SRL Remembers Irwindale Speedway
Bakersfield, CA – On December 21st, 2024, Irwindale Speedway ran its’ last event on the oval tracks that populate the grounds of the former quarry. The facility was first opened on a cold night, in March of 1999. It was met with a packed grandstand. It was bookended with another packed grandstand just over a week ago. Part of its’ rich history was the Southwest Tour, which included both the NASCAR Southwest Tour and the SRL Southwest Tour Series. We remember the SRL’s memorable annals at the storied half mile, which was integral in the series growth.
The SRL Southwest Tour first visited Irwindale Speedway in 2008, when Jim Pettit II claimed the “Anderson Windows and Doors 100” over a 24-car field. The appearance was a big boost for the series, under the control of Steve Fensler. The series made its’ last visit in 2024, where Jacob Gomes claimed the final checkered for the series at the immaculate facility. In between, the series visited an additional 27 times through the years. That included a non-championship event in November of 2010, where M.K. Kanke grabbed a win in the “Canidae Classic 100”.
Former Series director Steve Fensler was in his final year heading the series, when the then Flashco SRL Southwest Tour Series visited Irwindale for the first time. Fensler remembers that first event, which found three-time SRL titlist Jim Pettit II in Victory Lane.
“I remember the race was a real upset, as Rip Michaels was pretty much unbeatable there”, Fensler recalled. “With Jim (Pettit) being the fantastic driver he is, he took Rip to the woodshed. That first visit to Irwindale was quite special.”
Overall, Derek Thorn earned the most series victories with seven at Irwindale. That included a $25,000 win in the 2022 “All-Star Showdown”, over a field of 33 Super Late Models. Jacob Gomes and M.K. Kanke both grabbed four victories with Gomes winning in four of his last seven starts. Kanke added three NASCAR Southwest Tour Series wins, for seven overall. Other multi-time winners included Ryan Cansdale (2), and Preston Peltier (2).
Larry and Marion Collins, as well as Brain Olson, took over the SRL in 2009, which saw the series grow through the years, with the ½-mile paved oval an integral part of the expansion. The series boasted a record car count in 2021, for the second annual “All-Star Showdown 200” on February 6th. 44 Super Late Models attended the event, won by Preston Peltier. He took home a series record-tying $30,000 for his efforts. Casey Roderick set the all-time track record for the series that weekend, with a time of 17.035 seconds.
Irwindale was a track that seemed to reward the best teams and drivers in the series. 20 of the 29 events found series champions in Victory Lane. Only three winning drivers failed to secure Late Model touring series championships or Super Late Model track championships. Those included Ryan Cansdale, Troy Ermish and Bobby Hodges. All three were multi-time winners in the series, with Cansdale the Rookie-of-the-Year in 2015 and the championship runner-up in 2016. Hodges was fourth in the standings that same season. Ermish had a best championship result of fifth.
The track went through many changes throughout the years, making it hard for the competitors of the “Tour” to get a handle on the facility. Series director Larry Collins recalled the changing track and management over the series 17 years at the facility.
“What stands out most to me, when reflecting on the years that the SRL competed at Irwindale Speedway, is how things changed over the years. The management team changed a few times, and the track itself changed many times, which changed how the track raced. It went from only the top groove against the wall, then moved to the lower grooves, then to the entire track was raceable. Irwindale hosted some great racing for the SRL.”
The SRL Southwest Tour Series was proud to be a part of the history of Irwindale Speedway over the last 17 years. It was a big part of the series’ growth, and we hope we were a big part of the speedway’s success. We will miss turning left at LA’s “Place to Race”, as another racing facility is taken from the Southern California landscape.
Celebrating its twenty fourth season in 2024, 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”.
Previous Winners:
April 26, 2008: Jim Pettit II
July 18, 2009: Troy Ermish
October 10, 2009: M.K. Kanke
July 17, 2010: Jonathon Gomez
September 4, 2010: M.K. Kanke
November 27, 2010: M.K. Kanke
August 16, 2014: Greg Voigt
June 6, 2015: Derek Thorn
April 30, 2016: Ryan Cansdale
June 18, 2016: Ryan Cansdale
March 25, 2017: Bobby Hodges
August 19, 2017: Derek Thorn
June 9, 2018: Eric Schmidt
July 14, 2018: Derek Thorn
March 23, 2019: Preston Peltier
July 20, 2019: Derek Thorn
February 1, 2020: Derek Thorn
July 18, 2020: Linny White
February 6, 2021: Preston Peltier
April 10, 2021: Derek Thorn
July 17, 2021: Derek Thorn
February 5, 2022: Derek Thorn
May 21, 2022: Jacob Gomes
September 17, 2022: Buddy Shepherd
November 12, 2022: Jeremy Doss
January 21, 2023: Jacob Gomes
May 20, 2020: Dylan Zampa
September 16, 2023: Jacob Gomes
May 18, 2024: Jacob Gomes
