Johnny Miller takes ASCS Gulf South go @ Houston Raceway Park

[rebelracewriter]

Johnny "Baja" Miller Breaks Through for ASCS Gulf South Win at HRP

 

by Lonnie Wheatley

 

Baytown, TX (May 19, 2007) - After knocking on the door numerous times over the past couple of seasons, Johnny "Baja" Miller finally scored his first American Sprint Car Series feature win by topping Saturday night's 25-lap Sixth Annual Ronald Laney Classic for the ASCS Gulf South Region at Houston Raceway Park.

 

And even though he officially led all the way, Miller had to work for the win aboard Jamie Downing's Tim's Engines Fort Worth Lumber/Smiley's Racing Products No. 64J Maxim.

 

Starting from the pole, Miller outgunned Jimmy Brooks for the point at the drop of the green. But Brooks, Brandon Berryman and Ray Allen Kulhanek kept the pressure on during the opening circuits.

 

Brooks slid back after half-dozen rounds, with Berryman and Kulhanek continuing their pursuit of Miller. But even after Channin Tankersley dumped his mount in turn one in vicious fashion after climbing Berryman's left rear while dicing for third on the 20th round, Miller was not to be denied.

 

Miller took the checkered flag in front of Berryman and Kulhanek, while Greg Rilat outdueled 17th-starter Chris Sweeney over the final handful of laps for fourth.

 

Skip Wilson was sixth, with Wes Miller, Larry Hartwell, Gary Watson and Jamie Will completing the top ten.

 

Brooks, Miller, Kelly Angelette and Eric Baldaccini topped heat race action for the 31-car field, with Sweeney acing the "B" Main.

 

ASCS Gulf South Region Results from Houston Raceway Park:

 

Heat One: 1. 51-Jimmy Brooks, 2. 9-Lane Whittington, 3. 14e-Todd Evans, 4. 12m-Tommy Bryant, 5. 70-Anthony Reaves, 6. 93-Chris Sweeney, 7. 22L-Kent Lewis, Sr., 8. 15-Brad Stokes.

 

Heat Two: 1. 64J-Johnny Miller, 2. 41-Ray Allen Kulhanek, 3. 71-Channin Tankersley, 4. 65-Skip Wilson, 5. 5-John Pate, 6. 21b-Brandi Miller, 7. 4J-Jamie Will, 8. 55-A.J. Weaver.

 

Heat Three: 1. 11-Kelly Angelette, 2. 35-Greg Rilat, 3. 51-Wes Miller, 4. 20-Richard Holt, 5. L23-Landon Brown, 6. 96-Rod Craddock. DNS: 14b-Robert Byrom, 13m-Kathryne Minter.

 

Heat Four: 1. b4-Eric Baldaccini, 2. 31-Brandon Berryman, 3. 21T-Kent Lewis, Jr., 4. 11-Tommy Jones, 5. 10-Larry Hartwell, 6. 3-Gary Watson. DNS: 69h-Larry Howery.

 

Pole Dash: 1. 64J-Johnny Miller, 2. 51-Jimmy Brooks, 3. 31-Brandon Berryman, 4. b4-Eric Baldaccini, 5. 11-Kelly Angelette, 6. 35-Greg Rilat

 

"B" Feature: 1. 93-Chris Sweeney, 2. L23-Landon Brown, 3. 5-John Pate, 4. 3-Gary Watson, 5. 4J-Jamie Will, 6. 22L-Kent Lewis, Sr., 7. 13m-Kathryne Minter, 8. 15-Brad Stokes, 9. 96-Rod Craddock, 10. 21b-Brandi Miller. DNS: 55-A.J. Weaver, 14b-Robert Byrom, 69h-Larry Howery.

 

"A" Feature (25 Laps): 1. 64J-Johnny Miller, 2. 31-Brandon Berryman, 3. 41-Ray Allen Kulhanek, 4. 35-Greg Rilat, 5. 93-Chris Sweeney, 6. 65-Skip Wilson, 7. 51-Wes Miller, 8. 10-Larry Hartwell, 9. 3-Gary Watson, 10. 4J-Jamie Will, 11. 20-Richard Holt, 12. 51-Jimmy Brooks, 13. L23-Landon Brown, 14. 5-John Pate, 15. 22L-Kent Lewis, Sr., 16. 70-Anthony Reaves, 17. 71-Channin Tankersley, 18. 12m-Tommy Bryant, 19. 14e-Todd Evans, 20. 21T-Kent Lewis, Jr., 21. 11-Kelly Angelette, 22. 11-Tommy Jones, 23. b4-Eric Baldaccini, 24. 9-Lane Whittington.

 

ASCS Gulf South Region Points (Top Ten): 1. Johnny Miller 436, 2. Brandon Berryman 424, 3. Skip Wilson 414, 4. Ray Allen Kulhanek 412, 5. Greg Rilat 408, 6. Gary Watson 398, 7. Chris Sweeney 396, 8. Kent Lewis, Jr. 386, 9. Eric Baldaccini 380, 10. Jimmy Brooks 376.