From Lonnie Wheatley, CRANDALL, Texas (July 16, 2010) – Justin Melton captured his first career American Sprint Car Series feature win by cracking victory lane in Friday night’s 25-lap ASCS Red River Regional Challenge main event at RPM Speedway.
In the fourth round of Red River Challenge action, Melton became the first ASCS Lone Star shoe to knock off the American Bank of Oklahoma ASCS Sooner Region forces by taking the checkered flag aboard the Wells-powered Pro-Tech Service Co. No. 11 Triple-X.
The 23-year-old crossed the stripe in front of current ASCS Sooner Region points leader Sean McClelland and current ASCS Lone Star points leader Eric Baldaccini, with defending Sooner champ Joe Wood, Jr., and Kolt Walker rounding out the top five.
Skip Wilson was sixth, with Michael Lang, Kenneth Walker, 22nd-starter Brian McClelland and Dalton Steed completing the top ten.
Wood, Jr., Sean McClelland, J.P. Bailey and Andy Shouse topped heat race action, with Scott Reneau winning the “B” Main.
ASCS Lone Star vs. Sooner Results from RPM Speedway:
First Heat (8 Laps): 1. 03-Joe Wood, Jr., 2. 55-Donnie Ray Crawford, 3. 14-Michael Lang, 4. 29-Larry Long, 5. 6-Justin Spoerl, 6. 30-Brandon Corn, 7. 59-Chris Stafford, 8. 40-Junior Jenkins.
Second Heat (8 Laps): 1. 1-Sean McClelland, 2. 45k-Kolt Walker, 3. 4-Eric Baldaccini, 4. 17w-Brad Welborn, 5. 25-Brian McClelland, 6. 5c-Chris Coker, 7. 0c-Preston Peebles II.
Third Heat (8 Laps): 1. 45-J.P. Bailey, 2. 2-Kenneth Walker, 3. 26-Dalton Steed, 4. 74e-Claud Estes, 5. 67-Rodney Henderson, 6. 12-Dale Wester, 7. 45x-Martin Edwards.
Fourth Heat (8 Laps): 1. 27-Andy Shouse, 2. 11-Justin Melton, 3. 65-Skip Wilson, 4. 1r-Scott Reneau, 5. 21$-Michelle Decker, 6. 76-John Ricketts, 7. 79-Charlie McDonald.
“B” Main: 1. 1r-Scott Reneau, 2. 21$-Michelle Decker, 3. 12-Dale Wester, 4. 0c-Preston Peebles II, 5. 59-Chris Stafford, 6. 25-Brian McClelland, 7. 5c-Chris Coker, 8. 45x-Martin Edwards, 9. 30-Brandon Corn, 10. 76-John Ricketts, 11. 40-Junior Jenkins, 12. 79-Charlie McDonald, 13. 67-Rodney Henderson.
“A” Feature (25 Laps): 1. 11-Justin Melton, 2. 1-Sean McClelland, 3. 4-Eric Baldaccini, 4. 03-Joe Wood, Jr., 5. 45k-Kolt Walker, 6. 65-Skip Wilson, 7. 14-Michael Lang, 8. 2-Kenneth Walker, 9. 25-Brian McClelland, 10. 26-Dalton Steed, 11. 74e-Claud Estes, 12. 6-Justin Spoerl, 13. 17w-Brad Welborn, 14. 45x-Martin Edwards, 15. 5c-Chris Coker, 16. 45-J.P. Bailey, 17. 12-Dale Wester, 18. 0c-Preston Peebles II, 19. 27-Andy Shouse, 20. 55-Donnie Ray Crawford, 21. 29-Larry Long, 22. 59-Chris Stafford, 23. 21$-Michelle Decker, 24. 1r-Scott Reneau.
ASCS Lone Star Region Points (Top 10): 1. Eric Baldaccini 1,163, 2. Claud Estes 1,031, 3. Justin Melton 1,018, 4. Preston Peebles II 989, 5. Martin Edwards 973, 6. John Ricketts 957, 7. Brandon Corn 940, 8. Brian McClelland 876, 9. Kevin Ramey 833, 10. Scott Reneau 830.
American Bank of Oklahoma ASCS Sooner Region Points (Top Ten): 1. Sean McClelland 1,080, 2. Joe Wood, Jr. 1,028, 3. Kenneth Walker 1,002, 4. Donnie Ray Crawford 952, 5. Andy Shouse 931, 6. Brian McClelland 855, 7. Michelle Decker 719, 8. Tony Bruce, Jr. 687, 9. Danny Jennings 555, 10. Joshua Hodges 553.