Matt Kenseth, the 2003 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion and 1998 runner-up at Gateway International Raceway, won the 51st running of the Daytona 500 after rain forced an early end to the race. Former GIR winner Elliott Sadler was in the lead and nearly won the race in his Richard Petty Motorsports Dodge, but was passed by Kenseth and the final caution was called half a lap later. Other notables finishing in the top-ten were two-time GIR winner Kevin Harvick (second), 2006 GIR runner up Clint Bowyer (fourth), former NASCAR Camping World Truck Series polesitter at Gateway David Ragan (sixth), and two-time GIR winner Reed Sorenson (ninth). All three of NASCAR's top series race at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif., this weekend.
Tony Stewart started his season off with a win, driving a Hendrick Motorsports' entry to the victory in the Camping World 300 NNS race in a thrilling finish that saw two-time and defending Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers 250 winner Carl Edwards and Clint Bowyer finish second and third. Top-ten finishers also included Kyle Busch, who is making his return to GIR this summer (fourth), the only driver to win at Gateway in both the Trucks and NNS series, Greg Biffle (fifth), two-time Gateway winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. (seventh), and David Ragan (eighth).
Former GIR winner and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Todd Bodine earned his fourth-consecutive win at NASCAR's restrictor-plate tracks with his victory last Friday at Daytona. The win marked the first repeat winner in that series at Daytona and was a surprising effort for a team entering the season without sponsorship. Also finishing in the top-ten were Kyle Busch (second), former Gateway winner Terry Cook (third), 2007 NCWTS champ and the defending Camping World 200 winner Ron Hornaday (fifth), and 2007 GIR polesitter Mike Skinner (seventh).
After a two-day rain delay in Pomona that saw Jason Line take the Pro Stock win in addition to former Gateway International Raceway winners Ron Capps (Funny Car) and Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel) take home Wallys, the NHRA Full Throttle Series had last weekend off. The series and its stars return to action this weekend in Phoenix. Be sure to check out GatewayRaceway.com for daily updates.
GIR is hosting the NHRA Full Throttle Series (May 1-3), the NASCAR Nationwide Series (July 18), and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (Sept. 12) once again in 2009 as well as the National Guard ADRL Tour and the USAC .25 Midge Series. For more information, visit GatewayRaceway.com.
Brandon W. Mudd
Director, Public and Media Relations
Gateway International Raceway
Tony Stewart started his season off with a win, driving a Hendrick Motorsports' entry to the victory in the Camping World 300 NNS race in a thrilling finish that saw two-time and defending Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers 250 winner Carl Edwards and Clint Bowyer finish second and third. Top-ten finishers also included Kyle Busch, who is making his return to GIR this summer (fourth), the only driver to win at Gateway in both the Trucks and NNS series, Greg Biffle (fifth), two-time Gateway winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. (seventh), and David Ragan (eighth).
Former GIR winner and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Todd Bodine earned his fourth-consecutive win at NASCAR's restrictor-plate tracks with his victory last Friday at Daytona. The win marked the first repeat winner in that series at Daytona and was a surprising effort for a team entering the season without sponsorship. Also finishing in the top-ten were Kyle Busch (second), former Gateway winner Terry Cook (third), 2007 NCWTS champ and the defending Camping World 200 winner Ron Hornaday (fifth), and 2007 GIR polesitter Mike Skinner (seventh).
After a two-day rain delay in Pomona that saw Jason Line take the Pro Stock win in addition to former Gateway International Raceway winners Ron Capps (Funny Car) and Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel) take home Wallys, the NHRA Full Throttle Series had last weekend off. The series and its stars return to action this weekend in Phoenix. Be sure to check out GatewayRaceway.com for daily updates.
GIR is hosting the NHRA Full Throttle Series (May 1-3), the NASCAR Nationwide Series (July 18), and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (Sept. 12) once again in 2009 as well as the National Guard ADRL Tour and the USAC .25 Midge Series. For more information, visit GatewayRaceway.com.
Brandon W. Mudd
Director, Public and Media Relations
Gateway International Raceway
