News and Notes: Saturday, May 11th at The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
SPEARS Southwest Tour Series “GoLiveStream.TV – Blackjack 121”
CHAMPIONSHIP BATTLE: Defending series champion Derek Thorn (360 pts) currently holds the championship point lead after his wins at Madera and Stockton, two-time series champ Jim Pettit II (340) is second, Jason Gilbert (311) is third, followed by Jacob Gomes (307) and M.K. Kanke (302).
BULLRING WINNERS: Former SPEARS Southwest Tour Series Bullring winners entered in Saturday’s event include: Jonathon Gomez, Jacob Gomes, Derek Thorn, Jim Pettit and M.K. Kanke.
YOUNGEST EVER: Cole Custer will make his SPEARS Southwest Tour Series debut this weekend, making him the youngest driver ever to compete in the series, at age 15 years and four months. Custer currently drives for Ken Schrader Racing in the K&N Pro Series East, where he is currently 13th in points after finishing third at Richmond. Saturday, Custer will drive a car prepared by Spangler Racing.
DEBUT DRIVERS: Andy Allen, Tracy Bolin, all-time series start leader (89 starts) Troy Ermish, Cody Hodgson and Bob Lyon will be making their first SPEARS Southwest Tour Series start of 2013, while Cole Custer, Matthew Meech, and Brandon White will be making their first ever career SPEARS Southwest Tour Series starts this weekend.
TRACK RECORD: Ross Strmiska holds the SPEARS Southwest Tour Series one-lap qualifying track record for The Bullring at 14.363 seconds. Set on October 3, 2010.
DOUBLE UP: For the second straight race, The SPEARS Southwest Tour Series will utilize a “Double-File” restarts format for Saturday night’s “GoLiveStream.TV – Blackjack 121”.
YOUNG GUNS: Jacob Gomes leads the “Flowmaster Young Guns Championship”, for all drivers 23 years of age and younger. Gomes leads Jeremy Doss, Colby Potts, Bobby Hodges, Michael Sandoval, Donny St. Ours, Austin Barnes and Stanislav Osterlund.
TOP ROOKIES: Brandon Loverock leads the 2013 SPEARS Southwest Tour Series Rookie-of-the-Year point standings. Doss is second, followed by Potts, Hodges, with St. Ours rounding out the top five in the current rookie standings.
THIRD OF TEN: This weekend’s “GoLiveStream.TV – Blackjack 121” is the third of the ten events that make up the 2013 SPEARS Southwest Tour Series championship season.
SRL S2 TOUR SERIES: Saturday will be the fourth and fifth main events of the 2013 “SRL S2 Tour Series”. The series has had three different winners in as many races (Kenny Smith – Madera, Trevor Huddleston – Madera, Ryan Cansdale – Irwindale).
LEGENDS: The third race of the 2013 “SRL Legends Tour” series will take place this weekend at the Bullring. Donny St. Ours is the current point leader, after winning both races this season.
EVENT 411: The Lucas Oil Modified Series, SRL S2 Tour Series, Legends, and Bandoleros will join the SPEARS Southwest Tour Series at The Bullring this Saturday night. Opening ceremonies at 7pm.
For more information go to: www.lvms.com or www.SRLSouthwesttour.com .
