rebelracewriter Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 O'Reilly ASCoT National Series Reaches Milestone on Saturday Night Lonnie Wheatley, TULSA, Okla. (July 12, 2007) – When the O'Reilly American Sprint Cars on Tour National series kicks off its 15th Annual ASCS Sizzlin' Summer Speedweek at Little Rock's I-30 Speedway this Saturday night, it will mark a significant milestone in series history. After countless miles traversed over the past fifteen-plus years, Saturday night's event will come to fruition with the 500th feature event contested in ASCS National Tour history. And it could hardly be at a more appropriate venue than I-30 Speedway, as the series comes full circle by returning to the track that hosted the first "official" ASCS National Tour feature event on May 15, 1993, when Memphis shoe Mike Ward beat Garry Lee Maier and John Hunt to the checkered flag. While Ward won't be able to compete for victory honors in the series 500th feature event, the familiar No. 88 car will most definitely be in the mix as three-time ASCS National champion Tim Crawley fills the seat while Ward recovers from recent back surgery. Should Saturday's card fall victim to weather, the honor of hosting the 500th ASCS National Tour feature event would fall to an equally appropriate venue, with Creek County Speedway in Sapulpa, OK, next on the docket on Monday night, July 16. Creek County Speedway was the original home-track of the American Sprint Car Series when Emmett Hahn founded the fledgling organization in 1992. Things have changed drastically from those initial steps, when little more than a dozen or so cars competed in the initial events at Creek County Speedway. Signs of future growth were apparent early on though when the first ASCS Speedweek event held at Creek County Speedway on June 20, 1993, attracted a whopping 50 entries. Since that time, the American Sprint Car Series has grown by leaps and bounds, with a dozen Regions around the country now supplementing the ASCS National Tour. Last year, more than 850 different drivers competed in at least one ASCS event, a number that will most surely be exceeded this year. Along the way, the O'Reilly ASCS National Tour, now dubbed the O'Reilly American Sprint Cars on Tour National series, has competed at 106 different tracks throughout 22 different states, including Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. With 499 ASCS National Tour features in the books, 83 drivers have posted at least one win along the way. Leading the way by a large margin is three-time and reigning series champion Gary Wright of Hooks, TX, with 114 wins in his 324 feature starts. A distant second on the list is Garry Lee Maier of Cimarron, KS, with 37 wins, followed by Tim Crawley of Benton, AR, with 36 wins. Wright is currently embroiled in a three-way battle for the series $50,000 championship with Oklahoma City native Wayne Johnson and Eunice, Louisiana's Jason Johnson. Jason Johnson is fifth on the career ASCS National Tour win charts with 26 triumphs, with Wayne Johnson next in line with 23 wins. Saturday night's opening leg of the 15th Annual ASCS Sizzlin' Summer Speedweek, the 500th event in ASCS National Tour history, at Little Rock's I-30 Speedway gets under way at 7:30 p.m. Ensuing rounds of ASCS Speedweek are at Creek County Speedway (Sapulpa, OK) on July 16, Devil's Bowl Speedway (Mesquite, TX) on July 19, Oklahoma City's State Fair Speedway on July 20 and Lawton (OK) Speedway on July 21. The Series: O’Reilly American Sprint Cars on Tour (ASCoT) When & Where: 15th Annual ASCS Sizzlin' Summer Speedweek: Round 1 – Saturday night, July 14 at 7:30 p.m. – I-30 Speedway (Little Rock, AR) Round 2 – Monday night, July 16 at 7:30 p.m. – Creek County Speedway (Sapulpa, OK) Round 3 – Thursday night, July 19 at 8:00 p.m. – Devil's Bowl Speedway (Mesquite, TX) Round 4 – Friday night, July 20 at 7:30 p.m. – State Fair Speedway (Oklahoma City, OK) Round 5- Saturday night, July 21 at 8:00 p.m. – Lawton Speedway (Lawton, OK) Track Information: I-30 Speedway (Little Rock, AR) – ¼-mile high-banked clay oval located seven miles southwest of Little Rock off I-30 Exit 126 (Alexander exit), then south to frontage road, then east. For more information, contact the track at 501-455-4567. Creek County Speedway (Sapulpa, OK) – ¼-mile semi-banked dirt oval located southwest of Tulsa, OK, off I-44 Exit 211, then 0.3 miles south on State Road 33, then one mile west on State Road 66, then south. For more information, contact the track at 918-247-6675. 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. 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. Lawton Speedway (Lawton, OK) – ¼-mile semi-banked clay oval located off I-44 Exit 36, then 2.5 miles west on Lee Boulevard, then 1.4 miles south on Sheridan Road. For more information, contact the track at 580-355-6417. O’Reilly ASCoT I-30 Speedway History: A staple of the ASCS National Tour, I-30 Speedway hosted the first official ASCS National Tour event on May 15, 1993, with Memphis shoe Mike Ward dropping in on victory lane. Since that time, a dozen different drivers have posted at least one ASCS National Tour feature win in the 32 events contested at I-30. Gary Wright has enjoyed the most success at I-30 with nine triumphs, his most recent one coming in July of 2005. Last year, Jason Johnson's magical season included an I-30 triumph in O'Reilly ASCoT action as well as a $15,000 score in October's Short Track Nationals at I-30 Speedway. Johnson also topped this year's previous stop at I-30 Speedway on April 28. With I-30 Speedway hosting its ninth ASCS Speedweek event, the July 14 event will be the 500th ASCS National Tour feature event in series history. I-30 Speedway ASCS National winners include: Gary Wright 9, Garry Lee Maier 4, Tim Crawley 3, Terry Gray 3, Mike Ward 3, Jason Johnson 2, Wayne Johnson 2, Travis Rilat 2, Pete Butler 1, Ricky Logan 1, Eric Sandage 1, Shane Stewart 1. Past Speedweek Winners at I-30 Speedway: Tim Crawley (1993), Garry Lee Maier (1994), Gary Wright (1995), Garry Lee Maier (1996), Gary Wright (1997), Terry Gray (1998), Travis Rilat (2004), Tim Crawley (2005). I-30 Speedway O’Reilly ASCoT Race-by-Race Winners: Mike Ward (5/15/93), Tim Crawley (6/24/93), Terry Gray (7/17/93), Garry Lee Maier (6/18/94), Garry Lee Maier (8/13/94), Terry Gray (5/20/95), Ricky Logan (6/24/95), Gary Wright (7/15/95), Mike Ward (5/18/96), Garry Lee Maier (6/15/96), Garry Lee Maier (8/3/96), Mike Ward (5/17/97), Gary Wright (6/14/97), Wayne Johnson (9/26/97), Wayne Johnson (9/27/97), Gary Wright (5/16/98), Terry Gray (6/13/98), Eric Sandage (8/25/01), Pete Butler (6/22/02), Gary Wright (7/13/02), Gary Wright (9/21/02), Gary Wright (6/21/03), Tim Crawley (7/12/03), Shane Stewart (9/6/03), Gary Wright (6/5/04), Travis Rilat (7/10/04), Gary Wright (8/28/04), Tim Crawley (6/11/05), Gary Wright (7/9/05), Travis Rilat (10/1/05), Jason Johnson (7/29/06), Jason Johnson (4/28/07). O’Reilly ASCoT Creek County Speedway History: The American Sprint Car Series started out with Creek County Speedway as its home track way back in 1992. The site of the first ever Speedweek event in 1993, it marks the second consecutive year at Creek County Speedway after returning to the Speedweek slate in 2006 and tenth overall Speedweek event. 2004 Speedweek champ Tim Crawley had won the last three ASCS National Tour events held at Creek County Speedway until last year's return to the bullring in which Jason Johnson stole the win from Darren Stewart with a last-corner pass. Creek County Speedway ASCS National winners include: Tim Crawley 3, Gary Wright 3, Pete Butler 1, Phil Gressman 1, John Hunt 1, Jason Johnson 1, Wayne Johnson 1, Garry Lee Maier 1, Mike Ward 1, Danny Wood 1. Past Speedweek Winners at Creek County Speedway: Mike Ward (1993), John Hunt (1993), Garry Lee Maier (1994), Gary Wright (1995), Wayne Johnson (1996), Phil Gressman (1998), Tim Crawley (1999), Tim Crawley (2000), Jason Johnson (2006). Creek County Speedway O’Reilly ASCoT Race-by-Race Winners: Mike Ward (6/20/93), John Hunt (6/25/93), Garry Lee Maier (6/25/94), Gary Wright (10/14/94), Gary Wright (7/16/95), Danny Wood (10/8/95), Wayne Johnson (6/16/96), Gary Wright (7/31/97), Pete Butler (8/31/97), Phil Gressman (6/16/98), Tim Crawley (5/30/99), Tim Crawley (7/25/99), Tim Crawley (7/18/00), Jason Johnson (7/9/06). 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 47 feature events. Gary Wright has claimed 15 of his 114 career ASCS National wins at Devil’s Bowl. Four of his 22 career ASCS Speedweek wins have come at Devil's Bowl, including triumphs in 1998, 2000, 2001 and 2006. Wayne Johnson claimed this year's Spring Nationals preliminary feature win to run his ASCS National win total at "Da Bowl" to four, next on the charts after Wright's 15 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. This year marks the 12th time for Devil's Bowl Speedway to host ASCS Speedweek. Devil’s Bowl ASCS National winners include: Gary Wright 15, 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. Past Speedweek Winners at Devil's Bowl Speedway: Shane Carson (1994), Mike Ward (1995), Wayne Johnson (1996), Wayne Johnson (1997), Gary Wright (1998), Garry Lee Maier (1999), Gary Wright (2000), Gary Wright (2001), Jason Johnson (2002), Danny Jennings (2005), Gary Wright (2006). 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), Gary Wright (5/12/07). O’Reilly ASCoT State Fair Speedway History: State Fair Speedway has hosted 23 ASCS National Tour events since 1994, with 19 events in Oklahoma City since the track was reconfigured prior to the 2002 season. Gary Wright has won eight of 19 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) and then another victory on May 11. Wright came from 14th and 10th starting positions in those two victory drives. 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 154 consecutive ASCS National Tour events as he closes in on Toby Brown's record of 212 consecutive events. This year marks the fourth time for State Fair Speedway to host ASCS Speedweek. State Fair Speedway ASCS National winners include: Gary Wright 10, 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. Past Speedweek Winners at State Fair Speedway: Zach Chappell (2001), Shane Stewart (2003), Jason Johnson (2006). 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), Gary Wright (5/11/07). O’Reilly ASCoT Lawton Speedway History: A regular stop on the American Bank of Oklahoma ASCS Sooner Regional trial, Lawton Speedway hosts the ASCS Speedweek finale for the fourth time in the last six years. Gary Wright has topped two of three previous ASCS Speedweek events at Lawton Speedway, but it was two-time ASCS Sooner Region champion Kevin Ramey adding a Lawton Speedweek win last year to four previous ASCS Sooner Region wins in Lawton. Lawton Speedway ASCS National winners include: Gary Wright 3, Danny Jennings 1, Daryn Pittman 1, Kevin Ramey 1, Paul White 1. Past Speedweek Winners at Lawton Speedway: Gary Wright (2002), Gary Wright (2003), Kevin Ramey (2006). Lawton Speedway O’Reilly ASCoT Race-by-race Winners: Daryn Pittman (9/12/98), Paul White (9/11/99), Gary Wright (8/5/00), Danny Jennings (8/4/01), Gary Wright (6/8/02), Gary Wright (6/7/03), Kevin Ramey (7/15/06). Current O’Reilly ASCoT Points (After 23 of 41 Nights): Top Twenty: 1. (Tie) Gary Wright (Hooks, TX) and Wayne Johnson (Oklahoma City, OK) 2,944, 3. Jason Johnson (Eunice, LA) 2,941, 4. Travis Rilat (Forney, TX) 2,811, 5. Foster Landon (Collinsville, OK) 2,526, 6. Darren Stewart (Bixby, OK) 1,781, 7. Andy Shouse (Oklahoma City, OK) 1,559, 8. Chris Schmelzle (Victoria, BC) 1,318, 9. Chuck Swenson (Watertown, SD) 1,152, 10. Nick Smith (Broken Arrow, OK) 1,114, 11. Johnny Miller (Burleson, TX) 1,047, 12. Eric Baldaccini (Keller, TX) 1,032, 13. Natalie Sather (Fargo, ND) 933, 14. Aaron Berryhill (Broken Arrow, OK) 774, 15. Garry Lee Maier (Cimarron, KS) 766, 16. Kenneth Walker (Sapulpa, OK) 758, 17. Danny Jennings (Norman, OK) 756, 18. Kevin Ramey (Fort Worth, TX) 713, 19. Jake Peters (Sioux Falls, SD) 702, 20. Gavin Punch (Collinsville, OK) 670. 2007 O’Reilly ASCoT Feature Winners: Gary Wright 8, Jason Johnson 7, Wayne Johnson 3, Travis Rilat 2, Chuck Hebing 1, Terry McCarl 1, Jake Peters 1. ASCoT – A Look Ahead: August 2-4 – 17th Annual ASCS Knoxville Nationals ($10,000 to win) August 5 – Brodix Tournament of Champions (Knoxville, IA) The O'Reilly American Sprint Cars on Tour National series is currently slated for 41 nights of racing action at 22 different tracks throughout 15 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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