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"FAST FIVE" 2010 YEAR IN REVIEW
12/272010
Here is our 2010 Year in Review - "Fast Five"
style.
Top-Five Races of the Year
5. California Classic Late Models –
This one had all the makings to be even higher on
this list, had it not ended several laps from the
finish due to rain. Nick Joanides and Derek Thorn
staged a close battle throughout the entire race
at TOYOTA Speedway, originally scheduled to go 75
laps. Further back in the pack, Sean Woodside and
Brandon Loverock made some great passes to advance
through the field after poor qualifying efforts.
With Joanides locked on Thorn’s driver’s side
door, the caution came out as the rain began to
fall. Who knows what Joanides had left in the
tank for the finish?
4. Logano vs. Pena –
The 2010 TOYOTA All-Star Showdown was another race
at TOYOTA Speedway that had a race-long battle for
the lead. But this one was not two veteran
racers. Instead it was 19 year-old Joey Logano
and 16 year-old Sergio Pena in the most
unpredictable moment of the season. Pena earned
the ride for Revolution Racing in a shootout in S2
Sportsman cars just two days earlier. The 16
year-old had never raced in the NASCAR K&N Pro
Series, and with a live television audience
watching on SPEED, stuck with Logano in a race for
the ages. Logano used his racecraft learned in
the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series to fend off Pena for
the victory. Pena went on to have a lackluster
season in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, making
this race even more incredible.
3. BCRA Midgets at
Chico
–
Amidst a swirl of negativity surrounding Midget
racing in 2010, the BCRA scheduled a double-header
weekend at Chico and Placerville in August that
brought out an all-star array of drivers. Perhaps
due to uncertainty from the promoters of Chico,
they scheduled their regular 410 Winged Sprints
and Wingless Spec Sprints as well. But the BCRA
Midgets stole the show and proved to be the
headliner. With 29 Midgets in the pits, Ryan
Kaplan put on a monster drive. Kaplan took the
lead coming out of turn two on the white flag lap
to top the stellar field on hand.
2. Scott vs. Gomes –
Race fans who followed All American Speedway in
2009 saw Jacob Gomes and Matt Scott battle all
summer as they jockeyed for local bragging rights
and also the national Rookie of the Year title.
In 2010, Gomes ran a limited schedule of local
races while campaigning in the SRL Southwest
Tour. Scott spent 2010 chasing the All American
Speedway track championship. Gomes, 17, and
Scott, 18, showed off their talents on August 28.
Scott claimed the fast-time in qualifying, and
Gomes took over the race lead on lap five. In the
final 10 laps, Scott gave Gomes a strong fight.
Scott had the preferred inside line but Gomes
raced strong on the outside. Coming to the
checkered flag, Gomes got a great run off of turn
four to beat Scott by just .015 seconds at the
stripe. Scott went on to the win the second main
event of the night, but this photo finish was one
that fans will remember for a long time.
1. SRL at All American
Speedway
–
Just to give you an idea of how good the two SRL
races were at
Roseville
this year, we have to be specific that the number
one race of 2010 in California was the October
race for the SRL Southwest Tour at All American
Speedway. Jacob Gomes and former NASCAR
Nationwide Series driver Auggie Vidovich dueled
for the first half of the race with constant
side-by-side action. Vidovich and Gomes put the
crossover on each other numerous times before
Vidovich got into Gomes hard in turn one. Gomes
retaliated going into turn three, sending Vidovich
for a spin to the sell-out crowd’s approval. With
the entire crowd standing, Vidovich spun Gomes
under caution and was disqualified for the night.
While everyone was settling down from this wild
battle, Eric Holmes was edging towards the front
of the pack. With two laps to go, he threw his
car to the outside groove and rocketed from third
to first to steal the victory. The race had
championship implications as well, as Derek Thorn
was involved in several accidents to end his run
at the title. There were also a large number of
spirited battles that proved just how important
this race was to everyone involved.
Top-Five Headlines
5. Talented rookies -
Luis Ramos III (USAC), Josh Brock and Nik Romano
(All American Speedway Modifieds), and Jacob Gomes
(SRL Southwest Tour) were among the rookies who
made impacts in 2010.
4. SRL grows –
The SPEARS SRL Southwest Tour had a banner season
as it continues to grow under the direction of the
Collins family.
3. 2011 Sprint Car picture –
One of the top stories late in 2010 was the
changing Sprint Car picture for 2011 in
California. The USAC Western Classic Racing
Series, Golden State King of the West, and ASCS
SoCal are all series debuting in 2011.
2. Young Champs –
Kyle Larson (Golden State Challenge) and Matt
Scott (All American Speedway Late Models) were a
pair of 18 year-olds who were the youngest
champions ever in their respective divisions.
1. Bryan Clauson –
Native Californian Bryan Clauson was the top story
of 2010 for his individual accomplishments in USAC
to win the National Driver’s Championship earning
him a scholarship in the Indylights for 2011.
Top-Five Drivers of the Year
Honorable mention:
Jason Meyers – 2010 World of Outlaws champion
5. Andy Forsberg –
2010 Civil War Sprint Car and Placerville Speedway
champion.
4. Matt Scott
– 2010 All American Speedway NASCAR Late Model
champion
3. Eric Holmes
– 2010 NASCAR K&N Pro Series, West champion
2. Kyle Larson –
2010 King of California
1. Bryan Clauson –
2010 USAC National Driver’s Championship |
