Showdown: Jonathon Gomez race report

Gomez Performs Despite Showdown Finish; Jonathon Gomez Motors to Top Ten then Sidelined by Late Race Incident

IRWINDALE, CA (January 31, 2010) Jonathon Gomez of Twin Falls, Idaho looked to the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown as a way to validate his team's performance. Despite a late race incident that relegated the 27-year racer to a 31st place finish, Gomez proved that he and his team were up to the challenge. Gomez started 33rd in the 40-car field and overcame a flat tire that cost him two laps and by lap 160 of 225 he was running tenth on the lead lap. His charge to the front ended when a competitor spun directly in front of his United Oil Chevrolet and the two made contact causing significant damage.

The seventh annual Showdown event marked the second time Gomez made the trek to Toyota Speedway for the all-star race. The Craig Raudman led crew worked tirelessly all weekend sorting out the new car and even though their qualifying effort left them deep in the field they had a car that raced well. At times Gomez touring the ultra-fast half-mile paved oval at speeds equal to that of the leaders and if not for the incident on lap 185, the outcome could have been different.

Despite the finish, Gomez was happy with their performance. "We really learned a lot about how to go fast at this place," Gomez said. "Though I wished we had a better finish to show for it, we are feeling really good about the car and when we come back here this summer I think we will have a shot a great finish. Hopefully all of the bad luck is out of the way for the year."

Jonathon Gomez enters his fourth year of competitive racing in 2010 having won local track titles at Magic Valley Speedway in Twin Falls. He has started eight NASCAR K&N Pro Series races with three top ten finishes last season. Gomez plans to contest the full NKNPS schedule in 2010 along with making select Camping World Truck Series and ARCA RE/MAX Series starts this season.

-source: jonathon Gomez racing