1988 Motorcraft/CARQUEST 300
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| 1988 Motorcraft/CARQUEST 300 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||||||
| Riverside | ||||||||
| June 11, 1988 | ||||||||
| Fin | Driver | Make | Laps | |||||
| 1 | Ron Esau (RES) | Chevy Camaro | 72 | |||||
| 2 | Mike Chase (RES) | Chevy Camaro | 72 | |||||
| 3 | Troy Beebe (RES) | Chevy Camaro | 72 | |||||
| 4 | Ken Pedersen (RES) | Pontiac Firebird | 72 | |||||
| 5 | Roy Smith (RES) | Ford Thunderbird | 72 | |||||
| 8 | Rick Hendrick (RES) | Chevy Camaro | 72 | |||||
| 19 | Roman Calczynski (RES) | Chevy Camaro | 68 | |||||
The 1988 Motorcraft/CARQUEST 300 was a Southwest Tour event held at Riverside International Raceway on June 11, 1988. Ron Esau won his final career race in the series.
[edit] Race Review
Ron Esau took the checkered flag in his Chevrolet Camaro to win the final 300-kilometer NASCAR Southwest Tour race Saturday at Riverside (Calif.) International Raceway.
It was the first victory of the season and the sixth of his career for Esau, 33.
Second was Mike Chase of Bakersfield, Calif., in another Camaro, a half-second behind. Third place went to Troy Beebe of Modesto, Calif., in another Camaro. Ken Pedersen of Sausalito, Calif., was fourth in a Pontiac Firebird.
Rick Hendrick held the lead and was running strong with eight laps to go in the NASCAR Southwest Tour event at Riverside Raceway when he slipped slightly off course and spun in Turn 6. Hendrick continued to finish eighth, completing all 72 laps.
Esau took the lead with eight laps remaining and win the $43,500 NASCAR Motorcraft 300 at Riverside International Raceway by one second.
"I wanted to be the last in victory circle here," said Esau after the win. "This has been an emotional year for me. This was my last chance to win a race here."
Esau, who pitted early in the 72-lap, 188-mile race to replace a blistered tire, worked his way back through the 42-car field. The 33-year-old former Southwest Tour champion then held off Mike Chase of Bakersfield. Both drove Chevrolet Camaros.
Esau won $8,043 for his sixth career Southwest Tour victory but his first in 1988. He also was the season's sixth different winner through eight of 19 events on the $470,000 circuit for All-American Challenge Series stock cars.