WHITE EYES SRL TITLE

One driver, that may have flown under the championship radar at season’s beginning, now finds himself in serious championship contention, for the SPEARS SRL Southwest Tour Series title. That driver sits second in the championship standings and scored his first career series victory at Kern County Raceway, this past June. He is a two-time winner of the $15,000-to-win Senator’s Cup Fall Classic at the Bullring @ Las Vegas Motor Speedway and a Super Late Model Track Champion at Irwindale Speedway.

If there is any doubt, that driver is Colton, CA racer Linny White. White has always been good in the Late Model Divisions, winning back-to-back championships at Havasu 95 Speedway and scoring three total championships at Orange Show Speedway. In four Super Late Model starts, in the Chilly Willy 150 at Tucson Speedway, White has a worst finish of sixth. He has scored three victories in the Spears Modified Seriesand added another championship, on the dirt, at Perris Auto Speedway.

Until the 2019 season, however, White was still searching for the same success in the SPEARS Southwest Tour Series. In eight events, he had two top-five and three top-ten efforts. Those numbers certainly weren’t bad, but not quite championship level. He struggled in his four 2018 SRL starts, with a best finish of 15th at Madera Speedway.

White began the SRL season at Irwindale Speedway in March, with an 18th place run. He rebounded in round two, at ALL AMERICAN SPEEDWAY – ROSEVILLE CA, with a fifth. At Las Vegas, he debuted a new Rowdy Manufacturing car and was third quick in qualifying, of 31 entrants. The evening ended, however, with a disappointing 21st place finish. It certainly wasn’t the start that a potential series champion would hope for, but the team and the driver bounced back with a vengeance, scoring a third at Madera, winning the Kern County Raceway event and concluding with a second at Irwindale Speedway.

“My season got off to rocky start that was all by my own mistakes”, White admitted. “I always try to get everything out of my car as possible, and at the Irwindale opener my car was not that good. But while searching for somewhere to run, that might benefit me, I hit the wall and ended my night. I feel like we rebounded from round 1 and round 3 pretty good, however.”

Two, of the next three events on the schedule, are on the short tracks that White prefers. He has found success at both Madera Speedway and the Bullring at LVMS. At Madera he has a victory and six top-five finishes, in only eight Spears Modified Series (formerly Lucas Oil Modified Series) starts. At Vegas he also has a SPEARS Modified victory, in addition to his Super Late Model success.

“I’m looking forward to Madera and Vegas equally”, White told the SPEARS Southwest Tour Series. “These two tracks play right into my wheelhouse! If we have a good run at Madera, I will look for some crew chief help for Kern, as I just overthink everything there.”

White sits only 39 markers behind Moore in the championship hunt. Tyler Fabozzi is 10 points back of White, with Derek Thorn fourth, 25 points behind Fabozzi. It is a position that White feels could lead to a championship, against a cast of drivers he sees himself in contrast to.

“I feel the Championship isn’t out of reach”, White began. “I really like Cole, Tyler and Derek, and they all have a bright future in the sport. I think it’s a cool battle because it’s new school with one old school guy in there, battling it out with them. But a championship in the SRL would be an awesome achievement for my guys, as well as myself. It’s getting late in my career, so to add something like this would be so cool!”

To achieve that goal, the Earl Robbins owned team purchased a new bullet from a well know racing talent. In race three of the season, White debuted a new car built by Rowdy Manufacturing, a company owned by two-time NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Champion Kyle Busch. The car has been fast right out of the box, qualifying no worse than fourth in its first four appearances. It is a purchase that has bolstered the team’s confidence, and the results have born that out.

“The Rowdy car has been amazing”, White stated. “It’s brought so much excitement back to our team. I just can’t wait to get to the racetrack, to buckle in and turn some laps. Cody Glick has been a great help, and has given us great support. I knew the first time we talked to him we were going to work with him.”

At this point in the season, it would be a surprise to no-one, if White was to pull off the championship. He has momentum, a fast car, confidence and a talented crew. He also has a plethora of thankyou’s to go around.

“I have so many people to thank, God for the ability and blessings, White began! “I have gotta thank Earl Robbins for choosing me to drive his car. Pinnacle Peak Steakhouse San Dimas, Swift Springs, HPSI ( Hydraulic Power Systems, Inc. ), SAG Graphics, WTG Chassis, Rowdy Manufacturing and our guys that prep and go to these tracks and bust their tails. I want to thank Earl, Sunny, Dad, Glenn Davis, Chris, Sparky, E.J., Zach, Josh, Susie, Kristyn, Chandace, Chase and Matthew.

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”.