The SPEARS SRL Southwest Tour Series will be at the Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this Saturday night for the tenth and final race of the 2010 championship season.
NEWS and NOTES:
• CHAMPIONSHIP PICTURE: Twin Falls, Idaho’s Jonathon Gomez leads the championship standings entering Saturday night with a 61 point lead over Prunedale, California’s Jim Pettit II, and a 98 point lead over Lakeport’s Derek Thorn. Gomez can secure his first touring series championship with a 14th place finish, even if Pettit wins the 200-lap finale.
• CHAMPIONSHIP TOP TEN: Current SRL Top 10 Championship Driver Standings – Gomez 1414, Pettit 1353, Thorn 1316, Ryan Foster 1248, Keith Spangler 1224, Brennan Newberry 1217, Jacob Gomes 1209, Ross Strmiska 1133, Joe Farre’ 1108 and M.K. Kanke at 1086 points.
• LONGEST RACE: Saturday night’s season finale will be the longest race in SPEARS SRL Southwest Tour Series history at 200 laps. The race will feature a halfway break where teams will bolt on four new Hoosier race tires and add SUNOCO race fuel.
• RICHEST RACE: Saturday night’s SPEARS SRL Southwest Tour Series winner will be awarded $6,000, making it the richest payoff in series history.
• STRONG FIELD: Thirty SPEARS SRL Southwest Tour Series teams are entered for this weekend’s event, including past Bullring race winner’s Bear Rzesnowiecky (2008), M.K. Kanke (2009) and Derek Thorn (May 8, 2010).
• K&N YOUNG GUNS CHAMPIONSHIP: The race for the 2010 K&N Young Guns championship for drivers 23 years and younger is a three-way battle with Brennan Newberry with 832 points, Jacob Gomes with 814 and Ross Strmiska at 809.
• ROOKIE LEADERS: Fourteen SRL rookies have competed in 2010, with Gomes leading the Victory Circle Chassis Rookie-of-the-Year standings with 1209 points, followed by Strmiska at 1133 and Carlos Vieira with 1078.
• LEGENDS: Cale Kanke is holding the top spot of the SRL Legends Tour championship with 1555 points, followed closely by Austin Reed with 1490.
• TIMES: Saturday spectator gates open at 5:00pm, with SPEARS SRL Southwest Tour Series qualifying at 5:30pm. The event will also feature the SMRA Super Modifieds, USAC Western States Midgets, Legends, INEX Thunder Rosters, and Bandoleros. For more information go to; www.lvms.com
