Dan Holtz Looks Forward to Putting on a Show at Colorado National
Bakersfield, CA – When the Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series last visited Colorado National Speedway (CO) in 2007, Dan Holtz nearly came away with a victory. Holtz battled late into the “United Power/Touchstone Energy 150”, taking the lead for the first time on lap 123. He battled back-and-forth with Cris Muhler and led as late as lap 141. But a slowly deflating tire ended his run in fourth. Holtz will now return to Colorado looking to make amends for the one that got away, looking for a $10,000 payday in the “Salted Metals Architectural Metals 150”.
“I ended up on the front row racing door to door on the outside for probably over 20 laps, with only a few inches between me and Muhler”, Holtz recalled the late race battle for the lead. “It was an incredible memory, and I almost won the race, but I had a right rear tire going down with about 10 laps to go, so I ended up in fourth place. There is no doubt that I have some unfinished business there, and I can’t wait to get back on that racetrack and get the job done.”
Holtz was also good in 2003, when he drove his NASCAR Southwest Tour Series car to another fourth-place finish in the 2003 edition of the “United Power/Touchstone Energy 150”, when 35 “Tour” cars appeared. Holtz finished behind David Gilliland, three-time SRL champion Jim Pettit II, and three-time CNS track champion Jerry Robertson. He ultimately finished fifth in the season standings, grabbing a win at the now defunct Mesa Marin Raceway (CA).
Holtz is one of only eight drivers to have scored wins in both the NASCAR and SRL Southwest Tour Series’. He sits in that category with Eric Holmes, Jim Pettit II, Augie Vidovich, Craig Raudman, MK Kanke, Ron Strmiska Jr., and Ken Boyd. He also has pole awards in both series, grabbing three with NASCAR. He was a two-time Mesa Marin Super Late Model champion and will be making SRL start number 55, good for 19th on the all-time list. The driver of the Concrete Motorsports, Beverly Hill Rejuvenation Toyota would love to make it win #2, at a track he calls one of his favorites.
“I’m very excited to be returning to Colorado to one of my favorite racetracks”, Holtz began. “There are multiple reasons why I love it so much. The track is incredibly fun with plenty of passing opportunities. Another reason is the amazing fans that show up to support this place. Last time I was there I believe we had over 12,000 fans in the stands, and they absolutely loved the show that we put on.”
On August 12th, Holtz and the teams of the Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series will return to Colorado National Speedway to compete for $10,000, for the first time since 2007. Additional bonuses from David Nava Mulcahy and Salted Metals Architectural Metals will add up to another $2,000. They will be joined by the local Super Stocks, Figure 8’s, and Grand American Modifieds. Qualifying is scheduled from 5:20 PM to 6:20 PM CST. Opening Ceremonies are set for 6:25 PM with Dashes for the local divisions at 6:30 PM. Intermission is scheduled for 7:30 PM with a Drifter Demo. Feature events are scheduled to begin at 7:40 PM for the Super Stocks (25 laps), Figure 8’s (20 laps), Grand American Modifieds (30 laps), at Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series (150 laps).
Celebrating its twenty third season in 2023, 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”.
