Thirkettle Is a Winner
Travis Thirkettle reclaimed the lead from Scott Youngren with seven laps to go and held off challenges from Youngren and Mike Johnson to win the NASCAR Auto Club Late Model Firecracker 100 on Saturday night at Irwindale Speedway.
Thirkettle started fifth in the 22-car field, took the lead on the 12th lap and kept it until being passed by Youngren on the 92nd lap of the 100-lap race on the half-mile track, double the customary distance. Thirkettle moved back into the lead on the next lap, and finished 0.17 of a second ahead of Youngren and .355 ahead of Johnson to win his second race of the season before a crowd estimated at 7,100.
Steve Stewart won the Pick Your Part Figure 8. Greg Crutcher won the Vista Paints Super Stocks on the half-mile track. Chase Barber won the USAC Ford Focus Midgets and Eric Reed the mini stocks.
-- Steven Herbert
Go beyond the scoreboard
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