GOMES IN CHAMPIONSHIP HUNT
We now ascend into the top-five in this year’s SPEARS SRL Southwest Tour Series Championship Standings, where we reach a former series champion. Jacob Gomes is that former champion, and he sits fifth in the championship hunt, after six of nine events. The Manteca, CA driver narrowly missed a victory at Kern County Raceway, and scored a third-place run at All American Speedway 2019, behind former SRL champions Jeremy Doss and Derek Thorn.
Those highlights were offset by a 22nd place at Madera Speedway, after a blown motor, and an 18th place finish at Irwindale Speedway, after he failed to avoid an incident, not of his own making. The all-time series starts leader, with 96, has had a hard time stringing together the finishes he has desired over the last few seasons. He hopes to turn his luck around, during the final one-third of the season.
“I would say our season has been full of ups and downs”, Gomes told the SPEARS Southwest Tour Series. “I’d say that hard luck is a thing that seems to be following us a lot over the last few years. I hope we can shake it soon.”
The next event for the SPEARS Southwest Tour will be the “SPEARS Southwest Tour 125 presented by 51 FIFTY LTM.” on September 28th at Madera Speedway. Gomes was the winner of this same event in 2018, and it is an event he looks forward to.
“I’d say Madera (is the event I most look forward to)”, Gomes replied. “I’ve run good there a lot, and I feel like we have a shot at it (a win), every time we go.”
With two top-fives and four top-ten finishes, in the six events thus far, Gomes has shown that the team has speed. He has qualified inside the redraw in four of the six events, just missing it by one at another event. The 2015 SRL Champion still has championship aspirations for the current campaign, sitting 84 points behind championship leader Cole Moore. Only one race ago, it was a mere 25 points, but a spin by a fellow competitor, trapped Gomes against the outside wall, resulting in a damaged car and that 18th place finish.
Gomes goals for the rest of the season are not surprising, for a former champion.
“I mean, to win every race would be nice, and I’d like to try and give it a good shot at this championship.”
To make the season a success however, Gomes would settle for somewhat more mild goals.
“I’d say finishing every race, getting wins and getting top-3’s.”
The Sunnyvalley Smoked Meats, Dell’Osso Family Farms, Dennis Arbini Team will now concentrate on meeting those goals. The seven-time SRL winner will head to Madera Speedway and the final event at the Bullring @ Las Vegas Motor Speedway, where he has series victories. The eighth event of the season will be at Kern County Raceway, where he just lost out on a victory in June. Linny White scored that victory, with a last lap pass of Bob Lyon in the battle for fourth. White’s first and fourth place finishes just edged out Gomes’ third and second.
Heading to Madera, Gomes series home track, he will be looking for that win and the $5,000 winners share of the purse, thanks to the “Winner’s Bonus” sponsored by McGunegill Engine Performance. To get there, Gomes is thankful for those who support the “Bacon Boy’s” efforts.
I’d like to say thank you to my whole team, and all my sponsors that make this happen”, Gomes stated. “Ron and Susan Kruip Dell’Osso, my dad and mom, Dennis and Julie B. Arbini, and Bill and Treva Holmes Andreetta.
Celebrating its nineteenth season in 2019, the SPEARS Southwest Tour Series is a regional stock car series competing on paved ovals in the southwestern portion of the U.S. “The SPEARS Southwest Tour Series…Where the Champions Race”.
