Texas Speedzone - Bendele Bags Big USRA Super Late Model Win at OktoberFAST

For Immediate Release – October 8, 2006

Contact: Nick Holt, USRA Media Director
cnholt@sbcglobal.net
(210) 690-8564 (office)
(210) 415-1251 (cell)

Bendele Bags Big USRA Super Late Model Win at OktoberFAST

San Antonio, TX (October 8, 2006) – Brandon Bendele added another big victory to his impressive racing resume Saturday night, winning the prestigious United States Racing Association (USRA) Super Late Model (SLM) “TexasSpeedZone 125” at San Antonio Speedway’s 10th Annual OktoberFAST.

Bendele, who convincingly won last year’s OktoberFAST event at the tricky, half-mile paved oval, didn’t have an easy win this time, however, taking the checkered by only two or three feet – four at the most - over hard-charging Casey Smith.

“If it had been a 126-lap race I would have lost,” Bendele said. “I picked up a throttle push towards the end and I could see Casey coming fast. I got a good bite coming off turn four and Casey didn’t, so I was able to get back by him just before the at the finish line. We rubbed a couple times, but it’s good racing when you have two good drivers beat it up a little bit and put on a good show for the fans.”

Bendele set fast time (18.061 seconds) in qualifying, but started fifth after the six fastest qualifiers drew for position. Smith qualified third (18.222 seconds) and drew the pole position, while rookie Matt Merrell was second quickest (18.200 seconds) and started fourth. Last year’s second-place finisher Todd McLemore (18.237 seconds) started on the outside pole.

At the start, Smith jumped out to an early lead while Bendele concentrated on working his way past the rest of the front-runners. By lap 30 Smith had a mirror full of Bendele.

Meanwhile, a few car lengths back, veteran Greg Davidson was enjoying a solid run, passing his son Chris on the 21st lap for fourth and McLemore a few laps later for third.

The race was clean and green until half way when Greg Davidson and San Antonio Speedway regular Robert Barker got together coming down the front straight with Barker spinning in to the outside concrete wall to bring out the caution.

During the caution period all the leaders pitted to take on their allotted two tires. After some fast and furious work by their respective teams, Bendele was first out of the pits followed by Smith, Merrell, Chris Davidson, Greg Davidson and McLemore. Greg Davidson was soon back in the pits, however, with sparks flying from under the right front suspension, ending an otherwise great run.

After the restart, Bendele was able to hang onto the lead until lap 80 when Smith, after working him over for several laps, finally got by on the inside through turns one and two. Three laps later Jonathan Beason found the turn three wall to bring out the second yellow flag of the evening. This time Bendele, Merrell and McLemore pitted for adjustments while Smith and Chris Davidson stayed out.

It wasn’t long before the third caution flag flew when Smith and Chris Davidson made contact and spun in turn four. This put Bendele back in the lead with Merrell between him and Smith with 28 laps remaining.

Once Smith got by Merrell (lap 115), Smith steadily closed in on Bendele. With 10 to go Bendele had a 1.5 second lead. With seven to go, the lead was down to 0.55 seconds. With five left Smith within three car lengths. And with three remaining the duo was bumper to bumper.

The next two laps had the near capacity crowd on their feet as Bendele and Smith raced side-by-side, bumping each other at times, but racing each other clean. It was obvious that Bendele’s handling was getting worse and worse while Smith’s was getting better and better. Smith was almost entirely past Bendele going through the final turn, but Bendele was able to get a good grip on the outside while Smith lost a bit of traction coming off the turn on the inside. Bendele made it to the line first, about three or four feet ahead of Smith while the crowd went wild.

Merrell and Chris Davidson were the only other cars on the lead lap.

“It took a while for my car to come back in after the tire change,” Smith said. "One more lap would have done it. We had a good car. We got behind Brandon when he came earlier on the pit stop. After the restart we got back by him but got spun out. It was just a racing deal. We worked our way back from a straightaway down with 12 laps to go. Making that up and trying to pass for the lead on the final lap was pretty exciting. I knew it was going to be tough to get around him. His car looked to get tighter while mine was getting better and better. It good to finish a race after some of the luck we've had here with broken parts."

Results of the USRA Super Late Model “TexasSpeedZone.Com 125” at the 10th Annual OktoberFAST at San Antonio Speedway, 10/07/06

Position, Car Number, Name, Hometown, Qualifying Time, Laps Completed

1. (6) Bandon Bendele, San Antonio, 18.061, 125 Laps
2. (9) Casey Smith, Austin, 18.222, 125
3. (03) Matt Merrell, Portland, 18.200, 125
4. (41) Chris Davidson, Pearland, 18.320, 125
5. (54) Todd McLemore, Austin, 18.237, 123
6. (11) Tommy Grothues, San Antonio, 18.900, 121
7. (4) Donny Horelka, Jourdanton, DNT, 113
8. (36) Jonathan Beason, Broken Arrow, OK, DNT, 83
9. (96) Greg Davidson, Pearland, 18.433, 65
10. (17) Robert Barker, Boerne, DNT, 60
11. (8) David Sevilla, San Antonio, DNT. 45
12. (23) Larry Bendele, Adkins, DNT, 31
13. (57) John Kelly, La Vernia, 18.761, 24
14. (24) Jeremy Hernandez, San Antonio, DNT, 10
15. (49) Robert Walton, Del Valle, DNT, DNS

Lap Leaders: Smith led 1-64; McLemore led 65; B. Bendele led 66-79p; Smith led 80-94; Merrell led 95; B. Bendele led 96-125

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