By Lonnie Wheatley
TULSA, Okla. (June 14, 2010) – After a pair of idle weekend to regroup after a Memorial Day triple, the ASCS Gulf South Region fires back to action with the second of three scheduled Golden Triangle Raceway Park – Houston Raceway Park weekend doubles.
On Friday night, the series makes its third stop of the year at Beaumont’s Golden Triangle Raceway Park before moving on to Baytown’s Houston Raceway Park on Saturday night for a $3,000 to win tilt.
Riding the strength of six top-tens in eight feature runs, including five consecutive top-five finishes, 2005 ASCS Gulf South champion Ray Allen Kulhanek of Montgomery, TX, carries the points lead into the weekend.
The winner of last year’s June event at Houston Raceway Park, Kulhanek holds a 17-point edge over defending series champion Aaron Reutzel of Clute, TX, with two-time Gulf South kingpin Brandon Berryman of Missouri City, TX, just another ten points back in third.
Conroe’s Tommy Bryant enters the weekend ranked fourth, with New Caney’s Scottie McDonald rounding out the current top five.
The balance of the current top ten in ASCS Gulf South points includes Travis Elliott (Alvin), Chris Sweeney (Channelview), Wes Miller (Santa Fe), Greg Rilat (Texas City) and Eric Baldaccini (Keller).
Seven different drivers have cracked ASCS Gulf South victory lane in eight events thus far in 2010, with only Jason Johnson doubling up. Single wins have been claimed by Berryman, Bryant, Gary Wright, Brian Brown, Kent Lewis, Jr., and Chris Morgan. Morgan topped the most recent event at Golden Triangle with a last-corner pass of Skip Wilson, while Jason Johnson won the initial Houston Raceway Park event of 2010.
Friday’s racing action at Golden Triangle Raceway Park goes green at 8:00 p.m., while Saturday’s card at Houston Raceway Park fires off at 7:00 p.m.
Golden Triangle Raceway Park is located 9.5 miles west of I-10 on US 90 near Beaumont, TX. For more information, contact the track at 409-752-7200.
Houston Raceway Park is located east of Houston on I-10 to Exit 798, then three miles south on State Road 146, then 0.8 miles southeast on FM 1405, then 1.5 miles northeast on FM 565. For more information, contact the track at 281-383-7223.
The ASCS Gulf South Region is slated for 27 nights of racing action at ten different tracks throughout Texas in 2010.
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 ten different Regions throughout the nation.
Past ASCS Gulf South Region Feature Winners at Golden Triangle Raceway Park:
5/28/10 – Chris Morgan
3/5/10 – Gary Wright
10/2/09 – Channin Tankersley
9/18/09 – Jason Johnson
7/17/09 – Aaron Reutzel
6/19/09 – Travis Rilat
5/16/09 – Gary Wright
5/16/09 – Tommy Bryant (4/24 Makeup Feature)
3/6/09 – Gary Wright
8/15/08 – Channin Tankersley
7/18/08 – Gary Watson
5/9/08 – Channin Tankersley
2/29/08 – Jason Johnson
9/28/07 – Jason Johnson
6/22/07 – Michael Dupuy
5/18/07 – Brandon Berryman
4/6/07 – Jason Johnson
9/29/06 – Kevin Ramey
8/18/06 – Jason Johnson
6/23/06 – Gary Watson
8/19/05 – Ray Allen Kulhanek
6/17/05 – Ray Allen Kulhanek
4/15/05 – Travis Rilat
9/18/04 – Kelly Angelette
7/9/04 – Stephen Chevallier
* 9/28/02 – Michael Dupuy
* 9/27/02 – Tim Crawley
7/5/02 – Buddy Bodden
5/24/02 – Jason Johnson
* 4/5/02 – Zach Chappell
Past ASCS Gulf South Region Feature Winners at Houston Raceway Park:
4/3/10 – Jason Johnson
9/19/09 – Gary Wright
7/18/09 – Kevin Ramey
6/20/09 – Ray Allen Kulhanek
5/16/09 – Eric Baldaccini
9/27/08 – Jason Johnson
6/21/08 – Michael Dupuy
5/10/08 – Brandon Berryman
3/1/08 – Jack Dover
9/29/07 – Brandon Berryman
8/18/07 – Travis Rilat
5/19/07 – Johnny Miller
9/30/06 – Ray Allen Kulhanek
8/19/06 – Brad Best
6/24/06 – Ray Allen Kulhanek
4/8/06 – Travis Rilat
8/20/05 – Lane Whittington
6/18/05 – Ray Allen Kulhanek
7/10/04 – Kevin Ramey
* – Indicates events held in conjunction with ASCS National Tour.
Additional information regarding the American Sprint Car Series is available at www.ascsracing.com.