IRWINDALE, California — Jason Bowles enters the second half of the 2009 NASCAR Camping World West Series season on July 4th at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale as the driver everyone is keeping an eye on. The Californian is not only currently second in the title chase, but also the most recent series race winner and defending race winner at Irwindale.
In 2008, Bowles followed up his win at the Infineon Raceway road course with a superb victory at the Irwindale oval, en route to taking second place in the championship fight. One year later, the former formula car and karting star is poised to accomplish the feat for a second consecutive season. Given Bowles already has two wins this season in his No. 6 Sunrise Ford/Oakley/Joe Gibbs Racing Oil/GS 610/RPM 12/Justice Brothers/Bell/Ford, has yet to finish outside the top-10, and has won the two previous NASCAR Camping World West Series races at Irwindale from the pole position, few are betting against the 2007 Rookie of the Year finding continued success at the California oval.
“We’re taking the same car back that we ran there last year,” said Bowles. “Hopefully, we can repeat by qualifying on the pole and winning the race. Our performance is getting better every week. That’s what needs to happen to try to win the championship.”
The King Taco 200 at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale commences for Bowles and his Sunrise Ford crew on Saturday (July 4), with a pair of 45-minute practice sessions. The grid for the 200-lap race will be set via single-car qualifying 4:45 p.m. local time, followed by the green flag scheduled to wave at 8:30 p.m.
Additional information on Bowles 2009 season can be obtained from the series website @ localracing.nascar.com/series/8 For direct contact, please contact Jason Bowles @ bowlesjason@mac.com
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About Jason Bowles:
A native of Ontario, Calif., Bowles began his motorsports career behind the wheel of a kart at the age of 11. Immediately showing talent, he promptly won several junior class races and championships, before moving up to the senior classes. Retaining his winning ways, the talented young race pilot became one of the drivers to beat in shifter kart competition. Following in the footsteps of established racing stars, Bowles began racing cars in 2004. Competing in the highly competitive Cooper Tires F2000 Championship he promptly won Rookie of the Year honors. While the Californian found continued success in the pro F2000 ranks and subsequently got the chance to test an Atlantic Championship car, funding prevented him from advancing up the open-wheel motorsports ladder. Thanks to some established relationships within motorsports his career aspirations were soon revived in the stock ranks. While Bowles was initially viewed as a road course specialist, he has since established himself as complete driver, winning on variety of courses. In 2009, Bowles will contest the entire 13-race NASCAR Camping World West Series schedule behind the wheel of a Sunrise Ford/Oakley/Joe Gibbs Racing Oil/GS 610/RPM 12/Justice Brothers Ford entry.
