Mike Griffith: Sprint series drivers aim for Murphy
| Thursday, Jun 26 2008 02:14 AM
Last Updated Friday, Mar 27 2009 01:25 PM
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CASEY MEARS, Born: Bakersfield, Birthdate: March 12, 1978, High school:Stockdale, Class of '96, Sprint Cup career:Has one victory (2007, Coca-Cola 600) and three poles in 204 career starts. Nationwide career:Has one victory (2006, USG Durock 300) and four start poles in 91 career starts. Began racing go-karts in 1991 and finished third in Jim Russell USAC Triple Crown Championship, with a win at Mesa Marin Raceway.
#114 Brad Pounds
A large field of drivers are expected at Bakersfield Speedway Saturday night for the second leg of the Sprint Car Grand Slam Series, and they will likely be chasing Peter Murphy around the third-mile clay oval.
The transplanted Australian who now calls Clovis home has been on a tear this season, winning six of the 10 Bandit Sprint Car races. That includes going 2-for-2 at Bakersfield Speedway and winning Round 1 of the four-race Grand Slam Series on April 12 in Hanford.
In addition to his wins, Murphy has also finished second twice and has one third. His worst outing was an eighth.
That performance has given Murphy, who is coming off a victory in Santa Maria last Saturday night, a commanding point lead in the championship race over Fresno's Albert Pombo in the Bandit point standings. Rusty Carlile of Bakersfield is third in the series points.
The Grand Slam Series pits the Bandit drivers against those in the Ventura Racing Association where Kevin Kierce has been having a solid season. Kierce, of Tarzana, has four wins and leads that series by a wide margin over Clark Templeton III.
Troy Rutherford has won two VRA races, while seven other drivers have one win.
The VRA competes only at Ventura Raceway, while the Bandit Series has races in Bakersfield, Hanford and Santa Maria.
Local drivers expected to be in action on Saturday include Carlile, John Iturrira, Matt Day and Jason May of Taft.
Also competing on Saturday will be IMCA Modifieds.
Brad Pounds has won four of the nine IMCA Modified point races and leads defending track champion Gary Dutton by 13 points. Dutton is one of five drivers with a solo win.
Racing starts at 6 p.m. All fans will receive a coupon for a free Pepsi.
MEARS' FUTURE APPEARS CLOUDY?
Bakersfield native Casey Mears could be on his way out at Hendrick Motorsports, according to various news reports from Sunday's Sprint Cup race at Infineon Raceway as "Silly Season" shifted into high gear.
There has been speculation that Mark Martin could replace Mears at Hendrick and rumors that Mears could end up in a fourth car at Richard Childress Racing.
Mears finished fifth at Infineon, his best placing of the season and only his third top 10 this year. He has finished 22nd or worse in nine races this season and is 24th in points. His only career Cup win came last season, his first at Hendrick.
Asked about his future with Hendrick prior to Sunday's race, Mears told ESPN.com "I don't know yet. Obviously, we haven't had a good season. I think anything could happen. Right now, I don't really have anything good to talk about."
QUICK SHIFTS
* Fourteen-year old Ryan Reed beat 23 other drivers last Saturday for his second victory in the Legends divisions at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale. Ryan, the son for former Grand National West driver Mark Reed, started seventh and took the lead on the final lap.
