1986 Vons 200
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| 1986 Vons 200 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||||||
| Riverside | ||||||||
| May 31, 1986 | ||||||||
| Fin | Driver | Make | ||||||
| 1 | Ron Esau (RES) | Chevy | ||||||
| 2 | Duke Hoenshell (RES) | Pontiac | ||||||
| 3 | Doug Taylor (RES) | Chevy | ||||||
| 4 | Troy Beebe (RES) | Chevy | ||||||
| 5 | Jim Lee (RES) | Chevy | ||||||
| 16 | Roger Avants (RES) | Chevy | ||||||
| 17 | Terry Fisher (RES) | Chevy | ||||||
The 1986 Vons 200 was a Southwest Tour event held at Riverside International Raceway on May 31, 1986. Eventual season champ Ron Esau won his first series race.
[edit] Race Review
Esau, who was the second-fastest qualifier, led for most of the 48-lap race on the 2.62-mile road course before Duke Hoenschell, the race winner the past two years, passed his Camaro with four laps to go.
"We were side by side most of the way after that," said Esau, whose two previous RIR victories came in support races in 1980 and '82.
"We were rubbing wheels when we turned onto the back straight on the last lap. Just as we accelerated Duke's engine blew and he waved goodbye. If it hadn't blown, it would have been very interesting."
Esau will also be in today's Budweiser 400. He will start James Hylton's Chevrolet from the 29th position.
"I'm really feeling good about the way things are going right now," Esau said. "If I could get a good result today, it might help my career."
