THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THE 2016 SPEARS SOUTHWEST TOUR SERIES
The 2016 SPEARS Southwest Tour Series championship will be made up of nine points paying events, the season will open and close at The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on April 9th and November 19th respectively.
$5,000 TO WIN – A record minimum of $5,000 will be awarded to the winner of each race in 2016. The minimum winner’s payout in 2015 was $3,000.
DEFENDING CHAMP – 2015 SPEARS Southwest Tour Series champion, Jacob Gomes will defend his title in 2016. Gomes was the 2010 series Rookie-of-the-Year.
SPEARS FREQUENT FLYER PROGRAM CONTINUES – It’s one of the best rewards programs in all of short track racing, the “SPEARS Frequent Flyer Program” will award teams a minimum $1,000 for starting each SPEARS Southwest Tour Series main event after they have competed in just three consecutive series races.
ROOKIES – A strong contingent of rookies are eligible to contend for the 2016 Rookie-of-the-Year title; Christian McGhee, Trevor Huddleston, Andre Prescott, Mathew Meech, Austin Reed, Brian Richardson, and Buddy Shepherd.
NEW TRACK FOR THE SERIES – For the first time in series history, the SPEARS Southwest Tour Series will travel to the 1/3-mile progressive banked Tucson Speedway. The track made famous by ESPN’s Winter Heat Series.
SPEED51 MPD – A new award for 2016 will be the Speed51.com Most Popular Driver award. Speed51 will conduct a fan vote later this summer, to decide who the SPEARS Southwest Tour Series Most Popular Driver will be for 2016.
TRACKS – The 2016 SPEARS Southwest Tour Series will visit six tracks in nine races; two stops at the Bullring, two stops at Irwindale Speedway, two stops at Kern County Raceway, one stop at Madera Speedway, one stop at Redwood Acres Raceway and once at the series newest venue, Tucson Speedway.
2015 TOP FIVE DRIVERS:
Champion: Jacob Gomes – Gomes hopes to bring the momentum that carried him to the 2015 championship into 2016, as his defends his title.
2nd: Greg Voigt – With the addition of a new baby girl to his family, Voigt may limit his 2016 to select events in the NTS #29 Chevrolet.
3rd: Parker Stephens – Stephens recently relocated to Bakersfield, from his Olympia, Washington home, to be closer to NTS Motorsports for 2016.
4th: Ryan Cansdale – Winner of the 2015 series finale in Las Vegas, Cansdale from Laguna Beach, CA will have a new car for 2016.
5th: Carlos Vieira – Vieira has teamed up with Campbell Motorsports to race the entire Spears Southwest Tour Series schedule, with teammate Derek Thorn.
