Chuck Barnes of Louisville, Kentucky won the inaugural Polar Bear 150 for street stock cars held yesterday, January 1, 2009, at the Rockingham Speedway. Barnes battled Brett Hudson of Owensboro, Kentucky for most of the event before Hudson's engine let go with nine laps remaining. Barnes crossed the finish line one second ahead of Clinton, Indiana driver Anthony White to etch his name in the record books.

Eight thousand hardcore race fans were on hand to see the sixty-six car starting field take the green flag in chilly weather. Lined up three abreast in twenty-two rows, it was a spectacular start on the historical one mile track located in Race Country USA. Thirty-one cars finished the five hour long race.

The race was slowed by 14 caution flags and stopped by three red flags. The final red flag came when Bryan Silas of Stuart, Fla., slid off the Turn 4 banking and slammed into the energy-absorbing barrels buffering the wall at the pit entrance.

Silas' car bounced high, spreading sheet metal from the car and debris from the barrels across pit road. But the driver was not seriously hurt, springing from his car to stand on the car's still-intact roll cage and wave to the crowd with both arms.

Track President Andy Hillenburg hopes the race will become a traditional midwinter date at the Rockingham Speedway.