By Lonnie Wheatley
TULSA, Okla. (August 23, 2010) – The second half of the 2010 Lucas Oil ASCS National presented by K&N Filters championship chase officially kicks off this weekend with a pair of unique ovals on the docket, including a new track to the series and a familiar one.
The weekend kicks off with the Lucas Oil ASCS National forces invading Tri-City Speedway in Pontoon Beach, IL, for the first time in series history. It will also mark the first series event in the State of Illinois since 1997.
Then, on Saturday night, the series moves on to Little Rock’s I-30 Speedway, the racy, ¼-mile bullring that ranks second in Lucas Oil ASCS National events hosted since the series inception in 1992.
Leading the way into the weekend of new ground and then familiar territory are the triumvirate of Jason Johnson, Shane Stewart and Brady Bacon, who are locked in a torrid battle for the series $60,000 championship.
Johnson, a native of Eunice, LA, holds the current advantage as he tries to add a second series crown to the one earned in 2008. “The Ragin’ Cajun” is currently just 67 points ahead of Bixby, Oklahoma’s Stewart, the series defending champion who rides the momentum of an ASCS Knoxville Nationals triumph and then a podium finish in the 50th Annual Knoxville Nationals into the weekend.
Not to be forgotten is 20-year-old Broken Arrow, OK, Brady Bacon, who is just 24 points behind Stewart in third and has collected four wins this season to match Johnson and Stewart in the victory column. One of Bacon’s victories came at I-30 Speedway earlier this season.
Currently ranked fourth is Springfield, Nebraska’s Jack Dover, the 20-year-old who is home recovering from injuries suffered in non-wing action a week ago and is doubtful for this weekend’s double.
Talala, Oklahoma’s Zach Chappell, the 2001 series champion that topped a non-stop 35-lap Lucas Oil ASCS main event at I-30 in April, enters the weekend ranked fifth, just ahead of Liberal, KS, shoe Tony Bruce, Jr., and three-time series champion Tim Crawley of Benton, AR.
Veteran shoe Danny Wood of Norman, OK, a Lucas Oil ASCS prelim winner at Eagle Raceway in June enters the weekend ranked eight, with leading Brodix Rookie of the Year contender Kyle Hirst in ninth.
Little Rock native Ricky Logan rounds out the current top ten, with other Lucas Oil title contenders including Ohio’s Darren Long and the balance of the strong rookie crop that includes Matt Covington (Glenpool, OK), Dustin Morgan (Tulsa, OK), 19-year-old Channin Tankersley (Highlands, TX), 17-year-old Austen Wheatley (Lake Stevens, WA) and 16-year-old Justyn Cox (Clarksburg, CA).
The Lucas Oil Sprint Cars will be joined a strong contingent of challengers on both nights, including the Winged Outlaw Warriors at Tri-City Speedway on Friday night and then the traditionally tough Little Rock and Memphis-area competitors on Saturday night at I-30 Speedway.
The Series:
Lucas Oil ASCS Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters
When & Where:
Friday night, August 27 at 7:00 p.m. – Tri-City Speedway
Saturday night, August 28 at 7:30 p.m. – I-30 Speedway
Track Information:
Tri-City Speedway (Pontoon Beach, IL) – 3/8-mile semi-banked dirt oval located off I-270 Exit 4 then 0.5 miles south on SR 203 by Granite City. For more information, contact the track at 800-617-9077 or check http://www.tricityspeedway.net/.
I-30 Speedway (Little Rock, AR) – ¼-mile high-banked clay oval located seven miles southwest of Little Rock off I-30 Exit 126 (Alexander Rd.), then south to frontage road, then east. For more information, contact the track at 501-455-4567 or check http://www.i-30speedway.com/.
Lucas Oil ASCS Tri-City Speedway History:
After being rained out at Tri-City in 2009, the first page in series history at the track will be written on August 27 when Kevin and Tammy Gundaker bring the Lucas Oil ASCS Sprint Car Series to Tri-City Speedway for the first time. It marks just the fourth event within the state of Illinois in series history and the first since a Terry Gray triumph at Peoria in August of 1997.
Lucas Oil ASCS I-30 Speedway History:
A staple of the ASCS National Series, I-30 Speedway hosted the first official ASCS National event on May 15, 1993, with Memphis shoe Mike Ward dropping in on victory lane. Since that time, 18 different drivers have posted at least one ASCS National win in the 46 events contested at I-30.
Gary Wright has enjoyed the most success at I-30 with a dozen triumphs, with his most recent Little Rock success including Speedweek and Short Track Nationals prelim wins in 2008.
Tony Bruce, Jr., has enjoyed the most success recently at I-30 Speedway, topping the last two editions of the track’s prestigious Short Track Nationals while also capturing the 2009 leg of ASCS Speedweek, which didn’t count as an official National win. Both STN triumphs were worth $15,000 to the Liberal shoe.
Saturday marks the third and final one-night stand at I-30 Speedway leading into October’s Short Track Nationals, with Oklahoma shoes Zach Chappell (non-stop 35-lapper on April 10) and Brady Bacon (June 5) victorious in the previous two stops.
I-30 Speedway Lucas Oil ASCS National winners include: Gary Wright 12, Tim Crawley 4, Garry Lee Maier 4, Terry Gray 3, Jason Johnson 3, Wayne Johnson 3, Mike Ward 3, Tony Bruce, Jr. 2, Travis Rilat 2, Shane Stewart 2, Brady Bacon 1, Pete Butler 1, Zach Chappell 1, Ricky Logan 1, Jason Meyers 1, Eric Sandage 1, Tim Shaffer 1, Nick Smith 1.
I-30 Speedway Lucas Oil ASCS Race-by-Race Winners: Mike Ward (5/15/93), Tim Crawley (6/24/93), Terry Gray (7/17/93), Garry Lee Maier (6/18/94), Garry Lee Maier (8/13/94), Terry Gray (5/20/95), Ricky Logan (6/24/95), Gary Wright (7/15/95), Mike Ward (5/18/96), Garry Lee Maier (6/15/96), Garry Lee Maier (8/3/96), Mike Ward (5/17/97), Gary Wright (6/14/97), Wayne Johnson (9/26/97), Wayne Johnson (9/27/97), Gary Wright (5/16/98), Terry Gray (6/13/98), Eric Sandage (8/25/01), Pete Butler (6/22/02), Gary Wright (7/13/02), Gary Wright (9/21/02), Gary Wright (6/21/03), Tim Crawley (7/12/03), Shane Stewart (9/6/03), Gary Wright (6/5/04), Travis Rilat (7/10/04), Gary Wright (8/28/04), Tim Crawley (6/11/05), Gary Wright (7/9/05), Travis Rilat (10/1/05), Jason Johnson (7/29/06), Jason Johnson (4/28/07), Gary Wright (7/14/07), Shane Stewart (10/25/07), Tim Shaffer (10/26/07), Jason Meyers (10/27/07), Nick Smith (4/26/08), Gary Wright (7/12/08), Gary Wright (10/23/08), Tim Crawley (10/24/08), Tony Bruce, Jr. (10/25/08), Wayne Johnson (11/5/09), Jason Johnson (11/6/09), Tony Bruce, Jr. (11/7/09), Zach Chappell (4/10/10), Brady Bacon (6/5/10).
Current Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters Points:
Top Twenty: 1. Jason Johnson (Eunice, LA) 2,033, 2. Shane Stewart (Bixby, OK) 1,966, 3. Brady Bacon (Broken Arrow, OK) 1,942, 4. Jack Dover (Springfield, NE) 1,881, 5. Zach Chappell (Talala, OK) 1,795, 6. Tony Bruce, Jr. (Liberal, KS) 1,772, 7. Tim Crawley (Benton, AR) 1,769, 8. Danny Wood (Norman, OK) 1,722, 9. Kyle Hirst (Loomis, CA) 1,717, 10. Ricky Logan (Little Rock, AR) 1,643, 11. Matt Covington (Glenpool, OK) 1,606, 12. Darren Long (Elida, OH) 1,430, 13. Dustin Morgan (Tulsa, OK) 1,420, 14. Channin Tankersley (Highlands, TX) 1,417, 15. (tie) Austen Wheatley (Lake Stevens, WA) and Justyn Cox (Clarksburg, CA) 1,344, 17. Travis Rilat (Forney, TX) 1,152, 18. Gary Wright (Hooks, TX) 1,099, 19. Andrew Marshala (Shawnee, OK) 823, 20. Brian Brown (Grain Valley, MO) 658.
Brodix Rookie of the Year Points: 1. Kyle Hirst (Loomis, CA) 1,717, 2. Matt Covington (Glenpool, OK) 1,606, 3. Dustin Morgan (Tulsa, OK) 1,420, 4. Channin Tankersley (Highlands, TX) 1,417, 5. (tie) Austen Wheatley (Lake Stevens, WA) and Justyn Cox (Clarksburg, CA) 1,344.
2010 Lucas Oil Sprint Car Feature Winners:
Brady Bacon 4, Shane Stewart 4, Jason Johnson 4, Zach Chappell 2, Brian Brown 1, Matt Covington 1, Sammy Swindell 1, Danny Wood 1.
Lucas Oil Sprint Cars presented by K&N Filters – A Look Ahead:
September 25- Lucas Oil Speedway (Wheatland, MO)
October 1 – Riverside Speedway (West Memphis, AR)
October 2 – Riverside Speedway (West Memphis, AR)
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.