Top 5 Finish for Zane Lovelace at Stockton 99 Speedway
ROSEVILLE, California — With a 5th place finish in last weekend’s “STRANDWOLD BROTHERS 125 presented by HURST Shifters” at Stockton 99 Speedway in Stockton California, Zane Lovelace, driver of the #46 Prestige Autobuyers.com/MotoFX Toyota Camry, gains not only momentum but also valuable points in his pursuit of a 2013 Spears Southwest Tour Championship.
Having the fastest car overall during Friday’s practice session, Lovelace says of his recently acquired Hamke car, “This is only our third race in this car. Every time we get it on the track, we’re taking notes, making improvements and moving closer to our goal of being a strong and consistent contender in this series. I have a lot of respect for guys like Derek Thorn and Jim Pettit, they set the bar high in the SRL and Im really looking forward to being there with them in the end, racing for the win.”
Unfortunately Lovelace was the first car out to qualify on Saturday, and would start the race in his qualifying position of 7th place. Fighting for position for over 55 laps, he would spend the remainder of the race in the top 5. During a double file restart on lap 63, Lovelace found himself lined up behind Jim Pettit. In an attempt to follow Pettit to the front of the field, Lovelace mirrored Pettit’s every move including a turn 2 wall strike. “It’s never a good outcome when your racecar hits the wall. Parts usually get bent, and for us, it knocked the toe out of the car.” Lovelace said. “We had a car capable of running up there with Derek (Thorn) and Jim (Pettit), but hitting the wall really hurt our chances. I’m happy to be bringing the car home in one piece, I’m happy with a 5th place finish and I’m really proud of my team for all their hard work.” he adds.
The 46 team, consisting of Crew Chief Ty Joiner, Car Chief John Camilleri, mechanics Stephen and RJ Godett, team owner Zane Lovelace Sr. and spotter Billy Shaul, will spend the next few weeks preparing for a May 11 trip to The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, a favorite track for Lovelace. In his last appearance at The Bullring, at the biggest race of the year, Lovelace finished an impressive 2nd place to Jonathon Gomez after a hard fought battle in the series’ 2012 season finale.
Zane Lovelace is supported by Prestige Auto Buyers in Rocklin, Ca. Serving the greater Sacramento area, Prestige Auto Buyers is family owned and operated by the Lovelace family and their partners. Prestige Auto Buyers is proud to offer quality vehicles and a quality price. Please visit prestigeautobuyers.com com for more information including location, contact info and dealer inventory. Special thanks to MotoEfx, a leader in graphic products for extreme sports such as motocross, ATV’s, race cars, boats, jet skis, go karts, side by sides and more. Lovelace Motorsports is currently seeking sponsors for the 2013 season. If interested, please call Zane at 916-240-3205.
Source — Brandi Matteoni
Date Posted — April 11, 2013
