BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – Derek Thorn put the finishing touches on a nearly perfect season with the SPEARS Southwest Tour Series on Saturday by winning the season finale at Kern County Raceway Park.
Starting from the fifth position, Thorn quickly worked his way up to third while polesitter Tyler Fabozzi battled Dylan Lupton for the race lead during the early portion of the 110-lap race.
The top-three drivers would maintain their positions through the first two competition cautions on lap 25 and lap 50, but the intensity picked up following the second restart as Fabozzi, Lupton and Thorn waged an intense war for the race lead.
With 51 laps left Lupton was able to get to the inside of Fabozzi to challenge for the lead, but Fabozzi was able to fend him off. Two laps later Thorn saw his opportunity as he moved to the inside of Lupton to challenge for second.
With 47 laps left Thorn went from third to first as he was able to complete the pass on Lupton and in the same instant race beneath Fabozzi to take the lead by a nose at the start/finish line.
Thorn would complete the pass for the race lead on the next circuit, with the final competition caution for 25 consecutive green flag laps waving with 35 laps left in the event at the half-mile asphalt oval.
When racing resumed Thorn held serve at the front as Fabozzi found himself struggling to defend his position at the front of the field. Lupton was soon around Fabozzi for second and shortly thereafter Fabozzi began to fall through the field.
Fabozzi’s fall continued until lap 95 when he spun after contact with Dylan Cappello on the frontstretch, triggering a multi-car crash that sent Fabozzi, Cappello, and Carlos Vieira to the garage for the rest of the race.
All that happened well behind Thorn, who hold serve during the ensuing restart and drove away to another victory with the series. Thorn had previously secured his record fifth SPEARS Southwest Tour Series championship prior to Saturday’s finale.
“2020 has been a really weird year for everybody, but for whatever reason 2020 has been a good year (for me). We had a lot of positives on the race track this year,” said Thorn, who won all but one race this year with the SPEARS Southwest Tour Series. “Fortunate for SRL for bringing this season together and for everybody sticking together to make this work. I know it’s not easy.”
Lupton finished second, followed by Jacob Gomes, Dan Holtz and Kyle Neveau.
Jack Wood won the companion pro late model feature. He pulled double duty and finished 11th in the SPEARS Southwest Tour Series feature.
Saturday’s race was originally scheduled to take place at Irwindale (Calif.) Speedway, but COVID-19 restrictions led to the event being moved to Kern County Raceway Park. The race was held in front of no fans and was broadcast live by SPEED SPORT TV affiliate SpearsRacing.TV.
The finish:
Derek Thorn, Dylan Lupton, Jacob Gomes, Dan Holtz, Kyle Neveau, Dean Thompson, Buddy Shepherd, Keith Spangler, Ross Strmiska, Corey Neveau, Jack Wood, Andy Allen, Joey Iest, Christian McGhee, Carlos Vieira, Tyler Fabozzi, Dylan Cappello, Cole Williams, Blaine Rocha, Linny White, Ryan Philpott, Don Zoll, Scott Sanchez, Dylan Garner.