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Wiley Travis Rilat wins wild ASCS Gulf South war at Texana Raceway Park

Texan Travis Rilat used lapped traffic to reel in two-time ASCS National Champion Jason Johnson in Saturday night’s 25-lap Smiley’s Racing Products ASCS Gulf South main event at Texana Raceway Park - not once, but twice.

Coming to take the checkers it was nearly four-wide coming of turn 4 in the race to the flag. Both cars made contact with slower traffic and had two wheels off the ground as Rilat eked out the victory, by maybe 3 feet, followed by a celebratory “wing dance.

After missing last year due to Mother Nature the ASCS Gulf South Region Sprint Car stars made the trip to Edna’s Texana Raceway Park on the tight, ¼ mile, paper-clip-shaped gumbo oval. Always a crowd favorite, these winged warriors put on an exciting, high speed show to the delight of the crowd. Tonight would be no exception with one of the wildest finishes this reporter has seen in my 40 years of being involved in racing.

Running in support of the Sprints were the local ‘Outlaw’ Modifieds, Limited Modifieds, Late Models Street Stocks and Hot Stock Trucks.

Wiley Rilat Wins Wild One

As green waved on the 20-car starting field, Johnson jumped out front from the outside pole. In the pack Beau Smith flipped on the back stretch with points leader Tommy Bryant getting a piece of the action and pitting for repairs. On the second try as they dove into turn 1 Evan Pardo jumped wheels sending him airborne in a cork-screw flip into turn 2. Both drivers were able to climb out and walk away.

Finally, the third time was a charm as Johnson again broke out front, followed by T. Rilat and Aaron Reutzel making a big charge from sixth to third. It wasn’t long until the high-flying Johnson caught the back of the field on lap 4. This gave T. Rilat the chance to close. T. Rilat was on Johnson’s rear nerf bar on lap 7 as they duo diced through slower cars. Reutzel used the battle and slower cars to reel in both the leaders.

T. Rilat ducked low on Johnson, who got ‘picked’ up top, to get the point on lap 10. At the crossed flags it was T. Rilat, Johnson, Reutzel, previous night’s winner, Channin Tankersley and George White in the top five. The top two were still nose to tail until Johnson put a classic slide job on T. Rilat going into turn 1 to regain the top spot on lap 18.

Johnson looked to be a runaway winner until he again caught a large pack of slower cars in the final laps. With five to go the lead battle was shaping up again as slower cars became rolling obstacles in the waning laps. As the flagman showed the lead duo two to go, Johnson had a five car length margin on T. Rilat. With the white flag in the air that margin had shrunk to only about a car length as the near capacity crowd rose to its feet.

Johnson, running the top, held the advantage going into turn 3 with two slower cars side by side ahead. T. Rilat took the low road getting along side Johnson in the middle of the corner. T. Rilat made it three wide coming off turn 4 on the bottom, while Johnson carried the momentum up top. T. Rilat jumped a tire sending him bicycling towards the infield as Johnson ran out of room and into the back of Gary Watson.

T. Rilat regained control landing it back on all fours just short of the finish line while Johnson was climbing the tail tank of Watson. At the line it was T. Rilat in the F&J Construction, shoptheboss.com, Murray & Son Enterprises, Shark Racing Engines, Triple X Chassis getting the win by a couple feet as Johnson, with only the rear wheels on the ground, was being carried piggy-back by Watson across the line.

The crowd was going crazy after witnessing what I’d call the biggest OMG racing finish in my lifetime. T. Rilat did a couple do-nuts before climbing out and giving the fans a wing dance.

Several other drivers found themselves looking at the wrong side of the track with Dustin Welch going over in the B-main, while Roger Oakes and Chris Coker flipped in heat race action.

“That was pretty spectacular,” replied Rilat. “It was kind of like a movie script, like Stroker Ace who crossed(the line) upside down. That’s about what this was. I thought for sure I was going to go over there. I knew I had to make a move on the last lap, but those lapped cars were there and I had to get through them. It was pretty exciting and we got it done.”

“I don’t think I could have run Jason(Johnson) down. The lapped cars helped out a lot. Our cars were pretty equal. I passed him him earlier the same way in lapped traffic, on these short tracks it always comes into play.”

“Running these regional shows is a little different than the national shows. There are always some good cars that show up, like Jason and some others. You still have to go all out and be heads up. You can never back down whether it’s a regional or national show.”

“I’m back in good health and everything is coming along good. We’re wining races so it can’t be to bad. We’re just going race here and there the rest of the year and give a shot at the championships next year.”

ASCS Sprint Cars, 25 laps

29 Travis Rilat, 41 Jason Johnson, 87 Aaron Reutzel, 71 Channin Tankersley, 21t Ray Allen Kulhanek, 31 Brandon Berryman, 15T Travis Elliott, 10 George White, 93 Chris Sweeney, 69 Larry Howery, 14E Tommy Bryant, 3 Gary Watson, 51 Jimmy Brooks, 5c Chris Coker, 19 Klint Angelette, 35 Greg Rilat, 12b Logan Bledsoe, 1(52) Roger Oakes, 54 Evan Pardo, 51s Beau Smith

ASCS B-main(Top 6 to A-main)

93 Chris Sweeney, 31 Brandon Berryman, 69 Larry Howery, 51 Jimmy Brooks, 5c Chris Coker, 52 Roger Oakes, 17 Bruce Griffith, 15 Andy VanBlarcum, 7w Dustin Welch

ASCS heats(Top 14 passing points to A-main)

Heat 1

29 Travis Rilat, 54 Evan Pardo, 3 Gary Watson, 14c Tommy Bryant, 12B Logan Bledsoe, 69 Larry Howery, 7w Dustin Welch 5c Chris Coker

Heat 2

87 Aaron Reutzel, 51 Beau Smith, 35 Greg Rilat, 21t Ray Allen Kulhanek,15t Travis Elliott, 31 Brandon Berryman, 17 Bruce Griffith, 15 Andy VanBlarcum

Heat 3

71 Channin Tankersley, 41 Jason Johnson, 10 George White, 19 Klint Angelette, 93 Chris Sweeney, 51 Jimmy Brooks, 52 Roger Oakes

Manning Masters Modified Main

Brazoria’s Jesse Manning bested a short, but stout field in the Outlaw Modified 20-lapper. Manning, running a part-time USMTS schedule, got past another USMTS contender, Rory Jordan early then pulled away throughout the race to take the checkers with a good advantage.

Jordan beat Dustin Brandl off turn 2 to get the early lead with Manning up to second followed by Brandl, Tanner Whitmire and Jason Borlace. Manning got inside Jordan coming off turn 2 on lap 1 with a brief side by side battle down the back stretch. Manning got the best run into turn 3 coming out with the lead on lap 2. Coming to halfway it was Manning, Jordan, Whitmire Brandl and Nick Hardcastle getting by Borlace for fifth.

Stew Savage slowed the action on lap 11 with the races only caution for his spin in turn 4. On the restart, Manning quickly broke out front, while Hardcastle slipped giving up spots to Borlace, Terry Woodall and Brandl. As Manning eased away, Whitmire got by Jordan for second. Hardcastle was able to retake a top five position in the waning laps. Up front it was Manning, with a huge lead, putting the JTC Motors, Auto Repair Unlimited, Jays Equipment, 105 Machine, Evolution Chassis in Victory Lane.

“We’ve been working hard on the set up on this new Evolution Chassis,” commented Manning. “We’ve been struggling for a while, but working with Howard Willis and Russell Moore it’s coming around now. We’ve got on top of it and it’s working out. We’ve got a couple wins under our belt this year and hope to have more.”

“When you get into a new chassis it’s driver preference mostly. It’s the feel and everyone has a different set up they like. What works for one(driver) doesn’t always work for another. So you take a little bit of what they are doing and your own ideas and go for it.”

“It’s a short but stout field here. These guys have come a long way. We all get along well and travel for some of the USMTS Southern Series shows. I wish there more cars around here, but with the economy it’s just the way it goes right now.”

Modified

76 Jesse Manning, 101 Tanner Whitmire, 7x Rory Jordan, 21 Jason Borlace, 94 Nick Hardcastle, 3w Terry Woodall, 00x Dustin Brandl, 77 Jason Lewis, 4 Stew Savage

Modified heat

00x Dustin Brandl, 7x Rory Jordan, 21 Jason Borlace. 76 Jesse Manning, 101 Tanner Whitmire, 94 Nick Hardcastle, 4* Stew Savage, 77 Jason Lewis, 3w Terry Woodall

White Wins Another One

The past few years Texana Raceway has been kind to the former USAC Silver Crown and NASCAR Sunbelt Region champion Paul White(Temple) driving as a hired gun. Tonight would be no different as he battled with GW Hessong and Wade Moyer early in the 20-lap feature. White took over near halfway and then left Moyer, Jensen Prey and Mickey Helms battling for second as he was snagging another checkers.

Seventeen Limited Modified took the green with Hessong getting the run off turn 2, but a tangle back in the pack brought out the caution. Hessong and Moyer stayed side by side on the next start until Hessong got the advantage coming off turn 4 to lead lap 1. Moyer fell in line second trailed by White, Prey and Helms running wheel to wheel with Vince Kacir.

Moyer moved in the give Hessong a look for the lead on lap 2. This gave White an opening to sneak past Moyer for second on lap 3. White then got beside Hessong for the lead but yellow waved for a spin by Bo Beckner on lap 4. On the restart White gave Hessong a look low, but Hessong held on, as the top three got away.

White got a run on Hessong to grab the top spot on lap 8 followed by Moyer to second. Coming to halfway it was White, Moyer, Hessong, Helms and Shane Hoefling getting by Prey for fifth. Helms then picked off Hessong for third on lap 10. Yellow waved on lap 11 for Hoefling who spun in turn 3 and got T-boned by Kacir, ending both their nights.

Back under green, White got away clean with Moyer and Helms fighting for second. Tim Heatherly brought out a yellow on lap 12 when stopped in turn 1. On the restart, Art Rodriguez went around on the front stretch causing Chase Sanchez and Allgayer to spin as they tried to dodge him. Back under green White got a big jump when Helms slipped and fell back to fourth.

Helms and Prey then battled for third swapping the spot on lap 16. Both Helms and Prey caught Moyer with two to go in the scramble for second. Up front it was White, on cruise control and easing away. At the checkers it as White in the B&D, Craftmasters Powdercoating, Westside Performance powered, Big Chief Chassis adding another TRP win to his total.

“We really diced around pretty good,” said White. “The track got tricky enough that it made it a lot of fun. I was trying to take advantage where my car was better they were messing up. One of them was slipping a bit in the middle of the turns and mine was actually a little tight. I just tried to keep myself in the right position and keep working at it until I could get there.”

“This (Bruce Tesch car) is a new one for me after being in the Bridwell car for so long. We’re still trying to get all we can get out of it. We were happy with the other car and knew what we needed to do on it. The things we used to do don’t work on this car like the other one. We had to go another direction to make it all work.”

Limited Modifieds

2w Paul White, 23 Wade Moyer, 57 Jensen Prey, 174 Mickey Helms, 147 GW Hessong, 6 Vince Louden, 22 Art Rodriguez, 24 John Lieta, 26 David McBride, J1 Tim Heatherly, 24x Mike Lieta, 75 Bo Beckner, 11 Jeff Allgayer, 4 Chase Sanchez, 63 Shane Hoefling, 155 Vince Kacir, 21c Barry Codling

Limited Modified heats

Heat 1

23 Wade Moyer, 2w Paul White, 155 Vince Kacir, 174 Mickey Helms, 22 Art Rodriguez, 4 Chase Sanchez, 63 Shane Hoefling, 24 John Lieta

Heat 2

147 GW Hessong, 57 Jensen Prey, 6 Vince Louden, 75 Bo Beckner, J1 Tim Heatherly, 24x Mike Lieta, 11 Jeff Allgayer, 26 David McBride, 21c Barry Codling

In the 12-lap Late Model feature it was Eric Neal going wire to wire for the win. Neal was chased throughout the race by Michael Wagner, who was never able to mount a serious challenge. The races only yellow flew when David Kulhanek spun while battling with Randy Kacir for third.

Late Models

97 Eric Neal, 18 Michael Wagner, 36 Randy Kacir, 9 Mitch Wagner, 37 David Kulhanek

Late Model heat winner, 97 Eric Neal

Justin Bloom took advantage of the misfortune of Jason Bloom to get the lead early in the 12-lap Hot Stock Truck feature. Ja. Bloom got out front on green, but spun off to the turn 4 mud puddle and lost the clutch trying to get out. This gave the lead to Ju. Bloom who pulled away from the field as it spread out, for the victory.

Hot Stock Trucks

84 Justin Bloom, 76 Justin Airhardt, 15 KC Jimmerson, 43 Bob Ort, 88 Mikey Harvel, 62 Scott Symonds, 44 Billy Ragsdale, 49 Jason Bloom

Hot Stock Truck heat winner, 84 Justin Bloom

Chris Shafer jumped out front at the start of the 12-car, 20-lap Street Stock feature with Tony Blankenship second and Mike Moseley, AJ Solis and Jason Fox going three wide for third. Fox and Solis tangled on lap 1 for an early caution that saw Fox pit with a flat tire. On the restart Shafer and Blankenship eased away as Lauren Chamberlain moved past Solis for fourth.

Brian King started his march to the front getting by Fox for fifth on lap 2 and along side Chamberlain. After putting her back a spot, King got by Moseley for third on lap 3 as Kasey Garvin got sixth from Solis. Up front Blankenship ducked under Shafer to get the lead on lap 6, then held off Shafer who tried to retake the spot.

As Blankenship eased away, Moseley slipped and went backwards giving up several positions. Brad Hayes and Solis then began a lap by lap battle for fifth. Shafer was able to chase down Blankenship in traffic with five to go, while Hayes and Solis continued to swap fifth. At the checkers it was Blankenship able to hold the lead and grab the victory over Shafer.

Street Stocks

35 Tony Blankenship, 77 Chris Shafer, 31 Brian King, 55 Lauren Chamberlain, 9* Brad Hayes, 21 AJ Solis, 36 Lucky Gilbert, 19 Kasey Garvin, 58 James Hess, 3 Mike Moseley, 88 Johnny Hess, 21x Jason Fox
Street Stock heat winners, 77 Chris Shafer, 3 Mike Moseley

By JM Hallas
ASCS Gulf South photo in story
Joe Orth photo on front page

Texana Raceway Park ready for Season-Opener under new Management

There is an excitement in the air at Texana Raceway Park (TRP) this year. The new track officials are “pumped” and everything’s set for a fantastic 2010 season at the quarter-mile dirt track located in Edna, Texas.

A little history: At the end of the 2009 season and during the off-season, there was uncertainty as to the future of Texana Raceway Park. There was no news about the 2010 season and the rumor mill was working overtime with all kinds of stories being told, re-told and told again.

Then in January at the TRP Racer’s Awards banquet, everyone waited in great anticipation to hear what the future of this great racing facility would be. After all the trophies and awards had been presented, track owner Bruce Tesch made the announcement to squelch the rumors and uncertainty.

Tesch stood up and announced that the track would indeed be open for the 2010 season, but that there would be some management changes since he and his wife, Donna, wanted to spend more time with their family and children. He then announced that former track flagman and “Jack-of-all-trades” around the track, Ken Bulsterbaum, had accepted their request that he take over the promoter/track manager role at the track.

Bulsterbaum, who accepted his new position with great humbleness, has been busy putting the upcoming season in motion with a great deal of support from the Texas racing community.

“We have a new flagman this year,” Bulsterbaum said, “It’s Ricky Konvinka, who is a former racer like me. He brings the experience of a racer to the flag stand and he’s excited to be a part of this race track.

“So now the pieces are in place,” Bulsterbaum continued, “And it’s time to get the new season started. The machinery has been working, fields are mowed, track is prepped, concessions are loaded, drinks are cold and we are waiting for the opening night of the season. Come Saturday April 3rd, we’ll hear those famous words, “Start your engines!” and the new season will be under way. “

Opening night will be a double points night for the racer’s, which should provide a little extra incentive for them. And a “Parade of Champions” for last year’s champs is on the schedule as well.

“We have heard that some racers are coming back after a season or two off,” Bulsterbaum said, “And that a few Houston and Corpus Christi “Hot Foots” will be making a run for the championship in their respective classes too. The ‘word’ is out. We are excited to be racing Street Stocks (bombers), Mini-Stocks, Texana Classic Dwarfs, Hot Stock Trucks, Limited Modifieds, and the “ground-pounding” Modifieds. And on Friday, July 2nd, will be hosting the ASCS Sprint Cars which is always a highlight of any season,” Bulsterbaum concluded.

Check out the Texana Raceway Park website for more information at www.texanaracewaypark.org.

by Nick Holt and Ken Bulsterbaum
Photo courtesy of Texana Raceway Park

ASCS Gulf South set for 8th Annual 4th of July “Weekend Spectacular at Texana Raceway Park this weekend

The American Sprint Car Series Gulf South Region is set for its Eighth Annual Fourth of July Weekend Spectacular with two nights of action atop the high-banked, 5/16-mile Texana Raceway Park dirt oval in Edna, TX, this Friday and Saturday.

The pair of weekend events put the ASCS Gulf South Region at the midpoint of the 2009 season with 19-year-old Aaron Reutzel of Clute, TX, in the driver’s seat to become the series’ sixth different champion.

Riding an ASCS Gulf South record streak of eleven consecutive top-ten feature finishes aboard the Motor Mike-powered KCR Racing No. 87 Triple X, Reutzel has stretched out a 69 point advantage over 2005 series champion Ray Allen Kulhanek, who has topped two of the series most recent three events.

Tommy Bryant, who subbed impressively for Jerry Bell in this past weekend’s Lucas Oil ASCS National competition in Missouri, is currently ranked third, with 18-year-old Channin Tankersley and two-time and defending series champion Brandon Berryman rounding out the current top five.

The balance of the current top ten in ASCS Gulf South points includes Scottie McDonald, Kent Lewis, Jr., Greg Rilat, Jimmy Brooks and Gary Watson.

Also running with the ASCS Sprint Cars on Friday night will be the Texana Teen Mini-Stocks, Texana Classic Dwarfs, and the fan favorite Hot Stock Truck division. The local points competition is very close in each of these classes as the season has cleared the mid-point. Running with the Sprints on Saturday night will be the Texana Bombers, Limited Modifieds, and Modifieds.

Both nights of racing action are slated to go green at 7:30 p.m.

The high-banked, 5/16-mile Texana Raceway Park dirt oval is located two miles east of Edna, TX, on SR 111, then left on Haines Road. For more information, contact the track at 361-781-0411.

The ASCS Gulf South Region is set for 27 nights of racing action at eleven different tracks throughout Texas in 2009.

Past ASCS Gulf South Region Feature Winners at Texana Raceway Park:
8/30/08 – Jason Johnson

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

Paul White doubles at Texana Raceway Park with two well-deserved wins

It wasn’t a cakewalk by any stretch of the imagination, but Temple’s Paul White bagged a double at Texana Raceway Park in Edna, Texas, Saturday night winning both the Modified and Limited Modified feature events before a packed house.

Originally billed as the second race in the nine-race South Texas Modified Championship Series for Modifieds and Limited Modifieds, only the Modifieds actually competed for Series points due to a controversy over the Limited Modified tire rules. Both divisions were racing for $1,000 first place prize money, however, and the racing in both classes was intense.

Earlier in the season White - a former USAC Silver Crown Champion - had great success almost everywhere he raced. He scored double feature wins at Battleground Speedway, Houston Raceway Park and dominated Texana Raceway Park to the point that TRP owner Bruce Tesch placed a bounty on him - both in the Modified and Limited Modified classes. The bounties brought out stiff competition and both were eventually claimed.

In the 20-lap Limited Modified feature White chased race leader Shane Hoefling for all but the last ten feet of the last lap. Hoefling did everything he needed to do to stay in the lead, scouting out sticky spots and using lapped traffic whenever and wherever possible to keep White at bay. With five to go it appeared that Hoefling had the race well in hand, but apparently White was just cooling the tires and plotting a late-race charge.

With two to go, White moved back to within striking distance and as the white flag waved White made his move, diving hard into the first turn on the bottom and getting to Hoefling’s bumper. The dirt-saavy veteran then went up top in turns 3-4 with the pair exiting turn four nearly sideways and wheel to wheel. Somehow White got his bumper out front with ten feet to go and took the checkered by about three feet.

“I tried that move a couple of times earlier,” White explained. “When I got the right run on him we were in lapped traffic and that messed it up. I set that up a whole lap before and made sure I had all the ground to make it up. I got up under him a little and he blocked me down, so I went outside as quick as I could to have a nice entry into turn three. That’s really what made it work. It gave me enough momentum to get through the middle.”

“It was driver error,” Hoefling said. “When Paul White is on your tail, you don’t make a driver error. I slipped up a little bit and he got around me on the top side. I knew he was there. I saw him in turns 1-2 on the last lap and again in turns 3-4.”

Unofficial Limited Modified results

1. 216 Paul White
2. 63 Shane Hoefling
3. 175 Mickey Helms
4. 6 Vince Louden
5. 00 Derrick Flora
6. 37 Bill Pittaway
7. 34 Michael Walker
8. 27 Johnny Lewellan
9. 888 Aaron Lunsford
10. 10d Don Painter
11. 15 Andy VanBlarcum
12. 04 Jacob Burnett
13. 7k Kevin Parker
14. 47m Ruben Montes
15. 21 Victor Lindsey

The Modified feature proved to be just as exciting with White and young Steve Whiteaker, Jr, going side by side for much of the race with White using the very low line and Whiteaker searching for traction mostly on the high side.

The race was plagued, however, by a number of caution periods as the track grew more towards slick than tacky.

Several restarts saw White go very low into the turns with Whiteaker right there beside him on the high side. More often than not White was able to get off the turns better with Whiteaker perhaps gaining the advantage through the turns.

Behind the leaders the Series point leader Danny Brown was having to fend off a determined Lawrence Mikulencak as the pair of Corpus Christi drivers battled for third. And not far behind them Dale Flanagan, Jesse Manning and Josh Majek were slicing and dicing for fifth.

But the show that everyone was watching was the chess match being played out up front.

As the laps clicked down, there were more cautions which prompted the track to shorten the event by two laps.

On the final restart with two to go, Whiteaker sailed into turn one on the top and got along side White once again. And once again White again was able to find bite on the bottom and pulled away from Whiteaker a bit coming off turn two. Whiteaker tried to drive it in harder in turn three, but White still held the lead as they entered the front stretch.

As the white flag waved, White was still cat-fishing the low side, with Whiteaker looking for moisture anywhere he could find it. But at the checkered flag it was White by a car length in the Bridwell Motorsports, Engines by Adan & Jeff, Dust Devil chassis. White took home the trophy, some bragging rights and a check fo $1,000.

Brown’s third place finish was enough for him to retain the series points lead while Mikulencak took over second from Manning, with Whiteaker, unofficially, taking over fourth in the Series point standings.

“I could hear him (Steve Whiteaker) out there and saw him the turns a couple times,” White said after the race. “But I really didn’t feel that it made any difference as long as I didn’t mess up on my entrance and getting through the middle. As long as I hit my spots there was no way - no matter who it was - anyone was going to pass me.

“ I felt after I came in from the Limited Modified feature that we needed to put all the bite in it we could to get it off the turns and not worry about blasting around the top. I didn’t think anybody had anything for me if I didn’t mess up on the bottom. That’s just what we elected to go with and it paid off.”

Unofficial Modified results

1. 2w Paul White
2. 89 Steve Whiteaker, Jr
3. 55 Danny Brown
4. 87 Lawrence Mikulencak
5. 57 Dale Flanagan
6. 82 Joshua Majek
7. 76 Jesse Manning
8. 174 Max Helms
9. 96 Foster Ellison
10. 125 Jason Borlace
11. 95 Jeremy Davenport
12. 12 Rolie Rodriguez
13. 15 Chris Carrol
14. 55b Wesley Anderson
15. 16. James Jennings
16. 22 Art Rodriguez
17. 155 Vince Kacir

by J.M Hallas and Nick Holt

Photos by Brenda Dancer

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