Kulhanek grabs ASCS Gulf South win at HRP

[rebelracewriter]

Kulhanek Claims ASCS Gulf South Honors at Houston Raceway Park

 

Lonnie Wheatley, BAYTOWN, Tex. (September 30, 2006) Defending American Sprint Car Series Gulf South Region champion Ray Allen Kulhanek kept his slight chance at a second consecutive crown alive by scoring his second win of the season in Saturday night's 25-lap feature at Houston Raceway Park.

 

 

Kulhanek battled past Channin Tankersley on the sixth round then fought off the 15-year-old the rest of the way to post his seventh career ASCS Gulf South Region feature win aboard James Parker's Iron Head Fabrication No. 41 Eagle.

 

 

Tankersley gunned into the early lead from his pole starting position but soon succumbed to fourth-starter Kulhanek. Kulhanek beat Tankersley to the stripe, while Kevin Ramey outdueled Skip Wilson for the show position.

 

 

Lane Whittington rounded out the top five, with Tommy Bryant earning the event's Hard Charger honors by racing from 22nd to sixth. Eric Baldaccini climbed from 21st to seventh, with Kent Lewis, Jr., current series point leader Gary Watson and George White completing the top ten.

 

 

With the triumph, Kulhanek closed to within 31 points of Watson in the championship points chase. Watson can secure the title with a finish of 15th or better in the series season finale at Pike County Speedway in Magnolia, MS, on October 14.

 

 

Tankersley, Whittington, Greg Rilat and Kulhanek topped heat race action for Saturday night's 37-car field, with Brandon Berryman winning the "B" Main.

 

 

Andy McElhannon's night was cut short with a hard crash into the backstretch wall during "B" Main action, while Tim Jones' night ended before it started with a flip in hot laps. There were no injuries.

 

 

ASCS Gulf South Region Results:

 

 

First Heat (8 Laps): 1. 71-Channin Tankersley, 2. 5e-Brandon Erwin, 3. 1n-Bruce Crockett, 4. 21T-Kent Lewis, Jr., 5. 22-Koby Barksdale, 6. 12m-Tommy Bryant, 7. 20-Richard Holt, 8. 12-Trey Schmidt, 9. 21-Butch David. DNS: 9r-Tim Jones.

 

 

Second Heat (8 Laps): 1. 9-Lane Whittington, 2. 1s-George White, 3. 11p-Preston Peebles II, 4. 51-Wes Miller, 5. 31-Brandon Berryman, 6. b4-Eric Baldaccini, 7. 0-Andy McElhannon, 8. 4J-Jamie Will, 9. 10-Larry Hartwell.

 

 

Third Heat (8 Laps): 1. 35-Greg Rilat, 2. 88-Scottie McDonald, 3. 3-Gary Watson, 4. 70-Anthony Reeves, 5. L23-Rodney Brown, 6. 51-Jimmy Brooks, 7. 74-Brandon Corn, 8. 22L-Kent Lewis, Sr., 9. 17c-Greg Coleman.

 

 

Fourth Heat (8 Laps): 1. 41-Ray Allen Kulhanek, 2. 7m-Kevin Ramey, 3. 65-Skip Wilson, 4. 35x-Brad Best, 5. 13m-Kathryne Minter, 6. 55-A.J. Weaver, 7. 6s-Steven Padgett, 8. 21b-Brandi Miller, 9. 71-Tim Simmons.

 

 

"B" Feature (12 Laps): 1. 31-Brandon Berryman, 2. 51-Jimmy Brooks, 3. b4-Eric Baldaccini, 4. 12m-Tommy Bryant, 5. 4J-Jamie Will, 6. 13m-Kathryne Minter, 7. 6s-Steven Padgett, 8. 0-Andy McElhannon, 9. 74-Brandon Corn, 10. 17c-Greg Coleman, 11. 12-Trey Schmidt, 12. 21b-Brandi Miller, 13. 22L-Kent Lewis, Sr., 14. 10-Larry Hartwell, 15. 20-Richard Holt, 16. 55-A.J. Weaver, 17. 71-Tim Simmons, 18. 21-Butch David. DNS: 9r-Tim Jones.

 

 

"A" Feature (25 Laps): 1. 41-Ray Allen Kulhanek, 2. 71-Channin Tankersley, 3. 7m-Kevin Ramey, 4. 65-Skip Wilson, 5. 9-Lane Whittington, 6. 12m-Tommy Bryant, 7. b4-Eric Baldaccini, 8. 21T-Kent Lewis, Jr., 9. 3-Gary Watson, 10. 1s-George White, 11. 35x-Brad Best, 12. 51-Wes Miller, 13. 5e-Brandon Erwin, 14. 4J-Jamie Will, 15. 1n-Bruce Crockett, 16. 13m-Kathryne Minter, 17. 22-Koby Barksdale, 18. 31-Brandon Berryman, 19. 70-Anthony Reeves, 20. 51-Jimmy Brooks, 21. 11p-Preston Peebles II, 22. 35-Greg Rilat, 23. L23-Rodney Brown, 24. 88-Scottie McDonald.

 

 

ASCS Gulf South Region Points (Top Ten): 1. Gary Watson 2,448, 2. Ray Allen Kulhanek 2,417, 3. Greg Rilat 2,398, 4. Lane Whittington 2,215, 5. Larry Hartwell 2,063, 6. Kent Lewis, Jr. 1,954, 7. Richard Holt 1,922, 8. Brandon Berryman 1,574, 9. Skip Wilson 1,446, 10. Tommy Bryant 1,365.