10/25/2011
Sprint Source
Bernal Busts On To USAC Scene
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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Submitted By: Petersen Media
