Jim Pettit II Wins Inaugural SRL Race at Irwindale
Bakersfield, CA – As the Spears Srl Southwest Tour Series heads to Irwindale Speedway for the “Spears Manufacturing 100 presented by Pinnacle Peak Steakhouse San Dimas”, we look back to the very first SRL event at the ½-mile facility in 2008. The winner of that event was three-time SPEARS Southwest Tour and two-time NASCAR Southwest Tour Series champion Jim Pettit II. Pettit was victorious over Rip Michaels, Craig Raudman, Greg Voigt and Jamie Dick in the 24-car field. It was the first of 22 appearances for the series to date.
The West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame inductee recalled his memories of that first event, and his meeting with Larry Collins about the future of the fledgling series after the demise of the NASCAR Southwest Tour.
“I thought it was really cool to go to Irwindale, because the SRL was still in its growing stages”, Pettit began. “I recall talking to Larry Collins when we were at Altamont Raceway Park on a Sunday, saying eventually the way things are going, this thing is going to get bigger and bigger. I’m glad I was able to be a small part of that. When we finally got the date at Irwindale, we got an opportunity for the SRL to highlight the drivers. It wasn’t just some little touring deal, but it was actually a legitimate deal.”
Pettit continued, recalling that first event and his victory against an Irwindale legend, “With the opportunity to come down there, Rip (Michaels) was all fired up to have us come there. I honestly think he anticipated that he had the upper hand on all of us. We went down there, and I ran that groove that nobody totally ran on the bottom. I’d only go back to the top when I stretched it out on them. It was a good race, and it was good for the SRL. I was just happy to be the guy that won it for the SRL, because I had hoped to get the series to where it is today, at the top of the game.”
The upcoming “Spears Manufacturing 100 presented by Pinnacle Peak Steakhouse” will take place on May 21st. $6,000 will go to the winner with additional cash bonuses of another $1,000 paid out thanks to J&M Racing and Loyd Mcghee.
