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ASCS Gulf South Sprint Cars set for Texas Labor Day weekend triple

The American Sprint Car Series Gulf South Region will be in full force action with a complete set of three events in southeast Texas over this Labor Day holiday weekend.

The weekend kicks off at Beaumont’s Golden Triangle Raceway Park on Friday night, shifts to the Gator Motorplex in Willis on Saturday night and then wraps up at Lufkin’s Speedarama Raceway on Sunday night.

The triple could prove crucial in Ray Allen Kulhanek’s drive for a second ASCS Gulf South title, as the Montgomery, TX, shoe carries a 120-point advantage over Conroe’s Tommy Bryant into the weekend. Only a pair of events on September 17-18 remains after this weekend’s action.

Kulhanek, the 2005 ASCS Gulf South champion, has reached victory lane on just one occasion thus far in 2010, a Gulf South vs. Lone Star tilt at Waco’s Heart O’ Texas Speedway on July 23. However, ten top-five feature finishes in 15 events, more than double the number of top-fives recorded by any of his title challengers, has proved to be the difference at the top of the point charts.

Bryant, who picked off back-to-back wins at Lufkin (May 30) and Beaumont (June 18), holds down second in points by just 43 points over two-time series champion Brandon Berryman of Missouri City, TX, with defending ASCS Gulf South champion Aaron Reutzel a close fourth.

Travis Elliott of Alvin, TX, rounds out the current top five in points, with Chris Sweeney (Channelview), Scottie McDonald (New Caney), Wes Miller (Santa Fe), Beau Smith (Texas City) and Logan Bledsoe (Richmond, TX) the balance of the top ten.

Friday’s card marks the sixth ASCS Gulf South stop of the year at the Golden Triangle Raceway Park. Gary Wright has topped two of five previous Beaumont features, with Chris Morgan, Bryant and Jason Johnson each posting single wins.

Saturday marks the second stop of the year at the Gator Motorplex, where Kent Lewis, Jr., used a 23-year-old Gambler Chassis to knock off the Gulf South forces over Memorial Day weekend.

Sunday’s weekend finale marks the third series stop of the year at the Speedarama Raceway, where Jason Johnson and Bryant have bagged Lufkin wins in 2010.

Friday’s action at Golden Triangle Raceway Park fires off at 8:00 p.m., Saturday’s green flag at Gator flies at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday’s action at Speedarama gets under way at 7:00 p.m.

Golden Triangle Raceway Park is located 9.5 miles west of I-10 on US 90 near Beaumont, TX. For more information, contact the track at 409-752-7200.

The Gator Motorplex is located in Willis, TX, off I-45 Exit 98 (Shepherd Hill exit), then east, then 1.4 miles south on SR 75. For more information, contact the track at 936-588-6127.

Speedarama Raceway is located east of Lufkin, TX, on SR 103, just one mile east of Loop 287. For more information, contact the track at 936-328-7571.

The ASCS Gulf South Region has completed 15 nights of racing action at seven different tracks throughout Texas in 2010 with just five nights of action remaining. Another seven nights have been lost to rain.

Past ASCS Gulf South Region Feature Winners at Golden Triangle Raceway Park:
8/20/10 – Jason Johnson
7/16/10 – Gary Wright
6/18/10 – Tommy Bryant
5/28/10 – Chris Morgan
3/5/10 – Gary Wright
10/2/09 – Channin Tankersley
9/18/09 – Jason Johnson
7/17/09 – Aaron Reutzel
6/19/09 – Travis Rilat
5/16/09 - Gary Wright
5/16/09 - Tommy Bryant (4/24 Makeup Feature)
3/6/09 - Gary Wright
8/15/08 - Channin Tankersley
7/18/08 - Gary Watson
5/9/08 - Channin Tankersley
2/29/08 - Jason Johnson
9/28/07 - Jason Johnson
6/22/07 - Michael Dupuy
5/18/07 - Brandon Berryman
4/6/07 - Jason Johnson
9/29/06 - Kevin Ramey
8/18/06 - Jason Johnson
6/23/06 - Gary Watson
8/19/05 - Ray Allen Kulhanek
6/17/05 - Ray Allen Kulhanek
4/15/05 - Travis Rilat
9/18/04 - Kelly Angelette
7/9/04 - Stephen Chevallier
* 9/28/02 - Michael Dupuy
* 9/27/02 - Tim Crawley
7/5/02 - Buddy Bodden
5/24/02 - Jason Johnson
* 4/5/02 - Zach Chappell

* - Indicates events held in conjunction with ASCS National Tour.

Past ASCS Gulf South Region Feature Winners at Gator Motorplex:
5/29/10 – Kent Lewis, Jr.
5/23/09 – Skip Wilson
3/28/09 – Jason Johnson
7/19/08 – Tommy Bryant
5/24/08 – Chris Sweeney
9/16/06 – Brad Best
5/27/06 – Chris Sweeney
10/8/05 – Travis Rilat
4/16/05 – Scottie McDonald

Past ASCS Gulf South Region Feature Winners at Speedarama Raceway:
5/30/10 – Tommy Bryant
4/24/10 – Jason Johnson

Additional information regarding the American Sprint Car Series is available at www.ascsracing.com.

by Lonnie Wheatley, ASCS
Ron Skinner Photto

Jason Johnson best at Battleground for another ASCS Gulf South sprint car win

Jason Johnson completed a sweep of the weekend’s American Sprint Car Series Gulf South Region action by racing to victory lane in Saturday night’s 25-lap feature at Battleground Speedway.

After starting fourth, Johnson chased down early leader Michael Dupuy on the 15th round en route to his fifth ASCS Gulf South win and eleventh overall ASCS triumph of the season aboard the JJR Don Ott-powered Haynes No. 41 Maxim.

Johnson was chased to the checkered flag by Dupuy, with Channin Tankersley, Ray Allen Kulhanek and Aaron Reutzel rounding out the top five.

Tommy Bryant was sixth, with Logan Bledsoe, Greg Rilat, Brandon Berryman and Gary Watson completing the top ten.

Bledsoe, Watson and Dupuy topped heat race action, with Michael McNeil winning the “B” Main.

ASCS Gulf South Results from Battleground Speedway:

First Heat (8 Laps): 1. 12b-Logan Bledsoe, 2. 21T-Ray Allen Kulhanek, 3. 8-Bruce Crockett, 4. 69-Larry Howery, 5. 51s-Beau Smith, 6. 15T-Travis Elliott, 7. 7-Michael McNeil, 8. 52-Roger Oakes, 9. 65-Skip Wilson.

Second Heat (8 Laps): 1. 3-Gary Watson, 2. 41-Jason Johnson, 3. 71-Channin Tankersley, 4. 31-Brandon Berryman, 5. 19-Klint Angelette, 6. 87-Aaron Reutzel, 7. 30x-Bean Elliott, 8. 36-John Pate, 9. 24-Brandie Jass.

Third Heat (8 Laps): 1. 3x-Michael Dupuy, 2. 85-Tommy Bryant, 3. 35-Greg Rilat, 4. 93-Chris Sweeney, 5. 51w-Wes Miller, 6. 17-Bruce Griffith, Jr., 7. 53-Trey Schmidt, 8. 28-James Cooper.

“B” Main (12 Laps): 1. 7-Michael McNeil, 2. 17-Bruce Griffith, Jr., 3. 53-Trey Schmidt, 4. 65-Skip Wilson, 5. 36-John Pate, 6. 52-Roger Oakes, 7. 24-Brandie Jass, 8. 28-James Cooper.

“A” Feature (25 Laps): 1. 41-Jason Johnson, 2. 3x-Michael Dupuy, 3. 71-Channin Tankersley, 4. 21T-Ray Allen Kulhanek, 5. 87-Aaron Reutzel, 6. 85-Tommy Bryant, 7. 12b-Logan Bledsoe, 8. 35-Greg Rilat, 9. 31-Brandon Berryman, 10. 3-Gary Watson, 11. 19-Klint Angelette, 12. 36-John Pate, 13. 51w-Wes Miller, 14. 69-Larry Howery, 15. 30x-Bean Elliott, 16. 7-Michael McNeil, 17. 17-Bruce Griffith, Jr., 18. 52-Roger Oakes, 19. 53-Trey Schmidt, 20. 15T-Travis Elliott, 21. 51s-Beau Smith, 22. 93-Chris Sweeney, 23. 65-Skip Wilson, 24. 8-Bruce Crockett.

ASCS Gulf South Region Points (Top Ten): 1. Ray Allen Kulhanek 1,880 2. Tommy Bryant 1,760, 3. Brandon Berryman 1,717, 4. Aaron Reutzel 1,701, 5. Travis Elliott 1,567, 6. Chris Sweeney 1,483, 7. Scottie McDonald 1,462, 8. Wes Miller 1,445, 9. Beau Smith 1,386, 10. Logan Bledsoe 1,378.

by Lonnie Wheatley
ASCS Gulf South photo

ASCS Gulf South headed to Golden Triangle and Houston Raceway Park this weekend

After a pair of idle weekends to regroup after a Memorial Day triple, the ASCS Gulf South Region fires back to action with the second of three scheduled Golden Triangle Raceway Park – Houston Raceway Park weekend doubles.

On Friday night, the series makes its third stop of the year at Beaumont’s Golden Triangle Raceway Park before moving on to Baytown’s Houston Raceway Park on Saturday night for a $3,000 to win tilt.

Riding the strength of six top-tens in eight feature runs, including five consecutive top-five finishes, 2005 ASCS Gulf South champion Ray Allen Kulhanek of Montgomery, TX, carries the points lead into the weekend.

The winner of last year’s June event at Houston Raceway Park, Kulhanek holds a 17-point edge over defending series champion Aaron Reutzel of Clute, TX, with two-time Gulf South kingpin Brandon Berryman of Missouri City, TX, just another ten points back in third.

Conroe’s Tommy Bryant enters the weekend ranked fourth, with New Caney’s Scottie McDonald rounding out the current top five.

The balance of the current top ten in ASCS Gulf South points includes Travis Elliott (Alvin), Chris Sweeney (Channelview), Wes Miller (Santa Fe), Greg Rilat (Texas City) and Eric Baldaccini (Keller).

Seven different drivers have cracked ASCS Gulf South victory lane in eight events thus far in 2010, with only Jason Johnson doubling up. Single wins have been claimed by Berryman, Bryant, Gary Wright, Brian Brown, Kent Lewis, Jr., and Chris Morgan. Morgan topped the most recent event at Golden Triangle with a last-corner pass of Skip Wilson, while Jason Johnson won the initial Houston Raceway Park event of 2010.

Friday’s racing action at Golden Triangle Raceway Park goes green at 8:00 p.m., while Saturday’s card at Houston Raceway Park fires off at 7:00 p.m.

Golden Triangle Raceway Park is located 9.5 miles west of I-10 on US 90 near Beaumont, TX. For more information, contact the track at 409-752-7200.

Houston Raceway Park is located east of Houston on I-10 to Exit 798, then three miles south on State Road 146, then 0.8 miles southeast on FM 1405, then 1.5 miles northeast on FM 565. For more information, contact the track at 281-383-7223.

The ASCS Gulf South Region is slated for 27 nights of racing action at ten different tracks throughout Texas in 2010.

In its 19th year of sanctioning Sprint Car racing, the American Sprint Car Series brings the best of Sprint Car racing to approximately 100 different tracks throughout 30 states and Canada. Anchored by the Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters, ASCS also consists of ten different Regions throughout the nation.

Past ASCS Gulf South Region Feature Winners at Golden Triangle Raceway Park:
5/28/10 – Chris Morgan
3/5/10 – Gary Wright
10/2/09 – Channin Tankersley
9/18/09 – Jason Johnson
7/17/09 – Aaron Reutzel
6/19/09 – Travis Rilat
5/16/09 - Gary Wright
5/16/09 - Tommy Bryant (4/24 Makeup Feature)
3/6/09 - Gary Wright
8/15/08 - Channin Tankersley
7/18/08 - Gary Watson
5/9/08 - Channin Tankersley
2/29/08 - Jason Johnson
9/28/07 - Jason Johnson
6/22/07 - Michael Dupuy
5/18/07 - Brandon Berryman
4/6/07 - Jason Johnson
9/29/06 - Kevin Ramey
8/18/06 - Jason Johnson
6/23/06 - Gary Watson
8/19/05 - Ray Allen Kulhanek
6/17/05 - Ray Allen Kulhanek
4/15/05 - Travis Rilat
9/18/04 - Kelly Angelette
7/9/04 - Stephen Chevallier
* 9/28/02 - Michael Dupuy
* 9/27/02 - Tim Crawley
7/5/02 - Buddy Bodden
5/24/02 - Jason Johnson
* 4/5/02 - Zach Chappell

Past ASCS Gulf South Region Feature Winners at Houston Raceway Park:
4/3/10 – Jason Johnson
9/19/09 – Gary Wright
7/18/09 – Kevin Ramey
6/20/09 – Ray Allen Kulhanek
5/16/09 - Eric Baldaccini
9/27/08 - Jason Johnson
6/21/08 - Michael Dupuy
5/10/08 - Brandon Berryman
3/1/08 - Jack Dover
9/29/07 - Brandon Berryman
8/18/07 - Travis Rilat
5/19/07 - Johnny Miller
9/30/06 - Ray Allen Kulhanek
8/19/06 - Brad Best
6/24/06 - Ray Allen Kulhanek
4/8/06 - Travis Rilat
8/20/05 - Lane Whittington
6/18/05 - Ray Allen Kulhanek
7/10/04 - Kevin Ramey

* - Indicates events held in conjunction with ASCS National Tour.
Additional information regarding the American Sprint Car Series is available at www.ascsracing.com.

by Lonnie Wheatley
TWC photo

Robert Ballou bags ASCS Wingless Sprint Car win at Houston Raceway Park

Race fans in the Lone Star State hadn’t been exposed to the thrills of traditional Sprint Cars in over two decades.

They won’t forget what they witnessed in the return of 410-ci wingless Sprint Cars to Texas any time soon, as Robert Ballou edged Jesse Hockett and Brady Bacon in a thrilling three-wide charge to the checkered flag in Saturday night’s season-opening 30-lap Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits Tour ‘N Topless main event at Houston Raceway Park after Friday’s scheduled opener at Beaumont was rained out.

Ballou’s seventh career Sprint Bandits TNT triumph aboard Dallas Mulvaney’s MPHG Promotions No. 81 Triple-X seemed a longshot at best after getting upside down in a wild heat race incident.

“It bent the front end over a good inch-and-a-half or so, we just got it back together as good as we could,” Ballou explained. “I really don’t know how it worked so well in the feature.”

After heat race and qualifying race action, the Rocklin, CA, native that now calls Indiana home found himself seven rows deep in the 13th starting position with Travis Rilat and reigning TNT champion Brady Bacon leading the way to the green flag.

Ballou was joined deep in the field early on by Hockett, who spun in turn four while running third on the third lap, thus setting the stage for what ultimately proved to be a three-wide scramble off the final corner for the checkered flag and $3,000 winner’s share that went with it.

Rilat, who first won his heat race and then made a last corner pass of Justin Melton to win his qualifier to earn the pole aboard the www.shoptheboss.com No. 50off entry, gunned into the early lead and paced the early laps in front of Bacon.

Casey Shuman moved past Ray Allen Kulhanek for third by the fifth round but surrendered the position under a lap eight stoppage with a broken fuel line. Shuman rejoined the field at the tail, only to have a similar problem end his race after 19 laps.

The feature’s initial red flag appeared for Jimmy Brooks, who jumped the cushion and went for a wild ride in turn two with eight laps in the books. On the restart, fourth-running Justin Melton did the same in turn three to bring out another red flag. Both drivers were uninjured.

Ballou was up to fourth after the pair of red flags and disposed of Kulhanek for third soon after action resumed, with Hockett steadily working his way through the field as well with Rilat and Bacon leading the way.

Bacon began pressuring Rilat for the lead at the midway point and never eased up, with Ballou joining in on the lead battle after the race’s final caution flew for Shuman on the 19th lap.

The battle soon became a four-way joust for the point, as Hockett charged past Matt Sherrell for fourth on the lap 19 restart and set his sights on the lead.

Rilat fended off his trio of challengers as long as he could until Bacon finally battled in front on the 23rd lap with Ballou and Hockett following suit over the next pair of rounds. “We made some changes on that red flag to try to loosen the car up and we just weren’t as good after that,” Rilat explained afterward.

With Bacon sticking to the low side in Mike and Megan Eubanks’ Wesmar-powered Tel-Star Communications No. 99 Triple-X, Ballou pounded the cushion in an effort to edge ahead as Hockett stuck the VKCC Motorsports No. 75 in the middle of the battle.

“I went for a tearoff with about five to go and there weren’t any left, so I just used my hand to clear my shield as much as I could, I just had to go for it up there,” Ballou explained.

Ballou finally edged ahead exiting turn four to take the white flag, setting up an epic final-lap duel. The trio diced for the top position over the final 3/8 of a mile, racing in formation off the final corner with Ballou mere inches ahead of Hockett, who was in turn perhaps a foot ahead of Bacon.

Hockett narrowly missed out on the spin-and-win, while Bacon fell one win off Ballou’s TNT total after the pair entered with six wins each.

“I was thinking it was about time to go to the top, I was about to go up there and then it was too late,” Bacon explained afterward.

Rilat slipped to fourth at the stripe, while Matt Sherrell rounded out the top five in just his second career wingless 410-ci Sprint Car outing.

Zach Chappell was sixth, with Ray Allen Kulhanek in seventh after racing among the top five much of the way.

Illinois shoe J.C. Bland edged Anthony Nicholson at the stripe for eighth, with Nicholson’s trip from Memphis netting a $500 bonus as the top-finishing 360-ci powerplant to bring his night’s take to more than $1,000.

Jake Simmons completed the top ten.

Nicholson and Rilat won the heat races, with Shuman and Rilat topping the qualifying races.

The Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits Tour ‘N Topless series returns to action next Friday night, May 7, at Devil’s Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, TX, before moving on to Little Rock’s I-30 Speedway for the TNT Front Row Challenge on Saturday night, May 8.

Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits Tour ‘N Topless Results
Houston Raceway Park:

Heat Races:

Heat One (8 Laps): 1. 16-Anthony Nicholson, 2. 99-Brady Bacon, 3. 5*-Ray Allen Kulhanek, 4. 50z-Zach Chappell, 5. 11-Justin Melton, 6. 87-Aaron Reutzel, 7. 7s-Jake Simmons, 8. 17-Channin Tankersley, 9. 51-Jimmy Brooks.

Heat Two (8 Laps): 1. 50-Travis Rilat, 2. 98-J.C Bland, 3. 75-Jesse Hockett, 4. 10x-Casey Shuman, 5. 2-Wayne Johnson, 6. 35-Matt Sherrell, 7. 81-Robert Ballou, 8. 99x-Leon Bacon. DNS: 8tw-Kent Lewis, Jr.

Qualifying Races:

Qualifier One (8 Laps): 1. 10x-Casey Shuman, 2. 75-Jesse Hockett, 3. 99-Brady Bacon, 4. 35-Matt Sherrell, 5. 50z-Zach Chappell, 6. 98-J.C. Bland, 7. 81-Robert Ballou, 8. 99x-Leon Bacon, 9. 17-Channin Tankersley.

Qualifier Two (8 Laps): 1. 50-Travis Rilat, 2. 11-Justin Melton, 3. 5*-Ray Allen Kulhanek, 4. 16-Anthony Nicholson, 5. 87-Aaron Reutzel, 6. 7s-Jake Simmons, 7. 51-Jimmy Brooks, 8. 2-Wayne Johnson. DNS: 8tw-Kent Lewis, Jr.

Houston Raceway Park Sprint Bandits TNT Main Event:

“A” Feature (30 Laps): 1. 81-Robert Ballou, 2. 75-Jesse Hockett, 3. 99-Brady Bacon, 4. 50-Travis Rilat, 5. 35-Matt Sherrell, 6. 50z-Zach Chappell, 7. 5*-Ray Allen Kulhanek, 8. 98-J.C. Bland, 9. 16-Anthony Nicholson, 10. 7s-Jake Simmons, 11. 87-Aaron Reutzel, 12. 10x-Casey Shuman, 13. 11-Justin Melton, 14. 51-Jimmy Brooks, 15. 2-Wayne Johnson, 16. 99x-Leon Bacon, 17. 17-Channin Tankersley, 18. 8tw-Kent Lewis, Jr.

Lap Leaders: Travis Rilat 1-22, Brady Bacon 23-28, Robert Ballou 29-30.

Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits TNT Points (Top 10): 1. Robert Ballou 150, 2. Jesse Hockett 142, 3. Brady Bacon 135, 4. Travis Rilat 130, 5. Matt Sherrell 125, 6. Zach Chappell 122, 7. Ray Allen Kulhanek 119, 8. J.C. Bland 116, 9. Anthony Nicholson 113, 10. Jake Simmons 110.

By Lonnie Wheatley, ASCS

Jason Johnson Cashes in with ASCS Gulf South win at Houston Raceway Park

Jason Johnson got a much-needed win by wiring the field in Saturday night’s 25-lap American Sprint Car Series Gulf South Region main event to top the Inaugural Lone Star Shootout at Houston Raceway Park.

The Ragin’ Cajun’s 23rd career ASCS Gulf South triumph and 73rd overall ASCS victory was the first for the newly-formed Jason Johnson Racing team in just its second night of competition after debuting in the recent Lucas Oil ASCS National opener.

While Johnson paced the field all the way aboard the Don Ott-powered Haynes/Pope Transportation No. 41 Maxim, he withstood mid-race pressure from Travis Rilat and then a late charge from Gary Wright to secure the $3,000 triumph.

“The first win, this is huge,” an ecstatic Johnson relayed from victory lane.

While Rilat led the feature field to the green flag, it was Johnson gunning into the lead at the outset from the front row outside.

Reeling in the tail of the field in just a handful of laps, a pair of cautions in the opening ten circuits gave Johnson clear track just as traffic was about to factor into the proceedings on a pair of occasions.

But after California’s Kyle Hirst coasted to a stop on the ninth lap, Rilat had an opportunity when Johnson began working through traffic at the midway point.

Rilat closed to Johnson’s tailtank on the 15th round, only to have Johnson make a timely move around a lapped car to slip away by several car lengths. Very soon after, Rilat coasted to a stop on the frontstretch with terminal engine woes, setting up a seven-lap dash to the checkered flag with “The Texan” now in the role of chaser.

A pair of lapped cars between the leader and Wright was just the cushion Johnson needed though. Reaching traffic once again with two rounds to go, Wright rapidly closed the gap on Johnson. But when Johnson made a nimble move through a pair of cars entering turn one on the final circuit, the race was all but over.

Johnson flashed under the checkered flag to take the win and become the third different winner in as many 2010 ASCS Gulf South feature events, with Wright settling for runner-up honors.

After starting eighth, Missouri’s Brian Brown was on the move following the lap nine caution and climbed to third by race’s end with defending ASCS Gulf South champion Aaron Reutzel and 14th-starter Michael Dupuy rounding out the top five.

Brady Bacon charged from 19th to sixth, with Tony Bruce, Jr., 15th-starter Tommy Bryant, Eric Baldaccini and Channin Tankersley completing the top ten.

Kyle Hirst, Bruce, Jr., Baldaccini and Johnson topped heat race action for Saturday night’s 36-car field, with Bacon making a lap 10 move around Chris Sweeney to win the 12-lap “B” Main.

American Sprint Car Series Gulf South Region Results from Houston Raceway Park:

Heat One (8 Laps): 1. 6-Kyle Hirst, 2. 35-Greg Rilat, 3. 71-Channin Tankersley, 4. 51w-Wes Miller, 5. 93-Chris Sweeney, 6. 12b-Logan Bledsoe, 7. 17-Bruce Griffith, Jr., 8. 51-Jimmy Brooks, 9. 70-Anthony Reaves.

Heat Two (8 Laps): 1. 18-Tony Bruce, Jr., 2. 29-Travis Rilat, 3. 87-Aaron Reutzel, 4. 10-Ricky Logan, 5. 00-Michael Dupuy, 6. 52-Roger Oakes, 7. 51s-Beau Smith, 8. 99-Brady Bacon, 9. 1g-Cody Gardner.

Heat Three (8 Laps): 1. 4-Eric Baldaccini, 2. 21-Brian Brown, 3. 85-Tommy Bryant, 4. 21T-Ray Allen Kulhanek, 5. 61-Travis Knighton, 6. 30x-Bean Elliott, 7. 8z-Zach Pringle, 8. 3T-Tyler King, 9. 19-Klint Angelette.

Heat Four (8 Laps): 1. 41-Jason Johnson, 2. 9x-Gary Wright, 3. 87a-Andrew Marshala, 4. 31-Brandon Berryman, 5. 88-Scottie McDonald, 6. 87x-Billy Melton, 7. 28-James Cooper, 8. 3-Gary Watson, 9. 5-Jack Spencer.

“B” Feature (12 Laps): 1. 99-Brady Bacon, 2. 93-Chris Sweeney, 3. 12b-Logan Bledsoe, 4. 87x-Billy Melton, 5. 61-Travis Knighton, 6. 30x-Bean Elliott, 7. 51s-Beau Smith, 8. 19-Klint Angelette, 9. 51-Jimmy Brooks, 10. 17-Bruce Griffith, Jr., 11. 52-Roger Oakes, 12. 5-Jack Spencer, 13. 28-James Cooper, 14. 3T-Tyler King, 15. 8z-Zach Pringle, 16. 3-Gary Watson, 17. 70-Anthony Reaves. DNS: 1g-Cody Gardner.

“A” Feature (25 Laps): 1. 41-Jason Johnson, 2. 9x-Gary Wright, 3. 21-Brian Brown, 4. 87-Aaron Reutzel, 5. 00-Michael Dupuy, 6. 99-Brady Bacon, 7. 18-Tony Bruce, Jr., 8. 85-Tommy Bryant, 9. 4-Eric Baldaccini, 10. 71-Channin Tankersley, 11. 31-Brandon Berryman, 12. 51w-Wes Miller, 13. 88-Scottie McDonald, 14. 87x-Billy Melton, 15. 93-Chris Sweeney, 16. 12b-Logan Bledsoe, 17. 61-Travis Knighton, 18. 30x-Bean Elliott, 19. 29-Travis Rilat, 20. 10-Ricky Logan, 21. 6-Kyle Hirst, 22. 21T-Ray Allen Kulhanek, 23. 87a-Andrew Marshala, 24. 35-Greg Rilat.

ASCS Gulf South Region Points (Top Ten): 1. Brian Brown 404, 2. Brady Bacon 379, 3. Tony Bruce, Jr. 374, 4. Travis Rilat 359, 5. Gary Wright 357, 6. Ricky Logan 341, 7. (tie) Tommy Bryant and Aaron Reutzel 336, 9. Brandon Berryman 324, 10. Wes Miller 321.

By Lonnie Wheatley

Gary “The Texan” Wright nails ASCS Gulf South win at Golden Triangle Raceway Park

The American Sprint Car Series Gulf South Region opened up the 2010 season in much the same way as 2009, with Gary Wright standing in victory lane at Golden Triangle Raceway Park.

For the second year in a row, “The Texan” topped the $3,000-to-win, 25-lap Prelude to the Gulf Coast Nationals to launch the season for the ASCS Gulf South Region atop the Golden Triangle clay.

However, rather than wait for the last lap to make the winning move like last year, Wright gunned into the lead at the outset aboard Scott Brown’s ASI-powered Lubbock Wrecker Service/The Shop No. 9x Maxim and never looked back en route to a third ASCS Gulf South season opening win.

“As heavy as the track was tonight, it was real easy to get in trouble in traffic or really anywhere,” Wright explained. “We got lucky tonight and stayed out of trouble, we’ll get cleaned up and try to get another one tomorrow.”

A move past Tommy Bryant and Bruce Crockett in the final two laps of his heat race landed Wright in the redraw. And when he drew the number one pill, that may have been all the luck the four-time Lucas Oil National Sprint Car champion needed.

Weathering three red flag periods over the initial four circuits, including a pair on the initial two starts, Wright paced the early circuits in front of fellow front row starter Klint Angelette before Travis Rilat, Ricky Logan and Jesse Hockett freight trained the 16-year-old on a lap five restart.

After one final caution after nine circuits for Dustin Morgan’s turn four spin, the final 16 rounds ran off in non-stop fashion with Wright distancing himself from the field while lapping well into the top ten.

Rilat held off several challenges from Logan over the latter portion of the race for runner-up honors, with Logan settling for the show position. Hockett advanced from ninth in the early rounds to snare fourth, with Tony Bruce, Jr., rounding out the top five.

Brady Bacon crossed the stripe sixth, making it a sweep of the top six positions by prospective Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters championship contenders.

Brian Brown crossed the stripe in seventh, with two-time ASCS Gulf South champ Brandon Berryman the final car on the lead lap in eighth, just ahead of fellow Gulf South shoes Wes Miller and Scottie McDonald.

The initial attempt to start the main event was waved off for a Jimmy Brooks tumble in turn one, with the second start going red as well when reigning ASCS Gulf South champ Aaron Reutzel launched out of the park in turn two. Four laps later, Tommy Bryant tumbled in turn two as well. There were no injuries.

Brown, Angelette, Brooks, Wright and Morgan topped heat race action for the 37-car field, with Berryman and Reutzel winning the twin “B” Mains.

American Sprint Car Series Gulf South Region Results from Golden Triangle Raceway Park:

Heat One (8 Laps): 1. 21-Brian Brown, 2. 61-Travis Knighton, 3. 93-Chris Sweeney, 4. 31-Brandon Berryman, 5. 12b-Logan Bledsoe, 6. 3-Gary Watson, 7. 28-James Cooper, 8. 3T-Tyler King.

Heat Two (8 Laps): 1. 19-Klint Angelette, 2. 18-Tony Bruce, Jr., 3. 75-Jesse Hockett, 4. 15T-Travis Elliott, 5. 74-Brandon Corn, 6. C41-Wayne Johnson, 7. 14-Michael Lang, 8. 35-Greg Rilat.

Heat Three (8 Laps): 1. 51-Jimmy Brooks, 2. 51w-Wes Miller, 3. 87-Aaron Reutzel, 4. 99-Brady Bacon, 5. 00-Michael Dupuy, 6. 4m-Michael Miller, 7. 52-Roger Oakes.

Heat Four (8 Laps): 1. 9x-Gary Wright, 2. 8-Bruce Crockett, 3. 10-Ricky Logan, 4. 85-Tommy Bryant, 5. 87x-Billy Melton, 6. 17-Bruce Griffith, Jr., 7. 51s-Beau Smith.

Heat Five (8 Laps): 1. 93x-Dustin Morgan, 2. 29-Travis Rilat, 3. 71-Channin Tankersley, 4. 88-Scottie McDonald, 5. 4-Eric Baldaccini, 6. 76-John Ricketts, 7. 21T-Ray Allen Kulhanek.

First “B” Feature (12 Laps): 1. 31-Brandon Berryman, 2. 93-Chris Sweeney, 3. C41-Wayne Johnson, 4. 12b-Logan Bledsoe, 5. 87x-Billy Melton, 6. 3-Gary Watson, 7. 35-Greg Rilat, 8. 28-James Cooper, 9. 51s-Beau Smith, 10. 4m-Michael Miller, 11. 15T-Travis Elliott. DNS: 21T-Ray Allen Kulhanek.

Second “B” Feature (12 Laps): 1. 87-Aaron Reutzel, 2. 85-Tommy Bryant, 3. 74-Brandon Corn, 4. 00-Michael Dupuy, 5. 4-Eric Baldaccini, 6. 76-John Ricketts, 7. 14-Michael Lang, 8. 52-Roger Oakes, 9. 3T-Tyler King, 10. 71-Channin Tankersley, 11. 17-Bruce Griffith, Jr.

“A” Feature (25 Laps): 1. 9x-Gary Wright, 2. 29-Travis Rilat, 3. 10-Ricky Logan, 4. 75-Jesse Hockett, 5. 18-Tony Bruce, Jr., 6. 99-Brady Bacon, 7. 21-Brian Brown, 8. 31-Brandon Berryman, 9. 51w-Wes Miller, 10. 88-Scottie McDonald, 11. 93x-Dustin Morgan, 12. 19-Klint Angelette, 13. 61-Travis Knighton, 14. 74-Brandon Corn, 15. 93-Chris Sweeney, 16. 85-Tommy Bryant, 17. 87-Aaron Reutzel, 18. C41-Wayne Johnson, 19. 51-Jimmy Brooks, 20. 8-Bruce Crockett (DNS).

ASCS Gulf South Region Points (Top Ten): 1. Gary Wright 150, 2. Travis Rilat 142, 3. Ricky Logan 135, 4. Jesse Hockett 130, 5. Tony Bruce, Jr. 125, 6. Brady Bacon 122, 7. Brian Brown 119, 8. Brandon Berryman 116, 9. Wes Miller 113, 10. Scottie McDonald 110.

By Lonnie Wheatley
Photos courtesy ASCS

“The Texan” Triumphs in Devil’s Bowl “Winter Nationals” Prelim

“The Texan” Gary Wright continued his winning ways atop the fabled ½-mile Devil’s Bowl Speedway clay oval by racing to victory lane in Saturday night’s 25-lap Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters preliminary feature event at the 36th Annual Devil’s Bowl Winter Nationals.

Wright raced past Aaron Reutzel on the fifth round and then held off the advances of Shane Stewart over the latter circuits to secure his 126th career ASCS National win and the 20th in series competition at ‘Da Bowl.

“The way the track was, I knew I was just gonna stay on the bottom,” Wright explained in victory lane. “If Shane (Stewart) could drive by me on the high side, then he could have it.”

While Stewart couldn’t successfully pull off the race-winning move, he struck a much bigger blow in big-picture terms by overtaking Jason Johnson for the series points lead. With the $60,000 Lucas Oil Sprint Car championship hanging in the balance over the season’s final sequence of events, Stewart’s runner-up showing coupled with Johnson’s 18th-place run put the Oklahoma racer ten points ahead of “The Ragin’ Cajun”. And, to keep things even more interesting, Wright’s title chances stayed alive as he exited the night just 42 points off of Stewart’s lead pace.

Another pair of Texans, Fort Worth’s Kevin Ramey and Sunnyvale’s Sam Hafertepe, Jr., joined Wright and Stewart as Saturday’s top four finishers to lock into Sunday afternoon’s Winter Nationals finale, which fires off at 2:00 p.m.

After Mother Nature pushed back the running of the weekend’s 36th Annual Devil’s Bowl Winter Nationals by one day, Wright landed on the pole of Saturday night’s preliminary main event.

However, it was 19-year-old ASCS Gulf South champion Aaron Reutzel gunning into the lead at the drop of the green flag and pacing the opening circuits.

Wright didn’t allow the youngster to get too comfortable with the top spot though, muscling by for the point on the fifth round with third-starter Stewart following suit to take second a lap later.

Into traffic by the seventh circuit, Stewart kept the pressure on and moved in to challenge on several occasions. But, one bobble in turn two and then another one in turn four several laps later as the leaders tried to put a lap on a struggling Jason Johnson were enough to prevent a move to the front by Stewart.

Wright found clear track once again when the race’s only caution flew after 21 rounds for Darren Long’s turn two spin. Clear sailing was all Wright needed to safely put the win away aboard Scott Brown’s ASI-powered Lubbock Wrecker Service/Richwood Construction No. 9x Maxim.

Stewart held strong for second in Paul Silva’s Wesmar-powered ProBilt Construction/Palmero Properties No. 57 A.R.T.

Newly crowned ASCS Lone Star champion Kevin Ramey worked past Reutzel for third on the eighth circuit and held the show position the rest of the way in the Williams Motorsports Wells-powered City Vending No. 7m Maxim.

Hafertepe outdueled Jesse Hockett over the final portion of the race to snare the fourth and final lock-in position to Sunday’s Winter Nationals championship finale, while Hockett settled for fifth in the VKCC Motorsports/Tom Buch No. 13.

Reutzel crossed the stripe sixth in just his second career Lucas Oil Sprint Car feature start, with Danny Wood making a last-lap move around 13th-starter Eric Baldaccini to snare seventh.

Lucas Oil Sprint Car rookie contender Chad Corken posted his top run of the year by finishing ninth, with Aaron Berryhill climbing from 16th to complete the top ten.

Wood, Stewart, Ramey, Hafertepe, Danny Jennings, Ricky Logan and Wright topped heat race action for Saturday night’s 60-car field, with Kenneth Walker, Tim Crawley and Don Young winning the “B” Mains.

The red flag flew only once over the course of the night for a wild double tumble that brought an early end to the night for the Missouri duo of Mark Shirshekan and Brian Brown while chasing Ricky Logan into turn one on the second lap of the night’s sixth heat race. There were no injuries.

Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters
36th Annual Devil’s Bowl Winter Nationals Preliminary Results
Devil’s Bowl Speedway – Mesquite, TX

Heat Races (Top 16 in Passing Points to “A” Main; Balance to 3 “B” Mains):

Heat One (8 Laps): 1. 94-Danny Wood, 2. 29-Travis Rilat, 3. 75-Don Young, 4. 4-Eric Baldaccini, 5. 10-Sammy Swindell, 6. 53-Jack Dover, 7. 4m-Randi Miller, 8. 14aj-Wayne Johnson, 9. 03-Joe Wood, Jr.

Heat Two (8 Laps): 1. 57-Shane Stewart, 2. 87-Aaron Reutzel, 3. 81au-Gavin Punch, 4. 91-Jonathan Allard, 5. 99-Brady Bacon, 6. 9T-Gary Taylor, 7. 23-Seth Bergman, 8. 18-Tony Bruce, Jr., 9. 69-Larry Howery.

Heat Three (8 Laps): 1. 7m-Kevin Ramey, 2. 13-Jesse Hockett, 3. e85-Zach Chappell, 4. 87x-Billy Melton, 5. 22-Koby Barksdale, 6. 3s-John Carney II, 7. 12w-Dale Wester, 8. 45-Martin Edwards, 9. 87a-Andrew Marshala.

Heat Four (8 Laps): 1. 15-Sam Hafertepe, Jr., 2. 7-Darren Long, 3. 11-Chad Corken, 4. 97-Aaron Berryhill, 5. 14-Michael Lang, 6. 22a-Dan Adkins, 7. 65-Skip Wilson, 8. 165-Haley Arnold, 9. 29L-Larry Long.

Heat Five (8 Laps): 1. 1J-Danny Jennings, 2. 45x-Johnny Herrera, 3. 41-Jason Johnson, 4. 1-Sean McClelland, 5. 22J-John Gaston, 6. 35-Greg Rilat, 7. 22b-Ben Gregg, 8. 93-Dustin Morgan.

Heat Six (8 Laps): 1. 10a-Ricky Logan, 2. 27-Andy Shouse, 3. 99d-Rickey Hood, 4. 2-Kenneth Walker, 5. 3-Mark Shirshekan, 6. 21-Brian Brown, 7. 3d-Paul McMahan, 8. 99j-Jake Ossenfort.

Heat Seven (8 Laps): 1. 9x-Gary Wright, 2. 8m-Kyle McCutcheon, 3. 45k-Kolt Walker, 4. 88-Tim Crawley, 5. 6-Justin Spoerl, 6. 24-David Gailley, 7. 21s-Russell Shoulders, 8. 9-Brian Parker.

“B” Mains (Top 2 From Each Advance to “A” Main):

First “B” Feature (15 Laps): 1. 2-Kenneth Walker, 2. 41-Jason Johnson, 3. 45x-Johnny Herrera, 4. 10-Sammy Swindell, 5. 14aj-Wayne Johnson, 6. 3d-Paul McMahan, 7. 23-Seth Bergman, 8. 03-Joe Wood, Jr., 9. 93-Dustin Morgan, 10. 22J-John Gaston, 11. 9-Brian Parker, 12. 87x-Billy Melton, 13. 6-Justin Spoerl, 14. 65-Skip Wilson. DNS: 21s-Russell Shoulders.

Second “B” Feature (15 Laps): 1. 88-Tim Crawley, 2. 29-Travis Rilat, 3. e85-Zach Chappell, 4. 53-Jack Dover, 5. 18-Tony Bruce, Jr., 6. 99-Brady Bacon, 7. 12w-Dale Wester, 8. 22-Koby Barksdale, 9. 22a-Dan Adkins, 10. 69-Larry Howery, 11. 22b-Ben Gregg, 12. 165-Haley Arnold, 13. 87a-Andrew Marshala, 14. 45k-Kolt Walker. DNS: 3-Mark Shirshekan.

Third “B” Feature (15 Laps): 1. 75-Don Young, 2. 7-Darren Long, 3. 1-Sean McClelland, 4. 81au-Gavin Punch, 5. 3s-John Carney II, 6. 9T-Gary Taylor, 7. 4m-Randi Miller, 8. 35-Greg Rilat, 9. 99j-Jake Ossenfort, 10. 45-Martin Edwards, 11. 29L-Larry Long, 12. 24-David Gailley, 13. 14-Michael Lang. DNS: 21-Brian Brown.

Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series Devil’s Bowl Winter Nationals Preliminary Main Event:

“A” Feature (25 Laps): 1. 9x-Gary Wright, 2. 57-Shane Stewart, 3. 7m-Kevin Ramey, 4. 15-Sam Hafertepe, Jr., 5. 13-Jesse Hockett, 6. 87-Aaron Reutzel, 7. 94-Danny Wood, 8. 4-Eric Baldaccini, 9. 11-Chad Corken, 10. 97-Aaron Berryhill, 11. 1j-Danny Jennings, 12. 99d-Rickey Hood, 13. 2-Kenneth Walker, 14. 29-Travis Rilat, 15. 10a-Ricky Logan, 16. 27-Andy Shouse, 17. 3d-Paul McMahan, 18. 41-Jason Johnson, 19. 91-Jonathan Allard, 20. 88-Tim Crawley, 21. 75-Don Young, 22. 7-Darren Long, 23. 8m-Kyle McCutcheon, 24. 53-Jack Dover.

Lap Leaders: Aaron Reutzel 1-4, Gary Wright 5-25.

Note: Paul McMahan and Jack Dover utilized Lucas Oil provisionals to start the “A” Main,

Lucas Oil Sprint Car Presented by K&N Filters Points (Top Twenty): 1. Shane Stewart 2,134, 2. Jason Johnson 2,124, 3. Gary Wright 2,092, 4. Travis Rilat 1,983, 5. Tim Crawley 1,933, 6. Paul McMahan 1,928, 7. Danny Wood 1,894, 8. Tony Bruce, Jr. 1,874, 9. Jack Dover 1,849, 10. Jesse Hockett 1,833, 11. Sean McClelland 1,619, 12. Kenneth Walker 1,506, 13. Darren Long 1,417, 14. Chad Corken 1,412, 15. Gary Taylor 1,396, 16. Seth Bergman 1,322, 17. Gavin Punch 1,269, 18. Brady Bacon 1,083, 19. Wayne Johnson 982, 20. Ricky Logan 899.

Three ASCS Sprint Car Champions to be crowned at the Cowtown Speedway Nationals this weekend

Roger Crockett, Jason Danley, Bryan Howland, Brett Mann and Jake Ossenfort have each already collected ASCS Regional championships in 2009.

Now, another three drivers will be crowned simultaneously at this weekend’s second annual Cowtown Sprint Nationals at Cowtown Speedway in Kennedale, TX, this weekend.

The ASCS Gulf South, Lone Star and Sooner Regions converge upon the high-banked, ¼-mile dirt oval for two full nights of competition this Friday and Saturday, with Aaron Reutzel, Kevin Ramey and Joe Wood, Jr., leading their respective regions into the weekend double dip.

While Reutzel (134 point lead) and Ramey (167 point lead) both have their Regional point chases virtually locked up, Wood, Jr., isn’t entirely out of the woods yet as Matt Covington is just 30 points out of the lead.

Vying for his first American Bank of Oklahoma ASCS Sooner Region championship, Oklahoma City’s Wood can secure the crown with a solid weekend. However, if things go south for Wood, 19-year-old Glenpool, OK, shoe Matt Covington is right there to take quick advantage.

Fort Worth’s Ramey, a former two-time ASCS Sooner Region champion, needs to do little more than show up both nights to put the wraps on the inaugural ASCS Lone Star championship, while 19-year-old Reutzel of Clute, TX, has plenty of breathing room in the ASCS Gulf South chase after this past weekend’s competition.

The current top ten in each Regional points chase is as follows:

ASCS Gulf South: 1. Aaron Reutzel (Clute, TX) 3,170, 2. Channin Tankersley (Highlands, TX) 3,036, 3. Tommy Bryant (Conroe, TX) 3,004, 4. Scottie McDonald (New Caney, TX) 2,944, 5. Brandon Berryman (Missouri City, TX) 2,901, 6. Kent Lewis, Jr. (Willis, TX) 2,877, 7. Greg Rilat (Texas City, TX) 2,837, 8. Ray Allen Kulhanek (Magnolia, TX) 2,699, 9. Gary Watson (Beaumont, TX) 2,676, 10. Jimmy Brooks (College Station, TX) 2,517.

ASCS Lone Star: 1. Kevin Ramey (Fort Worth, TX) 1,970, 2. Brad Welborn (Princeton, TX) 1,803, 3. Justin Melton (Flower Mound, TX) 1,772, 4. Eric Baldaccini (Keller, TX) 1,751, 5. Claud Estes (Godley, TX) 1,737, 6. Michael Lang (Mesquite, TX) 1,704, 7. Matt Clevenger (Flower Mound, TX) 1,626, 8. Scott Reneau (Kemp, TX) 1,606, 9. Brian McClelland (Tulsa, OK) 1,594, 10. John Ricketts (Burleson, TX) 1,508.

American Bank of Oklahoma ASCS Sooner: 1. Joe Wood, Jr. (Oklahoma City, OK) 1,380, 2. Matt Covington (Glenpool, OK) 1,350, 3. Donnie Ray Crawford (Tulsa, OK) 1,237, 4. Kyle Bellm (Nixa, MO) 1,142, 5. Brad Graham (Springfield, MO) 1,071, 6. (tie) Brady Bacon (Broken Arrow, OK) and Forrest Sutherland (Cherryvale, TX) 958, 8. Chris Lloyd (Moore, OK) 938, 9. Brian McClelland (Tulsa, OK) 936, 10. Nick Smith (Broken Arrow, OK) 929.

Friday night’s action, which concludes with a $2,000-to-win main event, is set to go green at 7:30 p.m., with Saturday’s $8,000-to-win tilt firing off at 7:00 p.m.

Cowtown Speedway is located in Kennedale, TX, just east of Fort Worth off I-20 Exit 442-A, then 1.7 miles southeast on Mansfield Highway, then 1.4 miles southwest on New Hope Road. For more information, contact the track at 817-478-9952.

The ninth year of American Bank of Oklahoma ASCS Sooner Region action has consisted of ten events at five tracks throughout Oklahoma as well as Missouri and north Texas. This weekend’s action will be the first Sooner stops of the year at Cowtown.

The eighth year of ASCS Gulf South Region competition has consisted of 23 nights of racing action at nine different tracks throughout primarily southern Texas. This weekend marks the first ASCS Gulf South events of the year at Cowtown Speedway.

The inaugural year of ASCS Lone Star Regional action has consisted of 14 nights of competition at nine different tracks primarily throughout northern Texas, including three events at Cowtown Speedway.

After a stretch of nine different winners in as many ASCS Regional events at Cowtown Speedway over the course of 2007 and 2008, Kevin Ramey was within a lap of sweeping this year’s three Lone Star events at Cowtown. After victories on April 4 and June 27, only last-lap contact with Travis Rilat that sent Ramey out of the park denied the hat trick on August 29. Instead, it was Rilat taking his fourth career ASCS Regional win atop the Cowtown dirt oval.

Past ASCS Regional Feature Winners at Cowtown Speedway:
8/29/09 – Travis Rilat (Lone Star)
6/27/09 – Kevin Ramey (Lone Star)
4/4/09 – Kevin Ramey (Lone Star)
10/11/08 – Brian Brown (National vs. Sooner)
10/10/08 – Gavin Punch (National vs. Sooner)
8/23/08 – Kolt Walker (Gulf South)
7/26/08 – Brad Welborn (Sooner)
5/17/08 – Gary Taylor (Sooner)
4/5/08 – Travis Rilat (Sooner)
9/15/07 - Nick Smith (Sooner)
7/7/07 - Brian McClelland (Sooner)
4/14/07 - Kevin Ramey (Sooner)
9/23/06 - Travis Rilat (Sooner)
6/10/06 - Sam Hafertepe, Jr. (Sooner)
4/8/06 - Sam Hafertepe, Jr. (Sooner)
9/24/05 - Travis Rilat (Sooner)
6/25/05 - Jason Martin (National vs. Sooner)
4/9/05 - Sean McClelland (Sooner)
9/25/04 - Andy Shouse (Sooner)
5/29/04 - Kevin Ramey (Sooner)

Additional information regarding the American Sprint Car Series is available at www.ascsracing.com.

by Lonnie Wheatley

Channin Tankersley wins ASCS Gulf South feature at Golden Triangle after Tommy Bryant’s DQ

The American Sprint Car Series Gulf South Region made its seventh and final stop of the 2009 season at the Golden Triangle Raceway Park on Friday night, and well after all the dust had settled it was Channin Tankersley taking his first series win of the year.

While the 18-year-old from Highlands, TX, was awarded his fourth career ASCS Gulf South victory, it only came after apparent victor Tommy Bryant was disqualified after the use of illegal fuel additives was detected in post-race inspection.

While Bryant’s wire-to-wire drive from the pole position proved to be all for naught in post-race inspection, Tankersley’s battle past Kent Lewis, Jr., on the 15th round proved to be the race-winning move aboard the Tim’s Engines Griffith Truck & Equipment/Highlands Kawasaki No. 71 Maxim.

Lewis, Jr., settled for runner-up honors, with Ray Allen Kulhanek taking the show position. Eric Baldaccini raced from 11th to fourth, with Klint Angelette rounding out the top five for his first career ASCS top-five finish.

Combined with Bryant’s disqualification, Aaron Reutzel virtually locked up the ASCS Gulf South championship with an eighth place finish.

Bryant and Travis Elliott won Friday night’s heat races.

ASCS Gulf South Results from Golden Triangle Raceway Park:

Heat One (8 Laps): 1. 21T-Tommy Bryant, 2. 1b-Kent Lewis, Jr., 3. 31-Brandon Berryman, 4. 30x-Bean Elliott, 5. 88-Scottie McDonald, 6. 17c-Ray Allen Kulhanek, 7. 87-Aaron Reutzel, 8. 3-Gary Watson.

Heat Two (8 Laps): 1. 15T-Travis Elliott, 2. 71-Channin Tankersley, 3. 35-Greg Rilat, 4. 19-Klint Angelette, 5. 4-Eric Baldaccini, 6. 17-Bruce Griffith, Jr., 7. 25g-Steve Hubbard.

“A” Feature (25 Laps): 1. 71-Channin Tankersley, 2. 1b-Kent Lewis, Jr., 3. 17c-Ray Allen Kulhanek, 4. 4-Eric Baldaccini, 5. 19-Klint Angelette, 6. 31-Brandon Berryman, 7. 35-Greg Rilat, 8. 87-Aaron Reutzel, 9. 88-Scottie McDonald, 10. 3-Gary Watson, 11. 17-Bruce Griffith, Jr., 12. 25b-Steve Hubbard, 13. 15T-Travis Elliott, 14. 30x-Bean Elliott (DNS). Disqualified: 21T-Tommy Bryant.

ASCS Gulf South Region Points (Top Ten): 1. Aaron Reutzel 3,170, 2. Channin Tankersley 3,036, 3. Tommy Bryant 3,004, 4. Scottie McDonald 2,944, 5. Brandon Berryman 2,901, 6. Kent Lewis, Jr. 2,877, 7. Greg Rilat 2,837, 8. Ray Allen Kulhanek 2,699, 9. Gary Watson 2,676, 10. Jimmy Brooks 2,517.

by Lonnie Wheatley

Aaron Reutzel takes a diminishing ASCS Gulf South Sprint Car lead into Texas weekend double

He’s been atop the American Sprint Car Series Gulf South Region point charts since the fourth night of the season on April 24.

Now, with 22 full nights in the books, Aaron Reutzel’s advantage has been trimmed to just 32 markers by Tommy Bryant entering this weekend’s pair of events at Beaumont’s Golden Triangle Raceway Park on Friday night and then 105 Speedway in Cleveland, TX, on Saturday night.

This weekend’s twinbill marks the final events before the following weekend’s Cowtown Sprint Nationals, in which the Gulf South forces will square off against both the Sooner and Lone Star contenders.

After a 12th-place run in the series season opener at Beaumont, Reutzel climbed to the top of the point charts and extended his points lead on the strength of an ASCS Regional record of 15 consecutive top-ten feature runs.

At one point during that stretch that included his first career ASCS triumph (Golden Triangle Raceway Park on July 17), the Clute, TX, racer had built as much as an 88-point advantage in the championship points race.

However, in the eleven nights since that June 19 peak, Tommy Bryant of Conroe, TX, has been on a mission, chipping away at Reutzel’s advantage to the tune of 56 points with two of his three victories on the season coming during that span of events.

While both Reutzel and Bryant have penetrated victory lane at Golden Triangle Raceway Park this year, Bryant has finished ahead of Reutzel in four of six events atop the high-banked, 3/8-mile gumbo clay oval, accumulating 36 more points than Reutzel in Beaumont.

Cleveland’s 105 Speedway has been a different story however, where Reutzel has piled up 56 points on Bryant by finishing no lower than seventh in three events atop the semi-banked, ¼-mile clay oval with Bryant yet to crack the top ten.

While Reutzel and Bryant mix it up for the potential title on this pivotal weekend, 18-year-old Channin Tankersley (Highlands, TX) enters the weekend ranked third with Scottie McDonald (New Caney, TX) and two-time series champion Brandon Berryman (Missouri City, TX) rounding out the current top five.

The balance of the current top ten in ASCS Gulf South points includes Kent Lewis, Jr. (Willis, TX), Greg Rilat (Texas City, TX), Ray Allen Kulhanek (Magnolia, TX), Gary Watson (Beaumont, TX) and Jimmy Brooks (College Station, TX).

Friday’s card at Golden Triangle Raceway Park marks the series seventh stop of the season in Beaumont. Gary Wright has a pair of GTRP wins this year, with single triumphs posted by Bryant, Reutzel, Travis Rilat and Jason Johnson.

Saturday marks the fourth Gulf South stop of the year at 105 Speedway, where Wright, Kulhanek and Johnson have each posted victories.

Friday’s card at Golden Triangle Raceway Park is slated to get under way at 7:45 p.m., with Saturday’s action at 105 Speedway going green at 7:00 p.m.

Golden Triangle Raceway Park is located 9.5 miles west of I-10 on US 90 near Beaumont, TX. For more information, contact the track at 409-752-7200.

Cleveland, Texas’ ¼-mile, semi-banked 105 Speedway clay oval is located six miles west of US 59 on SR 105, then 0.3 miles north on Fostoria. For more information, contact the track at 281-592-7223.

The ASCS Gulf South Region is set for 26 nights of racing action at ten different tracks throughout Texas in 2009.

The American Sprint Car Series, in its 18th year of sanctioning Sprint Car racing events, brings the best of Sprint Car racing to nearly 100 different tracks throughout 25 states and Canada in 2009. Anchored by the Lucas Oil ASCS Sprint Car Dirt Series presented by K&N Filters, ASCS also consists of a dozen different Regions throughout the nation.

Past ASCS Gulf South Region Feature Winners at Golden Triangle Raceway Park:
9/18/09 – Jason Johnson
7/17/09 – Aaron Reutzel
6/19/09 – Travis Rilat
5/16/09 - Gary Wright
5/16/09 - Tommy Bryant (4/24 Makeup Feature)
3/6/09 - Gary Wright
8/15/08 - Channin Tankersley
7/18/08 - Gary Watson
5/9/08 - Channin Tankersley
2/29/08 - Jason Johnson
9/28/07 - Jason Johnson
6/22/07 - Michael Dupuy
5/18/07 - Brandon Berryman
4/6/07 - Jason Johnson
9/29/06 - Kevin Ramey
8/18/06 - Jason Johnson
6/23/06 - Gary Watson
8/19/05 - Ray Allen Kulhanek
6/17/05 - Ray Allen Kulhanek
4/15/05 - Travis Rilat
9/18/04 - Kelly Angelette
7/9/04 - Stephen Chevallier
* 9/28/02 - Michael Dupuy
* 9/27/02 - Tim Crawley
7/5/02 - Buddy Bodden
5/24/02 - Jason Johnson
* 4/5/02 - Zach Chappell

Past ASCS Gulf South Region Feature Winners at 105 Speedway:
8/29/09 – Jason Johnson
6/6/09 – Ray Allen Kulhanek
3/7/09 - Gary Wright
7/5/08 - Bryn Gohn
6/7/08 - Brandon Berryman
4/5/08 - Jason Johnson
9/2/07 - Jason Johnson
7/28/07 - Scottie McDonald

* - Indicates events held in conjunction with ASCS National Tour.

Additional information regarding the American Sprint Car Series is available at www.ascsracing.com.

by Lonnie Wheatley

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