Spilotro Looks to Make His Presence Known at SRL’s “Retro Custom Metals 137”
One of the drivers, who will be defending their home turf at the Retro Custom Metals 137” on November 21st, is Johnny Spilotro. Spilotro calls Las Vegas home and the LVMS Bullring and Dirt Track his hometrack. He will be making his first start in the Spears Srl Southwest Tour Series. He will also have a teammate, with limited SRL experience in Scott Gafforini, but one that is a six-time Super Late Model Champion at the Bullring. He is number one on the all-time wins list with 67 career Bullring Feature victories and has over 400 career victories overall. Spilotro hopes the two can work together to find good speed, as he knows the competition will be tough.
“Obviously, the “Retro Custom Metals 137” at The Bullring is going to be a huge challenge”, Spilotro told the SPEARS Southwest Tour Series. ‘Making my SRL debut, I want to make my presence known amongst the best of the best in Super Late Model racing. This is an elite group, and I know just making the field won’t be an easy task. However, I plan to give 1000% effort every lap, and hopefully we can put on a great show for the fans!”
Spilotro began his racing career at the Bullring in his youth. He has been racing at the facility off and on since that point. Unfortunately, Covid-19 shut down the Super Late Model Division, after one event into the 2020 season, as Spilotro recalled his journey.
“I started racing at the Bullring in Bandoleros, when I was 12. After three years there, I took a 1.5 year hiatus and moved up into a Street Stock, where I contended for the championship in every year I raced. After four successful years, I moved up into the Super Late Model Division in 2018, and made an immediate impact. Last year we were successful in improving from our rookie year, finishing third in points. We had high hopes of competing for a title this year, but unfortunately, Covid-19 put a damper on those plans. We decided to put all our eggs in this basket and run this race because we wanted to gain experience and assert ourselves amongst an elite group of racers. I am very excited about this opportunity and will enjoy every minute of it!”
Like many drivers throughout the country, Spilotro has goals beyond the local short track. He is proud of his accomplishments and hopes that one day he will be able to move up the NASCAR ladder. But if it doesn’t happen, Spilotro hopes people will remember some of his accomplishments while earning the respect of his fellow drivers.
“Throughout my career, in Street Stocks and Super Late Models, I’ve contended for a championship in all but one year”, Spilotro began. “My biggest accomplishment to date was earning the 2018 NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Series Nevada State Rookie of The Year. Just having the opportunity to travel to Charlotte and to meet and learn from the greats of the NASCAR industry really gave me the confidence that I belong competing with the best of the best. My goal is to be racing in “Cup” one day, and to win not seven, but 10 “Cup” titles. At the end of the day however, I would like to be remembered as a driver who gave it everything he had, on a and off the track, and was respected amongst his peers.”
To climb that ladder though, it will be important to show strength, racing against the best drivers and teams. Spilotro will see how he stacks up to that challenge when he faces some of the best drivers on the West Coast.
“Without a doubt, this is the best talent the West Coast has to offer”, Spilotro stated. “Derek Thorn and Linny White are obviously the top dogs of this series, and I have nothing but respect for those guys. I know how fast Jimmy Parker Jr and Chris Clyne can be, as they are our defending track champions. Obviously, my teammate Scott Gafforini is the GOAT, and there are also a lot of young guys coming up like Tanner Reif. That’s not even the tip of the iceberg as to what our little team will face in this event. I always want to race against the best of the best, because it is the only way to prove to myself, as well as the racing world, that I do belong with the best of the best. That is the ultimate goal! I know there is a lot of pressure, as most of these guys will be fast off the truck, but pressure is a privilege, right?”
To achieve your dreams in racing, it takes help from many sources. Johnny is happy to have a great support team and a never give up attitude. He is thankful for those supporters and their hard work.
“I would love to thank my partners, Frank’s European Services, Diamondback Land Surveying, Bravo Tickets, Polar Shades Sun Control, Andson, Full Metal Worldwide, CSM Graphics, Howe Racing Enterprises, Hamner Racing Engines, and everyone that works on this #77 Chevrolet”, Spilotro stated. “That includes, but are not limited to, my dad Scott, Roger Gafforini, Vince Bianchi, Aaron Smith, Chad Mattos, Nick Herda, Russ McMorran, Donny Shea, and Joey Arrendando. I’ve been very fortunate to be partnered up with many individuals that share the same core values as I do; hard work, maximum effort, intensity, focus, attention to detail, and a will so strong, we will never surrender. They give me the confidence and the belief that we can make this show, just how we almost did in the “Star Nursery 100” (knocked out due to alternator issues). We’ve worked hard since then, and hope to continue to make gains on the car and see what we got! Thanks again to the SRL for allowing me to compete on November 21st. I want to make everyone proud!”
The “Retro Custom Metals 137” will be run on November 21st, with $10,000 going to the winner thanks to David Nava Mulcahy (Homie). The Spears Modified Series will join the SRL in the event, for the OPTIMA Batteries 75 presented by FAST – Fuel Air Spark Technology”. Practice will occur on Friday the 20th, with three sessions for the Super Late Models, beginning at 3:45 pm (PST) and ending at 7:30 pm. Saturday will find the Super Late Models practicing from 12:15 pm to 1:00 pm. Qualifying is scheduled for 3:15 pm. The Last Chance Qualifier (if needed) will follow, with feature events rolling off thereafter. There will be a halfway break on lap 68 for the SRL Super Late Models.
For those who can’t attend the event, catch the action at www.SpearsRacing.TV, with your paid subscription. The event will be shown on MAVTV at a time to be named later.
Celebrating its twentieth season in 2020, 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”.
Johnny Spilotro can be found on Twitter at @johnnyspilotro and Instagram at @johnnyspilotro
PC: Barry Ambrose, Alexa Anast
