Jace Hansen Looks to Score Elusive First SRL Win at the Winter Showdown
For Immediate Release: SPEARS SRL Southwest Tour Series
Bakersfield, CA – Jace Hansen has been knocking on the door of Victory Lane since his new Hamke Racecars ALR, Inc. (formerly Rowdy Manufacturing) Super Late Model arrived just before the Spears Srl Southwest Tour Series “October Classic” at Kern County Raceway in 2020. On March 20th, Hansen will return to the track at which he made that debut, gunning for $10,000 and the bragging rights that would add his name to the prestigious list of previous winners of the Spears Manufacturing “Winter Showdown”. Those names include Bubba Pollard Fan Page (2015, 2016), Derek Thorn (2017), Kyle Busch (2018) and Ty Majeski (2019).
Hansen will look to follow up his strong third place finish at the season opening “Sunrise Ford All-Star Showdown 200” from Irwindale Speedway in February. It was an event at which he challenged for the lead on multiple occasions, coming up just short behind Preston Peltier and Casey Roderick Motorsports.
“The All-Star Showdown was a good weekend for us”, Hansen told the SPEARS Southwest Tour Series. “We have had great speed at all three shows in this new car, and if it weren’t for our mishap in Vegas, I’m confident we would have had three solid runs. The team has worked very hard and it’s showing. We just need to put in a little more work, and a little better car feedback on my end! I’m looking forward to getting back to Kern!”
The six-time Super Late Model winner, and two-time championship runner-up at Colorado National Speedway, is looking forward to his return to Kern County Raceway. Hansen finished runner-up to five-time SPEARS Southwest Tour Series Champion Derek Thorn back in October, while battling for the lead with Thorn, PASS National Series Champion Preston Peltier, 2015 SRL Champ Jacob Gomes and 2021 Chilly Willy winner Christian McGhee. The Greely, CO driver was very close to getting his first series victory, and hopes a good starting position and a few tweaks to the car will get him that big trophy.
“We were so close the last time at Kern”, Hansen recalled. “Starting position is so crucial there, cause it’s so hard to pass cars. Hopefully, a few of Cody Glick’s tricks will give us that little bit more we needed, and if we can start towards the front, that will be a huge benefit!”
The series will visit Kern County Raceway on three separate occasions in 2021. It is a facility that is considered to be one of the finest short tracks in the nation. Hansen is appreciative of that fact, as well as the reality that it a challenging course for the drivers and teams for multiple reasons.
“Kern County Raceway is such a great facility and a unique racetrack” Hansen explained. “It’s a difficult place for a driver and it’s easy to overdrive. If you miss your marks, it really hurts your speed. If you put four to six cars, that are all really close speed wise, it makes it almost impossible to get around them.”
Hansen has participated in three of the last four events for the SPEARS Southwest Tour Series, collecting second and third place finishes at Kern and Irwindale, after a year-long layoff waiting for their new Super Late Model. His lone poor finish was at the $10,000-to-win “Retro Custom Metals 137” at the Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. An accident ended his day on lap three, causing him to miss the season finale. In 2019 Hansen was challenging for the Rookie-of-the-Year Award in the “Tour”, until missing the October Classic, due to the birth of his first-born daughter Teagyn. Still the Colorado competitor finished 11th in the championship standings, just a few points behind 2020 ARCA Menards Pro Series West Champion Jesse Love. It was most likely the series most competitive season in its 20-year history.
The former Legends Champion, at Colorado National Speedway, will now look to get back to Winner’s Circle, after a dry spell dating back to 2018. With their updated equipment, thanks the Hamke Race Cars, the proposition is extremely tenable. The accomplishment would be a big boost for the Jim Egli owned team, and its talented driver.
“It’s been a while since our team has been to Victory Lane”, Hansen admitted. “We haven’t won a “Tour” race, and our last Super Late Model win was in 2018 at Tucson Speedway. To win the Winter Showdown would boost the team’s confidence and continue the momentum we have had as of late, not to mention help get our name out there.”
A win in the “SPEARS Manufacturing Winter Showdown 150” would also go long way to help the team secure the sponsorship to participate in additional 2021 events. Surprisingly, the team has remained extremely competitive, despite lacking primary backing. To accomplish their strong results, it has taken a team effort, and the support from multiple sources, for which Hansen is extremely thankful.
“I really have to thank the people that support this whole program”, Hansen remarked. “I am so thankful for Jim and Daun Rae Egli, Nic King, David Johnson and Darrell Stewart. I am also thankful for my amazing wife Taylor Hansen and daughter Teagyn, who support me and the team so much. They put so much time and effort into this whole deal and I can’t thank them enough!”
The Sixth Annual Winter Showdown will see 150 laps of competition, with a halfway break at lap 75. Half of the purse will be awarded at that juncture, but none of the championship points will be awarded until the completion of 150 laps. $5,000 will be paid to the leader at both lap 75 and 150, for a possible $10,000 payday. Single car qualifying will be followed by three Qualifying Heat Races, to set the line-up for the Feature event. The top eight cars in qualifying will draw for position in their Heat Race, then race for their opportunity to sit on the pole for the prestigious event. The remaining cars will be split into “odd’ and “even” Heat Races, to set the remainder of the scheduled 36-car field. The Spears Modified Series and Kern County Raceway Super stocks will also join the action.
For those who are unable to attend, you can catch all the action live at www.SpearsRacing.TV and on a delayed basis on MAVTV, the Motorsports Network.
Celebrating its twenty-first season in 2021, 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”.
