NASCAR NOTEBOOK: BORNEMAN IN TOP SPOT IN PONTIAC 200.

Byline: Louis Brewster Staff Writer

FONTANA - The kids from El Cajon proved to be the fastest Thursday afternoon at California Speedway, sweeping the front row for the NASCAR Winston West Pontiac 200.

Johnny Borneman pushed his Wood-ease/Red Line Ford around the 2-mile superspeedway at 173.544 mph (41.488 seconds) to claim the pole for Saturday's 100-lap race. The 25-year-old will start alongside 20-year-old neighbor Brandon Whitt, making his debut in the series at 172.195.

Both drivers were quicker than Winston Cup regular Ken Schrader, whose best lap was 172.072 mph. Schrader, a two-time winner of this event, was ahead of Scott Lynch and Eric Norris, the defending race champion who is subbing for the ill Austin Cameron.

``I've been close before, but to win my first pole here, well, that's great,'' said Borneman, 12th in the points race behind leader Jim Inglebright, who finished seventh. ``We stayed up late last night, making adjustments. About 1 a.m., I was wore out and tired and told (crew chief) Kevin (Cram) that it was late.

``He said the guys who stay up the latest would wind up winning. We got out about 2, got up at 5 and came to the track.''

Borneman acknowledged it has been a difficult personal period. Steve Brucker, the promoter at Cajon Speedway, where Borneman cut his racing teeth, was murdered two weeks ago and boyhood friend Cameron was diagnosed with cancer this week.

``It's been a rough week,'' he said, ``I'm just excited about racing.''

Schrader is banking on experience in an attempt to win his ninth West race in 21 starts.

``It doesn't matter I did not get the pole,'' Schrader said. ``If you are anywhere near the front, you are fine. You just have to be in contention with 10 laps to go.''

--Seventh sellout: There are no vacant spots available in the 92,000-seat grandstand or in the infield for Sunday's Winston Cup race, speedway president Bill Miller announced Thursday. It marks the seventh sellout for a Winston Cup event at Fontana.

The only remaining option for admission Sunday is a three-day weekend wristband. Plenty of grandstand seats are available for Saturday's Busch Series race at $40 and $50.

``The race fans in Southern California have once again made a statement about the popularity of NASCAR racing in the marketplace,'' Miller said.

--Making a pitch: Tony Stewart earns his living in front of thousands of race fans. Tonight, at Edison Field in Anaheim, performing in front of a much smaller crowd will be nerve-racking.

``I can race three-wide all day long and that doesn't bother me,'' the 2002 Winston Cup champion said. ``But throwing a baseball in front of a packed house is harder.''

Stewart will throw out the first pitch at the Angels' game against the Boston Red Sox. His last experience in the sport was 1978 as a 7-year-old playing T-ball for the Columbus (Ind.) Parks and Recreation Deptartment. That was also the same year Stewart first drove a go-kart.

--Fast drive-thru: Michael Waltrip's pit crew leads DEI teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s over-the-wall gang by eight points after nine rounds of the McDonald's Drive-Thru Pit Championship. The Powerade-sponsored contest is the largest monetary contingency program in NASCAR history.

Each winning team during the season gets $20,000 and there is a $200,000 bonus for the season winner.