Jason Bowles wins NASCAR’s All-Star Showdown in Irwindale

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Jason Bowles of Ontario held off D.J. Kennington in the closing laps to win the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown in Irwindale on Saturday night.

The annual 225-lap Showdown brings together the nation’s leading drivers in NASCAR’s lower-tier developmental stock-car racing series to compete on the half-mile Toyota Speedway at Irwindale.

Bowles, the 2009 champion in NASCAR’s K&N Pro Series West, was a three-time winner in other races at Irwindale but his previous best finish in the Showdown was third in 2009.

‘This is is the biggest win of my career,’ Bowles said.

Kennington finished second, Jonathon Gomez of Twin Falls, Idaho, was third and Luis Martinez Jr. of Long Beach finished fourth.

Travis Pastrana, the X Games star and rally racer who’s planning to compete in NASCAR’s second-level Nationwide Series this year, made his NASCAR debut in the Showdown. He finished sixth after starting 20th.

‘It was absolutely awesome,’ Pastrana said. ‘I was just happy not to be a complete road block. I learned a lot.’

Pole-sitter Derek Thorn of Lakeport, Calif., finished seventh in the race, which featured 11 caution periods for 53 laps.

In a separate race earlier Saturday, Sean Woodside of Saugus won the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model event at Irwindale. Nick Joanides of Woodland Hills was second.

--Jim Peltz