Spangler Returns to the Southwest Tour

Bakersfield, CA – When one thinks of the Southwest Tour Series, one of the most familiar names is a driver who has yet to score a victory in either edition of the series. That driver will make his return to the Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series on May 18th at Irwindale Speedway (CA), in the “All-Star Showdown presented by Pinnacle Peak Steakhouse”. Keith Spangler has come close to victory on many occasions, but has come up just short, finishing second in both series, including at Irwindale Speedway for the NASCAR Southwest Tour. He will now head back to his new home track, looking to remedy those outcomes.

Spangler has 126 starts in the NASCAR Southwest Tour, compiling 18 top-five and 52 top-10 results. With the Spears SRL Southwest Tour, he has gathered 109 starts with 60 top-10’s. The driver from Porter Ranch, CA is known as an old school racer, who knows how to save his equipment and get to the track on a limited budget. But Spangler has been absent from series competition since November of 2022, when he finished 10th at Irwindale. Spangler is excited to get back in the car after a year with no starts in 2023.

“I’m excited just to get to race, it’s been about 18 months”, Spangler related. “I got the chance to practice last week, and it was a lot of fun. I miss the racing, but a lot of the events got rained out this year, so I am sure everybody’s excited to get their first race in. And I am definitely one of them too.”

Spangler grew up racing at the now defunct Saugus Speedway (CA). He was a five-time Super Late Model winner at the “Super Track”, just losing the championship to Will Harper in the last race of that season. He was a perennial “Hard Charger Award” winner in the SRL, known for his struggles in qualifying, but strength during the race. Spangler hopes to start closer to the front at the “Showdown”, but with multiple grooves at the progressively banked oval, he is more than capable of making up positions.

“I really want to thank David Nava Mulcahy with Salted Metals Architectural Metals. He has been a supporter of mine for over 30 years. I wouldn’t have been able to race over the last eight to ten years without him. He and I kinda do this all together. I’d also like to thank Ron with Pacific HVA, he has stepped up and helped me out with the last couple of Irwindale races. I’d also like to thank Nutech Machinery and Scheffield Metals for coming on board as well. I’d like to thank Glenn Davis with Pinnacle Peak Steakhouse, as he has really helped over the last few races and does my tires.”

Spangler continued, Rip Michaels has also helped me with the setup on the car and getting me up to speed. He is really knowledgeable when it comes to setting up the car and I am trying to learn from him the new setups, because it is a lot different now than when I used to do it by myself.”

Spangler will compete in a 2018 Port City Racecars Super Late Model named “Vato Loco”, with a McGunegill Engine Performance Sealed Engine. It will be his 110th start in the series and 236th in overall Southwest Tour history. The event will pay $15,000 to the winner and will open the season for the Spears Southwest Tour. The Spears Pro Late Models and Spears Modified Series will join the action.

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”.