From Lonnie Wheatley
TULSA, Okla. – It’s difficult to fathom a better way to wrap up the 2009 Sprint Car racing season. With an anticipated total of 130 or so cars, perhaps more, and of both the winged and wingless variety, it’s an open wheel racing fan’s dream.
And, that’s exactly how the American Sprint Car Series will conclude its 18th season of competition with this weekend’s 42nd Annual Kronik Energy Western World Championships presented by Old Tucson Studios at Tucson’s USA Raceway, with three full nights of wild racing action (Thursday, Friday and Saturday) to follow Wednesday night’s practice session.
Approximately 80 cars from throughout the nation are expected to vie for the $15,000 Lucas Oil Sprint Car presented by K&N Filters winner’s share, with another 50 or so shooting it out for the $5,000-to-win Discount Tire Co. ASCS Canyon Region winner’s share in the wingless portion of the weekend’s action.
The final three ASCS championships will be determined over the course of the weekend as well, including the lucrative Lucas Oil Sprint Car title that Shane Stewart nearly has within his grasp. Stewart carries a 24-point advantage over 2008 series champion Jason Johnson into the weekend.
Also to be determined will be winged ASCS Southwest Region title and the wingless Discount Tire Co. ASCS Canyon Region championships. Rick Ziehl holds a slim 12-point edge over Ben Gregg in the Southwest championship chase, while “Chargin'” Charles Davis, Jr., is 40 points ahead of R.J. Johnson in the Canyon points battle.
The blockbuster weekend event will conclude on Sunday afternoon with the 18th Annual ASCS Awards Banquet presented by Brodix at Old Tucson Studios.
This weekend’s Western World will put an exclamation point on what has already ranked as a banner season for the American Sprint Car Series, which has featured a total of 893 different competitors over the course of the season, a total that is sure to top the 900 mark over the weekend
With 78 different drivers posting at least one feature win in the 168 ASCS-sanctioned main events completed thus far in 2009, only Mother Nature has been able to slow the series with more than 30 nights falling victim to inclement weather.
The Series:
Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters ($15,000-to-win winged portion)
Discount Tire Co. ASCS Canyon Region ($5,000-to-win non-wing portion)
When & Where – USA Raceway’s Western World Championships:
Wednesday, November 18, 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. – Practice at USA Raceway
Thursday, November 19 at 7:00 p.m. – 42nd Annual Western World Championships Old Tucson Studios Qualifying Night
Friday, November 20 at 7:00 p.m. – 42nd Annual Western World Championships Kronik Energy Qualifying Night
Saturday, November 21 at 7:00 p.m. – 42nd Annual Kronik Energy Western World Championships presented by Old Tucson Studios championship features
Sunday, November 22 at 12:00 p.m. – 18th Annual ASCS Awards Banquet presented by Brodix at Old Tucson Studios
Track Information:
USA Raceway (Tucson, AZ) – 3/8-mile, clay oval located east of Tucson off I-10 Exit 268, then 1.6 mile south on Craycroft Road, which turns into Los Reales. Track phone: 520-574-8515.
Event Format:
Split fields for Thursday and Friday preliminary events (half the winged cars on Thursday, second half on Friday / half the non-wing cars on Thursday and other half of Friday), run under standard ASCS format of heat races with passing/finishing points to determine feature lineups.
Thursday and Friday “A” and “B” Feature finishes determine Saturday night Western World Championships feature lineups.
Past Western World Winners:
Tennessee’s Kevin Swindell became the 25th different winner of the Western World by topping the 2008 edition of the event last November, adding his name to a prestigious list of past winners that includes his father Sammy Swindell, who won the event in both 1980 and 1989.
Steve Kinser has claimed the most Western World titles with seven triumphs including wingless wins in 1982 and 1983 followed by winged wins in 1985, 1987, 1990, 1992 and 1996.
Ron Shuman is next on the list with five Western World triumphs, all of the wingless variety, with other drivers posting multiple Western World wins including Lealand McSpadden (3), Bud Kaeding (2), Mark Kinser (2), Jan Opperman (2) and Sammy Swindell (2).
The Western World has been run as a winged event on a dozen previous occasions, most recently in 1999.
Past Western World Championship Winners (Wing / Non-Wing)
2008 – Kevin Swindell (nw)
2007 – Jerry Coons, Jr. (nw)
2006 – Josh Wise (nw)
2005 – Dave Darland (nw)
2004 – Bud Kaeding (nw)
2003 – Tony Elliott (nw)
2002 – Bud Kaeding (nw)
2001 – Jeremy Sherman (nw)
2000 – Jay Drake (nw)
1999 – Donny Schatz (w)
1998 – Tyler Walker (w)
1997 – Mark Kinser (w)
1996 – Steve Kinser (w)
1995 – Lealand McSpadden (nw)
1994 – Ron Shuman (nw)
1993 – Lealand McSpadden (nw)
1992 – Steve Kinser (w)
1991 – Danny Lasoski (w)
1990 – Steve Kinser (w)
1989 – Sammy Swindell (w)
1988 – Mark Kinser (w)
1987 – Steve Kinser (w)
1986 – Bobby Davis, Jr. (w)
1985 – Steve Kinser (w)
1984 – Ron Shuman (nw)
1983 – Steve Kinser (nw)
1982 – Steve Kinser (nw)
1981 – Ron Shuman (nw)
1980 – Sammy Swindell (nw)
1979 – Tim Green (nw)
1978 – Lealand McSpadden (nw)
1977 – Ron Shuman (nw)
1976 – Bubby Jones (nw)
1975 – Ron Shuman (nw)
1974 – Rick Ferkel (nw)
1973 – Earl Wagner (nw)
1972 – Jan Opperman (nw)
1971 – Jan Opperman (nw)
1970 – Jerry McClung (nw)
1969 – Bob Huebner (nw)
1968 – Bob Cleberg (nw)
The 2009 WWC Entries:
There are currently 75 Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series entries for the $15,000-to-win winged portion and 50 Discount Tire Co. ASCS Canyon Region entries for the $5,000-to-win wingless portion, with more expected over the next week to battle it out for the overall purse that is well in excess of $100,000.
Lucas Oil Sprint Cars presented by K&N Filters Entries:
Thursday:
1 Sean McClelland (Tulsa, OK)
1p Curtis Evans (Norburne, MO)
2m Mike Melwicks (Richmond, BC, CAN)
3d Paul McMahan (Hendersonville, TN)
3s John Carney II (El Paso, TX)
5az John Van Horn (Tucson, AZ)
6 Ronnie Clark (Tucson, AZ)
7 Darren Long (Elida, OH)
9 Gary Taylor (Snohomish, WA)
9x Gary Wright (Hooks, TX)
10 Sammy Swindell (Germantown, TN)
10a Ricky Logan (Little Rock, AR)
13 Jesse Hockett (Warsaw, MO)
14aj Wayne Johnson (Oklahoma City, OK)
15 Bud Goodwin (Albuquerque, NM)
15h Sam Hafertepe, Jr. (Sunnyvale, TX)
20ks Kyle Sager (Alto, NM)
22 Jesse Baker (Grants, NM)
22b Ben Gregg (Phoenix, AZ)
22j John Gaston (Phoenix, AZ)
23 Seth Bergman (Snohomish, WA)
41w Joshua Williams (Glendale, AZ)
44k Koty McGullam (Marana, AZ)
45 Martin Edwards (Mesquite, TX)
45x Johnny Herrera (Albuquerque, NM)
53 Jack Dover (Springfield, NE)
57 Shane Stewart (Bixby, OK)
57x Lucas Wolfe (Lemogne, PA)
66 Jessica Van Dyke (Tucson, AZ)
71 Bob Schaeffer (New Castle, CO)
77m Billy Chester III (Chino Valley, AZ)
93 Dustin Morgan (Collinsville, OK)
93k Brent Kronfuss (Bozeman, MT)
94 Danny Wood (Norman, OK)
94z Zach Zimmerly (West Linn, OR)
99 Brady Bacon (Broken Arrow, OK)
99j Jake Ossenfort (Rapid City, SD)
Friday:
01 Kaylene Verville (Avondale, AZ)
1x J.T. Imperial (Mesa, AZ)
2 Kenneth Walker (Sapulpa, OK)
2sb Sean Becker (Carmichael, CA)
4 Eric Baldaccini (Keller, TX)
5a Thomas Ogle (Waddell, AZ)
7d William Riley (Sierra Vista, AZ)
7m Kevin Ramey (Fort Worth, TX)
11 Chad Corken (Highlands Ranch, CO)
11c Roger Crockett (Medford, OR)
11T Steve Lohn (Tucson, AZ)
17 Bruce Griffith, Jr. (Highlands, TX)
18 Tony Bruce, Jr. (Liberal, KS)
20az Steve Martin (Phoenix, AZ)
20L Andrew Reinbold (Gilbert, AZ)
20z Rick Ziehl (Las Cruces, NM)
21 Brian Brown (Grain Valley, MO)
22 Mason Moore (Priceton, CA)
23n Stephen Allard (Chico, CA)
25c Chad Groves (Bend, OR)
26b Bobby McMahan (Sacramento, CA)
29 Travis Rilat (Forney, TX)
32 Jerry Coons, Jr. (Tucson, AZ)
33 Danny Lasoski (Higginsville, MO)
34 Calvin Landis (Knoxville, IA)
35a Joey Saldana (Brownsburg, IN)
41 Jason Johnson (Eunice, LA)
42 Rick Boughan (Lima, OH)
44w Austen Wheatley (Lake Stevens, WA)
55 TBA
71 Channin Tankersley (Highlands, TX)
74x Joshua Hodges (Tijeras, NM)
77 Colt Treharn (Los Lunas, NM)
77e William Eggiman (San Ysidro, CA)
88 Tim Crawley (Benton, AR)
94j Charles Davis, Jr. (Buckeye, AZ)
95 Matt Covington (Glenpool, OK)
99d Rickey Hood (Millington, TN)
Discount Tire Co. ASCS Canyon Region Non-Wing Entries
Thursday:
1 Jon Stanbrough (Brownsburg, IN)
5d Jerry Johnston (Albuquerque, NM)
6c Rex Calderwood (Phoenix, AZ)
7k Bruce St. James (Phoenix, AZ)
8 Daniel Hutto (Tucson, AZ)
8az Jordan Stetson (Tucson, AZ)
11 Seainn Hendricsen (Glendale, AZ)
16b Robert Ballou (Rocklin, CA)
17 Steve Spiak (Albuquerque, NM)
19 Andrew Reinbold (Gilbert, AZ)
27n Nick Aiuto (Camp Verde, AZ)
29 Travis Rilat (Forney, TX)
32 Jerry Coons, Jr. (Tucson, AZ)
41 Rick Ziehl (Las Cruces, NM)
48T Thomas Ogle (Waddell, AZ)
50 Charles Davis, Jr. (Buckeye, AZ)
51 Cody Cambensy (Tucson, AZ)
52 TBA
52 Stevie Sussex (Waddell, AZ)
74x Joshua Hodges (Tijeras, NM)
77 Dalton Gabbard (Peoria, AZ)
77m R.J. Johnson (Phoenix, AZ)
78 Chris Bonneau (Peoria, AZ)
97 Casey Shuman (Tempe, AZ)
Friday:
2az Jesse Hockett (Warsaw, MO)
3 Harris Brooks (Phoenix, AZ)
3x Jimmy Crawford (Newberry Park, CA)
5m Brian O’Donnell (Glendale, AZ)
6 Ronnie Clark (Tucson, AZ)
6s Bryan Swinehart (Prescott Valley, AZ)
7 Mike Leslie (Litchfield Park, AZ)
7az Brian Hosford (Gilbert, AZ)
9 Brandon Lane (Gilbert, AZ)
12 Nathan High (Goodyear, AZ)
16 Mike Martin (Yuma, AZ)
19x Chuck Jackson (Albuquerque, NM)
21 Johnathon Henry (Stockton, CA)
26az Bobby Taylor (Oro Valley, AZ)
27h Jeremy Huebner (Tucson, AZ)
36 Dave Darland (Lincoln, IN)
37 David Bezio (El Cajon, CA)
44 Jeremy Sherman (Surprise, AZ)
45x Johnny Herrera (Albuquerque, NM)
55 Tony Everhart (El Cajon, CA)
61x Bo Baker (Grants, NM)
77s Brian Schuler (El Cajon, CA)
82 Sean Teeters (Tucson, AZ)
93 Dustin Morgan (Collinsville, OK)
99 Brady Bacon (Broken Arrow, OK)
XXX Zach Sawyers (Gilbert, AZ)
Lucas Oil Sprint Cars USA Raceway History:
None – This will mark the series first visit to Tucson’s USA Raceway, which serves as the home facility to both the winged ASCS Southwest and non-wing ASCS Canyon Regions.
Current Points:
Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters Driver Points:
Top Twenty: 1. Shane Stewart (Bixby, OK) 2,428, 2. Jason Johnson (Eunice, LA) 2,404, 3. Gary Wright (Hooks, TX) 2,378, 4. Travis Rilat (Forney, TX) 2,267, 5. Paul McMahan (Hendersonville, TN) 2,216, 6. Tim Crawley (Benton, AR) 2,193, 7. Danny Wood (Norman, OK) 2,170, 8. Tony Bruce, Jr. (Liberal, KS) 2,132, 9. Jack Dover (Springfield, NE) 2,113, 10. Jesse Hockett (Warsaw, MO) 2,111, 11. Sean McClelland (Tulsa, OK) 1,834, 12. Kenneth Walker (Sapulpa, OK) 1,768, 13. Darren Long (Elida, OH) 1,659, 14. Chad Corken (Highlands Ranch, CO) 1,627, 15. Gary Taylor (Snohomish, WA) 1,611, 16. Seth Bergman (Snohomish, WA) 1,537, 17. Brady Bacon (Broken Arrow, OK) 1,355, 18. Gavin Punch (Collinsville, OK) 1,344, 19. Wayne Johnson (Oklahoma City, OK) 1,268, 20. Ricky Logan (Little Rock, AR) 1,124.
Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters Owner Points:
Top Twenty: 1. #57-Paul Silva 2,428, 2. #41-Lanny Row 2,404, 3. #9x-Scott Brown 2,378, 4. #29-Travis Rilat 2,267, 5. #3d-Dennis & Jeri Benjamin 2,216, 6. #88-Mike Ward 2,193, 7. #94-Mike Hammers 2,170, 8. #18-Tony Bruce, Jr. 2,132, 9. #53-Lori Dover 2,113, 10. #13-VKCC Motorsports/Tom Buch 2,111, 11. #1-Sean McClelland 1,834, 12. #2-Kenneth Walker 1,768, 13. #91-Bobby Sparks 1,695, 14. #7-Darren Long 1,659, 15. #11-Chadco Racing 1,627, 16. #23-Steven Bergman 1,537, 17. #99-Mike & Megan Eubanks 1,355, 18. #81au-Gavin Punch 1,344, 19. #10a-Ricky Logan 1,262, 20. #97-Aaron Berryhill 1,074.
Brodix Rookie of the Year Points (Top Five): 1. Paul McMahan (Hendersonville, TN) 2,216, 2. Jack Dover (Springfield, NE) 2,113, 3. Darren Long (Elida, OH) 1,659, 4. Chad Corken (Highlands Ranch, CO) 1,627, 5. Seth Bergman (Snohomish, WA) 1,537.
ASCS Southwest Region Driver Points (Top Ten): 1. Rick Ziehl (Las Cruces, NM) 1,118, 2. Ben Gregg (Phoenix, AZ) 1,106, 3. Joshua Hodges (Tijeras, NM) 1,078, 4. John Gaston (Phoenix, AZ) 1,070, 5. Ronnie Clark (Tucson, AZ) 1,062, 6. Mike Martin (Yuma, AZ) 1,023, 7. Charles Davis, Jr. (Buckeye, AZ) 985, 8. John Van Horn (Tucson, AZ) 931, 9. Jessica Van Dyke (Tucson, AZ) 927, 10. Cody Cambensy (Tucson, AZ) 857.
Discount Tire Co. ASCS Canyon Region Non-Wing Points (Top Ten): 1. Charles Davis, Jr. (Buckeye, AZ) 1,024, 2. R.J. Johnson (Phoenix, AZ) 984, 3. Nathan High (Goodyear, AZ) 962, 4. Johnathon Henry (Stockton, CA) 890, 5. Stevie Sussex (Laveen, AZ) 889, 6. Ronnie Clark (Tucson, AZ) 885, 7. Andrew Reinbold (Gilbert, AZ) 859, 8. Mike Martin (Yuma, AZ) 835, 9. Bruce St. James (Phoenix, AZ) 782, 10. Jeremy Sherman (Surprise, AZ) 758.
2009 Feature Winners:
Lucas Oil ASCS Sprint Car Series: Jason Johnson 4, Shane Stewart 3, Tim Crawley 2, Wayne Johnson 2, Terry McCarl 2, Travis Rilat 2, Gary Wright 2, Tony Bruce, Jr. 1, Roger Crockett 1, Jack Dover 1, Kevin Ramey 1. Speedweek winners; Tony Bruce, Jr., Zach Chappell, Tim Crawley, Nick Smith and Gary Wright.
ASCS Southwest Region: Johnny Herrera 3, Rickey Hood 2, John Gaston 1, Ben Gregg 1, Rick Ziehl 1.
Discount Tire Co. ASCS Canyon Region Non-Wing: Charles Davis, Jr. 3, Jesse Hockett 2, R.J. Johnson 1, Rick Ziehl 1.
Parking:
RV parking will be available Tuesday, November 17. Pit Parking will begin Wednesday, November 18, at 8:00 a.m.
Tickets:
Ticket pricing, seating charts and purchasing information can be found online at www.usaraceway.net/Uploads/WesternWorldTickets.pdf or by calling the USA Raceway office at 520-574-8515.
Hotel Information:
Hotel Information can be found at www.usaraceway.net/lodging.php or by calling the Tucson Airport Courtyard by Marriott at 520-573-0000
The Brodix ASCS Awards Banquet:
The 18th Annual American Sprint Car Series Awards Banquet presented by Brodix will follow directly on the heels of USA Raceway’s 42nd Annual KRONIK Energy Western World Championships presented by Old Tucson Studios
Open to all racers, teams and fans, tickets are available for just $20 and may be obtained by calling USA Raceway at 520-574-8515. Tickets must be ordered by Tuesday, November 17.
More information regarding Old Tucson Studios is available at www.oldtucson.com
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
Events to be aired on VERSUS include the following:
Event Date – Track (Location) – Air Date & Re-Air Date (All Times Eastern)
Mar. 20 – Devil’s Bowl Speedway (Mesquite, TX) – 5/2/09 @ 5:00 p.m. & 5/7/09 @ 5:00 p.m.
Mar. 21 – Devil’s Bowl Speedway (Mesquite, TX) – 5/23/09 @ 4:00 p.m. & 5/27/09 @ 5:00 p.m.
May 23 – Jetmore Motorplex (Jetmore, KS) – 8/8/09 @ 5:00 p.m. & 8/13/09 @ 5:00 p.m.
May 24 – Jetmore Motorplex (Jetmore, KS) – 8/15/09 @ 5:00 p.m. & 8/20/09 @ 5:00 p.m.
July 3 – Riverside Speedway (W. Memphis, AR) – 9/13/09 @ 4:00 p.m. & 9/17/09 @ 5:00 p.m.
July 4 – Riverside Speedway (W. Memphis, AR) – 9/20/09 @ 4:00 p.m. & 9/24/09 @ 5:00 p.m.
Aug. 6 – Knoxville Raceway (Knoxville, IA) – 10/18/09 @ 6:00 p.m. & 10/22/09 @ 5:00 p.m.
Aug. 7 – Knoxville Raceway (Knoxville, IA) – 11/1/09 @ 5:00 p.m. & 11/5/09 @ 6:00 p.m.
Aug. 8 – Knoxville Raceway (Knoxville, IA) – 11/22/09 @ 6:00 p.m. & 11/25/09 @ 6:00 p.m.
Sept. 26 – Lucas Oil Speedway (Wheatland, MO) – 11/29/09 @ 6:00 p.m. & 12/3/09 @ 5:00 p.m.
The Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters is currently slated for approximately 30 nights of racing action at 16 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.
The American Sprint Car Series, in its 18th year of sanctioning Sprint Car racing events, brings the best of Sprint Car racing to nearly 100 different tracks throughout 25 states and Canada in 2009. Anchored by the Lucas Oil ASCS Sprint Car Dirt Series presented by K&N Filters, ASCS also consists of a dozen different Regions throughout the nation.
Additional information regarding the American Sprint Car Series is available at www.ascsracing.com.