Monday Memory: Bobby Hodges Wins SRL AAS Thriller
Bakersfield, CA – The Spears SRL Southwest Tour and ALL AMERICAN SPEEDWAY – ROSEVILLE CA have a history of exciting finishes. One of the most memorable moments was in 2011, when Bobby Hodges earned an improbable first series victory, driving from third to first on the final lap. It was a memory that still stands out, passing two former series champions in the span of two corners, as he recalled, “The Roseville win was something out of dreams, looking back on it. It was unreal, the perfect storm of things that happened, ending with us getting the dub.”
The victory was the first of two series wins for Hodges, and was unlikely for those looking on, outside the team. With a former stock clip Late Model, no Friday practice for the college student, and two previous DNF’s in his first two series starts, Hodges was definitely a dark house for a win that October evening.
“It was my third race with the series, and after two DNF’s in my first two races, we were just looking to get a solid finish, and establish that we belonged, and could run with these guys”, Hodges began. “We were running the same car that had been in my family for 10 years at that point. My dad ran it as a stock front clip Late Model, I ran it as a Late Model, and then we decided to convert it to a “Tour” car. I had to miss practice due to school, so Ryan Philpott had shook the car out, and he came out of it saying “this car is perfect, don’t change a thing”. When I showed up, we knew we had something special. I couldn’t sleep at all that night. I ended up waking up at 4am, and just drove around until the gates opened. I knew we were in the game and just wanted to get it going.”
With high hopes for the day, Hodges was ready for the “Thunder Valley Casino Resort 135”, the penultimate event of the 2011 season. After the seven car qualifying invert, Hodges would start on the pole at the 1/3-mile fairgrounds facility. He would not lead a lap however, until the checkered flag flew over the 19-car field, which included five current and future series champions.
“I was running second throughout the first half of the race”, Hodges recanted. “I didn’t even really fathom what was happening during (the race), just clicking away laps and in the zone. But then we got spun about halfway through, and it all came crashing down. dejected, we fell back to whatever it was, 13th maybe. But we just started picking them off, one by one, and found ourselves in third with two laps to go. I’m thinking how awesome it was, we were going to get on the podium. And then on the last lap coming onto the back straight I see Jacob (Gomes) parked up against the fence and (Mike) Kanke slow, gathering it up down low. I didn’t even think about it, I just split them down the middle full tilt, and crossed the finish line first.”
But after the checkered waved, the race win was still in doubt, as SRL officials reviewed the finish, and the circumstances of the final lap fireworks. Hodges sat in Victory Circle for several anxious moments before the final decision was handed down.
“We didn’t know we had won at first”, Hodges reminisced. “There was confusion on the radio, and I just parked on the front straight, got out of the car and waited. The crowd was restless and about five minutes went by, and then they announced it. “I remember just this feeling of euphoria. I gave Brian Olsen a big ol’ hug, and we all just couldn’t believe what just happened.”
Hodges continued, “I have been fortunate enough to have many years and racing memories at this point. But that win was probably the most improbable, chaotic, and fun one that I have had, and I thank the series, my family, crew, and friends for those memories. Maybe one day we’ll be back to make some more.”
The 2017 SRL “Most Popular Driver” award winner beat a disappointed MK Kanke by 0.81 seconds. Jim Pettit II, Ken Benhamou, and Keith Spangler completed the top-five. There were five different race leaders led by Ross Strmiska (83), Derek Thorn (42), Eric Holmes (7), Jacob Gomes (2), and Hodges (1), with four different leaders in the final 10 laps. Derek Thorn set Fast Time for the event. Hodges went on to make 58 starts in the series grabbing the two wins, 14 top-fives and 29 top-10 finishes.
The Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series will open their 24th season on March 23rd at All American Speedway, in the $10,000-to-win “JM Environmental Wild West Shootout Rock the House 127”. It will be the fourth time the series has opened its’ season on the one-third mile. Watch for another exciting finish in the series 14th trip to Roseville.
Celebrating its twenty fourth season in 2024, 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”.
