VOIGT and NTS PEAK in COLORADO
Bakersfield, CA — Greg Voigt and Bob Newberry’s NTS Motorsports team were victorious in Sunday’s SPEARS Southwest Tour Series “Colorado 100” at Pikes Peak International Raceway in Fountain, Colorado. The 100-mile race on the one-mile oval was the biggest event in the 13-year history of the SPEARS Southwest Tour Series.
Pole setter and current SPEARS Southwest Tour Series championship leader Jim Pettit II, dominated the first half of the 100-mile race in his #18 Moeller Bros./HUR Engines Chevrolet. From his seventh starting position, Voigt moved into second position ironically on lap 18. After a lap 50 caution to allow the teams to take on fuel, the largest crowd in recent history at Pikes Peak International Raceway saw a classic duel between the two veterans on the one mile oval.
Voigt took the lead for one lap on lap 68 and again on lap 80, each time Pettit battled back passed the Goleta, California driver. On lap 83, Voigt once again pulled even with Pettit down the back straight, but this time cleared the two-time series champ by a car length at the start finish. The two fought for the win over the final 20 laps, with Pettit making a big run into turn three with four laps to go, but the Prunedale, California veteran lost grip and nearly spun in turn four, which was all Voigt needed to be able to go on to a .237 second victory.
Climbing from the #29 car in the winner’s circle, Voigt celebrated with the NTS team, his wife Susanna and daughter Savanna.
“I have to thank the Lord above for giving me the ability and opportunity to do this,” Voigt stated in the winner’s circle. “I have to thank Wayne Spears for this great event, my family for being so supportive and Gary (Collins – Team Manager), my longtime spotter Jim (Weston) and all the guys on the team who work so hard to get the car right for me. Their hard work is paying off for us. I have to especially thank Bob Newberry for the opportunity to drive great racecars for his team.”
2013 is the first year that Voigt and Newberry, who also owns two Kernersville, North Carolina based Camping World Truck Series teams, one for former SRL driver Brennan Newberry and the other for his teammate Ron Hornaday, Jr., teamed up to compete in the SPEARS Southwest Tour Series.
“This is a big win for our whole organization,” stated NTS Motorsports team owner Bob Newberry. “Gary (Collins) and the whole team have done a great job for us with our west coast teams and I have to thank him, all the guys and Greg for doing a great job for us at the wheel. We’ve been on a roll lately and this is a big boost to our program. Racing at Pikes Peak was awesome, I have to thank Wayne Spears and the series for giving us the opportunity.”
The twenty-five-car field was split 14 to 11, California teams versus Colorado based teams. Dominic Ursetta, from Arvada, Colorado finished third, followed by Manteca’s Jacob Gomes and Denver’s Mike Gallegos, Bakersfield’s Derek Thorn was sixth, with Jason Gilbert of Dublin seventh, Colorado drivers Darren Robertson, Darren Bucklen and Dan Savage rounded out the top ten.
The next race for the SPEARS Southwest Tour Series is the ‘2013 Century Motorsports and Marine Championship Finale’ on November 16th at the Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
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