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Kevin Ramey rules ASCS Lone Star debut at RPM Speedway

Kevin Ramey extended his American Sprint Car Series Lone Star Region points lead by wiring the field in Friday night’s series debut atop the cozy confines the tight, ¼-mile RPM Speedway.

Starting from the front row, Ramey gunned into the lead at the outset aboard the Wells-powered City Vending/Melray Oil & Gas No. 7m and led all the way in the 25-lapper to secure his third series triumph of the season.

The two-time ASCS Sooner Region champion vying for the inaugural Lone Star title took the checkered flag in front of Skip Wilson, with Marvin Lough, Justin Melton and Claud Estes rounding out the top five.

Brad Welborn was sixth, with 16th-starter Matt Clevenger, Martin Edwards, Glenn Martin and Robert Sellers completing the top ten.

Chad Wilson, Melton and Sellers topped heat race action, with Martin winning the “B” Main.

ASCS Lone Star Region Results from RPM Speedway:

Heat One (8 Laps): 1. 20-Chad Wilson, 2. 39-Marvin Lough, 3. 65-Skip Wilson, 4. 9-Brian Parker, 5. 45-Martin Edwards, 6. 5c-Chris Coker, 7. 79-Ryan Hall, 8. 14b-Robert Byrom, 9. 76-John Ricketts.

Heat Two (8 Laps): 1. 11-Justin Melton, 2. 14-Michael Lang, 3. 26-Dalton Steed, 4. 1r-Scott Reneau, 5. 87x-Billy Melton, 6. 5m-Glenn Martin, 7. 40-Junior Jenkins, 8. 71t-Shane Thompson.

Heat Three (8 Laps): 1. 25-Robert Sellers, 2. 7m-Kevin Ramey, 3. 74e-Claud Estes, 4. 17w-Brad Welborn, 5. 67-Jeff Day, 6. 4-Eric Baldaccini, 7. 17-Bruce Griffith, Jr., 8. 31m-Matt Clevenger.

“B” Feature (12 Laps): 1. 5m-Glenn Martin, 2. 31m-Matt Clevenger, 3. 67-Jeff Day, 4. 4-Eric Baldaccini, 5. 40-Junior Jenkins, 6. 79-Ryan Hall, 7. 71T-Shane Thompson, 8. 14b-Robert Byrom, 9. 17-Bruce Griffith, Jr., 10. 87x-Billy Melton, 11. 76-John Ricketts.

“A” Feature (25 Laps): 1. 7m-Kevin Ramey, 2. 65-Skip Wilson, 3. 39-Marvin Lough, 4. 11-Justin Melton, 5. 74e-Claud Estes, 6. 17w-Brad Welborn, 7. 31m-Matt Clevenger, 8. 45-Martin Edwards, 9. 5m-Glenn Martin, 10. 25-Robert Sellers, 11. 40-Junior Jenkins, 12. 20-Chad Wilson, 13. 1r-Scott Reneau, 14. 26-Dalton Steed, 15. 67-Jeff Day, 16. 5c-Chris Coker, 17. 79-Ryan Hall, 18. 9-Brian Parker, 19. 14-Michael Lang, 20. 4-Eric Baldaccini.

ASCS Lone Star Region Points (Top Ten): 1. Kevin Ramey 1,144, 2. Brad Welborn 1,066, 3. Matt Clevenger 1,014, 4. Justin Melton 1,004, 5. Claud Estes 969, 6. Michael Lang 959, 7. Brian McClelland 896, 8. Eric Baldaccini 883, 9. Glenn Martin 878, 10. Scott Reneau 860.

by Lonnie Wheatley

Two more in Texas - RPM Speedway and Kennedale Speedway Park - for ASCS Lone Star Region this weekend

The North Texas Sprint Car racing scene fires back to life this weekend as the American Sprint Car Series Lone Star Region takes to a pair of DFW Metroplex ovals.

On Friday night, the series breaks new ground at Crandall’s RPM Speedway. Then, on Saturday night, the series travels west to Kennedale Speedway Park near Fort Worth.

Friday’s card atop the cozy confines of RPM Speedway marks the series debut atop the newly-built oval in its first year of operation. The series’ originally scheduled RPM debut on May 15 was rained out.

Saturday’s event at Kennedale Speedway Park marks the first of two events at the track just across the parking lot from series fixture Cowtown Speedway. Oklahoma City’s Joe Wood, Jr., topped both Regional events at Kennedale Speedway Park last year.

In the inaugural season of ASCS Lone Star competition, Fort Worth’s Kevin Ramey is out to the lead in championship points chase with a 66-point advantage over Princeton’s Brad Welborn. Two-time and reigning Sooner Region champion Brian McClelland of Tulsa, OK, is third in points, with the Flower Mound duo of Matt Clevenger and Justin Melton rounding out the current top five.

The balance of the current top ten in ASCS Lone Star points includes Michael Lang (Mesquite), Claud Estes (Godley), Kolt Walker (Graham), J.P. Bailey (Fort Worth) and Eric Baldaccini (Keller).

With the initial seven events of the season in the books, Ramey is the series only repeat winner by topping both events at Cowtown. Other event winners include Skip Wilson, Nick Smith, Gary Wright, Jerry Bell and Baldaccini.

Friday’s racing action at RPM Speedway is slated to go green at 8:30 p.m., with Saturday’s card at Kennedale Speedway Park firing off at 7:00 p.m.

The semi-banked, ¼-mile RPM Speedway dirt oval is located southeast of Crandall, TX, on US 175 to CR 4106 (Bud Story Road exit) to the intersection of CR 4104. For more information, contact the track at 972-427-6822.

The semi-banked, ¼-mile Kennedale Speedway Park dirt oval 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 1.6 miles southwest on New Hope Road, then 0.3 miles east on Hudson Village Creek Road. For more information, contact the track at 817-478-7223 or 817-229-0287.

The inaugural slate of ASCS Lone Star Region competition consists of 18 events at nine different tracks throughout North Texas in addition to one venture north of the Red River to Oklahoma City’s State Fair Speedway.

Past ASCS Regional Feature Winners at RPM Speedway:
None – First Sprint Car event in track history

Past ASCS Regional Feature Winners at Kennedale Speedway Park:
7/25/08 – Joe Wood, Jr.
6/27/08 – Joe Wood, Jr.

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.

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

by Lonnie Wheatley

Eric Baldaccini bags ASCS Lone Star Region sprint car feature at Boyd Raceway

Baldaccini Bags ASCS Lone Star Win at Boyd

Lonnie Wheatley, BOYD, Texas (June 26, 2009) – Eric Baldaccini became the sixth different winner in as many American Sprint Car Series Lone Star Region events by topping Friday night’s 25-lap feature at Boyd Raceway.

The 21-year-old overtook early pace setter Robert Sellers en route to capturing his second triumph of the year aboard Harry Baldaccini’s Smiley’s Racing Products No. 4 Maxim after posting his first career ASCS victory in Gulf South action just six weeks earlier.

Taking the point before a lap 18 red flag for Kolt Walker’s tip over, Baldaccini took the checkered flag in front of current ASCS Lone Star point leader Kevin Ramey, who took the runner-up slot away from Sellers in the final handful of circuits.

Sellers settled for the show position, with Matt Clevenger and Tennessee’s Don Young rounding out the top five. Billy Melton was sixth, with J.P. Bailey in seventh. Brian McClelland picked up Hard Charger honors by racing from 17th to eighth, with Michael Lang and Scott Reneau completing the top ten.

Two-time ASCS Gulf South champion Brandon Berryman, Melton, Brad Welborn and Sellers topped heat race action for the 28-car field, with McClelland winning the “B” Main.

ASCS Lone Star Region Results from Boyd Raceway:

Heat One (8 Laps): 1. 31-Brandon Berryman, 2. 4-Eric Baldaccini, 3. 14-Michael Lang, 4. 20-Chad Wilson, 5. 40-Junior Jenkins, 6. 26-Dalton Steed, 7. 5m-Glenn Martin.

Heat Two (8 Laps): 1. 87x-Billy Melton, 2. 74e-Claud Estes, 3. 7m-Kevin Ramey, 4. 11-Justin Melton, 5. 87-Brian McClelland, 6. 33-Kris Miller, 7. 17-Bruce Griffith, Jr.

Heat Three (8 Laps): 1. 17w-Brad Welborn, 2. 65-Skip Wilson, 3. 45k-Kolt Walker, 4. 1r-Scott Reneau, 5. 76-John Ricketts, 6. 45x-Martin Edwards, 7. 10-George White.

Heat Four (8 Laps): 1. 25-Robert Sellers, 2. 31m-Matt Clevenger, 3. 75-Don Young, 4. 45-J.P. Bailey, 5. 14b-Robert Byrom, 6. 9-Brian Parker, 7. 69-Larry Howery.

“B” Feature (12 Laps): 1. 87-Brian McClelland, 2. 1r-Scott Reneau, 3. 11-Justin Melton, 4. 45x-Martin Edwards, 5. 10-George White, 6. 33-Kris Miller, 7. 76-John Ricketts, 8. 26-Dalton Steed, 9. 5m-Glenn Martin, 10. 69-Larry Howery, 11. 9-Brian Parker, 12. 17-Bruce Griffith, Jr.

“A” Feature (25 Laps): 1. 4-Eric Baldaccini, 2. 7m-Kevin Ramey, 3. 25-Robert Sellers, 4. 31m-Matt Clevenger, 5. 75-Don Young, 6. 87x-Billy Melton, 7. 45-J.P. Bailey, 8. 87-Brian McClelland, 9. 14-Michael Lang, 10. 1r-Scott Reneau, 11. 11-Justin Melton, 12. 45k-Kolt Walker, 13. 20-Chad Wilson, 14. 31-Brandon Berryman, 15. 17w-Brad Welborn, 16. 65-Skip Wilson, 17. 45x-Martin Edwards, 18. 40-Junior Jenkins, 19. 74e-Claud Estes, 20. 14b-Robert Byrom.

ASCS Lone Star Region Points (Top Ten): 1. Kevin Ramey 844, 2. Brad Welborn 788, 3. Brian McClelland 786, 4. Matt Clevenger 762, 5. Kolt Walker 750, 6. Justin Melton 720, 7. Michael Lang 719, 8. J.P. Bailey 711, 9. Eric Baldaccini 698, 10. Claud Estes 697.

by Lonnie Wheatley
Photo by Tim Aylwin

ASCS Lone Star weekend double on tap at Boyd Raceway and Cowtown Speedway

The inaugural season of American Sprint Car Series Lone Star Regional competition continues with a pair of events in North Texas this weekend.

On Friday night, the series makes its lone stop of the year at Boyd Raceway in Boyd, TX. Then on Saturday night, the series moves on to Kennedale’s Cowtown Speedway for a $2,000 to win tilt.

Trying to add to a pair of past ASCS Sooner Region championships, Fort Worth’s Kevin Ramey is out to the early lead in the race for the inaugural ASCS Lone Star crown.

But his lead has been cut to just 30 points after suffering a “DNF” in the series most recent outing at Abilene Speedway on May 30.

Trying to close the gap on Ramey is Princeton, TX, shoe Brad Welborn, an ASCS Sooner Region feature winner at Cowtown last year.

Up to third in Lone Star points is Tulsa’s Brian McClelland, the two-time and defending Sooner Region champion. McClelland, who topped last year’s inaugural ASCS event at Boyd, comes off his first win of the season after topping the Sooner Region this past weekend in Springfield, MO.

Kermit, TX, native Kolt Walker and Flower Mound’s Matt Clevenger round out the current top five in ASCS Lone Star points, with the balance of the top ten including Justin Melton (Flower Mound), Michael Lang (Mesquite), Claud Estes (Godley), J.P. Bailey (Fort Worth) and John Ricketts (Burleson).

While McClelland has topped the lone previous ASCS event at Boyd, there have been nine different winners in the last nine ASCS Regional events atop the high-speed, high-banked Cowtown Speedway dirt oval. Ramey is the series most recent winner at Cowtown with his April 4 triumph.

Last year’s Cowtown ASCS winners included Travis Rilat, Gary Taylor, Brad Welborn, Kolt Walker, Gavin Punch and Brian Brown.

Friday’s action at Boyd Raceway is set to go green at 8:00 p.m., with Saturday’s Cowtown card firing off at 7:00 p.m.

The semi-banked, ¼-mile Boyd Raceway dirt oval is located in Boyd, TX, 2.5 miles south of SR 114 on FM 730, then 1.5 miles west on FM 2048. For more information, contact the track at 940-433-5587 or 817-304-2044.

The high-banked, ¼-mile Cowtown Speedway dirt oval 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 inaugural slate of ASCS Lone Star Region competition consists of 18 events at nine different tracks throughout North Texas in addition to one venture north of the Red River to Oklahoma City’s State Fair Speedway.

Past ASCS Regional Feature Winners at Boyd Raceway:
5/16/08 – Brian McClelland (Sooner)

Past ASCS Regional Feature Winners at Cowtown Speedway:
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)

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.

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

by Lonnie Wheatley

Brian McClelland back on top; Takes ASCS Sooner win at Springfield

Tulsa’s Brian McClelland broke out of his early season doldrums in convincing fashion by racing to victory lane in Saturday night’s 25-lap American Bank of Oklahoma ASCS Sooner Region debut atop the ¼-mile Springfield Raceway clay oval.

The two-time and defending series champion assumed the point on the second round and led the rest of the way for his first win of the season aboard the Wesmar-powered R&B Motorsports/Maxwell Oil No. 87 Triple-X.

And, he survived not only a treacherous turn four cushion that gobbled up initial leader Joe Wood, Jr., but also the challenges of Zach Chappell to collect his sixth career ASCS Sooner Region win.

“I ran off the top of the track there in turn four two different times, I couldn’t believe nobody passed me,” McClelland explained in victory lane. “And then Zach showed me his nose in one and two, I moved down a little bit and the car really took off after that.”

With McClelland starting the feature outside the second row, it was front row outside starter Joe Wood, Jr., who had raced from the tail of the field to win the night’s first heat race, outgunning pole sitter and second heat race winner Sherman Davis for the point at the drop of the green.

McClelland immediately moved into second and began the chase for the lead. The chase was short-lived though, as Wood jumped the turn four cushion the second time around and crashed as Matt Covington sailed off the steep turn four embankment as well in the aftermath. Wood’s mount was too damaged to continue while Covington rejoined the chase.

With McClelland in the lead, Zach Chappell kept the pressure on much of the way before McClelland began to slip away in the final circuits. Not even a final caution with just three laps to go for New Mexico’s Derrik Ortega, who looped it turn two while running fifth, could prevent McClelland from breaking into victory lane.

McClelland hit his marks perfectly over the final three-lap dash to the stripe and jumped from 12th to sixth in the championship points race with the triumph.

Chappell settled for runner-up honors in the familiar family-owned No. 50z Legend’s Bar-B-Que & Steak Joint entry, with Donnie Ray Crawford battling into the third position by the third round and holding the spot down the rest of the way in the A&W Motorsports/Tel-Star No. 55.

Kyle Bellm crossed the stripe fourth, with Sherman Davis rounding out the top five.

Sean McClelland scratched for the night after breaking a camshaft in hot laps. Davis overcame early engine issues to celebrate his birthday with a top-five finish, while Matt Covington claimed sixth after swapping out rear ends following hot laps.

American Bank of Oklahoma ASCS Sooner Region Results from Springfield Raceway:

Heat One (8 Laps): 1. 03-Joe Wood, Jr., 2. 50z-Zach Chappell, 3. 55-Donnie Ray Crawford, 4. 04-Brad Graham, 5. 28-Chris Lloyd. DNS: 1-Sean McClelland.

Heat Two (8 Laps): 1. 72-Sherman Davis, 2. 87-Brian McClelland, 3. 14k-Kyle Bellm, 4. 19s-Steven Cross, 5. 35-Derrik Ortega, 6. 95-Matt Covington.

“A” Feature (25 Laps): 1. 87-Brian McClelland, 2. 50z-Zach Chappell, 3. 55-Donnie Ray Crawford, 4. 14k-Kyle Bellm, 5. 72-Sherman Davis, 6. 95-Matt Covington, 7. 28-Chris Lloyd, 8. 35-Derrik Ortega, 9. 19s-Steven Cross, 10. 04-Brad Graham, 11. 03-Joe Wood, Jr. DNS: 1-Sean McClelland.

American Bank of Oklahoma ASCS Sooner Region Points (Top Ten): 1. Joe Wood, Jr. 546, 2. Matt Covington 538, 3. Sherman Davis 514, 4. Kyle Bellm 474, 5. Sean McClelland 470, 6. Brian McClelland 461, 7. Donnie Ray Crawford 459, 8. Danny Wood 446, 9. Brad Graham 423, 10. Brady Bacon 394.

by Lonnie Wheatley

Abilene Speedway to host ASCS Lone Star Sprint Cars this weekend

Abilene Speedway in Abilene, Texas, is gearing up for its first dose of big-time Sprint Car racing as the ASCS Lone Star Region invades the ¼-mile semi-banked clay oval this Saturday night.

Saturday’s stop at Abilene marks the fifth round in the ASCS Lone Star championship points chase after the series most recent pair of events were washed out on May 15-16.

Fort Worth’s Kevin Ramey, a two-time ASCS Sooner Region champion, is out to the early lead as he vies for the inaugural Lone Star title. After a runner-up run in the inaugural Lone Star feature at Waco’s Heart O’ Texas Speedway on April 3, Ramey rallied from eight rows deep the next night at Cowtown Speedway to snare the win.

Then, broken leg and all, Ramey added a pair of top-ten feature runs during the ASCS Red River Shootout that pitted the Lone Star Region against the ASCS Sooner Region to extend his points lead 68 markers over Princeton, TX, shoe Brad Welborn.

Two-time and defending Sooner Region champion Brian McClelland of Tulsa, OK, enters Saturday’s action third in points, just eight markers behind Welborn, with Flower Mound’s Matt Clevenger and Fort Worth’s J.P. Bailey rounding out the current top five.

The balance of the top ten in ASCS Lone Star points entering Saturday’s action includes Kolt Walker (Graham, TX), Justin Melton (Flower Mound, TX), Eric Baldaccini (Keller, TX), Claud Estes (Godley, TX) and Michael Lang (Mesquite, TX).

Saturday’s card is slated to go green at 8:00 p.m.

Abilene Speedway is located in Abilene, TX, off westbound I-20 Exit 278, then south over I-20, then back east on I-20 to Exit 279, then 1.1 mile east on Business I-20. For more information, contact the track at 325-692-8800 or 325-537-4494.

The inaugural slate of ASCS Lone Star Region competition consists of 18 events at nine different tracks throughout North Texas in addition to one venture north of the Red River to Oklahoma City’s State Fair Speedway.

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.

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

by Lonnie Wheatley

Kevin Ramey - broken leg and all - set for Cowtown ASCS Lone Star Region Sprint Car race on Saturday

It was supposed to be a Texas Double for the American Sprint Car Series (ASCS) Lone Star Region Sprint Cars, but RMP Speedway’s Friday show has been rained out leaving only the Cowtown Speedway portion to be contested.

Not even a broken leg can keep Kevin Ramey down, as the Fort Worth shoe leads the ASCS Lone Star Region into the Cowtown Speedway event this Saturday.

Friday’s card at RPM Speedway in Crandall, TX, - had it not been called off due to weather - would have marked the first Sprint Car event at the new facility, while Saturday’s $2,000 to win event takes place at Kennedale’s Cowtown Speedway, a Sprint Car racing haven.

After fracturing his left leg just below the knee in an April 25 crash at Cowtown Speedway, a hobbled Ramey climbed back into his rebuilt Sprint Car for this past weekend’s ASCS Lone Star vs. Sooner Region Shootout despite medical orders to the contrary.

And, the two-time ASCS Sooner Region champion responded with a pair of solid top-ten feature runs, including an eighth-place showing among Friday night’s 56-car field at Oklahoma City’s State Fair Speedway and then a fourth-place run among 44 entries Saturday night at Devil’s Bowl Speedway near Dallas.

Those finishes, combined with a runner-up showing at Waco and a Cowtown win during the inaugural weekend of ASCS Lone Star competition, have allowed Ramey to open up a 68-point advantage over Princeton, Texas’ Brad Welborn in the Lone Star title chase.

While Welborn enters the weekend as Ramey’s closest chaser, the firefighter is just eight markers ahead of Oklahoma shoe Brian McClelland. McClelland is pursuing both the ASCS Sooner and Lone Star championships in 2009 after posting back-to-back Sooner titles in 2007 and 2008.

Flower Mound’s Matt Clevenger enters the weekend ranked fourth, with Fort Worth’s J.P. Bailey rounding out the current top five. The balance of the top ten includes Kolt Walker (Graham, TX), Justin Melton (Flower Mound, TX), Eric Baldaccini (Keller, TX), Claud Estes (Godley, TX) and Michael Lang (Mesquite, TX).

Cowtown Speedway has had nine different winners in the last nine ASCS Regional events atop the high-speed, high-banked dirt oval. Ramey is the series most recent winner at Cowtown with his April 4 triumph snapping a victory drought in ASCS competition of 41 nights.

With three overall ASCS wins at Cowtown, Ramey is just one of three drivers to post multiple series victories at the facility. Matching Ramey, Travis Rilat has posted three Cowtown wins while Sam Hafertepe, Jr., has topped two features. Last year’s Cowtown ASCS winners included Rilat, Gary Taylor, Brad Welborn, Kolt Walker, Gavin Punch and Brian Brown.

Saturday’s card at Cowtown Speedway is firing off at 7:00 p.m.

The high-banked, ¼-mile Cowtown Speedway dirt oval 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 inaugural season of ASCS Lone Star Region competition will consist of 18 events at nine different tracks throughout North Texas along with one venture north of the Red River to Oklahoma City’s State Fair Speedway.

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 Regional Feature Winners at Cowtown Speedway:
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)

By Lonnie Wheatley

Gary Wright right in ASCS Red River Shootout at Devil’s Bowl Speedway

Just when it looked as though Nebraska’s Jack Dover was going to pull off a spectacular win in Round Two of the ASCS Red River Shootout at Devil’s Bowl Speedway, Lady Luck intervened and gave a friendly nod to Gary Wright.

And, taking full advantage, “The Texan” came away with Saturday night’s $2,000 ASCS Lone Star Region vs. American Bank of Oklahoma ASCS Sooner Region 25-lap triumph atop the famed ½-mile clay oval.

While Wright found himself standing in a familiar place at night’s end, the Devil’s Bowl Speedway victory lane, the hard-earned win came after surviving the best efforts of a pair of salty 19-year-olds in the form of Brady Bacon and Jack Dover.

After Wright and Bacon diced for the point most of the way, Dover surged from third into the lead with a daring move in turns three and four on the 22nd lap only to have his engine sour one circuit later.

Wright, the four-time Lucas Oil ASCS National champion, then paced the final two rounds to collect his third ASCS Regional triumph of the season aboard Scott Brown’s ASI-powered Lubbock Wrecker Service/Richwood Construction No. 9x Maxim.

“I’m not sure what happened to Dover, but we got a little lucky on that one,” Wright commented in victory lane.

Taking command on the 13th round, Wright finally found a hint of breathing room after the caution flew for Matt Covington’s turn two spin with 15 laps in the books.

But, when Wright hit lapped traffic again with a handful of laps to go, Bacon and Dover quickly closed the gap to renew the battle that had been brewing at the midway point.

“That lapped car was killing me, I had to lock it up a couple of times just to keep from wrecking,” Wright explained.

It was all the opportunity that Dover needed, blitzing past both Bacon and Wright in one fell swoop for the lead at the completion of the 22nd lap. A lap later, one last caution flew when Sean McClelland slid off the top of turn four.

And, before action could resume, Dover pulled his mount pitside with terminal engine problems. “I felt it flatten out right before that caution, we wouldn’t have even made those last two laps,” the 2008 ASCS Midwest Region champion commented.

Under that same caution, Bacon’s strong run came to an early end as well when he retired to the pit area with a depleted fuel cell and a cut right rear tire. After starting on the front row to the outside of pole starter Wright, Bacon had officially held the lead on eleven of the hotly contested opening dozen circuits.

Wright, who had led lap seven and then laps 13-21, set sail on the final two-lap dash to the line and took the checkered flag in front of Danny Wood, who finished second to Wright’s son-in-law Nick Smith one night earlier in the opening leg of the ASCS Red River Shootout at State Fair Speedway.

Travis Rilat claimed the show position, while Kevin Ramey maintained his ASCS Lone Star points lead by advancing from the sixth row to finish fourth.

Originally slated to start tenth, Joe Wood, Jr., took advantage of a pair of opening lap cautions to rejoin the field and charged from 22nd to round out the top five.

Jason Johnson was in the thick of a five-car scramble for the lead at the midway point that also included Bacon, Wright, Dover and Wood when he locked it up and spun in turn two. The reigning Lucas Oil ASCS National champion restarted at the tail of the field and rallied to finish sixth.

Donnie Ray Crawford posted a seventh-place run, while Eric Baldaccini rebounded from a pair of early issues to claim eighth. Arizona’s Ben Gregg raced from 20th to ninth, with New Mexico’s Colt Treharn completing the top ten.

Claud Estes, Dale Wester, Crawford, Wood and Wright topped heat race action for the 44-car field, with J.P. Bailey and Matt Covington winning the twin “B” Mains.

After going for a wild ride down the frontstretch as the green flag flew upon the night’s third heat race, Brian Parker emerged relatively unscathed.

ASCS Red River Shootout Round Two
American Bank of Oklahoma ASCS Sooner Region vs. ASCS Lone Star Region
Results from Devil’s Bowl Speedway:

Heat One (8 Laps): 1. 74e-Claud Estes, 2. 26-Dalton Steed, 3. 87x-Billy Melton, 4. 29-Travis Rilat, 5. 45x-Martin Edwards, 6. 17w-Brad Welborn, 7. 24-David Gailley, 8. 22J-John Gaston, 9. 69h-Larry Howery.

Heat Two (8 Laps): 1. 12w-Dale Wester, 2. 7m-Kevin Ramey, 3. 1-Sean McClelland, 4. 03-Joe Wood, Jr., 5. 31m-Matt Clevenger, 6. 5m-Glenn Martin, 7. 04-Brad Graham, 8. 88r-Andy Rea, 9. 25-Robert Sellers.

Heat Three (8 Laps): 1. 55-Donnie Ray Crawford, 2. 53-Jack Dover, 3. 77-Colt Treharn, 4. 22b-Ben Gregg, 5. 4-Eric Baldaccini, 6. 14-Michael Lang, 7. 72-Sherman Davis, 8. 76-John Ricketts, 9. 9-Brian Parker.

Heat Four (8 Laps): 1. 94-Danny Wood, 2. 41-Jason Johnson, 3. 45-J.P. Bailey, 4. 14k-Kyle Bellm, 5. 1r-Scott Reneau, 6. 95-Matt Covington, 7. 10-George White, 8. 11m-Brandon Moseley. DNS: 8-Shane Pace.

Heat Five (8 Laps): 1. 9x-Gary Wright, 2. 99-Brady Bacon, 3. 45k-Kolt Walker, 4. 93-Dustin Morgan, 5. 14e-Justin Spoerl, 6. 13-Kathryne Minter, 7. 11-Justin Melton, 8. 87-Brian McClelland.

First “B” Feature (12 Laps): 1. 45-J.P. Bailey, 2. 14k-Kyle Bellm, 3. 72-Sherman Davis, 4. 11-Justin Melton, 5. 22J-John Gaston, 6. 69h-Larry Howery, 7. 11m-Brandon Moseley, 8. 10-George White, 9. 14-Michael Lang, 10. 1r-Scott Reneau, 11. 04-Brad Graham, 12. 93-Dustin Morgan, 13. 31m-Matt Clevenger. DNS: 9-Brian Parker.

Second “B” Feature (12 Laps): 1. 95-Matt Covington, 2. 22b-Ben Gregg, 3. 4-Eric Baldaccini, 4. 17w-Brad Welborn, 5. 14e-Justin Spoerl, 6. 5m-Glenn Martin, 7. 76-John Ricketts, 8. 25-Robert Sellers, 9. 87-Brian McClelland, 10. 24-David Gailley, 11. 13-Kathryne Minter, 12. 88r-Andy Rea, 13. 45x-Martin Edwards. DNS: 8-Shane Pace.

“A” Feature (25 Laps): 1. 9x-Gary Wright, 2. 94-Danny Wood, 3. 29-Travis Rilat, 4. 7m-Kevin Ramey, 5. 03-Joe Wood, Jr., 6. 41-Jason Johnson, 7. 55-Donnie Ray Crawford, 8. 4-Eric Baldaccini, 9. 22b-Ben Gregg, 10. 77-Colt Treharn, 11. 95-Matt Covington, 12. 74e-Claud Estes, 13. 12w-Dale Wester, 14. 99-Brady Bacon, 15. 53-Jack Dover, 16. 1-Sean McClelland, 17. 14k-Kyle Bellm, 18. 45k-Kolt Walker, 19. 45-J.P. Bailey, 20. 87x-Billy Melton, 21. 26-Dalton Steed, 22. 72-Sherman Davis.

ASCS Lone Star Region Points (Top Ten): 1. Kevin Ramey 590, 2. Brad Welborn 522, 3. Brian McClelland 514, 4. Matt Clevenger 506, 5. J.P. Bailey 500, 6. Kolt Walker 488, 7. Justin Melton 486, 8. Eric Baldaccini 473, 9. Claud Estes 465, 10. Michael Lang 443.

American Bank of Oklahoma ASCS Sooner Region Points (Top Ten): 1. Danny Wood 446, 2. Joe Wood, Jr. 418, 3. Sean McClelland 410, 4. Matt Covington 400, 5. Brady Bacon 394, 6. Dustin Morgan 390, 7. J.P. Bailey 380, 8. Sherman Davis 374, 9. Robert Sellers 366, 10. Kyle Bellm 332.

By Lonnie Wheatley
Photos courtesy of ASCS

Skip Wilson scores “HOT” win in Inaugural ASCS Lone Star Event

Skip Wilson inked his name into the record books as the first American Sprint Car Series Lone Star Region feature winner by topping the series’ inaugural 25-lap main event Friday night at Heart O’ Texas Speedway.

The veteran shoe hailing from Mesquite, TX, withstood a mid-race bid from Brian McClelland before ultimately taking the checkered flag six car-lengths ahead of Kevin Ramey, who emerged atop a wild scramble for runner-up honors after starting eleventh.

Wilson found the new Heart O’ Texas Speedway configuration, which consists of significantly more banking than in the past along with new clay, to his liking. “I never really could run around the top here, not the way we could tonight,” Wilson explained afterward. “Now, there’s something to hold you up there and you can really get around this place.”

Originally slated to start inside the second row, Wilson shuffled to the front row outside after original front row starter Justin Melton looped it in turn two on the first start and collected Justin Spoerl and Sam Hafertepe, Jr., sending all three machines to the pits for good.

Wilson took quick advantage aboard J.B. Cook’s Speed Specialties-powered Brookhollow Rental Co. No. 65 Avenger, outgunning pole starter Claud Estes for the early lead. Estes tailed the leader for a handful of laps before second row starter McClelland raced into second on the sixth circuit and set his sights on the leader.

With a pair of lapped cars in the mix, McClelland closed in on Wilson’s tail tank on the tenth round. But, Wilson nimbly maneuvered through traffic and began to slip away from McClelland and company on the 12th circuit.

“A time or two I thought somebody might be there, but I was afraid to look down to see,” Wilson commented. “After I got a couple of lapped cars in there, I felt a little bit safer.”

Wilson, who captured his first ASCS win by topping a National feature at Paris, TX, last year, slipped away in the ensuing laps as a torrid battle for the runner-up spot developed between McClelland, Estes and Ramey, who had surged forward from the sixth row.

Ramey finally wrestled the runner-up slot away from fellow two-time ASCS Sooner Region champ McClelland on the 23rd circuit and tried to reel in the leader. Ramey ran out of laps though, falling just a handful of car-lengths short as the checkered flag flew on his first night in a new Maxim.

McClelland settled for the show position in front of Estes, with Matt Clevenger rounding out the top five.

Brad Welborn climbed ten positions from his 16th starting slot to finish sixth, with Gavin Punch in seventh. Eric Baldaccini matched Welborn’s charge by racing from 18th to eighth, with Gulf South championship contender Channin Tankersley rebounding from an early spin to finish ninth. After racing from tenth to win the 15-lap “B” Main, Michael Lang advanced from 17th to complete the top ten.

Clevenger, McClelland, Justin Melton and Punch topped heat race action for the 30-car field, while John Ricketts paced the opening nine circuits of the “B” Main before Michael Lang took command.

The ASCS Lone Star Region completes its inaugural weekend of competition with Saturday night’s card at Cowtown Speedway in Kennedale, TX, which is slated to get under way at 7:00 p.m.

ASCS Lone Star Region Results from Heart O’ Texas Speedway:

Heat One (8 Laps): 1. 31m-Matt Clevenger, 2. 74e-Claud Estes, 3. 71-Channin Tankersley, 4. 14e-Justin Spoerl, 5. 76-John Ricketts, 6. 12-Shawn Mize, 7. 67-Rodney Henderson, 8. 26-Dalton Steed.

Heat Two (8 Laps): 1. 87-Brian McClelland, 2. 65-Skip Wilson, 3. 45k-Kolt Walker, 4. 7m-Kevin Ramey, 5. 20-Terry Monroe, 6. 5m-Glenn Martin, 7. 14b-Robert Byrom, 8. 20x-Chad Wilson.

Heat Three (8 Laps): 1. 11-Justin Melton, 2. 87x-Billy Melton, 3. 74-Brandon Corn, 4. 15-Sam Hafertepe, Jr., 5. 77-Colt Treharn, 6. 4-Eric Baldaccini, 7. 14-Michael Lang.

Heat Four (8 Laps): 1. 81au-Gavin Punch, 2. 45-J.P. Bailey, 3. 69h-Larry Howery, 4. 17w-Brad Welborn, 5. 17-Bruce Griffith, Jr., 6. 9-Brian Parker, 7. 25-Robert Sellers.

“B” Feature (15 Laps): 1. 14-Michael Lang, 2. 4-Eric Baldaccini, 3. 76-John Ricketts, 4. 25-Robert Sellers, 5. 20-Terry Monroe, 6. 67-Rodney Henderson, 7. 9-Brian Parker, 8. 77-Colt Treharn, 9. 26-Dalton Steed, 10. 5m-Glenn Martin, 11. 17-Bruce Griffith, Jr., 12. 12-Shawn Mize, 13. 20x-Chad Wilson, 14. 14b-Robert Byrom.

“A” Feature (25 Laps): 1. 65-Skip Wilson, 2. 7m-Kevin Ramey, 3. 87-Brian McClelland, 4. 74e-Claud Estes, 5. 31m-Matt Clevenger, 6. 17w-Brad Welborn, 7. 81au-Gavin Punch, 8. 4-Eric Baldaccini, 9. 71-Channin Tankersley, 10. 14-Michael Lang, 11. 25-Robert Sellers, 12. 45-J.P. Bailey, 13. 74-Brandon Corn, 14. 87x-Billy Melton, 15. 69h-Larry Howery, 16. 76-John Ricketts, 17. 45k-Kolt Walker, 18. 11-Justin Melton, 19. 14e-Justin Spoerl, 20. 15-Sam Hafertepe, Jr.

ASCS Lone Star Region Points (Top Ten): 1. Skip Wilson 150, 2. Kevin Ramey 146, 3. Brian McClelland 144, 4. Claud Estes 142, 5. Matt Clevenger 140, 6. Brad Welborn 138, 7. Gavin Punch 136, 8. Eric Baldaccini 134, 9. Channin Tankersley 132, 10. Michael Lang 130.

by Lonnie Wheatley

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