Sedgwick Returns a Winner : Former Saugus Regular Posts Narrow Victory in NASCAR Race

Bill Sedgwick of Van Nuys, a local boy, made good--and history--Saturday night at Saugus Speedway, driving to a 200-lap victory in the first NASCAR Winston West Series event at the track since 1977.

Sedgwick, 34, a Saugus regular from 1979-83, became the first rookie in the series’ 36-year history to win three main events as he survived a smoking finish to nip Hershel McGriff of Green Valley, Ariz., by three seconds at the finish line. Sedgwick earned $5,000 for the win.

Sedgwick held the lead for 103 laps, including the final 66. But with six laps remaining, smoke began seeping from underneath Sedgwick’s car and his five-second lead over McGriff began to dwindle.

“I don’t know what that smoke was, but it scared the hell out of me,” said Sedgwick, who, with the win, clinched the series’ rookie of the year award. “It must have been a bad brake pedal. I thought I was going to have heart failure right then. I slowed down, tried to coast if I could.”

Sedgwick, who started the race in sixth position, made three quick pit stops--two after a yellow flag on Lap 40 to change tires. He assumed the lead for the first time with an outside pass of McGriff on Lap 90. Sedgwick averaged 58.4 m.p.h.

McGriff, who began the race in the pole position, pitted once, along with Sedgwick on Lap 123.

Roy Smith of Victoria, Canada, who finished third, moved ahead of Bill Schmitt of Redding to take the series’ lead by four points. Schmitt entered the evening with a one-point lead over Smith.

In the 40-lap Sportsman division main event, Dave Phipps of Simi Valley continued his move toward the top of the points standings and a third consecutive track championship with his second consecutive and division-high fifth main-event win of the season.

Phipps, who began the evening third in the standings behind leader Keith Spangler of Northridge and Gary Sigman of Carson, began the race in third position but moved into the lead on Lap 3. Phipps withstood a hard charge from Will Harper of Tarzana the rest of the way before taking the checkered flag by a car’s length.

“I had to keep it safe,” Phipps said. “There was no point in taking any chances. I had to keep the car straight and not make any errors. Will Harper was right behind me.”

Spangler maintained his points lead with his third-place finish, but Phipps moved into second ahead of Sigman, who was forced from the race after a crash with Jim Morrill of Lancaster.

Morrill left the track in an ambulance with undisclosed injuries but Sigman, whose mangled car was towed from the track, was unhurt. The crash and ensuing cleanup delayed the race for 30 minutes.