Texas Speedzone - Buzbee Bags Big USRA Truck Win at San Antonio Speedway

San Antonio, TX (March 12, 2006) - In only his second United States Racing Association (USRA) Truck race, seventeen year-old Jody Buzbee of Waco, set fast time in qualifying and won the 50-lap feature race at San Antonio Speedway Saturday night.

For Immediate Release – March 12, 2006 Contact: Nick Holt, USRA Media Director cnholt@sbcglobal.net (210) 415-1251 (903) 576-4144 Buzbee Bags Big USRA Truck Win at San Antonio Speedway San Antonio, TX (March 12, 2006) - In only his second United States Racing Association (USRA) Truck race, seventeen year-old Jody Buzbee of Waco, set fast time in qualifying and won the 50-lap feature race at San Antonio Speedway Saturday night. Buzbee, whose prior racing experience was on dirt tracks in the Waco area, looked like he’d been racing on the tricky SAS paved half-mile oval all his life in setting second-fast time and then out-driving some of the most experienced asphalt drivers in Texas for the win. Defending USRA Truck Series Champion Shawn Paul Lehman of Manchaca set fast time (21.155 seconds), and started from the pole next to Keith Patrick of Helotes, while Buzbee (21.218 seconds) started fourth due to the traditional USRA “hat draw.” Lehman led for most of the race after jumping out to a nice early lead over Patrick, Craig Roper of Vernon, former Truck champion Bryan Meredith and Buzbee. But Buzbee drove like an old pro and by the 17th circuit found himself in second place when Meredith pitted with mechanical woes. Buzbee then gradually reeled in the leader and by lap 40 was filling Lehman’s mirror until the duo came across a group of several trucks battling for position with just a few laps remaining. No one in that group wanted to give an inch, so Lehman and Buzbee struggled with each other and with the lapped trucks for a lap or two until Buzbee suddenly jumped to the outside trapping Lehman behind one of the lapped trucks and took the lead with only four laps remaining. Buzbee had clear sailing from there and took the checkered flag three or four truck lengths ahead of Lehman and several seconds ahead of Patrick who was the last truck on the lead lap. “I don’t know how it did it, I just pulled it off,” Buzbee said when describing the winning pass. “Man, there was a lot of lapped traffic right there and I just found a hole and I shot for it. It worked. Most of my experience is on the dirt (tracks), but I like this pavement stuff and I love the trucks. I’m going to try to run for Rookie of the Year and just try to finish each race good.” “I just plain got beat,” Leman said after the race. “There was some lapped traffic in the way at the end, but that’s just part of racing. That kid (Buzbee) is one hell of a driver and I just plain got beat. He had the same traffic to deal with that I did and he beat me through it. We’ll just try again next race.” The only serious incident came on the seventh lap when veteran driver Jimmy Spillar of Spicewood lost control coming off the fourth turn, made contact with a lapped truck and slammed nearly head first into the grandstand retaining wall. Spillar was uninjured, but his truck was severely damaged and unable to continue. United States Racing Association Truck Series Results San Antonio Speedway - Saturday, March 11, 2006 1. (1) Jody Buzbee, Waco, TX, 50 Laps 2. (28) Shawn Paul Lehman, Manchaca, TX, 50 3. (21) Keith Patrick, Helotes, TX, 50 4. (44) Mike Mogensen, Magnolia, TX, 49 5. (31) Jim Albert, Lockhart, TX, 49 6. (2) Matt Howell, La Vernia, TX, 49 7. (64) Terry McCoul, Brookshire, TX, 49 8. (32) Neal Rogers, Luling, TX, 48 9. (12) Kevin Bendele, Adkins, TX, 47 10. (30) Bryan Meredith, Austin, TX, 46 11. (54) Steve Green, Marble Falls, TX, 33 12. (72) Brent Bell, Katy, TX, 17 13. (40) Craig Roper, Vernon, TX, 16 14. (59) Jimmy Spillar, Spicewood, TX, 6 15. (07) Rusty Mirth, Austin, TX, Did not start Margin of Victory: Four Truck Lengths Shawn Paul Lehman led laps 1-46; Jody Buzbee led laps 47-50 --30--