Photo Credit: Getty Images/NASCAR
TWIN FALLS, IDAHO (February 24, 2011) Jonathon Gomez of Twin Falls, Idaho equaled his career best NASCAR K&N Pro Series finish Thursday evening under the lights at Phoenix (AZ) International Raceway in the 3 Amigos Organic Blanco "100". Gomez used pit strategy and patience behind the wheel to finish in second place to begin his quest for the 2011 series title.
Gomez qualified his Heritage Cattle Co./Century Boatland Chevrolet in the eighth position, a disappointing effort considering the he was the fastest driver in two practice sessions earlier in the day.
At the drop of the green flag shortly after 4:30pm MT, Gomez quickly charged into the top five where he ran until pitting early in the race for right side tires and fuel. His strategy was to pit early and use patience as the rest of the 100-lap unfolded. During the second caution period Gomez took the lead briefly (lap 29) but was shuffled back to the 16th position after pit stop cycles.
Gomez methodically worked his way back into the top ten, using the outside groove through most of the race. As the laps began to wind down, he edged his way closer to the top five and by lap 80 he was up to the fourth position. Over the closing laps, Gomez waged a spirited battle with Derek Thorn and Ty Dillon, eventually getting the better of them and set his sights on race leader Greg Pursley.
Gomez closed to within one second of the race leader when the checkered flag dropped on round one of the 14-race championship series.
"I was disappointed with how qualifying worked out but we did not have long to focus on it," Gomez said. "We were really confident about the car but we went a little too loose with the setup in qualifying and it stayed that way the entire race."
Pitting early made the difference. "My crew chief Craig Raudman made the call to pit early and it was the right call," Gomez continued. "We had plenty of time to work back through the field. We really had a fourth place car but on that last restart we were able to get around the 44 and hold on to second for the final seven laps. We caught up to Greg but just did not have enough laps there at the end. I am proud of the whole team and I can't wait until the next race."
The next NASCAR K&N Pro Series race for Gomez and the Heritage Motor Sports team is nearly two months away, April 16 at All American Speedway in Roseville, CA.
The Heritage Motor Sports team is owned by John Gomez with Craig Raudman as crew chief and supported by Blaine Bergen, Jeff Woods, Dave Reed, Ron Copeland, Jeff Couch, Kyle Cattanaugh, Micah Paumer, and Rick Wilmerton.
Gomez, along with a crew led by Ron Copeland and driving for car owner Bob Standwold, will also defend his 2010 SPEARS SRL Southwest Tour championship title again this season in the popular California based Late Model tour. The SRL season gets underway April 2 at the Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Jonathon Gomez Post Race Interview Audio
Jonathon Gomez is supported by Heritage Cattle Company, Century Boatland, J&C Custom Harvesting, United Oil, Modern Machinery, DJ Safety, and Gomez Farms. Jonathon Gomez is the 2010 SPEARS SRL Southwest Tour Champion. Gomez is also a winner on the CarbonX Rocky Mountain Challenge Series and in the Mustang Challenge Series at Miller Motorsports Park. For more information on Jonathon Gomez, please log onto his website at http://jonathongomez.com or NASCAR Hometracks.
Marketing partnerships and sponsorship opportunities for the 2011 racing season are still available with Heritage Motor Sports and rising star Jonathon Gomez. For a custom proposal and additional information please contact John Gomez at 208/731-1288.
Race Results for the 3 Amigos Organic Blanco "100" at Phoenixt Phoenix 2/24/11
Fin Str Car Driver Team Laps Points B/Points Status
1 2 26 Greg Pursley Gene Price Motorsports Ford 100 190 10 Running
2 8 22 Jonathon Gomez Heritage Cattle/Century Boatland Chevrolet 100 175 5 Running
3 5 44 Derek Thorn * Four Star Fruit/Hronis Racing Chevrolet 100 165 Running
4 3 31 Ty Dillon BayBioDiesel/GGRT/RCR Chevrolet 100 165 5 Running
5 17 61 Brett Thompson Rich Thompson Trucking Chevrolet 100 155 Running
6 15 1 Jim Inglebright ESEF Apparel Chevrolet 100 150 Running
7 4 35 Andrew Ranger Waste Management Recycling Chevrolet 100 146 Running
8 16 16 Moses Smith HASA Pool Products/White Flyer Toyota 100 142 Running
9 6 17 David Mayhew MMI Services/Ron's Rear Ends/KHI Chevrolet 100 143 5 Running
10 23 12 DJ Kennington Northern Provincial Pipelines Toyota 100 134 Running
11 18 98 Chad Boat * Curb Records/KNIX Country 102.5 Chevrolet 100 130 Running
12 13 6 Luis Martinez, Jr. King Taco/Sunrise Ford/Lucas Oil Ford 100 127 Running
13 19 02 Daryl Harr WestWorld Computers Chevrolet 100 124 Running
14 25 20 Eric Holmes NAPA Toyota 100 121 Running
15 9 21 Michael Self Childress Ins't for Pediatric Trauma Chevrolet 100 118 Running
16 24 13 Todd Souza Central Coast Cabinets Toyota 100 115 Running
17 12 77 Andrew Myers Pro Cast/Eagle Transport Ford 100 112 Running
18 22 51 Carlos Vieira * Allied Packaging Toyota 100 109 Running
19 27 37 Robbie Brand Free Maysin Clothing/Lagunita's Ford 100 106 Running
20 26 5 Thomas Martin * Interstate Oil Company Chevrolet 100 103 Running
21 32 88 Troy Ermish Cooks Collision Chevrolet 100 100 Running
22 33 18 Billy Kann Interstate All Battery Center Toyota 100 97 Running
23 20 38 Ryan Philpott * Speed Zorb/Holleran's Performance Ford 100 94 Running
24 35 71 Carl Harr WestWorld Computers Chevrolet 100 91 Running
25 10 99 Travis Pastrana * Boost Mobile Toyota 97 88 Accident
26 36 55 Jack Sellers Interstate Oil Company Chevrolet 94 85 Running
27 29 23 Spencer Gallagher * Allegiant Air Chevrolet 89 82 Accident
28 34 01 Greg Rayl Race Talk Radio Ford 89 79 Running
29 31 15 Justin Funkhouser K&L Frame & Body Chevrolet 83 76 Running
30 14 65 Stan Silva, Jr. A&S Metals/Stan Silva Jr. Trucking Chevrolet 77 73 Running
31 7 86 Daniel Suarez * Telmex / TWR Dodge 65 70 Accident
32 28 07 Alex Kennedy Race Talk Radio Ford 64 67 Accident
33 1 39 Brennan Newberry * Drager/Metal Mulisha Chevrolet 64 69 5 Accident
34 30 3 Wes Banks Valvoline Ford 55 61 Accident
35 21 14 Travis Milburn Cooks Collision Toyota 33 58 Accident
36 11 42 Taylor Cuzick * Freightliner of Arizona Chevrolet 24 55 Accident
RACE STATISTICS
Race Comments: Prior to the green flag, the following drivers, under penalty, dropped from their original starting positions to the rear of the field for the reason indicated. #20 Eric Holmes (engine change), #98 Chad Boat (missed drivers meeting)
Failed to Qualify: (1) Johnny Borneman (#8)
Fastest Qualifier: Brennan Newberry *, Time: 27.962 Seconds, Speed: 128.746 mph
Time of Race: 1 hrs., 35 mins, 42 secs Average Speed: 62.696 mph Margin of Victory: 1.135 Seconds
Caution Flags: Laps 16-19 (Car #88 spin Backstretch); 25-29 (Cars #42 & #65 accident Turn 1); 34-42 (Car #14 accident Turn 3); 48-51 (Car #15 flat tire
Turn 4); 56-60 (Car #3 accident Turn 3); 65-68 (Cars #07, #39, #86 accident Turn 4
accident Turn 1). 8 for 41 laps.
Lap Leaders: Brennan Newberry * 1-20, Greg Pursley 21-26, Ty Dillon 27-28, Jonathon Gomez 29, Ty Dillon 30, David Mayhew 31, Ty Dillon 32-41,
David Mayhew 42, Ty Dillon 43-47, David Mayhew 48-69, Greg Pursley 70-100.
Total Laps Led: Greg Pursley 37, David Mayhew 24, Brennan Newberry * 20, Ty Dillon 18, Jonathon Gomez 1. 10 changes involving 5 drivers.
CONTINGENCY AWARDS
COCA-COLA MOVE OF THE RACE AWARD: DJ Kennington, 12 Northern Provincial Pipelines Toyota
COORS LIGHT POLE AWARD: Brennan Newberry *, 39 Drager/Metal Mulisha Chevrolet
FEATHERLITE MOST IMPROVED DRIVER AWARD: Brett Thompson, 61 Rich Thompson Trucking Chevrolet
Top 10 Driver Points: Greg Pursley 190, Jonathon Gomez 175, Derek Thorn * 165, Ty Dillon 165, Brett Thompson 155, Jim Inglebright 150, Andrew
Ranger 146, David Mayhew 143, Moses Smith 142, DJ Kennington 134
* Denotes Sunoco Rookie of the Year Contender
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment