By Lonnie Wheatley
TULSA, Okla. (April 8, 2010) – Sure, it’s early in the season with just one night of Lucas Oil ASCS Sprint Cars presented by K&N Filters competition officially in the books. But, that doesn’t diminish just how critical this weekend’s double header in Texas and Arkansas actually is.
In fact, with star-studded fields of 50-ish entries expected both nights, a strong weekend performance could go a long way towards securing a bigger chunk of that season-end $250,000 points fund that has $60,000 earmarked for the champion.
A bad weekend doesn’t end it either, but it does make the coming weeks that much more difficult. Friday night, the series takes to Lone Star Speedway in Kilgore, TX, for the first time in nearly eight years. Then, on Saturday night, it’s on to I-30 Speedway in Little Rock, AR.
Weekend Weather:
Ideal weather conditions already have H.R. specialists in the area expecting well-above average usage of “sick days” on Friday as race fans load up their respective family trucksters to take in a weekend of Lucas Oil Sprint Car action.
Abundant sunshine, zero percent probability of precipitation, highs in the mid-70’s and lows about 50 at both Kilgore and Little Rock over the weekend is a promoter’s dream.
Track Facts:
Lone Star Speedway – Friday Night, April 9, 2010
Location: Kilgore, TX
Directions: Off I-20 Exit 583, then 0.5 miles north on SR 135, then one mile east on FM 1252 then 0.5 miles south.
Size and Configuration: ½-mile high-banked dirt oval
Race Time: 8:00 p.m.
Track Delicacy: Scouting reports indicate claims of “Best Burgers Anywhere” are substantiated.
Phone: 903-986-9731
Website: http://www.lonestarspeedway.com/
Last Lucas Oil ASCS Event at Lone Star Speedway: April 13, 2002
Past Lucas Oil ASCS Winners at Lone Star Speedway: Wayne Johnson 2, Danny Wood 2, Gary Wright 2, Tim Crawley 1, Michael Dupuy 1, Jason Johnson 1, Garry Lee Maier 1, Larry Neighbors 1, Alan Payne 1, Mike Ward 1.
I-30 Speedway – Saturday Night, April 10, 2010
Location: Little Rock, AR
Directions: Seven miles southwest of Little Rock off I-30 Exit 126 (Alexander Rd.), then south to frontage road, then east.
Size and Configuration: ¼-mile high-banked red clay oval
Race Time: 7:30 p.m.
Track Delicacy: Dorothea’s Frito Chili Pie is a must according to seasoned race fans. Throw in some jalapenos for some added kick if you dare.
Phone: 501-455-4567
Website: http://www.i-30speedway.com/
Last Lucas Oil ASCS Event at I-30 Speedway: November 7, 2009
Past Lucas Oil ASCS Winners at I-30 Speedway: Gary Wright 12, Tim Crawley 4, Garry Lee Maier 4, Terry Gray 3, Jason Johnson 3, Wayne Johnson 3, Mike Ward 3, Tony Bruce, Jr. 2, Travis Rilat 2, Shane Stewart 2, Pete Butler 1, Ricky Logan 1, Jason Meyers 1, Eric Sandage 1, Tim Shaffer 1, Nick Smith 1.
The Competitors:
Just to get up to speed, currently there are 27 drivers that have announced intentions of pursuing the entire Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series National trail, including ten rookies. The 27 full-timers include the following:
1 Sean McClelland (Tulsa, OK)
2 Kenneth Walker (Sapulpa, OK)
3g Darren Long (Elida, OH)
4 Eric Baldaccini (Keller, TX)
5h Justyn Cox (Clarksburg, CA) – R
6 Kyle Hirst (Loomis, CA) – R
9x Gary Wright (Hooks, TX)
10 Sammy Swindell (Bartlett, TN)
10a Ricky Logan (Little Rock, AR)
18 Tony Bruce, Jr. (Liberal, KS)
29 Travis Rilat (Forney, TX)
41 Jason Johnson (Eunice, LA)
44w Austen Wheatley (Lake Stevens, WA) – R
50z Zach Chappell (Talala, OK)
53 Jack Dover (Springfield, NE)
57 Shane Stewart (Bixby, OK)
71 Channin Tankersley (Highlands, TX) – R
74x Joshua Hodges (Tijeras, NM) – R
75 Jesse Hockett (Warsaw, MO)
75x Don Young (Bartlett, TN) – R
87 Aaron Reutzel (Clute, TX) – R
88 Tim Crawley (Benton, AR)
93 Dustin Morgan (Tulsa, OK) – R
94 Danny Wood (Norman, OK)
95 Matt Covington (Glenpool, OK) – R
98 Joe Ramaker (Boise, ID) – R
99 Brady Bacon (Broken Arrow, OK)
Friday’s card at Lone Star Speedway also marks the kickoff of the 2010 ASCS Lone Star title chase with Fort Worth’s Kevin Ramey (7m) leading the Lone Star charge. Ramey took the 2009 Lone Star title over Brad Welborn (17w), Baldaccini, Justin Melton (11) and Claud Estes (74e).
With the scheduled Sprint Car opener at Little Rock’s I-30 Speedway rained out a couple of weeks ago, Saturday marks the first Sprint Car outing of the year atop the ¼-mile clay oval. Justin Sturch (9) is the defending track champion, taking the title over Lewis Jenkins, Jr. (7h), Dude Garrett (57), Chad Pitts (1x) and Joe Young (12T). A Memphis presence will be felt at I-30 Speedway as well on Saturday night.
Several other invaders will be in the mix over the course of the weekend as well, including the likes of Missouri’s Brian Brown (21) and New Mexico’s Johnny Herrera (45x).
The Hot List (top five title contenders after season opener):
#10 Sammy Swindell (Bartlett, TN)
#99 Brady Bacon (Broken Arrow, OK)
#94 Danny Wood (Norman, OK)
#18 Tony Bruce, Jr. (Liberal, KS)
#57 Shane Stewart (Bixby, OK)
The Not so Hot List (five title contenders that look to bounce back after struggling in season opener):
#88 Tim Crawley (Benton, AR)
#3g Darren Long (Elida, OH)
#2 Kenneth Walker (Sapulpa, OK)
#4 Eric Baldaccini (Keller, TX)
#9x Gary Wright (Hooks, TX)
Weekend Wildcards:
Wayne Johnson – Ranked second in points after an 18th to second run in the season opener at Devil’s Bowl, Johnson finds himself rideless just two days prior to the weekend after the Zierolf truck and trailer were totaled in a highway accident last week. Will Johnson secure a ride for the weekend or will his title hopes slip away?
The Rookies – It’s almost a certainty that at least a couple of the capable crop of Rookie contenders will factor in over the course of the weekend. Exactly which will rise to the crop is a point of great debate.
Current Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters Points:
Top Twenty: 1. Sammy Swindell (Bartlett, TN) 150, 2. Wayne Johnson (Oklahoma City, OK) 142, 3. Brady Bacon (Broken Arrow, OK) 135, 4. Danny Wood (Norman, OK) 130, 5. Tony Bruce, Jr. (Liberal, KS) 125, 6. Shane Stewart (Bixby, OK) 122, 7. Jesse Hockett (Warsaw, MO) 119, 8. Ricky Logan (Little Rock, AR) 116, 9. Zach Chappell (Talala, OK) 113, 10. Travis Rilat (Forney, TX) 110, 11. Austen Wheatley (Lake Stevens, WA) 108, 12. Jason Johnson (Eunice, LA) 106, 13. Kevin Ramey (Fort Worth, TX) 104, 14. Johnny Herrera (Albuquerque, NM) 102, 15. Sean McClelland (Tulsa, OK) 100, 16. Jack Dover (Springfield, NE) 98, 17. Danny Jennings (Norman, OK) 96, 18. Gary Wright (Hooks, TX) 94, 19. Derek Hagar (Marion, AR) 92, 20. Michael Lang (Mesquite, TX) 90.
Brodix Rookie of the Year Points: 1. Austen Wheatley (Lake Stevens, WA) 108, 2. Channin Tankersley (Highlands, TX) 89, 3. (tie) Justyn Cox (Clarksburg, CA), Dustin Morgan (Tulsa, OK), Joe Ramaker (Boise, ID), Don Young (Bartlett, TN), Matt Covington (Glenpool, OK), Kyle Hirst (Loomis, CA), Joshua Hodges (Tijeras, NM) and Aaron Reutzel (Clute, TX) 65.
2010 Lucas Oil Sprint Car Feature Winners:
Sammy Swindell 1.
Lucas Oil Sprint Cars presented by K&N Filters – A Look Ahead:
April 23/24 – Riverside Speedway (West Memphis, AR) – VERSUS/MavTV
May 29/30 – Jetmore Motorplex (Jetmore, KS)
Lucas Oil Sprint Cars on the Web:
Those unable to catch all the action in person can listen to every Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters live at www.racinboys.com.
Also, the Lucas Oil ASCS Show airs on www.racinboys.com each Tuesday night at 8:00 p.m. ET, recapping the previous week’s events while also previewing upcoming action.
Official results, championship point updates, photos and race notes will be available at www.ascsracing.com.
Lucas Oil Sprint Cars on TV:
The Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters will be featured in ten one-hour shows broadcast on a tape-delayed basis on the VERSUS Network and MavTV.
Events to be aired on VERSUS and MavTV include the following:
Event Date – Track (Location) – VERSUS Air Date & Time (All Times Eastern & Subject to Change):
March 19 – Devil’s Bowl Speedway (Mesquite, TX) – 6/6/10 @ 6:00 p.m.
March 20 – Devil’s Bowl Speedway (Mesquite, TX) – Rained Out
April 23 – Riverside Speedway (W. Memphis, AR) – 7/31/10 @ 5:00 p.m.
April 24 – Riverside Speedway (W. Memphis, AR) – 8/1/10 @ 4:00 p.m.
June 11 – Eagle Raceway (Eagle, NE) – 11/21/10 @ 4:00 p.m.
June 12 – Eagle Raceway (Eagle, NE) – 11/21/10 @ 5:00 p.m.
September 25 – Lucas Oil Speedway (Wheatland, MO) – 11/28/10 @ 6:00 p.m.
October 28 – I-30 Speedway (Little Rock, AR) – 12/5/10 @ 5:00 p.m.
October 29 – I-30 Speedway (Little Rock, AR) – 12/5/10 @ 6:00 p.m.
October 30 – I-30 Speedway (Little Rock, AR) – 12/19/10 @ 4:00 p.m.
The Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters is currently slated for 37 nights of racing action at 18 different tracks throughout the nation, with the country’s top Sprint Car drivers set to battle it out for their share of the $250,000 points fund.
In its 19th year of sanctioning Sprint Car racing, the American Sprint Car Series brings the best of Sprint Car racing to approximately 100 different tracks throughout 30 states and Canada. Anchored by the Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters, ASCS also consists of eleven different Regions throughout the nation.
Additional information regarding the American Sprint Car Series is available at www.ascsracing.com.