WS: Roseville II: Eric Schmidt race notes

Second place finish for Schmidt in NASCAR Camping World at Roseville

Roseville, Calif. -- Eric Schmidt piloted the #34 ATT / Yellowpages.com RTD Motorsports Chevrolet to a career-best second place finish in the "Toyota/Copart 150" for the NASCAR Camping World Series West at All American Speedway Saturday.

Schmidt, the veteran champion of All American Speedway, Stockcar Racing League, and Stockton 99 Speedway piloted a car that was a joint effort between Rob Dixon's RTD Motorsports and Frank Jordan's Golden State Racing.

Schmidt had previously recorded finishes of 16th and 29th in Golden State Racing Chevrolets.

The afternoon began with 90 degree temperatures and Schmidt running seventh in practice. A solid qualifying run for the team placed them just two tenths off of the pole in eighth position.

While Rob Dixon had put a good qualifying set up on the car, the race set up proved to be even better.

The sold-out crowd of nearly 5,000 witnessed the green flag for the 150 lap affair on the one-third mile asphalt oval, and Schmidt went to the front quickly. He avoided a multi-car crash on lap six to move into fifth place.

Schmidt continued to move forward, and assumed second position on lap 49 when he made a nice move around Greg Pursley and a slowing lapped car.

Despite fading brakes and heavy pressure from Pursley, Schmidt made two solid runs at leader Paulie Harraka. Restarts on laps 112 and 121 were Schmidt's best opportunities to clear Harraka but he couldn't complete the pass.

Schmidt pulled away comfortably to the finish to take home second place. The finish was also the best finish for Rob Dixon as a car owner in the series.

-credit: gsr