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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

Jason Sides Wins World of Outlaw thriller over Tim Kaeding at Houston Raceway Park

Jason Sides drives as hard as he can anytime he takes to the race track, whether it’s for hot laps, time trials, a heat race, a dash or a main event. On Saturday night at Houston Raceway Park in Baytown, Texas, he drove 40 of the hardest and best laps he has ever turned as he and Tim Kaeding put on a phenomenal show at the ¼-mile bullring trading slide jobs lap after lap as they worked their way through traffic. In the end, Sides came out on top in the thrilling battle to win The Texas Showdown which was his first victory of 2010 and the fifth of his World of Outlaws career.

While there were only two official lead changes at the line, Sides and Kaeding swapped the top spot countless times over the course of the 40-lapper, sometimes multiple times on the same lap as they weaved in and out of traffic in an event that had just one caution on the third lap and went the remaining 37 circuits green-to-checkers. Sides took the checkered flag just 0.160 seconds ahead of Kaeding.

“It was a great race,” said Sides. “Tim (Kaeding) was there the whole time and the track really got good and wide where you could run the bottom and the top made for a great race as well running up there. I felt like it was our race to lose and we kept plugging away and plugging away and came out on top. I am so proud of this team and everything that helps us.”

Sides led at the start from the pole in the Wetherington Tractor Service Maxim with Kaeding, who started third quickly jumping into second and challenging him in the early going. The only caution of the night flew on the third lap setting up a double file restart with Sides choosing the low line. He used a strong restart to jump to a lead, though Kaeding was able to track him down just a couple of laps later as the pair entered lapped traffic.

In traffic is where they began their battle that raged for the remainder of the 40-lap contest. A couple of times they split a lapped car and ran side-by-side a number of times as the jockeyed for the top spot. Kaeding officially took the lead on the 10th lap in traffic, with Sides keeping pace with him for the next nine circuit and charging around him on the high side of the track on the 20th lap to take the lead officially for the final time.

“You try not to give it away and hope that you can get back by or get back in traffic,” noted Sides. “You watch for opportunities where he isn’t. If he goes to the top, then you got the bottom and vice versa. It was good we got in lapped traffic and that got us bottled up a little bit. We were able to get back by him.”

Sides is one of just three drivers that has finished in the Top-10 in all seven World of Outlaws events this season, joining current series point leader Joey Saldana and Jason Meyers in that category. Sides has finished in the Top-Five in five of those events as well and is currently fourth in the series championship standings.

“It shows that our team is capable of running up front with these guys,” he said after his win. “Hopefully we can keep plugging away and stay up there. It’s been a great start to the season. I’m proud of everyone on the team and very thankful to everyone that helps us out.”

Kaeding wound up second in the DTR Transport KPC to earn his third Top-Five finish of the season. After getting caught up in a couple of accidents last weekend in his home state of California, he was glad to finish and be in contention for the win at Houston Raceway Park, a track he had not competed at for a number of years.

“We have struggled the last few races and it was more racing incidents than anything, so to get a solid second place run tonight is great for the team,” explained Kaeding. “Jason (Sides) raced me clean and I raced him clean and we battled hard and we put on a great show for the fans in my eyes.”

Kaeding was a little surprised that there was only one caution in the 40-lapper, though he used lapped traffic to his advantage to track down Jason Sides a couple of times, after the latter jumped out to a lead in open track.

“As slick as it started getting toward the end of the race, I thought there would be a yellow or two,” stated Kaeding. “There were a lot of good cars out there and I didn’t have any problems with that. We made it through the night and had a good night. Everybody had fun and it’s exciting. I have a great team behind me and now it’s my job to keep the thing going straight and have some fun.”

After getting caught up in an early accident on Friday night at Lone Star Speedway which relegated him to a 14th-place finish, four-time and defending World of Outlaws champion, Donny Schatz turned in a very solid third-place effort on Saturday night in the Armor All J&J. It was his fifth Top-Five finish of the season.

“We’ve just been in the wrong spot at the wrong times lately,” Schatz said. “It’s good to have a strong run like this tonight and it’s fun to get in the car every night when it’s fast and rolling around like we had it here. We’ll just keep working at it and see if we can pick up a win next weekend.”

Joey Saldana finished fourth in the Budweiser Maxim to earn his seventh Top-10 of the season and extended his lead in the series standings to 23 markers over Jason Meyers as he chases his first series title.

Paul McMahan came home fifth in the Great Clips Maxim for Kasey Kahne Racing to wrap up a very strong Texas Two-Step Weekend. Lance Dewease was sixth in his debut at Houston Raceway Park aboard the Advanced Developments J&J. Terry McCarl was seventh piloting the Big Game Treestands Maxim. Lucas Wolfe, who began the night by setting a new track record in qualifying, was eighth in the Allebach Racing Maxim. Danny Lasoski was ninth in the Casey’s General Store JEI. Jason Meyers rounded out the Top-10 in the GLR Investments KPC and moved into second in the series standings in the process.

The World of Outlaws return to action on Friday, March 19 and Saturday, March 20 at Volunteer Speedway in Bulls Gap, Tennessee for Kasey’s King of Bulls Gap Presented by Budweiser.

HOUSTON RACEWAY PARK NOTES

•FAST QUALIFIER: Lucas Wolfe paced the 29 cars that took time with a record setting AMB i.t. timed lap around the semi-banked 1/4-mile oval at 11.561 seconds at 77.848 mph. For his qualifying effort, Wolfe earned five bonus points. The next four fastest qualifiers also earned bonus points, including: Kraig Kinser (4), Bill Rose (3), Joey Saldana (2) and Jason Sides (1).

•LONE STAR SPEEDWAY QUALIFYING WINNERS: Sam Hafertepe Jr., Lance Dewease and Tim Kaeding won heat races. Jason Sides won the dash. Terry McCarl won the B-Main.

• FEATURE WINNERS: There have been seven World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series A-Feature events held in 2010. The winners include: Jason Meyers (The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Thunderbowl Raceway), Craig Dollansky (Lone Star Speedway), Steve Kinser (Volusia Speedway Park), Joey Saldana (Thunderbowl Raceway), Donny Schatz (Volusia Speedway Park) and Jason Sides (Houston Raceway Park).

•1/4–MILE WINNERS: Houston Raceway Park is a semi-banked 1/4-mile oval. The World of Outlaws have raced once this season on a track that size. The winner was Jason Sides (Houston Raceway Park).

World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series Statistical Report; Houston Raceway Park; Baytown, TX; March 13, 2010

Qualifying

1) 5W-Lucas Wolfe 11.561

2) 11K-Kraig Kinser 11.732

3) 6R-Bill Rose 11.791

4) 9-Joey Saldana 11.796

5) 7S-Jason Sides 11.853

6) 83-Tim Kaeding 11.868

7) 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr. 11.869

8. 15-Donny Schatz 11.890

9) 24-Terry McCarl 11.897

10) 4X-Toni Lutar 11.908

11) 30C-Lance Dewease 11.914

12) 1-Bronson Maeschen 11.980

13) 44W-Austen Wheatley 11.985

14) 6-Danny Lasoski 12.002

15) 14-Jason Meyers 12.004

16) 10A-Ricky Logan 12.023

17) R19-Jac Haudenschild 12.041

18) 91-Paul McMahan 12.044

19) 51-Fred Rahmer 12.066

20) 11-Steve Kinser 12.070

21) 17-Daryn Pittman 12.082

22) 7-Craig Dollansky 12.161

23) 63-Chad Kemenah 12.162

24) 18-Tony Bruce Jr. 12.163

25) 45X-Johnny Herrera 12.222

26) 22-Brian Ellenberger 12.348

27) 2B-Ben Gregg 12.356

28) 51W-Wes Miller 12.479

29) 5-Ray Allen Kulhanek 12.654

Heat 1 (10 Laps, top 6 finishers transferred to A-feature) - Starting Position [#]

1) 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr.[2]

2) 5W-Lucas Wolfe[4]

3) 4X-Toni Lutar[1]

4) 9-Joey Saldana[3]

5) 10A-Ricky Logan[6]

6) 7-Craig Dollansky[8]

7) 44W-Austen Wheatley[5]

8. 45X-Johnny Herrera[9]

9) 51-Fred Rahmer[7]

10) 51W-Wes Miller[10]

Heat 2 (10 Laps, top 6 finishers transferred to A-feature) - Starting Position [#]

1) 30C-Lance Dewease[1]

2) 15-Donny Schatz[2]

3) 11K-Kraig Kinser[4]

4) 7S-Jason Sides[3]

5) R19-Jac Haudenschild[6]

6) 11-Steve Kinser[7]

7) 6-Danny Lasoski[5]

8. 63-Chad Kemenah[8]

9) 22-Brian Ellenberger[9]

10) 5-Ray Allen Kulhanek[10]

Heat 3 (10 Laps, top 6 finishers transferred to A-feature) - Starting Position [#]

1) 83-Tim Kaeding[3]

2) 91-Paul McMahan[6]

3) 14-Jason Meyers[5]

4) 18-Tony Bruce Jr[8]

5) 6R-Bill Rose[4]

6) 17-Daryn Pittman[7]

7) 2B-Ben Gregg[9]

8.1-Bronson Maeshen[1]

9) 24-Terry McCarl[2]

Dash (8 laps, finishing order determined first 10 starting positions of A-feature) - Starting Position [#]

1) 7S-Jason Sides[2]

2) 9-Joey Saldana[3]

3) 83-Tim Kaeding[1]

4) 5W-Lucas Wolfe[6]

5) 15-Donny Schatz[8]

6) 30C-Lance Dewease[9]

7) 11K-Kraig Kinser[5]

8. 91-Paul McMahan[10]

9) 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr.[7]

10) 6R-Bill Rose[4]

B-main (12 laps, top 6 finishers transferred to A-feature) - Starting Position [#]

1) 24-Terry McCarl[1]

2) 6-Danny Lasoski[4]

3) 63-Chad Kemenah[6]

4) 45X-Johnny Herrera[7]

5) 22-Brian Ellenberger[8]

6) 2B-Ben Gregg[9]

7) 51-Fred Rahmer[5] [$200]

8. 5-Ray Allen Kulhanek[11] [$180]

9) 44W-Austen Wheatley[3] [$175]

10) 51W-Wes Miller[10] [$160]

11) 1-Bronson Maeshen[2] [$150]

A-main (40 laps) - Starting Position [#]

1) 7S-Jason Sides[1] [$10,000]

2) 83-Tim Kaeding[3] [$5,500]

3) 15-Donny Schatz[5] [$3,200]

4) 9-Joey Saldana[2] [$2,800]

5) 91-Paul McMahan[8] [$2,500]

6) 30C-Lance Dewease[6] [$2,300]

7) 24-Terry McCarl[11] [$2,200]

8. 5W-Lucas Wolfe[4] [$2,100]

9) 6-Danny Lasoski[13] [$2,050]

10) 14-Jason Meyers[14] [$2,000]

11) 17-Daryn Pittman[18] [$1,500]

12) 11-Steve Kinser[17] [$1,200]

13) 11K-Kraig Kinser[7] [$1,100]

14) 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr.[9] [$1,050]

15) 45X-Johnny Herrera[22] [$1,000]

16) 7-Craig Dollansky[19] [$900]

17) 18-Tony Bruce Jr.[21] [$800]

18) 6R-Bill Rose[10] [$800]

19) 10A-Ricky Logan[15] [$800]

20) R19-Jac Haudenschild[16] [$800]

21) 2B-Ben Gregg[24] [$800]

22) 22-Brian Ellenberger[23] [$800]

23) 4X-Toni Lutar[12] [$800]

24) 63-Chad Kemenah[20] [$800]

Lap Leaders: Jason Sides 1-9, 20-40; Tim Kaeding 10-19

KSE Hard Charger Award: Daryn Pittman

Penske Power Position Award: Lance Dewease

World of Outlaws Championship Standings through March 13

1. Joey Saldana 1021
2. Jason Meyers 998 -23
3. Steve Kinser 996 -25
4. Jason Sides 983 -38
5. Donny Schatz 968 -53
6. Kraig Kinser 924 -97
7. Danny Lasoski 910 -111
8. Tim Kaeding 903 -118
9. Jac Haudenschild 886 -135
10. Lucas Wolfe 884 -137

by Tony Veneziano, World of Outlaws PR Director
Photos by Joey Millard, thesportswire.net

Jason Hughes sails to USMTS Modified win at Houston Raceway Park

Jason Hughes was in a class by himself in 2009, winning ten main events en route to claiming his second straight USMTS Southern Series crown.

After three days of racing at the Houston Raceway Park, it looks like Hughes will be the man to beat again in 2010.

As the weekend wore on and the stakes got higher and higher, the 35-year-old chassis builder from Westville, Okla., got better and better. He scored a fifth-place finish on Thursday, came home second on Friday, and then wrapped up the 3rd Annual Texas Winter Nationals presented by Ed Rinehart for County Commissioner with an impressive $5,000 victory on Saturday night.

“That’ll help pay some of the bills,” Hughes said in victory lane. “We kept fighting, my crew has been working hard all weekend and the car kept getting better. This is how we wanted to start the season.

“This is by far the biggest crowd we’ve seen since we’ve started running here, and it’s nice to get the win in front of all these people.”

Prior to the drop of the green flag, Hughes had his work cut out for him as he sat tenth on the 26-car starting grid. On Thursday he started and finished fifth, then could only manage to climb one spot from third to second on Friday night.

Bumper Jones used his pole position to jump out to the early lead in Saturday’s “A” Main while drivers shuffled positions behind him.

Friday’s winner Jeremy Payne rocketed past three cars down the back-stretch two laps later to grab the runner-up spot while Hughes followed suit and quickly moved to fourth behind eighth-starting Steven Whiteaker Jr.

Jones, Payne and Whiteaker raced bumper to bumper for the next nine laps while Hughes trailed by four car-lengths. Racing side by side out of the fourth turn on lap 11, Whiteaker and Payne made contact with Payne holding on to the second spot.

One lap later, the race’s first yellow flag waved as Whiteaker came to a halt on the front-stretch with a flat tire.

After leaving the pit area with fresh rubber, Whiteaker tagged the rear of the field while Hughes inherited the third spot. Payne elected to start on the inside, leaving Hughes to his right for the double-file restart.

At the drop of the green flag, Hughes dove hard into the first turn and powered around Jones in turn two. Payne shadowed Hughes down the back-stretch and wrestled second place away from Jones in the next corner.

Within five laps, Hughes had extended his advantage to nearly a full straight-away over Payne and his teammate Terry Phillips. Phillips, however, nearly spun on lap 19 and gave up the position to Mike Hansen while Jones remained close behind in fifth.

Despite heavy lapped traffic throughout the second-half of the 40-lapper, Hughes remained flawless as he sailed to his 21st career USMTS Southern Series victory and 81st overall under the USMTS banner.

Payne, Hansen and Phillips held on for second, third and fourth, respectively, while John O Whittington nipped Jones for the fifth-place paycheck.

Morgan Bagley snagged seventh, Rodney Sanders earned an eight-place finish, Chris Henigan nabbed ninth and defending Texas Winter Nationals champion Zack VanderBeek raced from eighteenth to finish tenth.

The win also propelled Hughes into the points lead on the strength of his nine passing points and three lap leader bonus points in the main event. Phillips sits six points behind Hughes (292 to 286) in second with Payne just one more point back in third. Whittington is fourth with 276 markers, followed by Jones (259), Bagley (257), Kelly Shryock (227), Dereck Ramirez (201), Shane Hebert (191) and Steve Holzkamper (191).

Lee Patton leads the current crop of rookie contenders, followed by Tristan Dycus, Darrel Dawson, Shane Killingsworth and nine other drivers tied for fifth.

Up next for the USMTS Southern Series is a tripleheader in the Sooner State. The series makes its debut at the Creek County Speedway in Kellyville, Okla., on Thursday, March 18, then moves on to the Outlaw Motor Speedway near Muskogee on Friday, March 19. The weekend winds up at the West Siloam Speedway in West Siloam Springs on Saturday, March 20. All three events are expected to attract a powerful field of entries as points will be awarded for both the USMTS Southern Series and USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour.

To learn more about the United States Modified Touring Series, visit www.usmts.com online or call 515-832-7944. You can also follow the USMTS on Facebook, MySpace and Twitter.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
USMTS Southern Series
3rd Annual Texas Winter Nationals presented by Ed Rinehart for County Commissioner – Event #3 of 3
Houston Raceway Park, Baytown, Texas
Saturday, Feb. 20, 2010

Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver, hometown, chassis/engine builder, laps completed, reason out (if any) and money won. The top 14 drivers in passing points accumulated in the heat races are locked into the “A” Main, with the top 8 re-drawing for starting positions 1-8.

ISKY RACING CAMS HEAT RACE #1 (8 laps):
1. (2) 5r Morgan Bagley, Longview, Texas.
2. (4) 20r Bryan Rowland, Woodward, Okla.
3. (5) 51 Tracy Denby Jr., Vidor, Texas.
4. (1) 15 Kevin Battarbee (R), Houston, Texas.
5. (10) E Howard Willis, Dayton, Texas.
6. (9) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa.
7. (7) 5 Jon Mitchell, Texarkana, Texas.
8. (6) 9 Shane Killingsworth (R), Dallas, Texas.
9. (11) 7x Rory Jordan (R), Victoria, Texas.
10. (12) 51 Jeff Wood, Willis, Texas.
11. (8) 17 Brad Lasater, Garland, Texas.
12. (3) 8 Steve Miller, Georgetown, Texas.

HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):
1. (2) 85d Mark Dotson, Cameron, Mo.
2. (10) 89 Steven Whiteaker Jr., Corpus Christi, Texas.
3. (4) 15h Sam Hafertepe Jr., Sunnyville, Texas.
4. (1) 58 Nathan Bichsel (R), Amarillo, Texas.
5. (7) 9 Shane Hebert, Lafayette, La.
6. (11) 10 Kenny Battarbee (R), Houston, Texas.
7. (12) 21 Johnny Fennewald, Appleton City, Mo.
8. (8) 12c Corey Babbitt, Channelview, Texas.
9. (3) 18L Michael Long, Quincy, Ill.
10. (9) R5 Hunter Rasdon (R), Jonesboro, Ark.
11. (6) 10 Kyle Schmidt, Farmington, Ark.
12. (5) 23 Brandon Davis (R), Castle Rock, Colo.

HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):
1. (2) 5w John O Whittington, Vidor, Texas.
2. (7) 25 Scott Green, Derby, Kan.
3. (11) 16 Chris Henigan, Marshall, Texas.
4. (8) 34 Ben Stephens (R), Hattiesburg, Miss.
5. (9) 8g Greg Dinsmore, Kerrville, Texas.
6. (5) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa.
7. (10) 14t Tristan Dycus (R), Midlothian, Texas.
8. (4) 8j Dustin Hyde, Texarkana, Texas.
9. (1) 87 John Webb, Pauls Valley, Okla.
10. (12) 20 Troy Seidl (R), Magnolia, Texas.
11. (3) 69 Randy Heston (R), Stinnett, Texas.
12. (6) 17x Cade Dillard, Robeline, La.

EIBACH SPRINGS HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps):
1. (3) 111 Bumper Jones, Mesilla Park, N.M.
2. (2) JP5 Lee Patton (R), Ruston, La.
3. (1) 410 Brad Doherty (R), Ennis, Texas.
4. (9) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
5. (7) 5t Randy Timms, Wheatland, Okla.
6. (10) 190 Shawn Stephenson (R), Howe, Texas.
7. (11) 44 Darrell Nelson, Hermantown, Minn.
8. (4) 56 David Horner, Houston, Texas.
9. (12) 2 Jerry Standifer (R), Howe, Okla.
10. (8) 55 Kyle Anderson (R), Tomball, Texas.
11. (5) 25 John Allen, Chanute, Kan.
12. (6) 2 Grant Junghans, Manhattan, Kan.

HEAT RACE #5 (8 laps):
1. (3) 12h Mike Hansen, Alton, Iowa.
2. (11) 74 Jeremy Payne, Springfield, Mo.
3. (2) 30 Chase Allen, Midlothian, Texas.
4. (10) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas.
5. (1) 99 Derick Grigsby, Marshall, Texas.
6. (6) 98 Darryl Seals, Vidor, Texas.
7. (4) 56 Steve Pugh, Anderson, Texas.
8. (7) 9 Brent Nicholas (R), Baytown, Texas.
9. (5) 5a Wes Armstrong, Marshall, Texas.
10. (9) 96 Foster Ellison III, Richwood, Texas.
11. (8) 76 Jesse Manning, Brazoria, Texas.

HEAT RACE #6 (8 laps):
1. (2) 12 Jason Hughes, Westville, Okla.
2. (3) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
3. (5) 74 Mark Noble, Blooming Prairie, Minn.
4. (1) 00 Darrel Dawson (R), Midlothian, Texas.
5. (10) 5 Steve Holzkamper, Gentry, Ark.
6. (11) 20 Tommy Weder Jr., Woodward, Okla.
7. (8) 18s Cody Smith, Kaufman, Texas.
8. (7) 64 Jay Sale (R), Edmond, Okla.
9. (4) 68 Danny Barringer, Lufkin, Texas.
10. (9) 186 Jeremy Gossett (R), Amarillo, Texas.
11. (6) 7g Mark Smith, Lufkin, Texas.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (15 laps, top 4 advance):
1. (1) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
2. (7) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa.
3. (8) 21 Johnny Fennewald, Appleton City, Mo.
4. (11) 12c Corey Babbitt, Channelview, Texas.
5. (15) R5 Hunter Rasdon (R), Jonesboro, Ark., $120.
6. (5) 00 Darrel Dawson (R), Midlothian, Texas, $120.
7. (3) 30 Chase Allen, Midlothian, Texas, $120.
8. (16) 186 Jeremy Gossett (R), Amarillo, Texas, $120.
9. (9) 98 Darryl Seals, Vidor, Texas, $100.
10. (19) 17x Cade Dillard, Robeline, La., $100.
11. (14) 68 Danny Barringer, Lufkin, Texas, $120.
12. (17) 69 Randy Heston (R), Stinnett, Texas, $120.
13. (6) 9 Shane Hebert, Lafayette, La., $120.
14. (4) 8g Greg Dinsmore, Kerrville, Texas, $100.
15. (2) 34 Ben Stephens (R), Hattiesburg, Miss., $120.
16. (10) 56 Steve Pugh, Anderson, Texas, $120.
17. (12) 9 Brent Nicholas (R), Baytown, Texas, $120.
18. (13) 18L Michael Long, Quincy, Ill., $120.
19. (18) 7g Mark Smith, Lufkin, Texas, $120.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (15 laps, top 4 advance):
1. (6) 5t Randy Timms, Wheatland, Okla.
2. (2) 15h Sam Hafertepe Jr., Sunnyville, Texas.
3. (1) 51 Tracy Denby Jr., Vidor, Texas.
4. (3) E Howard Willis, Dayton, Texas.
5. (5) 10 Kenny Battarbee (R), Houston, Texas, $120.
6. (9) 18s Cody Smith, Kaufman, Texas, $120.
7. (4) 15 Kevin Battarbee (R), Houston, Texas, $120.
8. (17) 25 John Allen, Chanute, Kan., $120.
9. (8) 14t Tristan Dycus (R), Midlothian, Texas, $120.
10. (15) 55 Kyle Anderson (R), Tomball, Texas, $120.
11. (19) 2 Grant Junghans, Manhattan, Kan., $120.
12. (14) 51 Jeff Wood, Willis, Texas, $120.
13. (10) 2 Jerry Standifer (R), Howe, Okla., $120.
14. (12) 64 Jay Sale (R), Edmond, Okla., $120.
15. (18) 8 Steve Miller, Georgetown, Texas, $120.
16. (13) 87 John Webb, Pauls Valley, Okla., $100.
17. (16) 17 Brad Lasater, Garland, Texas, $120.
18. (7) 99 Derick Grigsby, Marshall, Texas, $120.
19. (11) 8j Dustin Hyde, Texarkana, Texas, $120.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #3 (15 laps, top 4 advance):
1. (1) 74 Mark Noble, Blooming Prairie, Minn.
2. (3) 5 Steve Holzkamper, Gentry, Ark.
3. (8) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa.
4. (2) 410 Brad Doherty (R), Ennis, Texas.
5. (7) 44 Darrell Nelson, Hermantown, Minn., $120.
6. (6) 190 Shawn Stephenson (R), Howe, Texas, $120.
7. (16) 10 Kyle Schmidt, Farmington, Ark., $120.
8. (13) 5a Wes Armstrong, Marshall, Texas, $120.
9. (5) 20 Tommy Weder Jr., Woodward, Okla., $120.
10. (12) 7x Rory Jordan (R), Victoria, Texas, $120.
11. (9) 5 Jon Mitchell, Texarkana, Texas, $120.
12. (14) 20 Troy Seidl (R), Magnolia, Texas, $120.
13. (18) 23 Brandon Davis (R), Castle Rock, Colo., $120.
14. (10) 9 Shane Killingsworth (R), Dallas, Texas, $120.
15. (11) 56 David Horner, Houston, Texas, $120.
16. (15) 96 Foster Ellison III, Richwood, Texas, $100.
17. (4) 58 Nathan Bichsel (R), Amarillo, Texas, $120.
18. (17) 76 Jesse Manning, Brazoria, Texas, $100.

“A” MAIN (40 laps):
1. (10) 12 Jason Hughes, Westville, Okla., Hughes/Mullins, 40, $5,000.
2. (6) 74 Jeremy Payne, Springfield, Mo., GRT/Hatfield, 40, $3,000.
3. (4) 12h Mike Hansen, Alton, Iowa, GRT/PerfOnly, 40, $2,000.
4. (12) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo., GRT/Hatfield, 40, $1,500.
5. (9) 5w John O Whittington, Vidor, Texas, Pierce/CB, 40, $1,000.
6. (1) 111 Bumper Jones, Mesilla Park, N.M., TRE/ASI, 40, $800.
7. (3) 5r Morgan Bagley, Longview, Texas, Shaw/Rowland, 40, $700.
8. (13) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas, Hughes/Sanders, 40, $600.
9. (2) 16 Chris Henigan, Marshall, Texas, Kraft/PTS, 40, $500.
10. (18) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa, Skyrocket/Sput’s, 40, $450.
11. (16) 5t Randy Timms, Wheatland, Okla., Hughes/Mullins, 40, $400.
12. (5) 25 Scott Green, Derby, Kan., Hughes/Mullins, 40, $350.
13. (20) 5 Steve Holzkamper, Gentry, Ark., TRE/Shinook, 40, $350.
14. (17) 74 Mark Noble, Blooming Prairie, Minn., Kraft/Craft, 40, $350.
15. (19) 15h Sam Hafertepe Jr., Sunnyville, Texas, Kraft/Wells, 39, $300.
16. (11) 20r Bryan Rowland, Woodward, Okla., Skyrocket/ASI, 39, $350.
17. (25) E Howard Willis, Dayton, Texas, Evolution/Fox, 39, $350.
18. (24) 12c Corey Babbitt, Channelview, Texas, TRE/CAM, 39, $300.
19. (14) JP5 Lee Patton (R), Ruston, La., Harris/PTS, 39, $350.
20. (22) 51 Tracy Denby Jr., Vidor, Texas, DirtWorks/Harris, 39, $350.
21. (26) 410 Brad Doherty (R), Ennis, Texas, GRT/Ewell, 39, $350.
22. (23) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa, Skyrocket/Sput’s, 32, flat tire, $350.
23. (7) 85d Mark Dotson, Cameron, Mo., GRT/Hatfield, 28, throttle spring, $350.
24. (15) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla., Ramirez/Sput’s, mechanical, 27, $350.
25. (8) 89 Steven Whiteaker Jr., Corpus Christi, Texas, Hughes/Rowland, flat tire, 15, $350.
26. (21) 21 Johnny Fennewald, Appleton City, Mo., GRT/Hatfield, 10, transmission, $350.

Lap Leaders: Jones 1-12, Hughes 13-40.
Total Laps Led: Hughes 28, Jones 12.
AFCO Pole Winner: Whiteaker.
PBM Performance Products Hard Charger: Hughes (started 10th, finished 1st).
Next Race: Thursday, March 18, Creek County Speedway, Kellyville, Okla.
Points Standings: Hughes 292, Phillips 286, Payne 285, Whittington 276, Jones 259, Bagley 257, Shryock 227, Ramirez 201, Hebert 191, Holzkamper 191.
Rookie of the Year Points: Patton 175, Dycus 149, Dawson 141, Killingsworth 140, Stephenson 135, Battarbee 135, Sale 135, Gossett 135, Stephens 135, Jordan 135, Seidl 135, Standifer 135, Bischel 135, Battarbee 135, Anderson 135, Nicholas 135, Heston 135, Davis 135.
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year Points: Hatfield 28, Mullins 25, CB 20, Rowland 19, PerfOnly 17.
Chassis Builders Championship Points: GRT 28, Hughes 25, Shaw 21, Pierce 21, Skyrocket 19.

Contingency Awards:
Ai-Racing – Phillips.
American Racer – not awarded.
Eibach Springs – Jones.
Isky Racing Cams – Bagley.
KSE Racing Products – Payne.
Marsh Racing Wheels – Fennewald.
Out-Pace Racing Products – Timms.
PBM Performance Products – Hughes.
Quarter Master – Hughes, Sanders.
QuickTime – Bagley.
Real Racing Wheels – Dawson, C. Smith, Stephenson.

By Jeff Nun, USMTS
Photo compliments of USMTS

Gary Wright tops ASCS Gulf South Sprint Car feature at Houston Raceway Park

Texan Gary Wright added yet another notch to the victory column by storming to victory lane in Saturday night’s 30-lap American Sprint Car Series Gulf South feature event at Houston Raceway Park, pocketing the $3,000 winner’s share in the process.

Wright overtook pole starter Scottie McDonald for the point on the second round and never looked back in the non-stop affair, lapping all the way up to eighth in Scott Brown’s ASI-powered Lubbock Wrecker Service/Richwood Construction No. 9x Maxim.

Wright took his eighth overall ASCS checkered flag of the year and fourth in Gulf South action ahead of Travis Rilat, with Jason Johnson in the show position. Tommy Bryant was fourth, with Channin Tankersley rounding out the top five.

Current series points leader Aaron Reutzel crossed the stripe in sixth, with Eric Baldaccini, Ray Allen Kulhanek, Brandon Berryman and Larry Howery completing the top ten.

Bryant, Tankersley, Rilat and Reutzel topped heat race action for Saturday night’s 35-car field, with Ryan Hall and Jimmy Brooks winning the twin “B” Mains.

ASCS Gulf South Results from Houston Raceway Park:

Heat One (8 Laps): 1. 21T-Tommy Bryant, 2. 52-Roger Oakes, 3. 11-Jason Johnson, 4. 19-Klint Angelette, 5. 1b-Kent Lewis, Jr., 6. 2-Ray Allen Kulhanek, 7. 93-Chris Sweeney, 8. 2T-Todd Fayard, 9. 11m-Brandon Moseley.

Heat Two (8 Laps): 1. 71-Channin Tankersley, 2. 9x-Gary Wright, 3. 4-Eric Baldaccini, 4. 5m-Glenn Martin, 5. 74-Brandon Corn, 6. 1n-Bruce Crockett, 7. 5-Jack Spencer, 8. 30x-Bean Elliott, 9. 35-Greg Rilat.

Heat Three (8 Laps): 1. 29-Travis Rilat, 2. 88-Scottie McDonald, 3. 31-Brandon Berryman, 4. 87a-Andrew Marshala, 5. 79-Ryan Hall, 6. 12x-Logan Bledsoe, 7. 24-Brandie Jass, 8. 5c-Chris Buhler, 9. 3-Gary Watson.

Heat Four (8 Laps): 1. 87-Aaron Reutzel, 2. 69-Larry Howery, 3. 20-Terry Monroe, 4. 96-Rod Craddock, 5. 51-Jimmy Brooks, 6. 15T-Travis Elliott, 7. 17-Bruce Griffith, Jr., 8. 22L-Price Heffington.

First “B” Feature (12 Laps): 1. 79-Ryan Hall, 2. 93-Chris Sweeney, 3. 2T-Todd Fayard, 4. 1b-Kent Lewis, Jr., 5. 24-Brandie Jass, 6. 22L-Price Heffington, 7. 30x-Bean Elliott. DNS: 74-Brandon Corn, 3-Gary Watson.

Second “B” Feature (12 Laps): 1. 51-Jimmy Brooks, 2. 15T-Travis Elliott, 3. 35-Greg Rilat, 4. 17-Bruce Griffith, Jr., 5. 11m-Brandon Moseley, 6. 5-Jack Spencer, 7. 1n-Bruce Crockett. DNS: 5c-Chris Buhler.

“A” Feature (25 Laps): 1. 9x-Gary Wright, 2. 29-Travis Rilat, 3. 11-Jason Johnson, 4. 21T-Tommy Bryant, 5. 71-Channin Tankersley, 6. 87-Aaron Reutzel, 7. 4-Eric Baldaccini, 8. 2-Ray Allen Kulhanek, 9. 31-Brandon Berryman, 10. 69-Larry Howery, 11. 93-Chris Sweeney, 12. 19-Klint Angelette, 13. 35-Greg Rilat, 14. 12x-Logan Bledsoe, 15. 15T-Travis Elliott, 16. 51-Jimmy Brooks, 17. 87a-Andrew Marshala, 18. 52-Roger Oakes, 19. 5m-Glenn Martin, 20. 79-Ryan Hall, 21. 2T-Todd Fayard, 22. 88-Scottie McDonald, 23. 20-Terry Monroe, 24. 96-Rod Craddock.

ASCS Gulf South Region Points (Top Ten): 1. Aaron Reutzel 3,036, 2. Tommy Bryant 3,004, 3. Channin Tankersley 2,886, 4. Scottie McDonald 2,812, 5. Brandon Berryman 2,765, 6. Kent Lewis, Jr. 2,731, 7. Greg Rilat 2,703, 8. Ray Allen Kulhanek 2,555, 9. Gary Watson 2,546, 10. Jimmy Brooks 2,517.

By Lonnie Wheatley

ASCS Gulf South Sprint Cars set for one last 2009 Golden Triangle-Houston Raceway Park double

Golden Triangle Raceway Park and Houston Raceway Park are both staples on the ASCS Gulf South Regional tour. This weekend, the Beaumont and Baytown clay ovals in southeast Texas are both set to host the series for the final time in 2009.

The series takes to Beaumont’s Golden Triangle Raceway Park on Friday night for a $2,000-to-win tilt, before moving on to Baytown’s Houston Raceway Park on Saturday night for a $3,000-to-win affair.

Leading the way into the weekend is 19-year-old Clute, TX, shoe Aaron Reutzel, who has posted 17 top-ten feature runs in 20 events aboard the Motor Mike-powered No. 87 Triple-X to amass a 62-point advantage over Conroe’s Tommy Bryant.

Reutzel, who picked off his first career series win in the last stop at Beaumont on July 17, has just three race nights after this weekend’s double separating him from the 2009 series title.

Poised to pounce on any Reutzel miscues is Bryant, who has collected three Gulf South wins this season including a May 16 triumph at Golden Triangle Raceway Park.

Eighteen-year-old Channin Tankersely of Highlands, TX, is 150 points off the lead pace in third, with New Caney’s Scottie McDonald and Willis’ Kent Lewis, Jr., rounding out the current top five.

Sixth through ninth in ASCS Gulf South points are two-time champion Brandon Berryman (Missouri City), series Iron Man Greg Rilat (Texas City) and past champions Ray Allen Kulhanek (Magnolia) and Gary Watson (Beaumont), with Jimmy Brooks (College Station) in tenth.

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

Saturday marks the fourth Gulf South stop of the year at Houston Raceway Park, with Eric Baldaccini, Kulhanek and Kevin Ramey each scoring atop the Baytown clay.

Friday’s card at Golden Triangle Raceway Park is slated to get under way at 7:45 p.m., with Saturday’s action at Houston Raceway Park set to go 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.

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 set for 27 nights of racing action at eleven 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:
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:
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

ASCS Gulf South Sprint Cars set to storm Houston Raceway Park Speedway Saturday

The Speedway at Houston Raceway Park will come to life next Saturday, September 19, 2009, for the Universal Technical Institute ASCS Sprint Car Challenge. This event will mark the last time the American Sprint Car Series hits the Speedway during the 2009 racing season. The race is presented by O’Reilly Auto Parts and Mustang CAT.

The Outlaw Winged Sprints will hit Houston Raceway’s nationally recognized, ¼ mile high-banked dirt oval Speedway and battle side-by-side, wheel to wheel, at speeds in excess of 120 mph.

“The speed and excitement of the American Sprint Car Series is undeniable,” said GM, Seth Angel. “To be able to smell the dirt and feel the energy in the air from the wind gusts produced from the wings of these machines is simply awesome.”

The racing action will also include the O’Reilly Auto Parts Speedway Series classes, VP Racing Fuels Limited Modifieds and the UMP Modifieds.

The action off the track will be just as exciting as one race fan will win the role as the Honorary Starter for the night, and have the opportunity to wave the green flag in the flag stand for the ASCS Sprint Car A-Main, the night’s feature race. Additionally, Extreme Trailers of Texas will give-a-way a FREE 6’x10’ Haulmark Trailer to one lucky race fan who signs up at the Official Souvenir store located behind the main Speedway grandstand.

Race fans will also be able to walk through the manufacturer/vendor midway and visit the Official souvenir shop of Houston Raceway during the races. The Speedway “Kid Zone” will feature the largest Houston area inflatable slide along with several other Moonwalks and attractions for the kids, including a rock walk provided by the United Sates ARMY. A 20 minute fireworks show, provided by the Texas Outlaw Fireworks Company, will take place during intermission, followed by our three A-Main feature events.

For more information or to purchase discounted tickets click to www.houstonraceway.com and select the Order Tickets tab.

The Speedway at Houston Raceway Park consists of a professional-level quarter-mile high-banked dirt oval on its 450 acre site. With permanent seating for 8,000 fans, luxury corporate suites, and on-site parking for all of its events, the facility is one of the premier dirt racing destinations in the south.

Houston Raceway Park is located 25 miles east of downtown Houston off Interstate-10. Take Exit #799 (SH 99 Grand Parkway) and go South to FM 565 (1st exit). Take a right at FM 565 and Houston Raceway Park is located on your right side. The Speedway entrance is located at Gate 3.

ASCS Gulf South Sprint Cars set for another Golden Triangle Raceway Park-Houston Raceway Park double

After an off weekend to regroup, the American Sprint Car Series Gulf South Region fires back to action with the third of four scheduled Golden Triangle Raceway Park – Houston Raceway Park weekend doubles this Friday and Saturday.

Friday’s stop at Beaumont’s Golden Triangle Raceway Park, the fifth of the year, offers up $2,000 to win, while Saturday’s third event of the year at Baytown’s Houston Raceway Park includes a $3,000 winner’s share.

Leading the way into the weekend is Clute, TX, teen Aaron Reutzel, who is riding a Gulf South record streak of 13 consecutive top-ten feature finishes. While looking for his first series win, Kulhanek has built up an advantage of 74 points over Conroe’s Tommy Bryant, who added his second win of the year in the series most recent outing at Texana Raceway Park on July 4.

Former series champion Ray Allen Kulhanek, who topped the series most recent outing at Houston Raceway Park on June 20, enters the weekend just eleven points behind Bryant in third, with 18-year-old Highlands shoe Channin Tankersley and New Caney’s Scottie McDonald rounding out the current top five in points.

The balance of the current top ten in points includes two-time and defending series champion Brandon Berryman (Missouri City), Kent Lewis, Jr. (Willis), Greg Rilat (Texas City), Jimmy Brooks (College Station) and Gary Watson (Beaumont).

With 14 ASCS Gulf South events in the books thus far in 2009, nine different drivers have reached victory lane.

Friday’s card at Golden Triangle Raceway Park is slated to get under way at 7:45 p.m., with Saturday’s action at Houston Raceway Park set to go 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.

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 set for 27 nights of racing action at eleven 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:
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:
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

ASCS Gult South ready for Golden Triangle Raceway Park / Houston Raceway Park weekend double

Aaron Reutzel has already matched an American Sprint Car Series Gulf South Region record. Now, he’ll try to establish a new mark with the series’ second of four Golden Triangle Raceway Park – Houston Raceway Park weekend doubles this Friday and Saturday.

Since a twelfth place finish in the season opener at Beaumont’s Golden Triangle Raceway Park, the 19-year-old from Clute, TX, has reeled off nine consecutive top-ten feature finishes to stretch out a 73-point edge over Ray Allen Kulhanek in the ASCS Gulf South championship points chase.

That run of nine top-tens in a row matches the marks previously established by Kelly Angelette, Greg Rilat and Brandon Berryman. Angelette posted his nine in a row over the final eight evnst of 2003 and then the 2004 season opener, Rilat ran off nine in a row in 2006 while Berryman’s run came last year in his charge to a second straight title.

None of those three were successfully able to make it ten in a row, however. Reutzel will have that chance on Friday night atop Beaumont’s Golden Triangle Raceway Park before moving on to the high-banked, ¼-mile Houston Raceway Park in Baytown on Saturday night.

While Reutzel’s lead at the one-third mark is a healthy one at 73 markers, only 19 points separate the four drivers ranked from second to fifth including Kulhanek (Magnolia, TX), Tommy Bryant (Conroe, TX), Berryman (Missouri City, TX) and Channin Tankersley (Highlands, TX).

The balance of the current top ten in Gulf South points includes Scottie McDonald (New Caney, TX), Jimmy Brooks (College Station, TX), Kent Lewis, Jr. (Willis, TX), Greg Rilat (Texas City, TX) and Gary Watson (Beaumont, TX).

Gary Wright has topped two of the three Gulf South features contested at Golden Triangle this year with Tommy Bryant also taking a Beaumont win. Eric Baldaccini snared his first career ASCS win in the series’ stop at Houston Raceway Park last month.

Friday’s card offers up $2,000 to win, with Saturday’s feature winner collecting $3,000.

Friday’s card at Golden Triangle Raceway Park is slated to get under way at 7:45 p.m., with Saturday’s action at Houston Raceway Park set to go 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.

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 set for 27 nights of racing action at eleven 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:
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:
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

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