 It was an old-fashioned “Battle of the Sexes” at Infineon Raceway last Saturday, June 23rd as Bennett Lane Winery owners Randy and Lisa Lynch’s NASCAR West teams competed against each other for the first time at the much-anticipated wine country race. In the end it was Lisa’s Maximus car that came out ahead, finishing 2nd at Infineon thanks to the skill of driver P.J. Jones, son of racing legend Parnelli Jones. However, the number-one ranked Bennett Lane Winery Ford still managed to hold onto it’s first place position in the NASCAR West standings, finishing 24th out of 38, and now currently leads the NASCAR West standings by 85 points with 1,090 points overall this year.
The black and gold Maximus car, named for Bennett Lane’s signature wine blends, held a strong position among the top five spots throughout the race, pulling forward in the second half of the race to take 2nd. The yellow and purple Bennett Lane Winery Ford, driven by Mike David, started off well, holding a position in the top ten spots during the first part of the race. Late in the race, though, the Bennett Lane car slipped off the track into a tire barrier slingshotting the car to the back of the pack. With his car a little banged up, David was still able to make a quick recovery, finish the race and hold onto his first place title in the Western series.
Located at the northern end of the Napa Valley in Calistoga, Bennett Lane Winery is testament to the little winery that could. Still in the first few years of production, their wines have garnered top accolades and awards from wine critics and tasting panels across the United States. It’s fitting that their eponymous NASCAR team, including the new Maximus team, should demonstrate the same upstart determination to face and overcome the odds with aplomb.
“We’re proud of both Mike and P.J. and our crew” says Bennett Lane owner Randy Lynch. “Both drivers ran a really good race. We’re excited that Mike was able to hold his first place position in the NASCAR West standings, thanks to the help of the quick work of the Bennett Lane crew, and that P.J. finished so well in his first race with the Maximus car,” he says.
Bennett Lane will defend their first-place title next on June 30th at the Bi-Mart 150 at the Douglas County Speedway in Roseburg, Oregon. The schedule for the remainder of the NASCAR West season is below:
June 30 Douglas County Speedway – OR
July 4 Irwindale Speedway – CA
July 14 Miller Motorsports Park – UT
August 4 Evergreen Speedway – WA
August 11 California Speedway – Fontana, CA
Sept 15 Altamont Motorsports Park – Tracy, CA
For more information about the Bennett Lane Racing Team and to see racing schedule updates, please visit www.bennettlane.com or www.lynchracingteam.com.
ABOUT BENNETT LANE WINERY
Off the race track, Bennett Lane Winery is located in an understated Mediterranean-style building at the secluded and beautiful northern end of the Napa Valley, and boasts critically acclaimed wines for a great value. Bennett Lane produces five wines: a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($55), a limited production Primus Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($95), the Los Carneros Reserve Chardonnay ($45), Maximus ($35), a nontraditional blend of Cabernet, Merlot, and Syrah affectionately referred to on the label as a “red feasting wine,” and White Maximus ($28), a blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and a touch of Muscat, ideal for hot NASCAR days.
Located at 3340 Highway 128, approximately two miles north of Calistoga, Bennett Lane Winery is open to the public daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Guests are welcome to taste Bennett Lane’s wines ($10) and to use the winery’s picnic area. Every Saturday, the winery offers special dark chocolate and Maximus pairings. For more information about Bennett Lane Winery go to www.bennettlane.com or call 707.942.6684, or toll free at 1.877.MAX.NAPA. |
