LONG WAIT OVER ON SHORT TRACK.

Byline: TIM HADDOCK Motor Sports

For the first time in nearly 20 years, a Californian has won the NASCAR short track national championship.

By winning the NASCAR Super Late Models twin 50s at Irwindale Speedway last Saturday night, Canyon Country's Greg Pursley captured the Dodge Weekly Racing Series national championship.

``We never thought this would happen,'' Pursley said. ``I can tell you that.''

He became the first driver from California since Doug McCoun of Prunedale in 1985 to win the NASCAR short track national championship.

Pursley won $170,000 in prize money, $125,000 for the national championship and $45,000 for the Sunbelt Regional championship.

Pursley set a number of records en route to winning the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Racing Series title. He set Irwindale Speedway track marks for most wins in a season (13), most consecutive wins (five) and the qualifying record (17.817 seconds, 101.027 mph) at the half-mile track.

The NASCAR Dodge Weekly Racing Series is composed of eight regions across the nation. The Sunbelt Region consists of drivers from eight tracks in Arizona, California, Nevada, Texas, Tennessee and Georgia.

Irwindale Speedway driver Rip Michels won the Sunbelt Region title in 2003 before moving to the NASCAR Elite Division, Southwest Series. Michels, a driver from Mission Hills, is the top rookie on the Southwest Series.

Pursley finished third to Michels a year ago in the Super Late Model division at Irwindale Speedway.

``We had a lot of good battles,'' Pursley said. ``We ran each other pretty hard, and I think we both stepped up and became better drivers because of that.''

Pursley finished ahead of Andy Bozell from Kalamazoo (Mich.) Speedway in the Heartland Region, Doug Hoffmanr from Big Diamond (Pa.) Raceway in the Northeast Region and Charlie Menard from LaCrosse (Wis.) Fairgrounds Speedway in the Midwest Region.

--NASCAR Busch Series: Ron Hornaday Jr. will not be back with Richard Childress Racing as driver of the No. 2 Chevy on the NASCAR Busch Series in 2005, it was announced by the team on Wednesday.

``We had two great years with Ron and I wish him the best in the future,'' team president and CEO Richard Childress said in a statement. ``We talked about next season and beyond and felt it was in our best interests to make this announcement now to give him the best chance possible to catch on with another team.''

Hornaday Jr., the former Saugus Speedway champ and Palmdale resident, finished third in the NASCAR Busch Series points standings in 2003. He is sixth in the 2004 standings and will finish the season with the team.

``Racing at this level is a big business,'' Hornaday said. ``I understand what RCR has to do to enhance its NASCAR Nextel Cup Series efforts. We've had a pretty good run together and the friendships will still go on, but business is business.''

Hornaday has spent the past two years behind the wheel of the No. 2 Chevy. He has won two races, at Nazareth Speedway in Pennsylvania and The Milwaukee Mile in Wisconsin, in 60 Busch Series starts with RCR.

--NASCAR Grand National Division, West Series: Sean Woodside of Saugus finished 16th in the NAPA Auto Parts 200 at Douglas County Speedway in Oregon on Sunday.

The race was scheduled to run last Saturday night but was postponed because of rain.

Scott Lynch, the defending West Series champion, won his first race of the year, inheriting the lead when Mike Duncan and Austin Cameron slapped fenders about midway through the race.

``I don't know if we had anything for the 16 (Cameron) and the 9 car (Duncan),'' Lynch said. ``We just kind of played it smart and lady luck was on our side for once.''

Duncan recovered and finished third. He extended his lead in the points race to 83 over Cameron.

The next race on the West Series is Oct. 3 at Phoenix International Raceway.

--NASCAR Elite Division, Southwest Series: The StarNursery.com 150 at Tucson Raceway Park was rained out last Saturday night.

Bob Lyon, a driver from Agua Dulce, is battling for a spot in the top 10 and an invitation to the Toyota All-Star Showdown in November at Irwindale Speedway.

The race has been rescheduled for Oct. 10. It was the first Southwest Series race that has been rained out in nearly a decade.

CAPTION(S):

box

Box:

RACE WEEKEND