From Tim Tuttle
Las Cruces, NM — (March 29, 2015) — Tyler Thomas of Collinsville, Okla., took back-to-back victories Friday and Saturday in the 6th annual Border International Trucks 305 Sprint Car Shootout on Southern New Mexico Speedway’s 5/16th-mile clay oval.
Thomas made a last lap pass of John Carney II of El Paso, Texas, to win the 25-lap preliminary feature on Friday night for his first sprint car victory and led all 30 laps Saturday night to earn the $5,000 first-place purse. The 19-year-old Thomas drove the No. 21 BC Fundz-backed car for team owners Robert and Christie Miller of El Paso, Texas.
“It’s a great feeling to have won my first and second sprint car races,” Thomas said. “I didn’t think my first wins in a winged sprint car would come this quickly. They’ve been a whole different animal to drive and this win is really special to me. I can’t thank Robert and Christie Miller enough for giving me a chance to come down here and race their car.”
Thomas’ triumph on Friday guaranteed a spot at the front of the field on Saturday.
“We re-drew the No. 1 pill and sat on pole,” Thomas said. “There wasn’t much excitement. We lost the lead (to Carney II) for a straightaway when I got caught in traffic (on lap 21), but I got around him in turns three and four and began to pull away. All the stars lined up. I’ll take it. It’s a good start to more success, for sure.”
Thomas finished third in his heat on Friday and started sixth in the feature.
“We had a great car all weekend,” he said. “We got some good passing points for finishing third in the heat and after the pill re-draw, started sixth. We sat in third for a while and I started to search the racetrack. I found a different line and the car took off. I didn’t know it was the last lap. I slid John (Carney II) in turns one and two and took the lead. I didn’t know I’d won until race control radio told me. I thought ‘Wow.’ It was pretty cool.”
The races at Southern New Mexico Speedway were the ninth and 10th in winged sprint cars for Thomas. He has run in eight of them for the Millers, plus two more for them in a non-winged sprint car.
Thomas continues to prove his ability to adapt to different race cars and win. He has previous victories in the POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget Series, the Pro Late Model stock cars at New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway and in Micro Sprints. Thomas also had an outstanding career in karting with multiple victories.
“I’m really happy to have won for Bob and Christie Miller and to represent their sponsors, BC Fundz, Shark Racing Engines and Rightway Logistics,” Thomas said.
For more information, go to www.TylerThomasMotorsports.com.