WHITT MOVES TO HEAD OF FEATHERLITE SOUTHWEST SERIES ROOKIE CLASS

Source: NASCAR MEDIA RELATIONS
Date: 03/26/2002

El Cajon, Calif. (March 25, 2002) Brandon Whitt used hometown motivation and track experience to qualify in the fifth starting position for Saturday's 125-lap clash at Cajon Speedway. Whitt topped fellow ROTY contenders in qualifying with a quick lap of 16.037/84.180 mph for the fourth fastest time. With the invert of eight, Whitt started the event in the fifth starting position and that is where he stayed the entire race, finishing in the fifth position.

Eight ROTY contenders were in attendance but only four drivers made the show after the qualifying session. With rain delaying on-track activities for nearly three hours and a looming curfew, NASCAR Officials had to scratch the non-qualifiers race which left Thomas Martin, Dan Holtz, Greg Voight, and Adam Andretti to finish the evening as spectators, as their qualifying times left them outside the top 18.

With Whitt's top five finish, he jumps to the ROTY points lead over Jason Allen, with hard luck driver David Gilliland in third. Andretti drops to fourth, and Jason Fensler holds down the fifth position.

Rookie's can only compile ROTY points for finishes in feature events, which means all Rookies have two races each weekend. First the race to qualify, and then the race to finish.

Featherlite Southwest Series, NASCAR Touring Declared Rookie-of-the-Year Candidates

Car# Name Hometown Sponsor Car Mfg. 74 Jason Allen Las Vegas, Nev. Buzards Eye Institute Pontiac 86 Adam Andretti Brownsburg, Ind. US Bank Chevrolet 30 Steve Belletto Modesto, Calif. California Hot Woods Chevrolet 30 Chris Cook Phoenix, Ariz. Kevis Chevrolet 75 Jason Fensler Wilton, Calif. Fensler Motorsports Chevrolet 48 David Gilliland Riverside, Calif. Lukes Transmission Chevrolet 89 Blake Hansen Dallas, Tex. Hansen Motorsports Chevrolet 23 Dan Holtz Pacific Palisades, Ca. Thompson Motorsports Ford 21 Thomas Martin Auburn, Calif. American Body & Frame Chevrolet 09 Greg Voight Santa Barbara, Calif. Belstein Shocks Chevrolet 28 Brandon Whitt El Cajon, Calif. Moen Faucets Chevrolet

Rookie-of-the-Year Standings after Race #2 of the 2002 Featherlite Southwest Series, NASCAR Touring event at Cajon Speedway in El Cajon, Calif.

Saturday, March 23, 2002. Car # Driver Points Cajon Qualifying Cajon Finish

28 Brandon Whitt 18 4th 5th

74 Jason Allen 16 18th 12th

48 David Gilliland 12 17th 24th

86 Adam Andretti 10 DNQ DNS

75 Jason Fensler 9 DNQ DNS

30 Steve Belletto 8 24th 15th

21 Thomas Martin 6 DNQ DNS

23 Dan Holtz 4 DNQ DNS

Brandon Whitt was the FSWS Rookie-of-the-Race with a 5th place finish at Cajon Speedway. Whitt leads the ROTY race going into the next FSWS event at Mesa Marin Raceway April 6, 2002.

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