POLLARD IN CALIFORNIA: Derek Thorn has been the top dog on the West Coast for the last few years, but he still feels he has plenty to prove when the East Coast heavyweights come to his backyard.
Thorn, who narrowly lost the inaugural Winter Showdown Open at Kern County Raceway Park (CA) last year to Georgia’s Bubba Pollard, made a convincing argument that he will be even better this year as he set a new track record and led all 30 laps in the Fast 12 Qualifier to earn the top starting spot in Sunday’s main event.
Pollard, who seemed to be on cruise control throughout practice, nearly crashed in qualifying before recovering to time in fifth.
Pollard could leave here with a $40,000 check if he can win on Sunday, combining the Showdown paycheck and the Speed51.com Coors Light Bonus, so the team is not treating the Qualifier Heat trouble lightly.