Jason Bowles won the crash-filled NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown late Saturday night, leading the final eight laps of the 225-lap race at half-mile Toyota Speedway.
Bowles took the lead from Greg Pursley on Lap 217. D.J. Kennington finished second, followed by Jonathon Gomez, Luis Martinez and Johnny Borneman.
“It’s great for all my guys,” Bowles said. “When the green came out for that final 25 it was time to go.
“This is biggest win of my career for sure. Race wins are huge for me trying to put my name on the map. Hopefully the phone starts ringing on Monday.”
Travis Pastrana, making his NASCAR debut, finished sixth.
“We didn't get to see the front until the last couple of laps,” Pastrana said. “I learned a lot. It was a lot of fun. It felt like a win.”
The race was red-flagged for the third time on Lap 214 with Pursley in the lead followed by Bowles and Kennington. Dale Quarterley was collected in a crash in Turn 2 with Cole Cabrera and Troy Ermish. It was the second red flag in the final 25 laps.
Paulie Harraka had taken the lead on Lap 192 when he passed Andrew Myers, who cut a right rear tire and had to pit. Harraka came out of the first pit stops at Lap 100 in ninth and worked his way through the field during a 94-lap green flag run.
Travis Milburn brought out a caution when he spun out on Lap 195 with Harraka in the lead.
Per NASCAR rules for the Showdown, the drivers had to pit on Lap 197. Harraka was out front, followed by Bowles, polesitter Derek Thorn, David Mayhew and Pursley.
Thorn led the first 100 laps. The drivers had to make mandatory pits stops after the first 100 laps of the race. Myers was second, followed by Mayhew, Bowles and Pursley.
“The 44 (Thorn) was pretty aggressive,” Bowles said. “He had one of the best cars, but he was using his equipment up. Fortunate for me. If you don’t put yourself in that position, you’re never going to win.”
Myers took the lead on Lap 102, and Mayhew passed Thorn for second one lap later.
Ten cars were out of the race at the 100-lap point. NASCAR K&N Pro Series West champion Eric Holmes and Darrell Wallace Jr., a two-time winner in the K&N Pro Series East, were among the drivers collected in crashes in the first 100 laps.
Max Gresham, another two-time winner in the K&N Pro Series East, and Holmes were involved in a seven-car crash on Lap 27 that brought out the first red flag.
Brennan Newberry and Sean Caisse, who started the race on the second row, two-time Showdown winner Matt Kobyluck and Moses Smith were among the drivers collected in the crash.
The race restarted on Lap 32 and went green for 19 laps, one of the longer stretches in the early portion of the race.
Wallace was caught up in a five-car crash on Lap 51. His car suffered more damage in a crash on Lap 61, and he had to pull into the infield pits. Pastrana and NASCAR Mexico Series champ German Quiroga were involved in a crash on Lap 61.
