Late Race Wreck Results In 25th Place Finish For Mohegan Sun Racing

Matt Kobyluck was one of eight drivers to lead the Relocate Here 200 at California Speedway Friday night, and was well on his way to contending for a spot in the top-three in the AutoZone West Series race when all havoc broke loose. Kobyluck’s day came to a screeching halt after hitting the inside retaining wall at lap 71 as a result of contact with the 66 car. The Mohegan Sun Casino Chevrolet was destroyed in the incident, and the team was left to ponder a 25th place finish on the cross-country trip home.

“We definitely had the car to beat. We just needed to get back through traffic and we were working our way back through. I definitely thought we were going to be able to do it, and we were fast, but as they say the fastest guy doesn’t always win,” a dejected Kobyluck said.

Kobyluck, who was making his third start in the West Series this year, kicked off the event with a qualifying effort fast enough to earn him the seventh starting position in the race. The team

The #40 Mohegan Sun Chevrolet  (NASCAR Photo)

was pleased with their effort, and was confident in being competitive around the two-mile facility.

“That track picks up so much speed when the sun goes down, and most of the people that went out went out after the sun went down. We qualified seventh fastest with the sun out and we still stayed up there in the top-10 so we knew we had a good car.”

Kobyluck maintained a position just outside of the top-five during the early parts of the race, but a swift pit stop on the part of the team gained Kobyluck several positions. Kobyluck went from sixth to third before the race got back to green flag action. Unfortunately, as Kobyluck continued to gain momentum, the team discussed how they would, indeed, have to come back in.

“We should have been able to go the distance at that point, but unfortunately on pit road they didn’t get the fuel cell full. I think (crew chief) Perry Waite thought the cell was full and he was yelling to let me go, but they only had one can done.”

Kobyluck took the lead at lap 60 and led for two circuits before giving it up for a pit stop. Kobyluck would have to restart the race from the 22nd position. He was up to 17th when all eyes turned to Rogelio Lopez, whose car went airborne, first landing on his roof, before violently flipping back onto all four wheels. Kobyluck and the 66 car made contact in the aftermath.

“I had just gone underneath the 66 car. I was almost door to door with him off turn two. The wreck was happening going into turn three. Before I could even take my foot out of the gas, the 66 spotter panicked or the driver panicked – I don’t know -- and he just took a hard left.”

Kobyluck thought he may have broke his foot in the incident, but it turned out that he was fine. He was checked out and released from the infield car center.

“My foot was sideways jammed underneath the brake pedal. I was talking to the guys on the radio, and I pulled it out from underneath the pedal and it popped back in, so it was just out of the socket,” Kobyluck said.

His car, which he was contemplating using at Loudon next week, was completely destroyed.

“The car is scrap metal. That is all that is left of it. It’s unfortunate because it was an awesome race car and we hate losing one like that – that’s for sure.”