Holtz Returns Just in Time for the October Classic at Kern County Raceway
Dan Holtz will make his return to the Spears Srl Southwest Tour, when the series visits Kern County Raceway for the 31st edition of the October Classic and the JM ENVIRONMENTAL, INC. 127 Wild West Shootout Final” on October 24th & 25th. Holtz has been absent since the season opening All-Star Showdown at Irwindale Speedway, when his Super Late Model was practically destroyed in a practice accident on the ½-mile oval.
The car was debuted part way through the 2019 season, as a Hamke Sidewinder Chassis put together by Willie Allen Racing, Mike Dunkleberger and Rip Michaels. Thanks to a team effort, the Holtz’s Super Late Model made its return at Irwindale Speedway, in preparation for the October Classic two weeks ago. In the event Holtz missed the pole by 0.002 seconds, ultimately finishing third in the feature event. Holtz is thankful for the efforts that led to the car being rebuilt.
“I would really like to thank each of those individuals who helped put the car back together”, Holtz stated. “It was a combination of many. I couldn’t have done it without the help of Jesse Poppen and Jace Thomas with Class Motorsports, who repaired the chassis. The body was hung by Preston Peltier and the general mechanical work was performed by Mike Dunkleberger. I also need to thank Willie Allen who helps with car setup.”
Holtz is a former two-time Super Late Model Track Champion at Mesa Marin Raceway, and one of only nine drivers to have won in both the NASCAR Featherlite Southwest Tour (NFSWT) and the SPEARS Southwest Tour Series. Holtz turned that trick in the NFSWT at Mesa Marin Raceway in the “Star Nursery 200” in 2003. He also finished fifth in the championship standings that season, in his only full-time effort. He won in the SRL at Tucson Speedway in the “2016 Roasted Rattler 125”.
Holtz will now return to Kern County Raceway and try to repeat his “Performance Friction Brakes Zero Drag Fast Time Award” from the “2019 Salute to America 50/50 presented by Bulwark ‘FR”. It was an event in which he scored his seventh career top-five finish in the series and third top-10 at Kern County Raceway.
The “JM Environmental 127 Wild West Shootout Final” will be Round #7 of the nine-race SPEARS Southwest Tour Series schedule. The event will pay $5,027 to win. $1,000 will be paid out to the leader on lap 27 from JM Environmental. $500 will be paid at the halfway mark, thanks to Kendall Peters with AKM Maintenance. The Performance Friction Brakes Zero Drag Fast Time Award will also payout another $500 with help from JM Environmental. The SPEARS Southwest Tour Series will be joined by the Spears Modified Series, ARCA Menards Pro Series West, Pro Late Models and Street Stocks, for a huge weekend of racing. The Pro Late Models and Street Stocks will compete on both Saturday and Sunday, with 60 and 40 lap features, respectively.
PC Photo 2: Sal Sigala Jr.
