– AMARILLO, Texas (June 13, 2017) – Johnny Herrera stands atop the Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour’s Sizzlin’ Summer Speedweek standings following the first two races of a seven-race event.
Herrera used a hard charging effort during the opener last Friday at West Texas Raceway in Lubbock, Texas, and he earned a podium finish on Saturday at Route 66 Motor Speedway to put himself in the position to earn his first career Speedweek title.
“I just focus on doing my job and things will work out how they should,” he said.
The Speedweek began with Herrera finishing where he started – fifth – in a heat race at West Texas Raceway last Friday. That lined him up on the outside of the seventh row for the main event.
“We weren’t very good in the heat race and it put us further back than we wanted it to in the feature,” he said. “We didn’t get a great start and got into the fence and fell back a bit. The longer the race went the better we got.
“Everyone was tight. The track was choppy. On restarts we seemed to found the right spots to get by some guys. Of course we’d like to have a top five, but overall it was a good night. We learned some things and we changed the car for Saturday. It felt a lot different.”
Herrera’s rally from 14th to sixth place earned the Hard Charger Award for passing the most cars.
The changes the team made to the race car for Saturday’s show at Route 66 Motor Speedway were evident from the start. Herrera captured a heat race win after starting on the pole. That locked him into the feature redraw, in which he pulled the No. 6 to start the main event on the outside of the third row.
“We got a decent start in the feature and went from sixth to fourth into turn one,” he said. “Three or four laps in the rubber started coming. I just about got by (Kyle) Bellm. I showed him my nose and he dropped back down. Blake (Hahn) led it and was running hard. John (Carney II) was keeping pace. I ran hard the first 10 or 12 laps and then I was in tire conservation. Those guys kept running hard and blew tires.”
Herrera picked up a pair of positions late because of the tire woes as he netted a runner-up result.
Speedweek resumes on Tuesday at Devil’s Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, Texas, before Lawton Speedway in Lawton, Okla., hosts the midpoint on Wednesday. Creek County Speedway in Sapulpa, Okla., will showcase Thursday’s show before a Friday race at Randolph County Raceway in Moberly, Mo. The event concludes on Saturday at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo.
QUICK RESULTS –
June 9 – West Texas Raceway in Lubbock, Texas – Heat race: 5 (5); Feature: 6 (14).
June 10 – Route 66 Motor Speedway in Amarillo, Texas – Heat race: 1 (1); Feature: 2 (6).
SEASON STATS –
16 races, 3 wins, 10 top fives, 14 top 10s, 15 top 15s, 15 top 20s
UP NEXT –
Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour Speedweek: Tuesday at Devil’s Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, Texas; Wednesday at Lawton Speedway in Lawton, Okla.; Thursday at Creek County Speedway in Sapulpa, Okla.; Friday at Randolph County Raceway in Moberly, Mo.; and Saturday at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo.
MEDIA LINKS –
Website: http://www.JohnnyHerreraRacing.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JohnnyHerrera2
APPAREL –
Herrera has t-shirts available for sale at his race trailer and at http://www.johnnyherreraracing.com/shopping .
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“I highly recommend everyone to use ButlerBuilt Professional Seat Systems,” Herrera said. “Not only are they extremely safe, but also are very comfortable.”
Herrera would also like to thank Morton Excavating, Champion Brands, Mesilla Valley Transportation, Competition Suspension Inc., Ostrich Racing Engines, FK Rod Ends, Hoosier Racing Tire, Schoenfeld Headers, Maxim Chassis, Schroeder Torsion Bars, Simpson Race Products, Outlaw Wings, Weld Wheels, Finish Line Coatings, Semi-Crazy Truck Wash, Smiley’s Racing Products, CSR Garage and Heidbreder Foundation Services for their continued support.
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*PHOTO BY VINCE VELLELLA PHOTOS*