SRL – Top 10 Countdown, Hodges
Carson City, NV resident Bobby Hodges held down the sixth position in Spears Srl Southwest Tour Series Points for 2017. The 2016 Speed51.com“Most Popular Driver Award” winner, for the SPEARS Southwest Tour Series, participated in eight of the series nine events, finishing with a win at the Irwindale Event Center and four top five finishes. He led the championship standings into race number four, at Madera Speedway. But his first DNF since the 2015 season, ultimately derailed his championship hopes, and destroyed his primary race car.
“Our 2017 season started out very strong, and we were firing on all cylinders”, Hodges told the SPEARS Southwest Tour Series. “We brought the heat, everywhere we went with ease. But after the car got totaled at the halfway mark, we never fully recovered. We have been struggling, ever since, to get back to a consistent rhythm with this new car.”
Bobby Hodges Racing brought the car out to Kern County Raceway, for the 2018 Winter Showdown, where he finished fourth, in the cars last outing at the facility in October. Unfortunately, they couldn’t find the “sweet” zone for the car, and struggled the entire weekend finishing . Despite their frustration, the Naake – Klauer Motorsports Team have proven their resiliency, and are ready for their next challenge in Madera.
“It all came to the front at the Winter Showdown, where we were just plain off”, Hodges volunteered. “But after a couple of days of mourning, the time has come to get back up on that horse. We look forward to Madera, and another chance to get it right.”
As Hodges enters his ninth season of racing in the SRL, he hopes that he will be able to run the entire schedule, for only the second time in his career. That season was 2016, when he finished fourth in the final championship standings, while completing every lap. He also hopes to improve upon his two career victories, 14 top five and 23 top ten finishes.
On March 24th, Hodges will make SRL start number 45 in his National Automotive Test Center, Naake Suspension Specialists, JRi Shocks, StopTech Brakes, Impact Racing Chevy SS. He will be looking to avenge his 2017 Madera finish, and get his 2018 season off to a roaring start.
