ASCS Gulf South vs Sooner shootout @ HOT Spwy.

[rebelracewriter]

Gulf South vs Sooner Region, ASCS Shootout @ Heart O’ Texas Speedway 7/21/06

By J M Hallas

 

Johnson continues hot streak at HOT Speedway

Louisiana’s Jason Johnson, fresh off an impressive ASCoT Speedweek tour used that momentum at Heart O’ Texas Speedway Friday night to score another victory. Johnson worked his way up from row three, took over the lead on lap 12 and survived a close call in traffic on his way to the win on the 1/4 mile high-banked clay track just north of Waco.

 

The fastest 20 of 37 sprinters took the green for 25 lap A-main event led to green by Gary Watson and defending Gulf South Region champion, Ray Allen Kulhanek. Watson was first into turn 1 with Kulhanek and current Sooner Region Points leader, Sean McClelland wheel to wheel for second. After getting by Kulhanek, McClelland quickly was on Watson for the lead while J. Johnson got by Kulhanek for third.

 

The top four had just started to pull away when Sam Hafertepe jr spun in turn 4. Brad Best would spin behind Hafertepe as the yellow waved. Watson held steady on the restart with Travis Rilat going by Kevin Ramey for seventh. The top three of Watson, McClelland and J. Johnson ran nose to tail while building a lead over Kulhanek, Lane Whittington, current Gulf South points leader Greg Rilat and T. Rilat.

 

On lap 6 Johnson tried the high side, with McClelland trying the low side as they battled almost three wide for the lead on the back stretch. McClelland got the lead in turn 3 with Watson getting turned around and collecting Kulhanek in turn 4 to bring out the caution. On the restart, Skip Wilson drove over the back of Derek Cottrell sending both around in turn 1. The next try saw Ty Johnson get into the back of Kent Lewis jr., break the front suspension and roll to a stop on track.

 

Finally back under green, McClelland inched away from J. Johnson who lost a little ground out of turn 2. McClelland and J. Johnson then put some distance on the field as they motored away. J. Johnson took a look on the high side on lap 8, but McClelland held him off. The two were side by side on lap 9, but again McClelland hung on to the point.

 

In the pack Ramey was using the high groove to his advantage as he battled with the brothers Rilat for fourth. J. Johnson was able to wrestle the lead away from McClelland on lap 12, while Ramey, still trucking on top, got by Whittington for third. At the crossed flags it was J. Johnson, McClelland, Ramey, Whittington and G. Rilat in the top five.

 

The yellow waved on lap 13 when T. Rilat battling with his brother Greg clipped an infield tire and broke the front end in turn 3. On green, J. Johnson was easily out to four car lengths on McClelland who had Ramey tied his rear nerf bar. Hafertepe was trying to work his back up after his early spin, using the high side to get by G. Rilat for fifth on lap 14. Johnny Miller then moved in on G. Rilat with the two wheel to wheel for sixth.

 

Once clear of G. Rilat, Miller then caught and passed Hafertepe for fourth. With J. Johnson setting sail up front and building a huge lead, the focus shifted to the hotly contested battle for third between Whittington, Miller and Hafertepe, with Hafertepe getting the spot back from Miller on lap 20.

 

J. Johnson caught lap traffic on lap 22 giving McClelland the chance to reel him in. The lead was down to car lengths on lap 23 and as the white waved, McClelland was on J. Johnson’s tail as Johnson tried to get by the slower car of Sherman Davis. McClelland jumped to high side of J. Johnson on the back stretch, but J. Johnson made a dive bomb slide job on Davis in turn 3 on the low side. As J. Johnson, in the Wesmar powered Maxim Chassis, came out of turn 4, he clipped the front of Davis’s car but held on the take the victory over McClelland.

 

“You’ve got to be patient when you start fifth like that,” stated Johnson. “You kind of bide your time. As the race went on everyone kind of slowed down a bit and started to slide off the bottom. When they start doing that you just try to keep your momentum up and roll around them on the outside. Towards the end we had a close call. I was kind of pacing myself and looking back to see where Sean(McClelland) was. I really didn’t want to get into those lap cars. Unfortunately the lap car got a little sideways and we got together, but luckily we got by him.”

“Our momentum coming of Speedweeks definately helped us,” Johnson added. We’ve got our confidence up right now. I’ve got my wrench guy, Wayne Purdy with me. He helps me out day in, day out on my ASCoT car. We’re lucky that when we get the opportunity to drive for Marvin and Peggy(Pearson) that Wayne gets to come along. We communicate really well and that helps up win races. Marvin and Peggy pretty much run their own team. We get some help from Custom Equipment Design and Racediecast.com helps with the tires.”

 

 

ASCS “A” Feature results (25 Laps): 1. 11-Jason Johnson, 2. 1-Sean McClelland, 3. 7m-Kevin Ramey, 4. 15-Sam Hafertepe, Jr., 5. 9-Lane Whittington, 6. 64J-Johnny Miller, 7. 35-Greg Rilat, 8. 10x-Brian McClelland, 9. 59-Dex Eaton, 10. 11F-Foster Landon, 11. 35x-Brad Best, 12. 65-Skip Wilson, 13. 21T-Kent Lewis, Jr., 14. 41-Ray Allen Kulhanek, 15. 72-Sherman Davis, 16. 25-Derek Cottrell, 17. 74e-Claud Estes, 18. 29-Travis Rilat, 19. 49-Ty Johnson, 20. 3-Gary Watson.

 

First "B" Feature (12 Laps): 1. 11F-Foster Landon, 2. 64J-Johnny Miller, 3. 10x-Brian McClelland, 4. 99-Justin Melton, 5. 16$-Eddie Ramsey, 6. 10-Larry Hartwell, 7. 20-Richard Holt, 8. 74-Brandon Corn, 9. 45-J.P. Bailey, 10. 21b-Brandi Miller, 11. 12m-Tommy Bryant, 12. 76-John Ricketts.

Second "B" Feature (12 Laps): 1. 65-Skip Wilson, 2. 49-Ty Johnson, 3. 72-Sherman Davis, 4. 15b-Michael Brown, 5. b9-Earnest Mayfield, 6. b4-Eric Baldaccini, 7. 55d-David Doyle, 8. 13m-Kathryne Minter, 9. 02y-Harry Yerrington, 10. 23-Jimmy Taylor, 11. 69h-Larry Howery.

 

Heat winners; Greg Rilat, Claud Estes, Ray Allen Kulhanek, Sean McClelland and Lane Whittington.

 

ASCS Gulf South Region Points (Top Ten): 1. Greg Rilat 1,550, 2. Gary Watson 1,498, 3. Ray Allen Kulhanek 1,463, 4. Lane Whittington 1,411, 5. Larry Hartwell 1,270, 6. Chris Sweeney 1,177, 7. Richard Holt 1,176, 8. Kent Lewis, Jr. 1,014, 9. Channin Tankersley 998, 10. Stephen Chevallier 916.

American Bank of Oklahoma ASCS Sooner Region Points (Top Ten): 1. Sean McClelland 1,306, 2. Sam Hafertepe, Jr. 1,274, 3. Kevin Ramey 1,252, 4. Brian McClelland 1,121, 5. J.P. Bailey 1,047, 6. Johnny Miller 1,043, 7. Dex Eaton 1,005, 8. 23-Jimmy Taylor 990, 9. Justin Melton 946, 10. Derek Cottrell 883.