|
 BAKERSFIELD,
CALIFORNIA (September 13, 2012)
– SPEARS SRL Southwest Tour points leader Derek Thorn won his fifth
SRL event of 2012, and fourth in the last five races, winning
Saturday's "Century Boatland 125" at the Las Vegas Bullring. Thorn
took quick-time for the fifth time this season as well and continues
to dominate the series aboard Bryon Campell's #43 Four Star Fruit /
Hronis Racing Ford.
Saturday's victory is Thorn's 10th career win in the series and
gives him a 49 point advantage in the series standings with just two
races remaining. Thorn's victory also assures him an even further
advantage in the National Sunoco Driven Challenge national points
with a 33 point lead, where the winner will earn a NASCAR K&N Pro
Series test with Joe Gibbs Racing.
"This year in the
SRL has been has been one we will look back on for years I believe,"
Thorn said. "I can’t speak for the team but I feel this has been
one of the most successful and promising years I have had as a
driver up to this point in my career. We've all clicked as a team
and continue to grow stronger as the year is progressing."
Thorn persevered over 100 degree temperatures to lead qualifying.
He qualified with a 14.584 second lap around the 3/8ths mile venue
to take fast-time honors by over a tenth of a second. A nine car
invert placed Thorn ninth on the grid for the non-stop 125 lap race.
The Lakeport, CA native took his time working through the field,
cracking the top-five by lap 30 but he then quickly made his way
towards race leader Jared Vorse. Thorn caught up to Vorse and took
the lead on lap 45.
With still 80 laps remaining, the race wasn't settled yet as Thorn
passed slower lapped traffic. A caution with 25 laps to go set up a
possible battle between Thorn and second place in points Jim Pettit
II but Thorn showed off the Mike Keen-prepared setup and pulled away
to a comfortable 1.3 second advantage at the finish.
"This weekend at
Vegas with the Campbell Motorsports crew was one of our best
weekends yet, Thorn said. "The car was fast right off the trailer
and Mike made some great calls to make the car just that much
better. With two races remaining and the championship chase far
from over the team is just getting warmed up and ready for the final
stretch of the championship chase."
The SPEARS SRL Southwest Tour will go dark until a critical race on
October 13 at All American Speedway for the "West Coast Transmission
125" in a double-header with the NASCAR K&N Pro Series, West.
Rounding out the 2012 campaign will be the "Sigma Engineering 154"
at Las Vegas Bullring on November 17.
With the SRL taking a breather, Thorn's attention will turn to the
hotly contested NASCAR K&N Pro Series, West where Thorn has Bob
Bruncati's #6 Sunrise Ford entry in fourth in the series points.
The tightly wound points chase sees Thorn just 48 points behind
leader Greg Pursley and only seven points behind third place David
Mayhew.
Next up is the series debut for the West Series at the NAPA Speedway
(formerly Sandia Motorsports Park) in Sandia, New Mexico. The venue
resembles the former Altamont Raceway Park with a low-banked
half-mile oval with a quarter-mile oval within it.
Thorn has shown great abilities at debut venues for the series in
2012, winning the West Series debut at Havasu 95 Speedway in Arizona
in April and finishing 4th on the Brainerd International Raceway
road course in May. With Crew Chief Bill Sedgwick on the wrenches,
Thorn and the Sunrise Ford team expect to come into New Mexico
well-prepared. A strong finish would position Thorn nicely in the
final two races of the season at Roseville and Phoenix.
"The crew at
Sunrise Ford has been putting in some long hours in the shop," Thorn
said. "These final races of the 2012 season are going to be some of
the best we've had all year. We've had a great season so far and
can’t wait to finish off the season with similar results. Bob
Bruncati and the entire team have given me a great opportunity this
year and I can’t wait to continue our momentum into the 2013
season."
Race fans can follow Derek Thorn on his Twitter page @DerekThorn6
and encouraged to vote for Thorn in the Most Popular Driver contest
on www.nascarhometracks.com for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series, West
division.
Race fans can
also learn more about Derek Thorn on his official website at
www.derekthorn.com
Derek Thorn would like to thank the following sponsors for their
support in 2012: Sunrise Ford, Four Star Fruit, Hronis Racing, Lucas
Oil, Eibach Springs, Joe’s Racing Products, Oakley, Double Eagle
Transportation, Victory Circle Chassis, PepperJack Kennels, and
Blakesley Sports Media. |
