SPEARS Southwest Tour Series Returns to Irwindale Speedway


SPEARS Southwest Tour Series Returns to Irwindale Speedway

 

 

This Saturday night the SPEARS Southwest Tour Series will make its first appearance at Irwindale Speedway since 2010, for the “51 FIFTY Energy Drink 100 presented by AmeriPride Services”, which is the first race of the “2014 Pat Pettit Memorial Triple Crown”. Saturday’s race has shaped up to be one of Irwindale’s biggest shows of the year, as the SPEARS Southwest Tour Series will be joined Saturday night by the Lucas Oil Modified Series, the SRL S2 Series, Legends and Bandoleros. Spectator Gates open at 4pm, Autograph Session at 5:45, Racing at 7pm.

 

 

NEWS and NOTES:

 

CHAMPIONSHIP BATTLE – Last year’s SPEARS Southwest Tour Series Rookie-of-the-Year Jeremy Doss of Upper Lake, California will carry the championship lead into this Saturday’s race with 1005 points, followed by Derek Thorn at 987. Brandon White is third with 952, Ross Strmiska is fourth with 906 and Jacob Gomes is fifth with 869 points.

 

NATIONAL TV – Both the SPEARS Southwest Tour Series and Lucas Oil Modified races this weekend will be televised on MAVTV at a later date.

 

TRIPLE CROWN – The “Pat Pettit Memorial Triple Crown” will pay a cash bonus to the winner at Irwindale Speedway on Saturday for a total of $5,003 for the win. The September 28th race at Pikes Peak International Raceway will pay a series record of $15,003 to the winner, and the winner of the “Pat Pettit Memorial Triple Crown” finale at Kern County Raceway Park on November 1st will take home $10,003 for the win.

 

KANKE RETURNS – M.K. Kanke, the winningest driver in SPEARS Southwest Tour Series history at Irwindale Speedway will be back in action in his famed RPM Motor Sports #33.

 

PAST RACE WINNERS – Drivers who have SPEARS Southwest Tour Series wins at Irwindale Speedway include; M.K. Kanke (10/10/09, 9/4/10, 11/27/10), Jim Pettit II (4/26/08), Troy Ermish (7/18/09), and Jonathon Gomez (7/17/10).

 

TRACK RECORD – Derek Thorn set the one-lap SPEARS Southwest Tour Series track record at Irwindale on July 17th, 2010 at 17.635 seconds, in the Bob Strandwold Racing #2 Chevrolet.

 

NEW DRIVERS –Toni McCray, Christian McGhee and Jeff Seifert plan to make their SPEARS Southwest Tour Series driving debut this weekend.

 

ROOKIE CHASE – After his fourth place finish at Stockton 99 Speedway, Black Diamond, Washington’s Garret Archer extended his Rookie-of-the-Year Challenge points lead.

 

SPEARS HOME RACE – Series title sponsor Spears Manufacturing is based in Sylmar, California, making Saturday’s race at Irwindale Speedway the closest event to their headquarters. Spears will host over 250 guests at Saturday’s event.

 

LUCAS OIL MODIFIEDS – Saturday night will mark the second of three races in 2014 that the SPEARS Southwest Tour Series and the Lucas Oil Modifieds will be paired up at the same event.

 

SRL S2 SERIES – This weekend will be the third of four races for the SRL S2 Tour Series at Irwindale Speedway in 2014. Brandon Weaver of Bakersfield, CA leads the series with 1268 points, followed by Nastasia Dodd at 1175, Bill Waters at 1155, Johnny Butler 1096, and Chris Morrison who is fifth in the standings with 1042 points. The largest S2 field in series history is expected with 15 cars.

 

LEGENDS TOUR – Tony Mangini leads the SRL Legends Tour championship by just six points over his brother Tim. Brandon Weaver is third, followed by Eddie Garone and Eric Olsen.

 

STANDOUT EVENTS – The final four races of the 2014 SPEARS Southwest Tour Series championship are premier events at four marquee series race tracks which include; Irwindale Speedway, Pikes Peak International Raceway, Kern County Raceway Park and The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.