PRESS RELEASE
The SPEARS SRL Southwest Tour returned to Bakersfield on Saturday after eight years. 

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Jim Pettit II won the “DC’s RV Center 100” at Kern County Raceway Park.  He scooped up $4,500 with the 15th career SRl win, tying him with Derek Thorn.

Nearly 3,500 people came to the event where Daryl Scoggins and Anthony Gianonne were victors in the SRL S2 Series and Ricky Schlick in the SRL / INEX LEgends.  22 SPEARS SRL Southwest Tour teams raced in the 100 lap contest.

“It is always very special to win the very first race, no doubt,” Pettit said on winning the inaugural SRL event at the brand-new half-mile venue.  “We worked hard all weekend and knew we had a good car for the race.”

Pettit took over the lead from Olympia, WA’s Jared Vorse on lap five with Thorn in tow to take over second.  Eureka rookie Brandon White went back-and-forth within the top-five in the early laps, running as high as third several times.

Pettit and Thorn built up a six second cushion on White by the lap 25 mark while navigating lapped traffic.  On lap 35, Thorn seized the opportunity to use the outside and box in Pettit behind a slower lapped car.  The bold move worked and thrust Thorn into the lead.

A caution on lap 37 allowed Pettit a chance to get back at Thorn, taking the lead on lap 42.  Jacob Gomes retired from the top-five with a rear end issue while 2004 NASCAR Whelen National Champion Greg Pursley moved into third after starting twelfth.

Cautions came out on lap 47 for Brandon Loverock making contact with the inside wall in turn three and lap 53 for former Altamont regulars Jason Gilbert and Bobby Hodges colliding down the backstretch.  Fast-time qualifier Jeremy Doss was working his way into the top-five before stopping for a caution on lap 58 with a flat left rear tire.

On that restart it became apparent that Thorn was running with engine troubles, but he was able to stay within a few car lengths of Pettit to the finish while they stretched their lead on the field.  14th starting Greg Voigt navigated up to fourth and then inherited third when Pursley retired with a blown engine on lap 80.

Pettit cruised to a 1.3 second win ahead of Thorn, who was nearly 13 seconds ahead of Voigt at the stripe.  Donny St. Ours and White rounded out the top-five with 17th starting Troy Ermish scored sixth.

“I’m just happy the ol’ girl didn’t blow up on me,” Thorn said.  “I want to congratulate Jim Pettit II.  And I really got to thank (the fans) for supporting a local series with local drivers tonight.”

The SRL S2 Tour Series ran twin 20 lap events on the half-mile speedway with Daryl Scoggins leading all 20 laps to win the first event narrowly over Anthony Giannone.  In the second 20 Giannane put on a show.  The Colorado driver made a nice crossover move to take second from fast-time qualifier Trevor Huddleston, then muscled his way past race leader Kenny Smith on lap 18 to take the victory.  Giannone ended the night with a huge burnout that led to a fire underneath his Chevrolet.

Claremont’s Ricky Schlick scored his second consecutive race win, taking the INEX and SRL Legends event on the quarter-mile oval.  Schlick started seventh and was in the lead by the sixth lap.  Points leader Buddy Shepherd moved in second by lap 18 but was unable to close down on Schlick in the final rundown.

Kern County Raceway Park continues its inaugural season this Saturday night with NASCAR Pro Late Models, CITGO Lubricants Late Models Twin 35s, Street Stocks, and NASCAR Mini Stocks in an all-stockcar show.

Kern County Raceway Park is online at www.kernraceway.com  More information is available on Facebook at www.facebook.com/kernraceway and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/kernraceway

Major marketing partners include Coca Cola, Budweiser, CITGO Lubricants, Monster Energy, Advance Beverage Company, Three-Way Chevrolet, and Whelen Engineering.

For marketing information on Kern County Raceway Park, contact Steven Blakesley of Blakesley Sports Media by email at sblakesley@kernraceway.com or by phone at (916) 509-7050.

September 7, 2013 Budweiser Night Results

Kern County Raceway Park – Bakersfield, CA

SPEARS SRL Southwest Tour –  DC’s RV Center 100

1) 18 Jim Pettit II, 2) 43 Derek Thorn, 3) 29 Greg Voigt, 4) 54 Donny St. Ours, 5) 19 Brandon White, 6) 0 Troy Ermish, 7) 90 Ross Strmiska, 8) 20 Tracy Bolin, 9) 39 Keith Spangler, 10) 75 Jeremy Doss, 11) 73 Ken Benhamou, 12) 24 Scott Sanchez, 13) 26 Greg Pursley, 14) 51 Carlos Vieira, 15) 16 Jacob Gomes, 16) 1 Jared Vorse, 17) 88 Jason Gilbert, 18) 89 Bobby Hodges, 19) 25 Brandon Loverock, 20) 10 Mike Mendenhall, 21) 5 Fred Lind, 22) 79 Chad Schug 49:09.599

SRL S2 Tour Series – 20 lap #1

1) 46 Daryl Scoggins, 2) 54 Anthony Giannone, 3) 50 Trevor Huddleston, 4) 43 Kenny Smith, 5) 13 Lindsey King, 6) 37 Ryan Cansdale, 7) 11 Cory Elliott, 8) 0 Bill Waters, 9) 99 Elissa Gill, 10) 45 Dave Lowenstein, 11) 97 Bill Sedgwick 11:35.503

SRL S2 Tour Series – 20 lap #1

1) 54 Anthony Giannone, 2) 50 Trevor Huddleston, 3) 37 Ryan Cansdale, 4) 46 Daryl Scoggins, 5) 43 Kenny Smith, 6) 13 Lindsey King, 7) 11 Cory Elliott, 8) 0 Bill Waters, 9) 45 Dave Lowenstein, 10) 99 Elissa Gill 7:02.988

INEX Legends – 35 laps

1) 24 Ricky Schlick, 2) 22s Buddy Shepherd, 3) 21b Blaine Perkins, 4) 84w Brandon Weaver, 5) 29 Chad Schug, 6) 31 Eddie Garone, 7) 8 Parker Malone, 8) 7 Mark Iungerich, 9) 51 Racin Vernon, 10) 17 Eric Olson 8:49.897

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