Source: SRL Media Relations/cs
Date: 04/28/2008

WILTON, California – The Flashco SRL Southwest Tour Series put on a clinic in front of a near capacity crowd at Irwindale’s Toyota Speedway showing off the talent of it’s touring car veterans as well as it’s skilled young guns. Up front for most of the night were two short track legends with lengthy credentials. Jim Pettit of Prunedale, CA in his Top of the Hill Performance #03 Chevrolet took the checkered flag, outlasting local hero and crowd favorite Rip Michels in his Stock Building Supply #12 Chevrolet, despite Michels many track championships and over 50 features wins at Toyota Speedway.

The main event started with a tight group of drivers that included front row starter Dan Holtz in the Beverly Hills Rejuvenation Center #23 Ford, rookie of the year contender Josh Combs in his Country Bear #7 Ford, Dave Byrd in his Performance Electrical #1 Chevrolet and Greg Voigt in his Auto-Pro Racing Engines #4 Chevrolet. Although many levels of experience were represented in this group, each driver held their own and put on a great show of two, three and sometimes four wide racing.

But buy lap 10, the #12 car of Michels and the #03 of Pettit were beginning to make their move to the front. By Lap 15 Pettit had taken over the top spot from the #04 car of Voigt. Voigt battled hard to keep the 2nd spot but at lap 47 after the remarkably clean race’s first yellow, Michels passed him. Voigt continued to have a strong car and finished 4th behind fellow tour veteran Craig Raudman in his Approved Memory #2 Chevrolet at lap 60. Voigt had to push hard as in a pack behind the top 3, he had to fend off Jamie Dick in the #88 Viva Auto Group Chevrolet and another Toyota Speedway regular, Brandon Loverock in his #99 Torco Racing Oils Chevrolet. And remarkably, joining this group for the last 20 laps was the winner of the SRL’s first race in Roseville, Troy Ermish in the #38 Alfred Matthews Pontiac, who had pitted under yellow, yet still managed to get back on the track and work his way back up to a 6th place finish.

The duel up front though was truly a remarkable sight for the Toyota Speedway crowd to watch. Pettit and Michels, two drivers with numerous championships, both with NASCAR Southwest Tour championships (Pettit in 2004 & 2005, Michels in 2006), each putting on a masterful show. Michels who knows every inch of the track would make a move and Pettit would counter. Pettit’s car was equally as good down low as it was up in the tracks more popular high groove. Pettit would put some distance between he and Michels but the virtually caution free race had just enough yellows (3) to bunch the two up and the battle was on all over again. These two continued up front keeping the fans on the edge of their seat for most of the race. But in the end, Pettit was just too strong and wouldn’t be denied as he took the checkered flag in the 2nd race of the Flashco SRL season. Finishing 3rd was the #2 car of Craig Raudman who has also won a NASCAR Southwest Tour Championship (2001) which meant the top 3 finishers had won series championships 4 out of the last 6 years the NACAR series existed.

“This was a clean race with lots of green flag racing”, said Raudman. “It is great to be racing with some of the former Tour drivers and the guys that are newer to the SRL did a great job tonight as well” continued Raudman.

“It was great racing with guys I knew from the old tour”, said Michels. “I hope we can get the SRL down here to Irwindale again soon!” he continued.

“The quality of racing and the caliber of drivers make the SRL something I am proud to represent,” said main event winner Jim Pettit. “I enjoy being one of the series veterans that the newer SRL drivers come to for advice. I was really impressed with how well all the drivers did tonight. This is important as we continued to show the fans what a great series this is,” continued Pettit.

Travis Bennett in the #21 of Ellensburg, WA in his Giumara Companies Chevrolet made a strong showing finishing 8th despite having to overcome much adversity. Credit him and his crew for getting him into the race after dealing with engine problems on Friday that forced a late night and early morning engine change.

Fast qualifier Rip Michels was the Mid-Valley Iron and Metals “Hard Charger” coming all the way up from the 10th starting position to 2nd. Eddie Secord in the #84 Carpenter Trey Engineering Chevrolet was the race’s Ron’s Rear Ends “Hard Luck” award winner with mechanical issues that ended his night early after only 17 laps.

“We would like to thank Stock Building Supply for their support of our first ever Flashco SRL appearance in Irwindale. We would also like to especially thank all the great people at Toyota Speedway. They have such a first class facility and we were thrilled we could be a part of their action-packed evening of racing!” said Steve Fensler, executive director of the SRL. “I am so proud of our Flashco SRL drivers. That was a great display of racing that showed how talented they are!”

Trophy Dash

The Trophy Dash like the main event was a battle that included drivers with years of tour car experience and 2 drivers with lots of track experience at Toyota Speedway. The starting grid of the inverted top four fastest qualifiers included Ermish in the 38 car, local driver Dan Moore in the 22 car, the main event winner Pettit in his 03 car and Irwindale track champion Michels in the 12 car. Sometimes drivers will hold back a bit in a Trophy Dash but that wasn’t the case with this foursome. Moore and Michels made their move toward the front with Moore leading the first lap and Michels the 2nd. But just as aggressive was Pettit who made an unbelievable pass to pull into second and challenged Michels to the end of the 4 lap dash putting on a great show for the Toyota Speedway crowd.

Trophy Dash Finish: 12 - Michels, 03 - Pettit II, 22 - Moore, 38 - Ermish

About the FLASHCO SRL Southwest Tour Series: Celebrating its eighth season in 2008, the FLASHCO SRL Southwest Tour Series is a regional stock car series competing on paved ovals in the southwestern portion of the U.S. The series utilizes cars based on the former NASCAR Elite Division Series rulebook. First 2008 event is this weekend at Roseville’s All-American Speedway. For more information contact the FLASHCO SRL Southwest Tour Series offices at 916-687-7284 or go to www.srllatemodels.com About Flashco, Inc. – Contractor Supply and Equipment Rental Company: Flashco, Inc. is a privately owned company based in Bakersfield, California. For over three decades Flashco has been an industry leader in traffic control and safety, and the equipment rental company of choice for the Central Valley. www.flashcoinc.com

Toyota Speedway 4/26/08 * Rookie of the Year Contender

Main Event Finish Points Qualifying Race Finish Points 1. 03 Jim Pettit II 50 1. Trans. 2. 12 Rip Michaels 48 2. Trans. 3. 2 Craig Raudman 46 3. 10 4. 4 Greg Voigt 44 4. 9 5. 88 Jamie Dick 42 5. 8 6. 38 Troy Ermish 40 6. . 7 7. 99 Brandon Loverock 38 7. 6 8. 21 Travis Bennett 36 8. 5 9. 37 Keith Spangler 34 9. 4 10. 1 Dave Byrd 32 10. 3 11. 18 Todd Bammer 30 11. 2 12. 9 Justin Westmoreland* 28 TROPHY DASH 13. 7 Josh Combs* 26 1. 12 Rip Michaels 14. 54 Joe Farre’* 24 2. 03 Jim Pettit II 15. 11 Bryan Herzog 22 3. 22 Dan Moore 16. 51 Rick Ruzbarsky 20 4. 38 Troy Ermish 17. 17 Darrell LaMoure 18 18. 13 Ryan Mock* 16 MID VALLEY IRON 19. 48 Mike Lay* 14 HARD CHARGER 20. 22 Dan Moore 12 12 Rip Michaels 21. 51F Carlos Vieira* 12 22. 45 Gail Chase 12 RON’REAR ENDS 23. 23 Dan Holtz 12 HARD LUCK AWARD 24. 84 Eddie Secord* 12 84 Eddie Secord

Fast Qualifiers Car Number Qualifying Time Points 1. 12 Rip Michaels 18.113 5 2. 03 Jim Pettit II 18.236 4 3. 22 Dan Moore 18.248 3 4. 38 Troy Ermish 18.267 2 5. 2 Craig Raudman 18.271 1

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