PETERSEN
MEDIA: After an impressive 2010 racing SPEC Sprints in his family car,
Danny Olmstead took a chance on 17-year-old Ryan Bernal, and the team
had a break out 2011 running with the USAC West Coast 360 series.
A rookie to the series, Bernal turned heads all season as the
Hollister, CA native was a threat to win every night the team unloaded.
On a weekly basis the competition of the USAC West Coast 360 series
would have the likes of non wing stars, Bud Kaeding, and Peter Murphy in
action, but Bernal was up to the challenge as he ended the year 2nd in
points, and had five feature event wins, which led the series.
Aside from picking up numerous wins, Bernal also tallied second six
times, making him 11 for 17 in top two finishes with the series aboard
his S&S Automotive/Dennis Body Shop/Dorso's Automotive No.11D entry.
The 2011 USAC West Coast 360 Rookie of the Year also picked up
additional hardware in 2011, as he captured the Santa Maria Track
Championship for their non wing class.
Bernal gained momentum as the season would down, as he put an
exclamation point on his USAC season by triumphing in five of the
series’ last seven races, including a last lap pass on Bud Kaeding to
win the final points race of the season.
The young driver wasn’t afraid to return to his SPEC Sprint roots
when he had the chance, as he wheeled his Bernal Motorsports No.87
machine to an additional five main event wins on the season including
winning a night of the Fall Nationals.
Bernal ends 2011 with 10-main event wins, and couldn’t be more happy
with the opportunity he got with Olmstead, and the results the team had
this year.
“I learned a whole lot this year driving with guys that have been
doing this for a while,” said Bernal. “I shot for what I think was a
good goal of five wins this year in the USAC series I ended up with the 5
wins, Rookie of the Year and event the Santa Maria track championship.”
Though talented, the young Bernal couldn’t of done it without the
help of his great crew chief, Vinny Latner. Latner has been instrumental
in Bernal’s development as he also acts as the youngsters mentor and
has given him pointers on how to better his driving on different tracks,
and how to read a track and determine how its going to develop.
“Vinnie has been awesome,” said Ryan. “He is defiantly a huge reason
for the success we had this year, and he has helped me be able to look
at a track and see what it’s going to do, and has given me tons of
confidence.”
As Ryan looks ahead for 2012, he is open to get in as many different
types of cars as possible in hopes of furthering his young career.
“In 2012 I want to race as much as I can weather its wing, non wing,
or midgets!,” explained the Hollister, CA native. “I do however want
to race non wing mostly but like I said, I am very open to wing and
midget stuff.”
Bernal would like to thank Danny Olmstead and the teams sponsors;
S&S Automotive, Dennis Body Shop, Dorso's Automotive, Brad Scadden
Design, Moeller Bro's Body, Keading performance, VSR Power Steering
Repair, King Racing Products, and Powder Coat-it.com for all of their
support in 2011.
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