Lonnie Wheatley, TULSA, Okla. (June 23, 2010) – That summer sun is beating down upon you. Temperatures are soaring, yet you’re really craving that whiff of methanol in the air and the sight of clay flying off the churning right rear of some edge-of-control Sprint Cars.
What better fix than Eldon, Missouri’s Lake Ozark Speedway on Saturday night for the Daniel McMillin / Jesse Hockett Memorial featuring the Lucas Oil ASCS National Series presented by K&N Filters.
A prime stop on the Lucas Oil ASCS National trail, Saturday’s McMillin / Hockett main event offers up a $6,000 winner’s share. And along with it go those valuable points towards the series championship chase, with a $250,000 point fund to be distributed among the top 15 in points following the ASCS National Championship Finals at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on November 26-27.
The Lucas Oil ASCS National Series presented by K&N Filters has averaged 48.1 cars per night through the opening eight events of the season, with 150 different drivers taking in at least one night of action.
Nineteen drivers have taken in all eight nights of action thus far, with six different drivers cracking victory lane.
Only Broken Arrow, Oklahoma’s Brady Bacon has broken into victory lane more than once. After capturing his first career Lucas Oil ASCS National triumph in the May 29 Steve King Memorial preliminary event at the Jetmore (KS) Motorplex, Bacon added a second win in the King finale the next night before making it three in a row with a Little Rock score the following weekend.
Bacon was unable to become just the second driver in series history to reel off four wins in a row however, as Norman, Oklahoma’s Danny Wood topped the Eagle Nationals preliminary on June 11 before Louisiana’s Jason Johnson finally broke through for his first National win of the season the following night in the Eagle Nationals finale.
In addition to Wood and Johnson, single wins have also been claimed by Sammy Swindell, Matt Covington and Zach Chappell.
With his Eagle glory, “The Ragin’ Cajun” climbed to within four points of Bacon in the series $60,000 championship points race.
After adding another pair of ASCS Regional wins this past weekend, including a Lone Star vs. Sooner score at Devil’s Bowl and a Gulf South victory at Houston Raceway Park, Johnson vies for a fourth consecutive Daniel McMillin Memorial victory.
Johnson topped the inaugural McMillin Memorial at Double X Raceway in California, MO, in 2007 before winning the last two editions of the event at Lake Ozark Speedway. Johnson had to work for it last year, battling much of the way with Tommy Bryant before ultimately beating Shane Stewart and Brady Bacon to the stripe.
A number of top contenders will try to crack Lucas Oil ASCS victory lane for the first time of the year in Saturday’s McMillin / Hockett main event, including reigning series champion Shane Stewart, Tony Bruce, Jr., Tim Crawley, Jack Dover, leading Brodix Rookie of the Year contender Kyle Hirst, Travis Rilat, Gary Wright, Ricky Logan, Darren Long and the balance of the Rookie crop that includes Dustin Morgan, Austen Wheatley, Justyn Cox, Channin Tankersley and Andrew Marshala.
Saturday’s stacked field of competitors will be bolstered by the Winged Outlaw Warriors ranks, led by Eric Todd and Tyler Blank, as well as the Lake Ozark Speedway regular contingent of competitors led by Josh Fisher and Randy Martin.
Saturday’s Daniel McMillin / Jesse Hockett Memorial racing action at Lake Ozark Speedway gets under way at 7:00 p.m.
The Series:
Lucas Oil ASCS Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters
When & Where:
Saturday night, June 26 at 7:00 p.m. – Lake Ozark Speedway
Track Information:
Lake Ozark Speedway (Eldon, MO) – 1/3-mile semi-banked dirt oval located south of Eldon on US 54 to SR 52, then 0.1 miles east on SR 52, then 0.5 miles north on Twiggy Lane (frontage road). For more information, contact the track at 573-392-9977 or check www.lakeozarkspeedway.com.
Lucas Oil ASCS Lake Ozark Speedway History:
After Shane Stewart and Jesse Hockett swept early editions of the Lake Ozark Speedway Nationals in 2004 and 2005, the Lucas Oil Sprint Cars returned in 2008 with Aaron Berryhill making a last-lap pass of Jason Johnson to win the May event. Johnson got some Lake Ozark redemption in July with a win in the Second Annual McMillin, then outlasted upstart Tommy Bryant to win the Third McMillin last year.
Lake Ozark Speedway ASCS National winners include: Jesse Hockett 2, Jason Johnson 2, Shane Stewart 2, Aaron Berryhill 1.
Lake Ozark Speedway Lucas Oil ASCS Race-by-Race Winners: Shane Stewart (9/4/04), Shane Stewart (9/5/04), Jesse Hockett (9/3/05), Jesse Hockett (9/4/05), Aaron Berryhill (5/3/08), Jason Johnson (7/5/08), Jason Johnson (6/27/09).
Current Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters Points:
Top Twenty: 1. Brady Bacon (Broken Arrow, OK) 1,013, 2. Jason Johnson (Eunice, LA) 1,009, 3. Shane Stewart (Bixby, OK) 938, 4. Tony Bruce, Jr. (Liberal, KS) 937, 5. Danny Wood (Norman, OK) 914, 6. Tim Crawley (Benton, AR) 906, 7. Jack Dover (Springfield, NE), 900, 8. Zach Chappell (Talala, OK) 886, 9. Kyle Hirst (Loomis, CA) 860, 10. Matt Covington (Glenpool, OK) 826, 11. Travis Rilat (Forney, TX) 814, 12. Gary Wright (Hooks, TX) 789, 13. Ricky Logan (Little Rock, AR) 764, 14. Darren Long (Elida, OH) 708, 15. Dustin Morgan (Tulsa, OK) 687, 16. Austen Wheatley (Lake Stevens, WA) 681, 17. Justyn Cox (Clarksburg, CA) 667, 18. Channin Tankersley (Highlands, TX) 654, 19. Andrew Marshala (Shawnee, OK) 563, 20. Johnny Herrera (Albuquerque, NM) 501.
Brodix Rookie of the Year Points: 1. Kyle Hirst (Loomis, CA) 860, 2. Matt Covington (Glenpool, OK) 826, 3. Dustin Morgan (Tulsa, OK) 687, 4. Austen Wheatley (Lake Stevens, WA) 681, 5. Justyn Cox (Clarksburg, CA) 667, 6. Channin Tankersley (Highlands, TX) 654, 7. Andrew Marshala (Shawnee, OK) 563.
2010 Lucas Oil Sprint Car Feature Winners:
Brady Bacon 3, Zach Chappell 1, Matt Covington 1, Jason Johnson 1, Sammy Swindell 1, Danny Wood 1.
Lucas Oil Sprint Cars presented by K&N Filters – A Look Ahead:
July 10 – I-90 Speedway (Hartford, SD)
July 16/17 – Grays Harbor Raceway (Elma, WA)
July 23/24 – Cottage Grove Speedway (Cottage Grove, OR)
July 30 – LA Raceway (La Monte, MO)
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
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 1 – Riverside Speedway (W. Memphis, AR) – TBD
October 2 – Riverside Speedway (W. Memphis, AR) – TBD
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 36 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 ten different Regions throughout the nation.
Additional information regarding the American Sprint Car Series is available at www.ascsracing.com.