Since joining the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) Camping World Series West last year, Jason Bowles established himself as a dominant figure in road course events. He has now demonstrated his ability on an oval, winning the California Highway Patrol 200 on the half-mile track at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale, California.

The event or race was part of the July event, it is the 4th of July before a packed house at the Southern California facility that featured an exciting driving exhibition by members of the California Highway Patrol as of the pre-race festivities, with the night being capped off later with a spectacular fireworks show.

Jason Bowles said “It was nice to win on an oval, I’ve never won here at Irwindale, even with it being my home track. I was really worried about coming here this week. I thought we were going to struggle and we would have to do all we could to salvage some decent points.”

Bowles was fast enough to garner the Coors Light Pole Award, his second of the season topping a field of 31 cars with a qualifying lap of 96.634 mph in the Bob Bruncati-owned No. 22 Sunrise Ford Ford.

Although Bowles led the initial laps, David Mayhew charged from his starting spot on the outside of the front row to take the lead on lap 3. He appeared to have the car to beat, maintaining the top spot through the midway break of the race.

Jason Bowles, a 25-year-old driver from nearby Ontario. But Bowles had other plans. “We made a few changes at the break, The thing was just a rocket, especially on long runs. I was just trying to take it easy with lapped traffic and just be careful not to get involved in anything. I knew if we could go green for a couple of laps, I was going to be good.”

“Once we started going, about 20 laps after the break, they were holding me up. I knew I had to go, because there was going to be guys coming from behind if I didn’t go now. I saw an opportunity to get him stuck behind some lapped traffic. It didn’t work the first time, but the second time it did and I was able to get by and never saw him again. ”

Bowles gained the lead after a fierce four-way battle in traffic on lap 129. Although he pulled away slightly, that margin was erased by a couple of late-race cautions. Bowles was able to hold off all challengers, however, winning by a margin of .994 seconds. The victory, the fourth of his career, adds to his win two weeks before on a road course and his two road course wins as a rookie a year ago. He netted $7,500 in prizes and posted awards.

The next event on the schedule for the NASCAR Camping World Series West is the Toyota Bi-Mart Firecracker 150 presented by NAPA at Douglas County Speedway in Roseburg, Ore., on July 11.

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