Chew Salvages 10th Place Finish At Toyota All-Star Showdown : Raceway Media

Irwindale, CA (November 13, 2004): Bryon Chew’s nightmares would have seemed like a vacation compared to his experience in the Toyota All-Star Showdown. The driver, who started 14th in the 150-lap invitation-only event, survived a race blemished by 12 caution periods and two red flags before a last-lap incident destroyed the No. 99 STA-RITE Pumps Chevrolet.

“It was a tough night here at Irwindale I can tell you that. My guys worked very hard on the STA-RITE car all weekend long. I tried everything I could to keep on bouncing back. I kept on getting the worst breaks. That’s how my whole season went. I had one more chance left to bring it home for the boys and I just couldn’t do it. It’s very, very disappointing,” Chew said.

The first 100-lap segment was a team competition, which saw Chew consistently run in the top-10. His tenth place position at lap 100 helped earn the Busch North contingents the team award and a $2,000 bonus for each driver.

It was the final 50 laps of the race that proved to be detrimental for the STA-RITE Pumps race team, and the last time Chew’s favorite car would be seen in one piece. On lap 102, Chew, with fresh Goodyear rubber on his machine, was ready to work on moving up through the field.

The incident began when West Series driver Austin Cameron and Busch North Series driver Matt Kobyluck made contact on the backstretch. Chew was unable to find a clear path through and was collected in the carnage. After a quick pit stop, Chew was back in the race and taking the green in 11th place.

Chew was more determined then ever, and by lap 116, had made his way up to eighth and was looking for a way around Ryan Moore. Caution slowed his progress at lap 121, and Chew was even able to escape major wreckage on a lap 122 restart when several cars, including that of Ryan Moore, were involved in a front stretch melee.

Following a red-flag condition for the clean-up, Chew restarted the race in the seventh spot. A heated battle for the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth positions evolved with Chew showing no signs of relenting. On lap 130, the 47 car of Kelly Moore tried to put a fender on Chew and the two went into a slow spin in turn two bringing out yet another caution period.

Chew, still filled with determination and expectations for a decent finish, restarted the race in the sixth spot. It was clear that Chew was headed for a top-five finish after battling with Mike Olsen, but as the cars came to the white flag, Scott Lynch tried to bump Matt Kobyluck out of second and the two spun. With no-where to go, Chew ran into him. Chew went almost another lap in the No. 99 STA-RITE Pumps Chevrolet before his car caught on fire.

“I came out of the turn and I didn’t know where to go. I tried to go low and he (Lynch) just swung backwards. He was going sideways when we were going across the line. We battled back many, many times, and then that was it,” Chew said.

“This race was a disgrace really – for both of the divisions. We were supposed to be the elite of the touring series’ and look at all the torn up racecars.”

Chew was awarded with a tenth place finish.

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