BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – The SPEARS SRL Southwest Tour returns to action this Saturday with the second round of the JM Environmental Inc. Wild West Shootout, the Get It Hot 75, at Kern County Raceway.
The race will pay $10,000 to the winner at the conclusion of the 75-lap feature, with the field set via qualifying and 10-lap heat races. Drivers who qualify in the top-eight will redraw for position in their heat, with the winner sitting on the pole for the 75-lap finale. Odd and even heat races will line-up straight-up, and will set the inside and outside rows.
In a unique twist, any driver who qualifies in the top-eight has the option to start in the rear and could earn an additional $10,000 should they win the race. In addition, $1,000 will also be awarded to the leader on lap 27. There may be a competition caution within the first 30 laps, and any time after 40 laps of consecutive green flag racing, except in the final 10 laps.
Heading into Kern County, three-time Madera Speedway Nut Up Pro Late Model champion Buddy Shepherd holds a two-point lead over five-time SRL champion Derek Thorn. Jacob Gomes, the 2015 series champion, sits third after leading the standings prior to the previous All American Speedway event.
Shepherd enters the event after a second-place finish at All American Speedway. Shepherd may have had the fastest car at the end, but bodywork damage sustained while battling for the lead sent him to the pits after leading through lap 76. Shepherd stormed back through the field to finish second. He will now head to his home track as he looks to get his second SRL victory and first at Kern County Raceway.
“I’m super excited to be back at KCRP,” Shepherd said. “I can’t wait to chase that $10,000 at my home track in front of my friends and family. We were really good there the first race, and I’m hoping to carry our momentum back there and have a strong finish.”
Thorn is also looking forward to returning to his home track at Bakersfield. He has 12 SPEARS SRL Southwest Tour victories at the facility, including two in the annual Winter Showdown. He’s won the last four races at Kern County, but admits this weekend will be a challenge.
“Summer is here, and the temps will be up,” Thorn said. “The shortened race and the need to make sure tires don’t come apart will make it tough. I’m looking forward to racing on our home turf and making the most of it.”
Gomes can only dream of what might have been at All American Speedway. He has been close to several wins as of late and had eight consecutive top-five finishes prior to the All American Speedway event. Gomes believes he’ll need better luck to seal the deal this Saturday.
“It seems we have good cars and are right there, it’s just things seem to want to go another way.” Gomes said. “We have everything put together. It just seems like Lady Luck has different plans. I can’t wait to be back on track, and I’m ready for a good run again, to see if we can get it done.”
Joining the SPEARS SRL Southwest Tour will be the SPEARS Pro Late Model Series and the SPEARS Modified Series. The pro late model class will compete in the Sigma Performance Service 50, which will pay $7,600 to the winner. The SPEARS Manufacturing Modified 50 for the modified series will pay $2,500 to the winner.
For those unable to attend the event in person, all the action can be seen live by logging on to SPEED SPORT TV affiliate www.SpearsRacing.TV. The event will also air at a later date on MAVTV.