Webb finds Victory Lane at Farley

July 9, 2001
12:12 PM EDT (1612 GMT)

FARLEY, Iowa -- Gary Webb picked up his second O'Reilly Auto Parts All-Star Series, NASCAR Touring win of 2001 on Friday night here at the Farley Speedway.

Webb, driving a Grand American Late Model sponsored by Freeport Recycling, MDI Environmental Systems and Moring Disposal, won the Iowa Illinois Taylor Insulation 50.

The race was the O'Reilly Series' only scheduled appearance for this season at the half-mile dirt oval promoted by Simmons Promotions Inc.

Series point leader Kyle Berck of Marquette, Neb., took the immediate lead in the 50-lapper, holding off Steve Kosiski of Papillion, Neb., and Rick Wendling of Hazleton, Iowa, the first two laps. Wendling and Kosiski then switched spots for the third through fifth laps.

Webb, who started on the inside of the third row, became a threat on the sixth lap when he put his no. 56 car into third place. He followed Berck and Wendling from third position until the 28th lap, when Omaha, Neb., Joe Kosiski scooted by him.

But one lap later Kosiski would bring out the yellow flag for a flat tire and, after a pitstop, restart at the rear.

On the 30th-lap restart, Webb passed Wendling for second. Then, on the 32nd circuit, he took the lead with an outside pass. Wendling followed and Berck dropped back to third.

Wendling challenged Webb on the 36th, 37th and 42nd laps, pulling up to the leaderís back bumper, but there was no denying Webb the win. Berck stayed in third place until retiring on the 40th go-round with what appeared to be an overheated right rear brake.

As the checkers flew, it was Webb; Wendling; Steve Kosiski; Denny Eckrich of Tiffin, Iowa; and Jeff Aikey of Cedar Falls, Iowa, in that order.

In a post-race interview, Webb described his pass for the lead: "Well, I think I guessed right on the outside move for the pass. But I thought Rick Wendling gave me a good run. I want to thank Jim Groves and everyone at Iowa Illinois Taylor Insulation for putting the race on."

Berck, who had a 45-point margin on Joe Kosiski for the O'Reilly Auto Parts All-Star Series point lead going into the race, ended up in 20th place in the event as a result of falling out early. Kosiski, after restarting at the rear following his pitstop, finished 11th.

Going into the Saturday, July 7, O'Reilly Series race at West Liberty (Iowa) Raceway, Berck holds a slim 18-point (1,221-to-1,203) margin over Kosiski for the point lead. Other top point-getters are Webb, 1,135; Ray Guss Jr. of Milan, Ill., 1,131; and Ed Kosiski of Ralston, Neb., 1,125.

Winning qualifying races Friday at Farley Speedway were Wendling, Steve Kosiski, Aikey and Jay Johnson of West Burlington, Iowa. Chuck Mayerhofer of Dixon, Iowa, won a consolation event.

Aikey won the Bud Pole Award for earning the most passing points during the qualifiers.

Forty cars and drivers signed in for the eighth O'Reilly Auto Parts All-Star Series race of the season.