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– KENNEDALE, Texas (May 2) – Things might be finally turning around for Tony Bruce Jr.
The Tulsa, Okla., resident earned his first top five of the season on Saturday in the ASCS Lone Star Region event at Cowtown Speedway in Kennedale, Texas, where he finished third.
“It’s kind of sad that it’s our first top five of the year,” he said. “But that’s the whole key to getting back to Victory Lane; start to run in the top five and then find your way into the winner’s circle.”
Bruce Jr. drove from fifth to fourth on a wet track in his heat race, which earned him enough points to advance to the feature. He started 13th and the track came around for the main event.
“You could run the top, middle and bottom,” he said. “To be honest, I think the track was almost perfect.”
Bruce Jr. capitalized on a patch of moisture on the top of turn two to work his way into the top four within five laps.
“We were able to work the top side of the track in turns one and two better than most people were,” he said. “It was really thin up there coming out of turn two, so you really had to hit the line good. There was only about a foot left of moisture or you’d run off the race track.”
He passed for third midway through the main event, but a late-race caution while the field was mired in lapped traffic likely halted Bruce Jr.’s shot at the win.
“I felt like we had something for the guys in front of us in lapped traffic,” he said. “But there was a late caution and once we restarted and everyone was in open air, there wasn’t an opportunity to pass.”
It was his fourth top 10 of the season.
Bruce Jr. is scheduled to race with the World of Outlaws on Tuesday at Salina Highbanks Speedway in Salina, Okla., before Saturday’s 3rd annual Sprintsource.com Rock ‘N Roll 50 at Riverside International Speedway in West Memphis, Ark. The event is put on by Bruce Jr. and TBJ Promotions, and it’s the only 50-lap race on the ASCS National Tour this season.
QUICK RESULTS –
April 30 – Cowtown Speedway in Kennedale, Texas – Heat race: 4 (5); Feature: 3 (13).
SEASON STATS –
11 races, 11 features, 0 wins, 1 top five, 4 top 10s, 8 top 15s, 11 top 20s
UP NEXT –
Tuesday at Salina Highbanks Speedway in Salina, Okla., with the World of Outlaws and Saturday at Riverside International Speedway in West Memphis, Ark., with the ASCS National Tour
FAVORITE NUMBER –
10: The number of cars Bruce Jr. passed in the ASCS Lone Star Region feature Saturday at Cowtown Speedway in Kennedale, Texas.
SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS –
Website: www.tonybrucejr.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/tonybrucejr
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT – Smiley’s Racing Products
Established in 1968, Smiley’s Racing Products offers all parts necessary to operate a race team and is a Hoosier tire dealer. With locations in Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas, Smiley’s Racing Products is associated with various motor sports teams. For more information, visit www.smileysracing.com.
“We’ve been with Smiley’s Racing Products from Day 1,” Bruce Jr. said. “It has been a long-lasting relationship and there has always been mutual respect on everything. They are the longest partner that we’ve ever had. The first day we bought stuff for my race car we bought it at Smiley’s Racing Products and we have been with them ever since.”
Bruce Jr. would like to thank his sponsors, including The Oil Medics, TBJ Promotions, Travelwizer.com, Ticketmob.com, LRB Manufacturing and Hoosier for their continued support.