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IRVINE,
CALIFORNIA (March 25, 2011) – Superior
Crankshaft Racing and Derek Thorn, 24, of Lakeport, California are
geared to begin their first full season together in the 2011 SPEARS
SRL Southwest Tour Series. The campaign opens its 11th
year on Saturday, April 2 on the .333 mile Bullring at Las Vegas for
the 'Spears Manufacturing 111.'
After finishing third in the SPEARS SRL Southwest standings in 2010,
Thorn will pilot the Superior Crankshaft #26 Chevrolet with the
expertise of Junior Joiner as his crew chief for the competitive
tour where he has already made a name for himself with numerous
accolades. In addition to sponsoring Thorn, Superior Crankshaft is a
proud sponsor of the 2011 SRL tour, funding the winner's bonus for
each event. The duel sponsorship is an exciting venture for the
Irvine, CA based manufacturer that supplies custom crankshafts to
the auto racing industry worldwide.
"We are excited
about the start of the new season and looking forward to a strong
year for both Derek and the SRL," said Cheryl Archer, CEO of
Superior Crankshaft. "Derek is a great talent and I believe this is
his year to shine."
The SPEARS
SRL Southwest Tour
Series is a regional stock car series that competes on asphalt ovals
in the southwestern region of the United States. A total of ten
races form the championship season, spanning areas of California,
Utah and Nevada. Known as one of the fastest stockcar series in the
country, the SRL is bountiful with dozens of talented drivers in
each event which are always big on thrills with no race less than
100 laps in length on the best short-track venues in the west.
“I am excited to
get the SRL season started. To be a part of the Superior Crankshaft
Development program in 2011 is a great honor," said Thorn. "Superior
Crankshaft and I have had a great off season, getting to know each
other and preparing for the first race. We have some great momentum
built up from the past two races which we ran together in the west
series and look to carry that momentum into Vegas. Cheryl has been a
great coach and mentor in the off season, in helping me better
myself and my career. I look forward to building on my strengths
this season and work towards capturing the 2011 SRL championship.”
When it comes to
competing within the SRL Series, Thorn is no stranger to success. In
his debut season, he set four track records and won two events to
finish third in the overall standings. Thorn is a well rounded
competitor with 4 track championships to his name on asphalt and
dirt. In his 16-year racing career Thorn has 129 asphalt starts, a
total of 76 top five finishes, 105 top ten placements and earned
fast time a total of 47 times
In addition to the
SRL Series, Thorn has had successful runs in both the NASCAR East
and West campaigns which include a recent pole position and then led
the most laps in the prestigious NASCAR Toyota All star Showdown at
Irwindale and a third place finish in
Phoenix.
In addition to his SRL commitment, Thorn will continue to compete in
the NASCAR West Series for select events with the support of
Superior Crankshaft.
As he heads into
sin city, the odds of Thorn hitting the jackpot in the upcoming
'Spears Manufacturing 111' are very promising. In May of last year,
Thorn was victorious on the Bullring at Vegas after earning the pole
position. When he returned in October, he took home a top ten finish
in the series finale.
A total of 31 teams
have registered for the season opener. Thorn and his Superior
Crankshaft team will be in the company of some of the sports' most
talented drivers including defending series champion Jonathan Gomez
and former champions M.K Kanke, Jim Pettit II and Dave Byrd to name
a few.
“The competition
in the SRL Southwest Tour will be tough in 2011," added Thorn. "Our
team has worked hard in the off season to make sure we have
everything we need to perform at our maximum potential. I can’t
thank Superior Crankshaft, Sigma Engineering, and Joiner Motorsports
enough for helping me get Derek Thorn Racing underway in 2011. I
feel lucky to be part of such a great group of people and am looking
forward to winning races.”
Saturday's event
will pay $4000 to the winner, which includes the Superior Crankshaft
Winner's Bonus of $1000 for each event. Superior Crankshaft is the
“Official Crankshaft of the SPEARS SRL Southwest Tour Series. In
addition to the ‘Winner’s Bonus’ award, Superior Crankshaft will
award $100 product certificates to the second, seventh and tenth
place teams at each SRL event beginning Saturday.
In addition to the title sponsorship of Superior Crankshaft, Derek
Thorn carries a great deal of support from a number of marketing
partners in the 2011 SRL Spears Southwest Tour. Among the many
contributors are Joe Gibbs Driven, Sigma Engineering, Joiner
Motorsports, JRI Shocks, Joe's Racing Products, ARP Bodies,
Finishline Signs, PepperJack Kennels, Fastenal, Encore Metals and
Sumseeds.
To learn more about Superior Crankshaft Racing and primary driver
Derek Thorn, visit them online at
www.supercrankshaftracing.com.
Derek Thorn's personal website can be found at
www.derekthorn.com.
Further information on Superior Crankshafts and their products can
also be found at
www.superiorcrankshaft.com.
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