By Lonnie Wheatley
TULSA, Okla. (July 20, 2010) – The American Sprint Car Series Gulf South and Lone Star Regional series are set to face off with a pair of events in Texas this coming weekend.
On Friday night, the ASCS Gulf South and Lone Star forces mix it up at Waco’s Heart O’ Texas Speedway. Then, on Saturday night, it’s into the heart of ASCS Lone Star Regional territory as the Gulf South aces try to knock off their north Texas counterparts at Mesquite’s Devil’s Bowl Speedway.
While the ASCS Lone Star Region has squared off for five consecutive events versus the ASCS Sooner Region in the Red River Challenge events, this weekend’s double marks the first Regional rumble of 2010 for the ASCS Gulf South contenders.
Ray Allen Kulhanek and Eric Baldaccini lead their respective Regions into the weekend double.
Kulhanek holds a 46 point edge over Tommy Bryant in the ASCS Gulf South title chase, with Aaron Reutzel, Brandon Berryman and Scottie McDonald rounding out the current top five in points.
Baldaccini is 112 markers ahead of Claud Estes in the ASCS Lone Star title run, with Justin Melton, Preston Peebles II and Martin Edwards rounding out the current top five.
The neutral ground of Waco’s Heart O’ Texas Speedway has featured Wayne Johnson winning an ASCS Lone Star event in April and then Berryman topping an ASCS Gulf South event in May.
Jason Johnson and Kenneth Walker split ASCS Lone Star vs. Sooner honors at Devil’s Bowl Speedway last month.
Both nights of action, which offer up a $2,000 winner’s share, get under way at 8:00 p.m.
The high-banked, 1/4-mile Heart O’ Texas Speedway clay oval is located in Waco, TX, off I-35 Exit 343, then 0.6 miles north on east frontage road. For more information, contact the track at 254-829-2294.
Mesquite, Texas’ high-banked, ½-mile Devil’s Bowl Speedway clay oval is located six miles east of Dallas’ I-635 on I-20, then three miles north on Lawson Road. Lawson Road north of the track (and south off of US 80) has been closed for repair, so fans and racers are urged to use I-20 and then go north on Lawson. For more information, contact the track at 972-222-2421.
The ASCS Gulf South Region is slated for 27 nights of racing action at ten different tracks throughout Texas in 2010.
The 2010 slate of ASCS Lone Star Region competition consists of 17 nights of action at seven different tracks throughout North Texas and one to the north of the Red River in southwest Oklahoma.
Past ASCS Regional Feature Winners at Heart O’ Texas Speedway:
5/14/10 – Brandon Berryman (Gulf South)
4/16/10 – Wayne Johnson (Lone Star)
7/31/09 – Tommy Bryant (Gulf South vs. Lone Star)
6/5/09 – Trey Robb (Gulf South)
4/3/09 – Skip Wilson (Lone Star)
8/22/08 – Greg Rilat (Gulf South)
5/25/08 – Ryan Hall (Gulf South)
9/14/07 – Kevin Ramey (Sooner)
8/31/07 – Brandon Berryman (Gulf South vs. Sooner)
9/15/06 – Kevin Ramey (Gulf South)
7/21/06 – Jason Johnson (Gulf South vs. Sooner Region)
10/15/04 – Kevin Ramey (Gulf South)
9/17/04 – Kevin Ramey (Gulf South)
6/18/04 – Claud Estes (Gulf South)
Past ASCS Regional Feature Winners at Devil’s Bowl Speedway:
6/19/10 – Kenneth Walker (Lone Star vs. Sooner)
6/18/10 – Jason Johnson (Lone Star vs. Sooner)
9/5/09 – Gary Wright (Gulf South vs. Lone Star)
5/9/09 – Gary Wright (Lone Star vs. Sooner)
9/27/08 – Justin Spoerl (Sooner)
9/1/07 – Jason Johnson (Gulf South vs. Sooner)
7/22/06 – Larry Neighbors (Gulf South vs. Sooner)
7/16/05 – Kevin Ramey (Gulf South vs. Sooner)
10/16/04 – Kevin Ramey (Gulf South vs. Sooner)
7/12/03 – Kevin Ramey (Gulf South vs. Sooner)
Current points:
ASCS Gulf South Points (Top 10): 1. 21T-Ray Allen Kulhanek 1,345, 2. 85-Tommy Bryant 1,299, 3. 87-Aaron Reutzel 1,261, 4. 31-Brandon Berryman 1,246, 5. 88-Scottie McDonald 1,185, 6. 15T-Travis Elliott 1,145, 7. 93-Chris Sweeney 1,086, 8. 51w-Wes Miller 1,060, 9. 35-Greg Rilat 983, 10. 12b-Logan Bledsoe 963.
ASCS Lone Star Region Points (Top 10): 1. 4-Eric Baldaccini 1,293, 2. 74e-Claud Estes 1,181, 3. 11-Justin Melton 1,126. 4. 0c-Preston Peebles II 1,099, 5. 45x-Martin Edwards 1,079, 6. 67/76-John Ricketts 1,061, 7. 30-Brandon Corn 1,056, 8. 25-Brian McClelland 1,001, 9. 7m-Kevin Ramey 975, 10. 1r-Scott Reneau 930.
Additional information regarding the American Sprint Car Series is available at www.ascsracing.com.