Matt Kobyluck Tops Busch East Series At Thompson; Takes Over Series Lead As Caisse Is First Car Out Of Race; Brian Hoar Second; Charles Lewandoski Career-Best Third
THOMPSON, Conn. – Matt Kobyluck won his first NASCAR Grand National Division, Busch East Series race of the season, the Pepsi Busch East 100 at Thompson International Speedway Thursday night, and took over the series point lead. He took the lead when Sean Caisse suffered drivetrain failure after leading the first 13 laps. Caisse, the former point leader, was scored 28th and last in the field.
Brian Hoar chased Kobyluck to the checkered flag, less than half a second behind, with Charles Lewandoski recording a career-best third place finish. Mike Johnson was fourth, Bryon Chew fifth, and Mike Olsen sixth. Dave Dion, Jamie Aube, Ruben Pardo, and John Salemi completed the top ten.
Caisse won his third consecutive Busch Pole Award and looked strong in the lead before suddenly slowing on the front straight and pulling into an auxiliary pit entrance. Kobyluck was never headed from that point, but did have to fight off side-by-side challenges from Hoar on half a dozen restarts. “He could stay with us for four or five laps, but then we started to pull away,” the winner stated, adding “Brian’s a good driver and he raced me clean. I appreciate that.
Lewandoski was a strong climber from his eleventh starting position, moving into third place after dueling with Johnson just after the halfway mark. Kobyluck and Hoar were just too strong for the second-year driver who had never scored a top ten until the 2006 season opener. Chew and Olsen enlivened the final 10 circuits with a battle resolved in Chew’s favor on the last lap.
Aube earned the POWERade Power Move of the Race Award for finishing eighth after starting in the last row. Hoar was the Featherlite Most Improved Driver, topping last week’s finish by 16 positions. In addition to recording his first career top ten, Pardo was the top Sunoco Rookie contender.
Seven caution periods for 45 laps slowed the action as 23 of 28 starters finished, 18 of them on the lead lap. Kobyluck averaged 60.935 miles per hour and won $6,500 for his ninth career Busch East Series triumph.
Kobyluck unofficially leads Olsen by 14 points heading into next Saturday’s Local Dodge Dealers 150 at Lake Erie Speedway in North East, Pa.
NASCAR GRAND NATIONAL DIVISION, BUSCH EAST SERIES
Pepsi 100
Thompson International Speedway, Thompson, Conn., Thursday, June 29, 2006
Finish
Start
Car #
Driver
Hometown
Car
Laps
Money Won
Reason Out
1
3
40
Matt Kobyluck
Uncasville, Conn.
Mohegan Sun Chevrolet
100
$6,500
2
5
45
Brian Hoar
Williston, Vt.
Goss Dodge Dodge
100
$4,465
3
11
01
Charles Lewandoski
Stafford Springs, Conn.
Lewandoski Construction Chevrolet
100
$3,200
4
4
96
Mike Johnson
Salisbury, Mass.
Johnson Lumber Ford
100
$3,000
5
8
99
Bryon Chew
Mattituck, N.Y.
Buzz Chew Chevrolet Chevrolet
100
$2,500
6
9
61
Mike Olsen
N. Haverhill, N.H.
Little Trees Chevrolet
100
$1,950
7
6
29
Dave Dion
Hudson, N.H.
Berlin City Ford
100
$1,550
8
27
67
Jamie Aube
Manchester, N.H.
Red Line Oil Chevrolet
100
$2,500
9
14
12
Ruben Pardo
Mexico
Supercuts Dodge
100
$1,475
10
17
15
John Salemi
Nashua, N.H.
Waste Management Chevrolet
100
$1,400
11
13
16
Kip Stockwell
Braintree, Vt.
Stockwell Racing Chevrolet
100
$1,375
12
18
33
Tracy Gordon
Strong, Maine
The Woodworks/Archer Corp. Ford
100
$1,350
13
19
3
Joey McCarthy
Randolph, N.J.
STI Motorsports Chevrolet
100
$1,275
14
15
8
Rich Gould
N. Brunswick, N.J.
Nassau Painting Chevrolet
100
$1,225
15
25
25
Jeremy Clark*
Cortland, N.Y.
ING Chevrolet
100
$1,200
16
16
84
Dion Ciccarelli*
Severn, Md.
Jamerson Motorsports/Star Sales Ford
100
$1,175
17
21
10
Pierre Borque*
Ottawa, Ont.
Full Metal Minerals Chevrolet
100
$1,150
18
22
24
Patrick Dupree
Onchiota, N.Y.
Outback Steakhouse Chevrolet
100
$1,150
19
7
5
John Freeman
Huntersville, N.C.
Freeman's Stereo Video Chevrolet
99
$1,150
20
2
48
Eddie MacDonald
Rowley, Mass.
N.E. Mechanical Overlay Chevrolet
98
$1,150
21
20
41
Don Wagner
Wharton, N.J.
Mannings USA/Snacketizers Chevrolet
98
$650
22
23
14
Joe Masessa
Franklin Lakes, N.J.
Skin Cancer Foundation Chevrolet
95
$1,150
23
26
26
Scott Bouley
Thomaston, Conn.
IGS Propane Chevrolet
85
$1,150
24
10
30
Jeff Anton
Russell, Mass.
Engineered Floors Chevrolet
65
$1,150
Mechanical
25
24
98
John Cerbone
City Island, N.Y.
Apache Fishing Chevrolet
63
$650
Accident
26
28
97
Brent Cross
Cortland, N.Y.
Cummings Auto Machine Chevrolet
60
$1,150
Handling
27
12
7
James Civali
Meriden, Conn.
Nick Perricone, M.D. Chevrolet
27
$650
Accident
28
1
44
Sean Caisse
Pelham, N.H.
Casella Waste Systems Chevrolet
14
$2,150
Rear End
TIME OF RACE: 1 hour, 1 minute, 15 seconds
AVERAGE SPEED: 60.735 mph
MARGIN OF VICTORY: 0.415 seconds
CAUTION PERIODS: 7 for 45 laps
LEAD CHANGES: 1 between 2 drivers
LAP LEADERS: Sean Caisse 1-13, Matt Kobyluck 14-100
BUSCH POLE AWARD: Sean Caisse, Casella Waste Systems Chevrolet (20.315 seconds & 110.756 mph)
POWERADE POWER MOVE OF THE RACE AWARD: Jamie Aube, Red Line Oil Chevrolet
FEATHERLITE MOST IMPROVED DRIVER AWARD: Brian Hoar, Goss Dodge
UNOFFICIAL BUSCH EAST SERIES POINT STANDINGS (wins)
1. Matt Kobyluck (1) 669
2. Mike Olsen 655
3. Bryon Chew (1) 629
4. Sean Caisse (2) 611
5. Charles Lewandoski 599
6. Mike Johnson 588
7. Kip Stockwell 532
8. Brian Hoar 525
9. Joey McCarthy 504
10. Eddie MacDonald 488
NEXT RACE: Local Dodge Dealers 150, Lake Erie Speedway, North East, Pa., Saturday, July 8
