With Lime Rock Park Victory
Lakeville, CT (August 16, 2008): Matt Kobyluck cemented
his reputation as the "Road Racing King" in the NASCAR Camping World
Series East by posting his third straight win and fourth of the season
at Lime Rock Park road course in his homestate of Connecticut Saturday
afternoon. Kobyluck put the Mohegan Sun Casino Chevrolet out front
after starting from the pole and led 41 of 82 laps before taking the
checkers. Kobyluck also won earlier this year at the series only other
road course - Watkins Glen International.
"I got a knack for road racing and I proved that this year
by winning both road course events," Kobyluck said. "We have a great
package. My guys put together the best car you can possibly have on a
road course and that just gives me the opportunity to go out there and
let it all hang out. I don't know what it is about the road course,
but I have a lot of fun."
Qualifying was rained out Friday afternoon forcing NASCAR
to line up the field by points. Kobyluck, the series point leader, was
awarded the pole position with Trevor Bayne on the outside. At the
drop of the green, Kobyluck wasted no time moving to the front of the
pack.
The race went green for ten full circuits before the first
caution flew. Kobyluck came down the front stretch with pit road
closed at lap eleven. After the top three cars went by the entrance,
however, NASCAR opened up the pits. Kobyluck led a procession down pit
road at lap 12.
"You can't send the top-three cars by and then open it up
for the rest of the field," said Kobyluck. "Fortunately it played out
the way it should have."
Racing resumed at lap 15 with Kobyluck in the 14th spot.
Patiently and methodically, Kobyluck maneuvered the Mohegan Sun
Chevrolet through the field and worked his way up 10 spots before the
next caution flew at lap 23.
On the restart at lap 31, Kobyluck shot by Scott Bouley
and Mike Olsen to take over second. He knew there was little time with
the clouds above getting darker and darker. Kobyluck closed in on
then-leader Brian Ickler, but didn't have an opportunity to pass
before the next caution flew.
The field went back to green at lap 38 with Kobyluck
challenging Ickler on the outside. The two were side-by-side going
into one, but Ickler remained the leader. On the same lap, Jason
Holehouse hit a tire wall at the entrance to big bend and brought out
the caution. The rain began to fall, and the race was put under red
flag conditions at lap 48.
After an hour and fifteen minutes, the drivers were
summoned back to their cars and the race was back underway at lap 51.
Ickler went out front, but Kobyluck made his presence known. Coming
into the west bend, Ickler spun his car and Kobyluck took over the
lead.
"I didn't think it was slick at all (after the rain), but
apparently it was a little too slick for the 15," said Kobyluck. "He
just made a mistake. I made a move coming into west bend, but it was a
fake move. I really wasn't going to pass him, and he made a mistake.
He got in a little too hot, wheel hopped it, then carried the freeness
up off the corner, and spun it."
Once out front, Kobyluck went unchallenged for the
remainder of the race and took the checkers 1.636 seconds ahead of
runner-up Marc Davis.
"We were only running about 75 percent. We had a lot left
to go. It's great to be in a position such as that," Kobyluck said.
"Back five years ago, I would have never thought I would be in victory
lane at a road course. Now we've just hit on some things and I know
what I want in a car. This is great. We are peaking at the right time
and we are building points every week and we're winning races to
boot."
Unofficially, Kobyluck leads the series points by 135 over
Trevor Bayne with only four events remaining in the 2008 season.
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