By Lonnie Wheatley
TULSA, Okla. (August 18, 2010) – The stretch drive for the 2010 American Sprint Car Series Gulf South Region championship begins this weekend with a pair of events along Texas’ Gulf coast.
On Friday night, it’s familiar ground in the form of Beaumont’s Golden Triangle Raceway Park. Then, on Saturday night, the action moves on to Battleground Speedway in Highlands, TX.
While Golden Triangle Raceway Park has hosted four Gulf South events thus far in 2010 with another two cards washed out, Battleground will be hosting the Gulf South forces for just the second time in track history.
With the initial 13 events of the season in the books and just another pair of two-race weekends remaining after this double, Ray Allen Kulhanek of Montgomery, TX, is closing in on a possible second series title after snaring his first crown in 2005.
Kulhanek leads the way into the weekend with an 85-point edge over Conroe’s Tommy Bryant, with two-time series champion Brandon Berryman (Missouri City), defending champion Aaron Reutzel (Clute) and Scottie McDonald (New Caney) 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), Beau Smith (Texas City) and Logan Bledsoe (Richmond).
Friday’s action at Golden Triangle Raceway Park fires off at 8:00 p.m., with Saturday’s green flag at Battleground flying 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.
Highlands’ high-banked, 3/8-mile Battleground Speedway dirt oval is located east of Houston off I-10 exit 787, then four miles north. For more information, contact the track at 832-421-7223.
The ASCS Gulf South Region is slated for 26 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 Gulf South Region Feature Winners at Golden Triangle Raceway Park:
7/16/10 – Gary Wright
6/18/10 – Tommy Bryant
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
* – Indicates events held in conjunction with ASCS National Tour.
Past ASCS Gulf South Region Feature Winners at Battleground Speedway:
3/6/10 – Brian Brown
Additional information regarding the American Sprint Car Series is available at www.ascsracing.com.