WINTER SHOWDOWN 2016 RACE DATES ANNOUNCED
Bakersfield, CA – After a successful inaugural Winter Showdown at Kern County Raceway Park in February, the management team of the SPEARS SRL Southwest Tour Series is pleased to announce the dates of the 2nd Annual Winter Showdown will be February 26, 27, and 28 of 2016.
Improvements for the 2016 Winter Showdown include an increase in the winner’s payout from $25,000 to $30,000, and a $2,000 fast time award will be added. The event will also be shortened by one full day for the race teams and race day will be set for Sunday afternoon, instead of Saturday night.
“Our goal is to make this event bigger and better each year. We want this to be an event that everyone wants to be part of, and make it one of the nation’s annual marquee short track events.” Collins continued. “In moving forward, we can’t lose sight of the costs for the race teams, so for 2016 we’re planning a three day event, instead of four, with practice on Friday, qualifying and heats on Saturday and the 250 lapper on Sunday afternoon.”
The Winter Showdown is not a SPEARS Southwest Tour Series point’s race, it has a set of rules that allows Tour Cars and Super Late Models from throughout North America to compete together. In 2015, the race drew nearly sixty teams from eleven different states and two Canadian provinces.
Senoia, Georgia’s Bubba Pollard made the trip to California and drove to victory at the inaugural Winter Showdown. Boca Raton, Florida’s Dalton Sargeant finished second driving for Richie Wauters and Bakersfield’s Derek Thorn finished in third after setting fast time and leading over half the race.
Pollard recently returned to the west coast and won the Summer Showdown at Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, Washington, claiming another $25,000 plus the $10,000 bonus awarded to the driver who had the best overall results at both the Winter and Summer Showdowns.
The 2016 edition of the 250-lap Winter Showdown will have a halfway break at lap 125 for fuel and tires. Additional racing divisions for the event will be announced at a later date.
“Kern County Raceway Park is one of the finest short tracks in the nation, and we once again look forward to race teams and spectators coming and seeing this beautiful facility first hand.” Collins added.
The 2nd annual “Winter Showdown” is set for February 26, 27 and 28, 2016.
For rules and additional information go to www.srlsouthwesttour.com, contact the SRL office at 661-679-4681, or email lcollins@mesamarin.com.