Ruben Pardo Scores First Busch East Series Victory By Holding Off Matt Kobyluck In Mohegan Sun 200 At Lime Rock; Mike Olsen’s Third Place Nails Down Second Series Title
LAKEVILLE, Conn. – Ruben Pardo completed a brilliant rookie season in the NASCAR Grand National Division, Busch East Series by holding off defending race winner Matt Kobyluck to win Saturday’s Mohegan Sun 200 at Lime Rock Park’s 1.53 mile road course. Mike Olsen’s third place finish made him the series champion for the second time, five years after his first title.
Pardo qualified second and trailed Busch Pole winner Kobyluck until the latter pitted after 16 laps. Pardo surrendered the top spot to Olsen after 32 circuits, with Kobyluck cycling back to the front five laps later. The last half of the 82-lap, 200-kilometer race was primarily a three way battle among Kobyluck, Pardo, and Brian Hoar, who finished fourth. Their duel was punctuated when Pardo and Kobyluck tangled in turn one on lap 56. Pardo emerged second and passed Hoar for the lead ten laps later. Kobyluck rolled the dice on a stop for tires with 13 laps remaining and nearly made the gamble pay off, losing by only 0.184 seconds as Olsen passed Hoar for third on the last lap.
Sean Caisse, Olsen’s main rival for the title all summer, finished fifth and did not lead a lap for the first time all season. Unofficially, Olsen’s championship margin was 124 points. Tracy Gordon’s sixth place moved him to 15th in the unofficial final standings, giving him the final automatic invitation to the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown at Irwindale (Calif.) Speedway, October 20-21. Pardo’s teammate, John Freeman, Bryon Chew, Joey McCarthy, and Jeff Anton completed the top ten.
Pardo won $10,496 while clinching the Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award for 2006 and winning the Featherlite Most Improved Driver Award for exceeding his performance at Dover (Del.) International Speedway last week by 23 places.. The Mexico City native also became the first international driver to win a race in the Busch East Series. He averaged 73.845 miles per hour as five caution periods lasted 27 laps. The top four finishers- Pardo, Kobyluck, Olsen, and Hoar- exchanged the lead seven times, as just 18 of the 30 qualifiers were running at the finish, with 12 on the lead lap. Barney McRae advanced from 30th to 11th to earn the POWERade Power Move of the Race Award.
NASCAR GRAND NATIONAL DIVISION, BUSCH EAST SERIES
Mohegan Sun 200
Lime Rock Park, Lime Rock, Conn., Saturday, September 30, 2006
Finish
Start
Car #
Driver
Hometown
Car
Laps
Money Won
Reason Out
1
2
12
Ruben Pardo*
Mexico City, Mexico
Goulds Pumps/Movida Dodge
82
$10,496
2
1
40
Matt Kobyluck
Uncasville, Conn.
Mohegan Sun Chevrolet
82
$7,596
3
6
61
Mike Olsen
N. Haverhill, N.H.
Little Trees Chevrolet
82
$5,796
4
4
45
Brian Hoar
Williston, Vt.
Goss Dodge Dodge
82
$4,546
5
10
44
Sean Caisse
Pelham, N.H.
Casella Waste Systems Chevrolet
82
$3,746
6
15
33
Tracy Gordon
Strong, Maine
The Woodworks/Archer Corp. Ford
82
$3,246
7
13
22
John Freeman
Charlotte, N.C.
Supercuts/Family Dollar Dodge
82
$2,846
8
3
99
Bryon Chew
Mattituck, N.Y.
Buzz Chew Chevrolet Chevrolet
82
$2,546
9
8
3
Joey McCarthy
Randolph, N.J.
STI Motorsports Chevrolet
82
$2,496
10
28
30
Jeff Anton
Russell, Mass.
Engineered Floors Chevrolet
82
$2,346
11
30
5
Barney McRae
Colchester, Vt.
Motion Racing Chevrolet
82
$2,700
12
7
96
Mike Johnson
Salisbury, Mass.
Johnson Lumber Ford
82
$2,246
13
16
10
Pierre Bourque
Ottawa, Ontario
canada.com/driving.ca Chevrolet
81
$2,221
Accident
14
29
32
Dale Quarterley
Westfield, Mass.
EDART Chevrolet
81
$1,600
15
24
24
Patrick Dupree*
Onchiota, N.Y.
Outback Steakhouse Dodge
78
$2,146
16
9
13
Todd Souza
Aromas, Calif.
Blanco Chevrolet
77
$1,500
Transmission
17
23
18
Richard Durivage, Jr.
Laval, Quebec
Miapoxy Chevrolet
77
$1,475
18
25
8
Rich Gould*
N. Brunswick, N.J.
Nassau Painting Chevrolet
74
$2,046
19
22
84
Dion Ciccarelli*
Severn, Md.
Jamerson Motorsports/Star Sales Ford
71
$2,021
Transmission
20
18
14
Joe Masessa
Franklin Lakes, N.J.
Skin Cancer Foundation Chevrolet
66
$1,996
Clutch
21
19
92
Doug Krpata
Bethpage, N.Y.
Island Trees Automotive Chevrolet
63
$1,375
Accident
22
17
16
Kip Stockwell
Braintree, Vt.
Stockwell Racing Chevrolet
62
$1,946
23
27
01
Charles Lewandoski
Stafford Springs, Conn.
Lewandoski Construction Chevrolet
60
$1,921
24
14
15
John Salemi
Nashua, N.H.
Waste Management Chevrolet
56
$1,896
Transmission
25
11
03
Rogelio Lopez
Mexico City, Mexico
Telmex/Lucas Oil Chevrolet
56
$1,896
Transmission
26
12
81
J.R. Fitzpatrick
Cambridge, Ontario
Thompson Motorsports Chevrolet
42
$1,300
Transmission
27
20
26
Scott Bouley
Thomaston, Conn.
Towne & Aurell Excavating Chevrolet
42
$1,896
Transmission
28
5
79
Brad Leighton
Center Harbor, N.H.
Waste Management Recycle America Dodge
39
$1,300
Transmission
29
21
11
Babe Branscombe
Northwood, N.H.
Waste Management Chevrolet
11
$1,300
Brakes
30
26
88
Laurence Moloney
Wayland, Mass.
JBR Racing Ford
0
$1,300
Engine
TIME OF RACE: 1 hour, 41 minutes, 56 seconds
AVERAGE SPEED: 73.845 miles per hour
MARGIN OF VICTORY: 0.184 seconds
CAUTION PERIODS: 5 for 27 laps
LEAD CHANGES: 7 among 4 drivers
LAP LEADERS: Kobyluck 1-15, Pardo 16-32, Olsen 33-37, Kobyluck 38-56, Hoar, 57-66, Pardo 67-71, Hoar 72, Pardo 73-82
BUSCH POLE AWARD: Matt Kobyluck, Mohegan Sun Chevrolet (54.504 seconds @ 101.057 mph)
POWERade POWER MOVE OF THE RACE AWARD: Barney McRae, Motion Racing Chevrolet
FEATHERLITE MOST IMPROVED DRIVER AWARD: Ruben Pardo, Movida/Family Dollar Dodge
FINAL UNOFFICIAL BUSCH EAST SERIES STANDINGS (wins)
1. Mike Olsen (2) 1823
2. Sean Caisse (3) 1699
3. Bryon Chew (1) 1656
4. Brian Hoar 1656
5. Matt Kobyluck (2) 1551
6. Joey McCarthy 1458
7. Mike Johnson 1437
8. Ruben Pardo (1) 1390
9. Jeff Anton 1353
10.Charles Lewandoski 1319
11.Kip Stockwell 1256
12.Dion Ciccarelli 1230
13.John Freeman 1216
14.John Salemi 1191
15.Tracy Gordon 1155
