Top 5 finish in Buddy's first official SRL start!

May 21, 2016 - Buddy and his team celebrated in Victory Lane with a 5th place finish in the SRL Spears Southwest Tour Series WESTEX 150 at Kern County Raceway Park.

The boys worked hard all week with the help of Derrick Griffin of Missouri setting up the #22 HALL AMBULANCE, H&M MOTORSPORTS, D'ANGELOS Automotive and Industrial Coatings, AXALTA hot rod. Their efforts were well rewarded with a P2 on the board during practice on Friday night.

With only 1 one hour afternoon practice session on race day, the team once again had to go back to square one, learning of a change that had to be made to comply with the SRL rule book and not the Winter Showdown rules.  A much appreciated call was received alerting us to it.

By the end of the hour, Buddy's hot rod was close.  He qualified P9, starting him in the 5th row of the race.  Buddy had his hands full with a loose handling car, and the talent of the 23 car field.  He dropped back in the beginning, only to drive back up to P9 by the end of the first 75 laps. During the break only minor adjustments could be made before heading out to race the remaining 75 laps.  Note: ALL cars had to race on the same tires the entire 150 laps.

He dropped back once again in the field on the start from his fifth row starting position.  The track became very slick, his car was again very loose but capitalized on his dirt racing experience and passed several cars during the last 15 laps and making up some ground on the top four cars in front of him.  He wished there were more laps to run, to possibly achieved a podium finish.

Buddy was ecstatic with his Top 5 finish in his first official start in the SRL Spears Southwest Tour!

A shout out to his remaining sponsors: Advanced Distribution, H&S Body Works and Towing, RTS, Bakersfield Muffler, Cow-Boy Bail Bonds, Crystal Pools, Schaeffer's Racing Oil, VDL Fuel Systems, Campbell Motorsports, Dragster Joe Die Cast, Ron's Rear Ends, John & Susan Bentley.

Buddy's boys:  Dick, Joel, Tom, Gary, Darin, Andy, John, Bo, Mike, special guest Derrick Griffin.

Next Race:  June 4, 2016 @ Kern County Raceway Park.

Race On!!!