02
Aug
Bakersfield, CA – One driver used to winning big races is Erie, CO veteran racer Chris Eggleston. Eggleston will seek to add another marque triumph to his resume when the Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series heads to his home track in Dacono, CO for the $10,000-to-win “Salted Metals Architectural Metals 150” at Colorado National Speedway. Eggleston competed in the SRL season opening “All-Star Showdown 200” at Irwindale Speedway (CA), earning a hard-fought sixth-place finish. He will look for more on August 12th.
Eggleston was the winner of CNS’s most prestigious annual race, the “Colorado Challenge Cup” in 2011. He was the winner of the “The Race” at North Wilkesboro Speedway (NC) in 2011, pocketing $75,000. He has wins in the “Chilly Willy 150” and “Turkey Shoot 125” at Tucson Speedway. (AZ). He has over 25 Super Late Model wins at CNS and nine victories in the ARCA Menards Pro Series West. That includes three wins at CNS. He has a championship in the “West” Series and also in the ASA Late Model Series Northern Division. But the five-time CNS Legends champion will be looking to grab his first SRL win, after coming close the last time the series visited in 2007.
“I’m pretty excited”, Eggleston described his feelings about the SRL’s return for the first time in 16 years. “I remember that race vividly, as I was new to Super Late Model racing. For whatever reason, our car was hooked up on American Racer’s, and I thought we were going to win that race in front a of an electric hometown crowd. That was until M.K. (Kanke) drove over us on a restart with a handful laps left. I remember the crowd, including my team and I, were pretty upset that night.”
Eggleston would love to compete with the SRL more frequently, but the costs of travel and racing his Super Late Model are prohibitive. He has six career SRL starts, with one top-five and three top-10’s. So, the 25-time winner in the Rocky Mountain Legend Racing Association is happy to have the series back in Colorado on the 12th.
“Bringing the SRL back to Colorado is a big deal to all the Super Late Model guys here in Colorado, along with the fans and the racetrack”, Eggleston declared. “I know each year, a few guys go and run some SRL races in California, for a different change of scenery, and they tend to always have a good time. It’s just hard at times, with current cost of tour racing, and the balance of the top end versus middle on the pay scale, to run a full schedule.”
Eggleston is supported by his friends at BlazeMaster Pipe and Fittings, and Red Line Oil. He would also like to thank George Green, his dad, Billy Green, and his wife and crew for all their support.
On August 12th, the teams of the Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series will return to Colorado National Speedway to compete for a $10,000 win, thanks in part to the “Winner’s Bonus” from PFC Brakes. An additional $500 will go to the Fast Qualifier, Longest Tow, Halfway Leader, and Hard Charger, thanks to David Nava Mulcahy (Homie) and Salted Metals. Starting money of $1,500 will go to any team on the Spears Frequent Flyer program travelling over 500 miles.
The SRL 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”.