Pettit Upsets Past Champions at Irwindale

NASCAR Southwest Series leader Jim Pettit II dashed the hopes of past Irwindale Speedway champions Greg Pursley and Rip Michels in Saturday night’s Advantage Ford 100 at Irwindale Speedway.

Pettit took the lead from Michels, Irwindale’s 2002 and 2003 Super Late Model Series champion, on the 82nd lap and finished 0.2 of a second ahead of Pursley, Irwindale’s 2004 Super Late Model Series champion, who finished second. Michels finished third.

There was a yellow flag on the 97th lap when Dan Holtz’s Ford spun and hit the wall. The race was extended five laps to avoid ending under a yellow flag.

Tim Huddleston won the Auto Club Late Models Series race and Aaron Staudinger the Jasper Engines West Coast Pro Trucks Series race on the half-mile track. Joe Ruggles won the Grand American Modifieds Series race and Kenton Gray the King Taco Legends Car Series race on the one-third-mile track after Ryan Partridge was disqualified because of non-conforming parts.

-- Steven Herbert