California enters the first-ever race at the Oregon road course having won the previous two series events
"I don’t think I have been to the Portland International Raceway since about 2004, when I was still running open-wheel. The track is a lot of fun and really rewards a good handling car."— Jason Bowles
PORTLAND, ORE. (July 14, 2009) – When the NASCAR Camping World West Series travels to Portland International Raceway for the first time on July 17-18, American Jason Bowles will be the driver that everyone is chasing. The talented Californian enters the Bi-Mart ‘Salute to the Troops’ 125 as not only the current series points leader, but also as the winner of the previous two series races.
For Bowles, the first of back-to-back road courses on the NASCAR Camping World West Series calendar comes at an ideal time. The former karting and formula car standout enters the first-ever series event at Portland International Raceway having won the previous two events (Infineon Raceway and Toyota Speedway at Irwindale), and moved into the championship lead. Given that the 2007 Rookie of the Year is widely regarded as the best road course driver in the series, the 63-lap race on the 1.98-mile track provides the No. 6 Sunrise Ford/Oakley/Joe Gibbs Racing Oil/GS 610/RPM 12/Justice Brothers/Bell/Ford driver the opportunity to add to his championship-leading points total. The 26 year-old Bowles has nine career wins in three years of competition, three of which have come on road courses.
“I’m really looking forward to the race this weekend,” stated Bowles. “I don’t think I have been to the Portland International Raceway since about 2004, when I was still running open-wheel. The track is a lot of fun and really rewards a good handling car. I’m not even thinking about the points, we are just going to go to the race like we have every other race this year. We will get the car the best we can and the cards will fall where they fall.”
Bowles and his Sunrise Ford crew will get their first chance to drive the high-speed Portland International Raceway road course on Saturday (July 17), with a pair of practice sessions. The grid for Round Nine of the NASCAR Camping World West Series will be set on Sunday morning (July 18) via an hour-long qualifying session, followed by the green flag waving for the Bi-Mart Salute to the Troops 125 at 2:00 p.m. local time.
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.
