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IRWINDALE, CA.Aug. 23 – Second generation driver Travis Thirkettle enjoyed his best night of the Toyota Speedway at Irwindale season in a five-division, six main event night on the banked, half-mile. He won both AC Delco NASCAR Super Late Model 40-lap features in his National Papers 2007 Chevy Monte Carlo and $2,500. He kept his SLM series championship contender, friendly rival Nick Joanides, the second finisher in both 40-lap races, in his rear view mirror. "For me to win the title Nick would have to have a bad night," Thirkettle told the media following the second 40. About 3,000 spectators watched the weekly Whelen All-American Series action on the Irwindale track and the live ESPN telecast of NASCAR's Sprint Cup Bristol 500 on a 20 X 27' screen located behind the second turn crash-wall. The evening was called the Lucas Oil Ultimate Viewing Party.
Thirkettle logged his 29th and 30th feature victories at Irwindale and they moved him into a sixth place tie with T. K. Karvasek and Andrew Phipps at 30 triumphs. Thirkettle's victories came in three divisions—the now gone Grand American Modified, the Auto Club Late Model and AC Delco SLM. It was his fourth SLM feature victory this season and Thirkettle said he used an old engine. He brought it out of retirement and hoped it would last all night because it used more oil than his season-long, but tired engine that needed refreshing. Thirkettle entered the doubleheader 40-points behind point leader Joanides. He departed 36 points back. Three scheduled SLM races remain—another doubleheader September 6 and the final point race September 13.
SUPER TRUCKS: Mason Britton started second and led all 40-laps in the King Taco Super Truck feature on the half-mile. He won his first feature by a full straight, 3.381 seconds. The 19-year old driver and his parents drive south from their Sacramento home for each race and keep their No. 18 2007 Chevy S-10 truck in nearby Fontana with the crew. The family bought Logan Henson's No. 78 truck last year when Henson moved up to late models and Britton ran eight 2007 races. This year his consistency has produced a pair of thirds, a fourth and a fifth, plus five finishes from sixth through tenth. His worst finish was 12th in race two of the 11 races run so far. He ranks third in points among 35 drivers. Winner Britton told the crowd via the PA microphone, "Words can't explain how good this feels. My parents worked so hard to make this possible." Rookie Rod Johnson, Jr, 18-year old son of Irwindale's 1999 SLM champion, impressively drove his No. 88 Roy & Dot's Chevy S-10 from fifth to second. It is the ex-No. 38 truck that has been idle since 2002. He passed point leader Pat Mintey, Jr. four laps from the finish and of the all-green flag race that took only 13:36.229. Mintey started fourth and placed third. Pole starter/rookie Jeff Peterson, 17, finished fourth. Todd Cameron was fifth. Sixteen of 18 starters finished, with 13 on the lead lap.
Fastest qualifier Connor Cantrell, 17, started sixth and was only four points behind Mintey entering the race. The Valencia High senior was in third place on lap 7 after he passed Scott Dodd on the inside during lap 7 leaving the fourth turn. Their trucks made contact and stock car veteran Dodd, making his first truck start this year, spun to the infield and continued at the back without causing a yellow flag. Officials conferred by radio and agreed Cantrell had made contact with Dodd. They issued a stop and go penalty. Cantrell protested but on lap 12 he stopped at turn two of the third-mile. He dropped from third position as he was closing on championship rival Mintey. The talented teen rejoined the race 14th . Running the inside groove, Cantrell proceeded to pick off truck after truck as they battled for positions. Without benefit of a caution flag, Cantrell finished seventh and received 38 points. Mintey's 46 points for third increased his point lead from four to12 (504-492). Cantrell, a first-time championship hopeful and Legends graduate, has three races remaining to catch Mintey, the 2007 KTST champion. Two-time winner Joe Herold had a transmission problem during afternoon practice; he loaded up early and went home.
LEGEND CARS: A strong 30-car field ran 35 laps on the third-mile in 21 minutes with two cautions and an eight-car collision in turn three that sidelined four cars on the opening lap. A spin by leader Bob Landreth in tight quarters at the third turn caused the third full restart. Gary Scheuerell led the first nine laps under caution. On the first completed green flag lap five-time series champion and 2008 point leader Tom Landreth had the lead that he held to the lap 35 finish. It was his fourth victory this season and 40th at Irwindale, ranking him second in total victories at Irwindale, 15 wins behind Rip Michels. Landreth increased his lead from 88 to 94 points over rookie Eric Gunderson, 14, the fourth place driver. Donny St. Ours, 14, came from fifth starting slot to second after he passed 2007 Legends track champion Darren Amidon on lap 34 of the 35 lap event. Amidon, Gunderson and Scheuerell completed the top five, as 24 of 30 starters finished with 23 drivers on the lead lap.
MINI STOCKS: Jacob Rogers, 18, won his second Justice Brothers Mini Stock 35-lap main on the third mile in his family-owned 1970 Ford Pinto. He started first in a 14-car field and led every lap to win by a few feet (0.176) over pressing Daryl Scoggins' Pinto. Point leader Rich Garver drove his 1980 Toyota Celica from outside front row to a close third, 0.672 behind the winner. Tyler Rogers came from ninth to fourth in his dad's No. 3 Pinto. Richie Altman drove the circle 66 1975 Pinto to fifth place. Thirteen of 14 starters finished with nine drivers on the lead lap.
OUTLAW FIGURE 8: A 12-car Pick Your Part Outlaw Figure 8 20-lap main concluded action. Fastest qualifier Rod Proctor started from pole position and led the first 18 laps by as much as a straightaway on the infield Figure 8 course. With five laps remaining his lead had been cut in half by the nose-to-tail cars racing second, third and fourth. On lap 19 Rusty Stewart tried to pass Proctor as they negotiated turn three, but their cars became hooked together and drifted high in turn four. That entanglement allowed third and fourth place Steve Stewart and Billy Ziemann to pass them as they disengaged. Stewart, the point leader, led the final two laps and edged Ziemann by 0.265. Brother Rusty Stewart slowed with a flat LF tire that raised sparks during his final lap and allowed Proctor to pass him for third on the final lap. Jared Henson was fifth and the last finisher on the lead lap of the all-green flag, 6:44.925 race. Steve Stewart has now won five of six F-8 races at Irwindale this year. Ziemann won the last race on August 6.
1ST SLM 40: With a four-car inversion in the first 22-car SLM feature, third fastest qualifier Joanides started second and led the first 25 laps. Quickest qualifier Dan Moore started fourth. Second fastest qualifier Thirkettle took second from pole starter Jason Patison on the fifth lap. Outside-running Joanides and inside-running Thirkettle entertained fans with their close battle as Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch were engaged in their NASCAR Cup duel at Bristol on the large TV screen at turn two. Thirkettle kept inching closer to the lead lap after lap and made his inside second turn pass stick on lap 26. He then pulled away to a 40-yard (1.812 second) winning margin. Patison took third in his Ford, 2.172 back. Leading SLM rookie Randel King, 16, enjoyed the best evening of his 15-race SLM career. He set sixth fastest qualifying time, started sixth and passed Moore for fourth place on lap 26 and held it to the finish. Dan O'Donnell, the track's driving school chief mechanic and resident of nearby Monrovia, passed Moore for fifth on lap 34. Rounding out the top ten were Moore, former SLM and Southwest Series touring driver Greg Voigt, making his first SLM start of the year, one-time 2008winner Matt Hicks, David Beat and Stephen Peace. Only one of 22 starters failed to finish and 13 drivers completed all 40 laps. The 15-minute race had one brief caution on the second lap for a solo spin. At the finish line winner Thirkettle said, "That was fun. It was great racing with Nick. I thought at one point I should save my tires and start the second race from the outside front row position, but I said, naah, get him now." Joanides told the crowd, "My car got a little loose."
2ND SLM 40: A 23-car field started the second 40 straight-up in the order they finished the first 40. Pole-man Thirkettle led all the way over second starter Joanides, who trailed by a straight-away (4.120 seconds) at the end. The 23-minute race had caution flags on lap 5 for a three-car tangle that sent Jeff Eshleman spinning to the start/finish line infield and another on lap 13 for a solo spin. During the race Joanides radioed his team, "I have no bite coming off the turns." Patison was third and got loose on the backstretch several times at mid-race and fell to sixth at the checkers. Moore passed Joanides for second at lap 15 after Patison's car brushed Joanides' Chevy, causing it to slow briefly. Joanides re-passed Moore for second on lap 20. Moore held on for third place, 4.886 seconds back. Hicks, O'Donnell, Patison, Andy Allen, much improved Toni McCray, Tucson driver Duane Hunt, Jr. and Peace completed the top ten. Twenty of 23 drivers finished and 15 cars ran every lap.
Hard charger $100 award winners were: (SLM) – Voigt (12th to 7th in the first 40); (KTST) – Dennis Arena (10th to 6th); (Legends) - Jordan Hyland (25th to 16th); (Mini Stocks) – Tyler Rogers (9th to 4th). Fastest qualifiers on the half-mile were: (SLM) – Moore at 98.275 mph, (KTST) – Cantrell at 90.703 mph; on the third-mile – (Legends) – Amidon at 71.230 mph, (Mini Stocks) – Dennis Croasmun at 69.613 mph; (Figure 8) – Proctor at 71.787 mph.
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