Riniker Scores His First Tour Win

Hometown favorite Kevin Riniker scored his first victory of the NASCAR Southwest Tour when he drove a Camaro to victory in the Vons 200 Saturday at Riverside International Raceway.

Riniker, 26, a Riverside mechanic whose father, Gene, drove in the first sportsman stock car race at Riverside in 1967, led the final two laps of the 48-lap race and collected $5,524. He took over the lead after pole-sitter Ron Esau and Jim Thirkettle tangled during a confusing yellow-flag caution period.

Esau, last year’s winner, and Thirkettle were running in front on lap 41 when Charlie Saied spun off the Turn 9 wall and stopped in the center of the high-speed turn.

NASCAR rules permit racing back to the start-finish line after an accident, but Esau’s crew informed him over the radio of the dangerous position of Saied’s car. When Esau slowed, Thirkettle rapped him in the rear end, sending Esau’s Camaro spinning off course into the dirt behind the wall. Thirkettle took over the lead, but five laps later his damaged car quit.