead the NASCAR Elite Division-Featherlite Southwest Series since the second race of the 2003 series season, now by 26 points with an average finish of 5th place for the past nine races. Based on two prior years (2001 & 2000) when Vidovich finished second in the final series points, Vidovich realizes that he will have to step it up and bring home a win or two this year. The competition is quite intense this year with each of the series competitors hoping to compete in the inaugural NASCAR Toyota All-Star Show Down to be held at Irwindale on November 6-8.

Twenty-two-year-old Vidovich who just returned from Bristol to check in on several teams, hurried back home to travel up to the1/2-mile Super Speedway to fine tune his #59 Creative Touch Interiors, PG Series, CARQUEST, Ransom Brothers Lumber, No Fear, SOBE, SPY, Ron's Rear Ends, DPI, Sierra Brakes and CRS 2002 Chevrolet before this weekend's 150-lap race.