ROSEVILLE, California — Zane Lovelace, Jr. and the West Coast Transmission team pulled off a near Cinderella story on Saturday night, leading 140 laps of the SRL SPEARS Southwest Tour race at Stockton 99 Speedway before being spun out of the lead five laps from the finish. For the SRL rookie Lovelace, it was a career-best performance behind the wheel of his Ty and Junior Joiner-prepared #46 car.
Lovelace is a former NASCAR Western Late Model racer with several wins at the historic Stockton 99 Speedway quarter-mile oval. Lovelace qualified sixth with a 13.388 second lap and started outside pole after a seven car invert.
“I definitely have some laps under my belt at Stockton and I think that’s a big part of my success there in the tour car.”
20 SRL tour cars started the Mid Valley Iron & Metals 150 and Lovelace leapt forward into the lead past NASCAR West champion Mike David on a lap five restart. Lovelace maintained the lead through the lap 75 break and continued his lead through many restarts in the second half.
Lovelace had a good restart on lap 141 and looked destined for his first career SRL win in just his third start, but on lap 145 he was spun by Jim Pettit as they came out of turn two. Lovelace and Pettit were both forced to restart from the rear of the field where the rookie had to settle for an 11th place finish.
“I don’t think he did it on purpose,” Lovelace said. “I’m sure we’ll have a conversation at some point and clear the air.”
The event marked Lovelace’s third race with disappointing results. At Roseville, Lovelace led early and was running second when he had a flat tire while at Las Vegas he also ran in the top-five before electrical problems knocked him out of the show.
“Ever since I was a little boy I have wanted to win a tour race,” Lovelace said. “We came five laps short of a Cinderella story but all in all it was a real good day. All the hours the crew puts into the car made this a little hard to swallow.”
The West Coast Transmission / Joiner Motorsports team plans to compete in a limited schedule in 2011 before going full-time in 2012. The team is looking for sponsorship and without sponsorship will be unable to attend this week’s race at Madera. Lovelace said they are planning to compete at Salt Lake City in July, however.
“I’m ready to put Stockton my rear view and get ready for Salt Lake City!”
Zane Lovelace, Jr. is sponsored by West Coast Transmission, Joiner Motorsports, and PDQ Transmission Parts. Potential sponsors can contact either Steven Blakesley at (916) 509-7049 or Zane Lovelace, Jr. at (916) 348-3962.
