Thirkettle Continues Recent Domination in the Spears Modified Series at Kern County Raceway
Bakersfield, CA – Travis Thirkettle continued his hot streak Saturday night, taking home his fourth win of the season in the Spears Modified Series. Thirkettle took the lead on lap seven, and never looked back to take home $2,000 in the “General Tire 60 presented by PFC Brakes” in front of a large crowd at Kern County Raceway Park (CA).
Thirkettle earned the PFC Brakes Zero Drag Fast Time Award in front of the 16-car field. He drew the number three, with Sam Jacks and Wlliam Guevara on the front row. At the drop of the green, Guevara battled to the lead from the outside, with Thirkettle quickly advancing to second. Ray Mros spun on lap 1 to bring out the first yellow, slowing the competition.
The restart found Guevara holding off the advances of the fast qualifier with second quick Jaron Giannini advancing to third from eighth starting. On lap seven, with Giannini all over his bumper, Thirkettle made the move under Guevara for the lead in Turn 1, finishing the pass exiting Turn 2. Giannini was unable to follow and pressured Guevara for second until a stalled Ryley Massey drew the yellow on lap 15.
The restart saw Thirkettle back to the lead, with Guevara battling hard to maintain second. But another quick yellow stalled the action when Sam Jacks went around in Turn 2 on lap 16. This time the restart was unkind to Guevara, as Giannini got into the second-place runner exiting Turn 2 on lap 17, bringing out yet another caution. Guevara pitted for repairs, after getting into the wall, and Giannini was sent to the rear of the field for his involvement in the incident.
This put Jimmy Sloan into second with three-time Kern County Raceway Park Modified Champion Chris Dalton to third, Kyle Jacks fourth, Kevin Vossen fifth and Holly Clark sixth. Another restart found Thirkettle racing to the lead with Sloan and Dalton second and third.
In the meantime, Giannini, began slicing his way back through the field. By lap 25, he was back to sixth. He supplanted Clark in the top-five by lap 27 and got under Kyle Jacks a lap later. Lap 33 found him getting under Dalton for third and he arrived on the back bumper of Sloan by lap 35. It took only three laps to get to second and work on Thirkettle’s ¼-lap lead.
Giannini never did get a much-needed caution however, and Thirkettle was able to claim his fourth 2022 victory. Giannini was second with Sloan, Dalton and Clark the top-five. Kyle Jacks, Kevin Vossen, Sam Jacks, Adam Coonfield and Ryley Massey rounded out the top-10.
Results:
- Travis Thirkettle, 2. Jaron Giannini*, 3. Jimmy Sloan*, 4. Chris Dalton*, 5. Holly Clark*, 6. Kyle Jacks*, 7. Kevin Vossen*, 8. Sam Jacks, 9. Adam Coonfield, 10. Ryley Massey*, 11. Aaron Coonfield, 12. Anthony Barket, 13. Ray Mros*, 14. William Guevara, 15. AJ Dimarco, 16. Ryley Millard*
* Rookie-of-the-Year Candidate
