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 STOCKTON,
CA (8-16-11) – After a four week break, California stock car ace
Derek Thorn is ready to get back behind the wheel of the Superior
Crankshaft, JRC #26 Toyota Camry this weekend in the SPEARS SRL
Southwest Tour Series. Thorn will be competing on one of the
tightest most action packed tracks on the tour, Stockton 99
Speedway, in the Jackson Rancheria 135.
Saturday's 135 lap
race will mark the 7th round of the 10 race SPEARS SRL Southwest
Tour Series that spans
California,
Utah and Nevada between the months of April and October. Although
the Lakeport native has had some setbacks that have not been any
fault of his own, Thorn is very much still in the hunt for the 2011
SRL Southwest Tour Championship and this weekend could very well be
a solid points night for his team who will be lead by crew chief
Scott Franchimone as Thorn’s regular crew chief Junior Joiner has
commitments this weekend to the NASCAR Truck program.
The quarter-mile
Stockton 99 Speedway is sure to have its share of action Saturday
and running out in front will mean a driver must slice and dice
their way through lapped traffic. For Thorn, racing in lapped
traffic is one of his strong suits and doing so will surely be
commonplace this weekend as he visits Stockton 99 Speedway for the
second time this season.
"I’m excited to be
returning to
Stockton
we had a great car the last time we were there,” said Thorn. The key
to Stockton is going to be patience and saving the equipment.
Stockton
is a tough place to pass. I am looking forward to gaining back some
points for the championship this weekend.”
In his 16-year
racing career, Thorn has made 137 starts and has scored a total of
28 wins, 82 top five finishes, and a 111 top ten placements. Many of
those accolades came after traveling through traffic and muscling
his way to the front. Additionally, Thorn has earned the fast time a
total of 51 times in asphalt action. As he returns to one of
California's
most famous asphalt tracks he looks to increase the digits in his
win column and move forward towards the series championship.
Currently, Thorn is
fourth in the SRL Southwest Tour point standings. He trails leader
Jacob Gomes by just 103 points with four events left on the
competitive schedule. Following the final appearance of the year in
Stockton, Thorn will wrap up the series on familiar tracks he always
fares well at including Madera, All American Speedway in Roseville
and the Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
"We are heading
back to tracks that we have ran at this year and all the remaining
tracks after Stockton I have been fast and won races at,” added
Thorn. “So I feel we are definitely sitting in a good position
heading down the homestretch of this season.”
In addition to
chasing the SRL Southwest Tour Championship, Thorn recently
announced he has signed a full season schedule in 2012 in the NASCAR
K&N Pro Series West aboard the competitive Sunrise Ford #6. For
Thorn, securing a full season contract in the series that is home to
the future stars of NASCAR is a dream come true as he will compete
for the well followed series championship with one of the most
competitive teams on the tour.
Derek Thorn is
proud to carry the sponsorship of Superior Crankshaft and a number
of marketing partners in the 2011 SRL Spears Southwest Tour. Among
the many contributors are Joiner Race Cars, PepperJack Kennels,
Sigma Engineering, JRI Shocks, Eibach Springs, Joiner Motorsports,
Joe's Racing Products, ARP Bodies, Finishline Signs, and Fastenal.
To learn more about Superior Crankshaft Racing
and primary driver Derek Thorn, visit them online at
www.superiorcrankshaftracing.com. Derek
Thorn's personal website can be found at
www.derekthorn.com. Further information on
Superior Crankshaft and the series can be found at
www.superiorcrankshaft.com and
www.srlsouthwesttour.com
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