Peltier and Cristiani win Spears Mfg Southwest Tour and Modified mains – By Tim Kennedy.

Irwindale, CA., Mar. 23 - Spears Mfg touring Southwest Tour super late model and Spears modified divisions began 2019 point seasons Saturday on the Irwindale Speedway half-mile. The R. J. Allen, Inc. and Traffic Management, Inc.-sponsored event offered a purse of $25,495 for the super late model series. Senneker Performance ensured the winner would receive $5,000. It was the 19^th Spears SWT super late model race at Irwindale during the last 15 years.

The large purse attracted an all-time high Irwindale field of 34 super late models, topping the former record at Irwindale of 30 cars in 2010. Eight past super late model champions (with 15 championships) were in the field. Sixteen drivers had recorded super late model feature victories. Drivers came from five states in each division.

There were 16 modifieds from the former Lucas Oil Modified Series. The series is now called Spears Modifieds presented by Lucas Oil. The same Hoosier tires were used in both racing segments by both divisions. MAVTV Network recorded the event for later telecast.

About 3,000 spectators viewed a pair of 50-lap segments for the super late models and a pair of 40-lap segments for the modifieds. Drivers with the best finishes in the combined segments were the winners in each division. Ties were broken by the highest finishes in the second segments. 

The new format commemorated the 50^th year anniversary for long-time racing sponsor Spears, based in So Cal.

Two drivers removed all doubt about the winner in each Spears division. Preston Peltier, a 41-year old veteran super late model driver in major national events, came from his base in Brighton, Colo., and raced at Irwindale for the first time. He won both 50-lap super late model segments and earned $5,000.

Peltier, a 2010 PASS South and PASS National champion, drove the Generator Source Hamke chassis for Colorado-based Ed Vecchicrelli. He has employed Peltier for three years to race and maintain his fleet of five super late models and two modifieds. Peltier left his Bakersfield-area home at age 18 and worked until three years ago as a fabricator at Rick Hendrick Motorsports on the No. 24 NASCAR Cup car driven by Jeff Gordon.

Peltier now races in high-dollar super late model events around the nation, including Snowball Derby 300-lap races in Pensacola, Florida where he earned a pole position. He also excelled at Colorado tracks and at Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, Wash., where he won two Summer Showdown races. He has raced in the last three high-dollar Winter Showdown 300s in Bakersfield, where he finished third this year in a Rowdy chassis for Hamke/Kyle Busch Racing.

MODIFIEDS: Trevor Cristiani, 25, from Boise, Ida., duplicated Peltier's dominance by winning both 40-lap segments of the modified event in his own STR chassis. It was his second visit to Irwindale. He duplicated his August 18 victory last season as a modified series rookie aboard a car owned by Don Newman, from Eagle, Idaho.

With cool temperature during late afternoon, one-lap track records in both series were broken. Four drivers topped the Spears super late model record of 17.272 set by Derek Thorn on March 25, 2017. Peltier, Thorn and Trevor Huddleston broke Thorn's old mark. Then Dylan Lupton, a 25-year old Californian who has raced in NASCAR national series for four years, turned the new record of 17.055 (105.541 mph) as the 19^th of 33 qualifiers in a car owned by his father.

Cristiani broke the modified series one-lap track record of 18.470 set by Ryan Partridge on April 30, 2016 with a lap of 18.424 (97.699 mph). Sixteen modifieds raced for Spears Mfg points for the first time. The series has nine events scheduled this season at five speedways in Arizona, California, and Nevada. 

Both Spears divisions will return to Irwindale Speedway on July 20 for second events this year.

A 35-lap Southwest Tour Truck Series 35-lap main event with nine trucks opened racing as the first event. Ronnie Davis, Jr. led the final 34 laps of a 35-lap event. He won by 5.699 seconds over Mike Kelperis. Steve Reeves, Robert Vandermooren, Ron Nava, Ed Cutler, Barry Kelperis, George Perret and Curtis Burns followed. Davis became the third winner after three SWTT races at three tracks--Lake Havasu, Ariz., Las Vegas Motor Speedway Bullring. and Irwindale.

SLM RACES:

A 33-car field of super late models participated in time trials. Willie Allen's car had a stuck throttle during practice and hit the wall during practice, sidelining his car. The eight fastest qualifiers drew for starting positions in the first four rows of the first 50. Fastest qualifier Lupton drew a six, putting Jeremy Doss on the pole. Doss led the first lap and Thorn led laps 2-4. Fifth starter Peltier executed an exciting three-wide inside pass on lap 5 and led three laps. Thorn retook the point on lap 8 after a two-by-two restart following a caution flag.

Peltier retook the lead on lap 12 with another inside move in the second turn and remained in front to beat runner-up Doss by 0.666 in a 26-minute event with four yellow flags. Twenty-eight drivers finished with 20 on the lead lap. Thorn ran the fastest lap of 103.502 mph but he placed third, 1.017 seconds back. Fourth through tenth place finishers in the first 50 were: Lupton, Criag Raudman, Jeff Bischofberger, Jacob Gomes, Eric Schmidt, Kyle Neveau and Linny White.

The second 50-lap segment used a ten-car inverted starting lineup based on the first segment finishing positions. Neveau led the first eight laps over Thorn and Peltier. Thorn took the lead on lap 9 and led to lap 20 when Doss took charge and led through lap 29 with Peltier pressing for the lead. On lap 30 entering the third turn, Peltier shot to the extreme inside in traffic and took command of the race. He won by 0.947 over Bischofberger, who started fifth and took second on lap 32.

Raudman, the 2001 NASCAR Elite Divison SWT champion, was sixth on lap 42 following a red flag to clear an accident scene. He used outside passes during the final eight laps to charge forward quickly and earned third position, 3.082 seconds behind Peltier. Raudman, from Cottonwood, and his long-time car owner Dave Reed have announced that 2019 will be their farewell racing tour.

Peltier said he followed the NASCAR SWT Series as a teenager living near Bakersfield. He had never raced at Irwindale or even seen the track in person. He watched a video of an Irwindale race and after competing on the track Saturday said, “I love this kind of racing. Irwindale reminds me of a big Tucson Speedway because of the progressive banking. This place is cool.” He thanked Linny White for the set-up.

Seventeen of 28 starters finished the second segment and all drivers completed 50 laps. Thorn ran the fastest lap of 101.983 mph, but dropped out of second place on lap 24 after contact between the two leaders near turn three caused Thron to spin to the infield. He completed 31 laps. Fourth through tenth finishers were: newcomer Jace Hansen, from Greeley, CO., Lupton, Doss, Gomes, Tyler Fabozzi, Bobby Hodges and John Moore.

Combining finishes in the two segments (low total wins), the top ten SLM drivers overall were: Peltier (P. 1 & 1 = 2) - $5,000; Raudman (P. 6 & 2 = 8) - $1,500; Lupton (P. 5 & 3 = 8) - $1,250; Doss (P. 2 & 6 = 8) $1,000; Thorn (P. 4 & 5 = 9) - $850; Bischofberger (P. 7 & 7 = 14), Hansen (P. 14 & 4 = 18), Fabozzi (P. 11 & 8 = 19), Hodges (P. 15 & 9 = 24), John Moore (P. 18 & 10 = 28) - $525.

MODIFIED RACES:

Jason Irwin, from Albuquerque, started second in the first 40-lap segment and led the first 23 laps. Cristiani started fourth, slipped to fifth early and reached second place on lap 20 as the first three cars raced in a tight pack. Cristiani executed an inside pass on Irwin in turn three on lap 24 and held the lead to the lap 40 checkers. Dylan Cappello, from Peoria, AZ, passed Irwin in the closing laps and trailed the winner by 1.039.

Irwin, Las Vegas resident Justin Johnson, and 15-year old Irwindale late model driver Ryan Schartau finished in P. 3-5 respectively. All three drivers were less than four seconds behind Cristiani. Rounding out the top ten were the Kay brothers Cody, 25, and Jeremy, 18, from Reno, NV. Cody raced the former Austin Barnes STR chassis past Lucas Oil Series championship car that he raced as a rookie in 2018.

Newlywed Ryan Partridge, who started at the back after a mechanical problem and lost a lap with a trip to the infield pit area on lap 2. He regained a lap under caution and raced up to P. 7 in his own Racecar Factory-built modified. Rookies Hunter Corbitt and Jeff Longman finished ninth and tenth. All 16 starters finished with 12 on the lead lap. Irwin ran the fastest lap of 96.458 mph. The 20-minute race had two caution flags for debris and a spin.

The second modified 40-lap segment inverted the first seven finishers from the first 40. J. Kay led the first 17 laps from pole position and battled seventh starter Cristiani for three laps. Then Cristiani again used an inside pass entering the third turn and opened a 2.126 second victory margin over J. Kay. Cappello placed third, 2.915 seconds back with 15 drivers racing at the finish.

Rounding out the top ten were: Schartau, Johnson, the 2011 Irwindale NASCAR super late model track champion, Irwin, Partridge, C. Kay, Travis McCullough, and Corbitt. Kyle Keller, the IS third-mile track junior late model track champion at age 14, made his modified debut and first start on a half-mile. He placed 11^th with 39 laps. Cristiani averaged 92.493 mph for the all-green, 12-minute race. Cristiani ran the fastest race lap of 94.379 mph.

Combining finishes in both modified 40-lap segments (low total wins), the top ten modified finishers overall were: Cristiani (P. 1 & 1 = 2), Cappello (P. 2 & 3 = 5), J. Kay (P. 7 & 2 = 9), Schartau (P. 5 & 4 = 9), Johnson (P. 4 & 5 = 9), Irwin (P. 3 & 6 = 9), C. Kay (P. 6 & 8 = 14), Partridge (P. 8 & 7 = 15), Corbitt (P. 9 & 10 = 19), and McCullough (P. 11 & 9 = 20).

The next Spears Mfg SWT super late model race in the nine-race schedule will be April 13 at the one-third mile All-American Speedway in Roseville, CA. The next Spears Mfg Modified race on May 4 will be a combined show with the Spears SWT super late models at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Bullring, a three-eighths mile near the 1.5-mile speedway.

The next Irwindale Speedway event on Saturday, March 30 will feature the touring NASCAR K & N West late models for a 150-lap feature on the half-mile. A number of “Night of Destruction” typical events will follow on the third-mile and infield.

IRWINDALE SPEEDWAY 20TH SEASON RESUMES 

By Tim Kennedy

Today we share the March 9 Irwindale Speedway race report written by my esteemed colleague Tim Kennedy.  

Irwindale, CA., Mar. 9 - Irwindale Speedway completed a six division, seven main event program Saturday despite the rainiest winter in recent So Cal history. Three sunny days followed days of rain and permitted racing on City of Irwindale Night. Four races ran on the half-mile and three on the third-mile. Racers entertained an estimated 3,000 spectators. They braved chilly (for So Cal) temps in the low 50s to watch 56 cars race in a show lasting two hours and 45-minutes.

Featured events were a pair of 30-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series LKQ Pick Your Part late model main events presented by Sunrise Ford on the progressively-banked half-mile. Those events bookended the racing program as the first and seventh main events. Thirteen cars started both events.

Fastest qualifier Ryan Vargas, 18, started on the pole in a straight-up start based upon qualfying times and led all 30-laps in the opener. He drove the No. 26 Alec Martinez Chevy rented for the evening. It was his No. 23 Vargas family car through the 2017 season when Vargas drove it to three Irwindale feature victories, including a 100-lap season finale. Saturday was the fourth late model victory at Irwindale for the former So Cal resident who relocated to Concord, No. Carolina in 2018.

Vargas, the 2012 INEX Bandolero track champion, raced the No. 2 Toyota for Max Siegel's Rev Racing last season in the NASCAR K & N East Series as a Drive for Diversity driver. He raced in 14 events with six top ten finishes and placed sixth in final points among 60 drivers with K & N East points. He is currently seeking a sponsor to continue his racing career in the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck or Xfinity Series.

Trevor Huddleston started third and battled Blaine Perkins for second to lap 26 when he took second. He trailed Vargas by 0.648. Perkins, from Bakersfield, and Jace Jones, in his late model debut, followed. Jones drove the HPR No. 55 Chevy that his brother Jagger, 16, drove during the past two seasons. He is a son of versatile sports car, Indy Car, and stock car driver P. J. Jones and grandson of 1963 Indy 500 winner Parnelli Jones. He celebrated his 14^th birthday February 22 to become eligible to race on half-miles.

All 13 starters finished the first feature with ten drivers on the lead lap. The winner averaged 90.548 mph. Rookie Jones, from Scottsdale, Ariz., ran the fastest lap of 93.211 mph with his family and brother (a NASCAR K & N West 2019 rookie) present to witness his strong showing.

SECOND LM 30: The 13-car field used a ten-car inverted starting lineup for the second feature based on finishing positions in the first 30. That put Vargas and Huddleston in the fifth row. Two cars collided on lap 2 in the fourth turn. Rodney Peacher's car nosed into the outside wall hard but he escaped injury. A 12-minute red flag ensued. Kevin Furden led four laps and Lucas McNeil led laps 5-20. The first six cars ran in a pack during early laps with passing plentiful.

Huddleston spun into the infield after contact on the restart and had to restart at the back. He moved forward quickly and dueled Perkins for second before making an outside pass exiting then two on lap 12. McNeil ran high and Huddleston low to lap 21when the leading duo lapped two slower cars simultaneously in the third turn. Huddleston darted to the inside under McNeil and had the lead by turn four. He opened a 2.204 victory margin over McNeil.

It was Huddleston's 44^th Irwindale career feature victory. He is a three-time (2015-17) track and California State Whelen Series champion. He moved into sole possession of sixth place in Irwindale Speedway feature victories. The third-generation driver is one victory shy of tying his father's 45 victories. His father Tim, also a three-time Irwindale late model champion, is co-promoter at the track with Sunrise Ford dealer and K & N West car owner Bob Bruncati. Huddleston. 22, is now racing a Bruncati-owned Ford for the second season in the NASCAR K & N West Series.

Rounding out the top five in the second 30 were Perkins, Vargas and rookie Jones. His grandparents and brother Jagger watched his late model debut after he raced only a legend car on the third-mile from age 12. The top ten drivers completed all 30 laps in a race concluded at 9:48 pm. Most fans skipped a pit visit and hurried to their vehicles and drove home.

OTHER WINNERS: Other races on the half-mile included a fully-inverted Lucas Oil Irwindale Race Trucks 30-lap race with seven trucks. Fastest qualifier and 2018 series champion Lucas McNeil, 25, passed early leader Andrew Porter on lap 4 and led the final 27 laps. He averaged 86.963 mph during a ten minute, all-green race. Porter trailed by 0.966. Jacob McNeil, brother of the winner, was third. Past series champion Ron Peterson earned fourth with a last lap pass of fifth place Nico Mongenel.

The Spec Late Model 20-lap main, also on the half-mile, went to Kenny Smith, 72, the reigning series champion and oldest champion in Irwindale history. He set fastest qualifying time, started last and led the final six laps. He beat laps 1-14 leader Ed Cutler. John Watkinson, 61, and 23-year old series rookie Troy Andersen, an enduro car veteran, followed. The formerly named S2 Cars built by Racecar Factory in Irwindale began racing in 2009. Four cars raced Saturday.

THIRD-MILE MAINS: Super stocks, INEX Legend Cars and four-cylinder enduro cars raced on the third-mile. Winners included Rich De Long III, driving his No. 84 Chevy SS, in a 25-lap super stock main. The series 2018 track champion broke his own one-lap track record from 2018. His 16.341 (73.361 mph) topped his old record of 16.431. The winner became the third race leader on lap 4 with an inside pass of the backstretch. He won by a straightaway over laps 2-3 leader Jerry Toporek (Dodge Dart). Position three through five drivers Rich De Long (father), Harry Michaelian, and lap 1 leader Bridgette Shaw completed 29 laps.

Former 410 sprint car driver and 1998 Perris Oval Nationals feature winner Rodney Argo, the fastest qualifier in a 17-car field, drove a 1999 Honda Prelude. The Gardena resident took command of the 25-lap race by lap 6. He won by half a lap (-8.812) over Bory Molina's Toyota Celica. Bobby Ozman placed third. Thirteen cars finished and the top four logged 25 circuits. Cars this season are divided into two classes based upon power. Fourth place Brad Stellman won in the less powerful class with his Honda Accord.

Albuquerque, N. Mex. resident Cameron Morga, 19, set fastest qualifying time and started at the back of a nine-car INEX Legends field. He charged through the field and took the lead on lap 4. He won the 35-lap event by six seconds. He also won three years ago in the same car No. 54 coupe on his first visit to IS. Morga ran Saturday's fastest race lap--74.367 mph. He also has raced touring Lucas Oil Modifieds during the last two seasons.

Morga told spectators during his finish line interview over the PA mic, “I won here three years ago (July, 2016) on my first visit to this track. This is a very demanding track for legend cars,” he added.

Ricky Schlick, series five-time champion Darren Amidon, and Parker Stephens, from Olympia, Wash., completed the top five. All nine starters finished with seven cars on the lead lap.

The next race at IS will be Saturday, March 23 with Spears Mfg SW Tour super late models and Spears Modifieds (former Lucas Oil Modifieds) scheduled.