ASCoT, the month ahead

[rebelracewriter]

O'Reilly ASCoT – The Month Ahead

 

by Lonnie Wheatley

 

TULSA, Okla. (May 2, 2007) - A busy month of May looms for the O'Reilly American Sprint Cars on Tour National series with a mix of familiar clay along with some new territory for the series as the $50,000 championship points chase unfolds.

 

After an idle weekend to take in Cinco de Mayo, the series fires back to life over the next three weekends of May with seven nights of action in Oklahoma, Texas, New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia.

 

This month's action starts out on Friday night, May 11, at Oklahoma City's State Fair Speedway before traveling down the interstate the following night for an event at Devil's Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, TX.

 

From the familiar haunts of State Fair Speedway and Devil's Bowl Speedway, the series regulars hit the long road to Dundee, NY, for Black Rock Speedway's Bully Hill Vineyards New York Sprint Nationals on May 18-19.

 

The trip to Black Rock Speedway marks the series first National Tour events New York. The series will be joined by the ASCS Patriots and the ASCS Mid-Atlantic Region at Black Rock Speedway.

 

From Dundee, the series moves on to central Pennsylvania on Thursday night, May 24, for a stop at Susquehanna Speedway Park in Newberrytown. Susquehanna Speedway Park will be the 100th different racetrack to host the ASCS National Tour since its inception in 1992.

 

After the first ASCS National Tour event in Pennsylvania, the O'Reilly American Sprint Cars on Tour move on to Bill Sawyer's Virginia Motor Speedway in Saluda for the East Coast Sprint Car Nationals on May 25-26. The Saturday night finale for the Sprint Car spectacular that also includes the ASCS Southern Tour, ASCS Mid-Atlantic Region and ASCS Patriots, features a $6,000 winner's share.

 

Through the series opening ten events of the 2007 season, three-time and reigning series champion Gary Wright of Hooks, TX, has proven nearly unstoppable by finishing among the top five in all ten feature events. With ten consecutive top-five feature finishes, Wright is closing in on the series record of 16 straight top-fives that he established in 2005.

 

Wright has amassed an 81-point lead over Oklahoma City native Wayne Johnson in the championship race, with Louisiana's Jason Johnson, Oklahoma's Darren Stewart and Texan Travis Rilat all in close contention as well.

 

Foster Landon holds a narrow lead over fellow Oklahoma racer Andy Shouse in the Brodix Rookie of the Year chase, with Canadian rookie candidate Chris Schmelzle also among the top ten.

 

Johnny "Baja" Miller of Burleson, TX, enters the month of May ranked eighth, while past ASCS National champion Garry Lee Maier of Cimarron, KS, has raced his way back into the top ten.

 

Just outside the top ten is last year's Rookie of the Year, Nick Smith, who is currently ranked eleventh, with Aaron Berryhill slipping to twelfth after missing last Saturday's card at I-30 Speedway.

 

The Series:

O' Reilly American Sprint Cars on Tour (ASCoT)

 

When & Where:

Friday night, May 11 at 7:30 p.m. – State Fair Speedway (Oklahoma City, OK)

Saturday night, May 12 at 8:00 p.m. – Devil's Bowl Speedway (Mesquite, TX)

 

Friday night, May 18 at 6:45 p.m. – Black Rock Speedway (Dundee, NY)

Saturday night, May 19 at 7:00 p.m. – Black Rock Speedway (Dundee, NY)

 

Thursday night, May 24 (Time TBD) – Susquehanna Speedway Park (Newberrytown, PA)

Friday night, May 25 (Time TBD) – Virginia Motor Speedway (Saluda, VA)

Saturday night, May 26 (Time TBD) – Virginia Motor Speedway (Saluda, VA)

 

Track Information:

State Fair Speedway (Oklahoma City, OK) – 3/8-mile semi-banked clay oval located on the Oklahoma State Fair Grounds near the intersection of N.W. 10th and May Avenue. Track phone: 405-948-6796.

 

Devil’s Bowl Speedway (Mesquite, TX) – ½-mile high-banked clay oval located six miles east of Dallas’ Loop I-635 on US 80, then three miles south on Lawson Road. Track phone: 972-222-2421.

 

Black Rock Speedway (Dundee, NY) – 3/8-mile semi-banked clay oval located on the south edge of Dundee on SR 14-A, then east (at the fairgrounds). Track phone: 607-243-8686.

 

Susquehanna Speedway Park (Newberrytown, PA) – 4/10-mile semi-banked clay oval located off I-83 Exit 32, then 1.4 miles northwest on SR 382 to York Road, then 1.3 miles south. Track phone: 717-938-9170.

 

Virginia Motor Speedway (Saluda, VA) – ½-mile semi-banked clay oval located nine miles north of Saluda on State Road 17. Track phone: 804-758-1867.

 

O'Reilly ASCoT State Fair Speedway History:

 

State Fair Speedway has hosted 22 ASCS National Tour events since 1994, with 18 events in Oklahoma City since the track was reconfigured prior to the 2002 season. Gary Wright has won seven of 17 feature events since the reconfiguration, including the opening night of this year's Spring Nationals (denying Natalie Sather's bid to become the first female feature winner in ASCS history) before Oklahoma City native Wayne Johnson took top honors the second night.

 

The last time Gary Wright missed an ASCS National Tour feature event, it was at State Fair Speedway on May 9, 2003, when an accident while en route forced his absence. Since that time, Wright has racked up three series titles and has competed in 141 consecutive ASCS National Tour events as he closes in on Toby Brown's record of 212 consecutive events.

 

Jason Johnson, winner of the final two ASCoT events in April, topped three of four National Tour events in Oklahoma City last year.

 

State Fair Speedway ASCS National winners include: Gary Wright 9, Jason Johnson 3, Kevin Ramey 2, Zach Chappell 1, Tommie Estes, Jr. 1, Wayne Johnson 1, Wayne Pennington 1, Travis Rilat 1, Darren Stewart 1, Shane Stewart 1, Danny Wood 1.

 

State Fair Speedway O’Reilly ASCoT Race-by-race Winners: Gary Wright (10/13/94), Tommie Estes, Jr. (5/26/96), Gary Wright (8/11/96), Zach Chappell (7/21/01), Wayne Pennington (5/17/02), Kevin Ramey (6/28/02), Gary Wright (8/23/02), Travis Rilat (5/9/03), Shane Stewart (6/1/03), Gary Wright (6/27/03), Gary Wright (8/1/03), Danny Wood (6/25/04), Gary Wright (7/30/04), Kevin Ramey (5/20/05), Darren Stewart (6/24/05), Gary Wright (7/29/05), Jason Johnson (3/24/06), Jason Johnson (3/25/06), Gary Wright (6/23/06), Jason Johnson (7/14/06), Gary Wright (3/23/07), Wayne Johnson (3/24/07).

 

O'Reilly ASCoT Devil's Bowl History:

 

Devil's Bowl Speedway has been hosting the O’Reilly ASCS National Tour since 1994, with 19 different drivers scoring at least one victory in 45 feature events. Gary Wright has claimed 14 of his 110 career ASCS National wins at Devil’s Bowl, including an ASCS Speedweek win in 2006.

 

Wayne Johnson claimed this year's Spring Nationals preliminary feature win to run his ASCS National win total to four, next on the charts after Wright's 14 wins. With three wins apiece are Danny Jennings, who reeled off his wins in '05, and Kevin Ramey, who doubled up with Spring and Summer Nationals wins last year.

 

Devil’s Bowl ASCS National winners include: Gary Wright 14, Wayne Johnson 4, Danny Jennings 3, Kevin Ramey 3, Shane Carson 2, Terry Gray 2, Jason Johnson 2, Garry Lee Maier 2, Mike Peters 2, Travis Rilat 2, Sammy Swindell 2, Tim Crawley 1, Edd French 1, Johnny Herrera 1, Larry Neighbors 1, Alan Payne 1, Jake Peters 1, Shane Stewart 1, Mike Ward 1.

 

Devil’s Bowl O’Reilly ASCoT Race-by-race Winners: Shane Carson (6/21/94), Alan Payne (5/12/95), Mike Ward (7/23/95), Mike Peters (9/1/95), Sammy Swindell (9/2/95), Sammy Swindell (9/3/95), Wayne Johnson (6/18/96), Terry Gray (7/6/96), Terry Gray (11/1/96), Johnny Herrera (11/2/96), Shane Carson (4/5/97), Wayne Johnson (6/18/97), Edd French (10/31/97), Mike Peters (11/1/97), Gary Wright (6/19/98), Gary Wright (10/3/98), Garry Lee Maier (10/4/98), Gary Wright (7/8/99), Garry Lee Maier (7/30/99), Gary Wright (10/1/99), Gary Wright (10/2/99), Gary Wright (7/21/00), Gary Wright (10/6/00), Larry Neighbors (4/20/01), Gary Wright (7/20/01), Gary Wright (10/6/01), Travis Rilat (4/19/02), Jason Johnson (6/7/02), Wayne Johnson (10/4/02), Gary Wright (10/5/02), Kevin Ramey (4/18/03), Tim Crawley (10/17/03), Gary Wright (10/18/03), Shane Stewart (10/23/04), Danny Jennings (3/18/05), Danny Jennings (3/19/05), Danny Jennings (6/9/05), Gary Wright (10/21/05), Gary Wright (10/22/05), Kevin Ramey (6/24/06 – Spring Nationals makeup feature), Kevin Ramey (6/24/06 – Summer Nationals), Gary Wright (7/13/06), Jason Johnson (10/13/06), Travis Rilat (10/14/06), Wayne Johnson (3/16/07), Jake Peters (3/17/07).

 

O’Reilly ASCoT Black Rock Speedway History:

 

It's new territory for the O'Reilly American Sprint Cars on Tour with the series first venture into New York for Black Rock Speedway's Bull Hill Vineyards Sprint Car Nationals. New York will become the 20th different state the ASCS National Tour has competed in.

 

Black Rock Speedway will be the second of eleven new tracks the series is slated to visit this year. Gary Wright was victorious in last month's first-time visit to Magnolia Motor Speedway in Columbus, MS. It was the 17th time Wright reached victory lane in the series' first visit to a track.

 

Last year, Wright was shut out in a handful of first outings at new venues. Nick Smith scored a pair of wins in the series first visits to Poplar Bluff and Virginia Motor Speedway, with Jason Johnson and Pennsylvania shoe Dave Ely also victorious at new sites.

 

There will be plenty of local and Regional talent to take on the traveling ASCoT troops including the likes of past ASCS Patriot champions Chuck Hebing, Bryan Howland and George Suprick along with a plethora of Patriot and Mid-Atlantic Region contenders.

 

Black Rock Speedway O'Reilly ASCoT Race-by-Race Winners: None – first event.

 

O’Reilly ASCoT Susquehanna Speedway Park History:

 

After two nights in New York, it's on to Pennsylvania for the first time in series' history, as Susquehanna Speedway Park becomes the 100th different venue to host the ASCS National Tour since 1992.

 

Etters, PA, racer Pat Cannon topped the inaugural ASCS Mid-Atlantic Region event on April 22 at Susquehanna Speedway Park, the hub of the all-new ASCS Mid-Atlantic Region, with 20-year-old Lucas Wolfe a winner in Local Mid-Atlantic action a week later.

 

Jason Johnson returns to the track at which he scored an April 2005 victory as a member of the Pennsylvania Posse before rejoining forces with Texas car owner Lanny Row in 2006 for the opportunity to chase down $50,000 championships with the O'Reilly American Sprint Cars on Tour. Last year's effort came up just 30 points short.

 

Again, the National shoes will be faced with a strong contingent of Mid-Atlantic and Patriot competitors.

 

Susquehanna Speedway Park O'Reilly ASCoT Race-by-Race Winners: None – first event.

 

O’Reilly ASCoT Virginia Motor Speedway History:

 

Last year, Nick Smith outdueled Jason Johnson and Jesse Hockett en route to victory lane in the series first stop at Bill Sawyer's Virginia Motor Speedway. Smith went on to claim Rookie of the Year honors.

 

This year, the stakes have been upped with $6,000 on the line for the East Coast Sprint Car Nationals that finds the O'Reilly American Sprint Cars on Tour National series in conjunction with the ASCS Southern Tour, ASCS Mid-Atlantic Region and the ASCS Patriots.

 

Kenny Adams, who recently tossed his hat into the ring for ASCS Southern Tour championship honors, scored an April 28 win at VMS when the Southern Tour faced off with the Mid-Atlantic Region. The Florida hotshoe is expected to take in the entire swing through the northeast, including the events at Black Rock and Susquehanna that lead into the Virginia Motor Speedway double.

 

Virginia Motor Speedway ASCS National winners include: Nick Smith 1.

 

Virginia Motor Speedway O'Reilly ASCoT Race-by-Race Winners: Nick Smith (5/27/06).

 

Current O’Reilly ASCoT Points (After 10 of 46 Nights):

 

Top Fifteen: 1. Gary Wright (Hooks, TX) 1,163, 2. Wayne Johnson (Oklahoma City, OK) 1,082, 3. Jason Johnson (Eunice, LA) 1,059, 4. Darren Stewart (Bixby, OK) 1,047, 5. Travis Rilat (Forney, TX) 1,033, 6. Foster Landon (Collinsville, OK) 919, 7. Andy Shouse (Oklahoma City, OK) 898, 8. Johnny Miller (Burleson, TX) 860, 9. Garry Lee Maier (Cimarron, KS) 766, 10. Chris Schmelzle (Victoria, BC) 741, 11. Nick Smith (Broken Arrow, OK) 682, 12. Aaron Berryhill (Broken Arrow, OK) 664, 13. Chuck Swenson (Watertown, SD) 654, 14. Gavin Punch (Collinsville, OK) 542, 15. Kenneth Walker (Collinsville, OK) 516.

 

Top Ten Owners Points: 1. Wright #9 - 1,163, 2. H&H Enterprises #94 – 1,082, 3. Row #41 – 1,059, 4. Sparks #91 – 1,047, 5. Rilat #29 – 1,033, 6. Landon Racing #11F – 919, 7. Shouse #27 – 898, 8. Downing #64J – 860, 9. Lubbock Wrecker Service #11x – 766, 10. Schmelzle Racing #57c – 741.

 

2007 O’Reilly ASCoT Feature Winners:

 

Gary Wright 4, Jason Johnson 2, Wayne Johnson 2, Terry McCarl 1, Jake Peters 1.

 

ASCoT in June:

June 16 Crawford County Speedway (Denison, IA)

June 19 I-90 Speedway (Hartford, SD)

June 20 North Central Speedway (Brainerd, MN)

June 23 Dakota State Fair Speedway (Huron, SD)

June 30 Lucas Oil Speedway (Wheatland, MO)

 

The O'Reilly American Sprint Cars on Tour National series is currently slated for 46 nights of racing action at 24 different tracks throughout 16 different states, with more than $1,000,000 in purse money and point fund to be distributed during the 2007 season.

 

The 2007 season marks the 16th year of sanctioning Sprint Car racing for the American Sprint Car Series. With 13 different Regions in addition to the O'Reilly American Sprint Cars on Tour National series, ASCS will sanction approximately 240 nights of racing at more than 100 different race tracks throughout at least 30 different states and Canada.

 

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