By Lonnie Wheatley
TULSA, Okla. (October 11, 2010) – Opperman, Wolfgang, Swindell and Kinser are just a sampling of the legendary names on the list of past Devil’s Bowl Winter Nationals champions.
This Friday and Saturday, Sprint Car racing fans in the state of Texas have one final opportunity to catch all the stars of the Lucas Oil ASCS presented by K&N Filters National series as teams from throughout the nation converge upon Mesquite, TX, for the 37th Annual Devil’s Bowl Winter Nationals.
And, vying for a second Devil’s Bowl Winter Nationals title in a row will be Fort Worth’s Kevin Ramey, who bested a field of 61 competitors last October atop the storied ½-mile Devil’s Bowl Speedway clay oval for his ninth career ASCS National triumph.
While the two-time ASCS Sooner champ and 2009 ASCS Lone Star champion leads the local charge for the weekend’s $6,000 winner’s share, point implications in the series $60,000 championship chase and $250,000 overall points fund that will be distributed among the final top 15 in series points at year’s end loom large.
Entering this weekend’s action, a mere 77 points separate the top three in the Lucas Oil Sprint Car title chase with Eunice, LA, native Jason Johnson holding a slight edge in his bid for a second series championship after taking the top spot.
Johnson, the 2007 Devil’s Bowl Winter Nationals champion, holds a slim 45-point advantage over 20-year-old Brady Bacon of Broken Arrow, OK, with defending series champion Shane Stewart of Bixby, OK, another 32 points back in third.
With the possibility of gaining or losing as much as 64 points in a single feature event, “The Ragin’ Cajun” is just one minor miscue away from possibly knotting up the title chase in three-way style.
While Johnson, Bacon and Stewart have matched one another with four Lucas Oil ASCS National wins apiece, a total of eleven different drivers have divvied up the 23 series feature wins thus far, with fourth-ranked Tim Crawley of Benton, AR, with the hot hand as of late with three wins in the last four feature events including a second consecutive Rock ‘N Roll 50 win at Riverside on October 2.
Liberal, KS, racing promoter Tony Bruce, Jr., has climbed back up to fifth in points, with 20-year-old Jack Dover of Springfield, NE, just a handful of points ahead of 2001 series champion Zach Chappell of Talala, OK, in the battle for sixth.
Veteran Norman, OK, shoe Danny Wood enters the weekend ranked eighth in points, with Little Rock native Ricky Logan in ninth.
Kyle Hirst of Loomis, CA, enters the weekend ranked tenth and holds the advantage in the Brodix Rookie of the Year chase over Matt Covington (Glenpool, OK), Dustin Morgan (Tulsa, OK) and Channin Tankersley (Highlands, TX).
Twelfth-ranked Darren Long of Elida, OH, is another of the 14 drivers that have competed in every night of Lucas Oil ASCS National action thus far in 2010, with five-time Devil’s Bowl Winter Nationals champion Gary Wright slipping back into the top 15 in driver points.
The Lucas Oil ASCS presented by K&N Filters National series kicked off the 2010 campaign with Sammy Swindell whipping a field of 62 entries in the weather-shortened 37th Annual Devil’s Bowl Spring Nationals.
Since that time, the Lucas Oil Sprint Cars have averaged 52.69 cars per event over 23 nights of competition at 14 different tracks throughout the nation.
Following this weekend’s 37th Annual Devil’s Bowl Winter Nationals, the Lucas Oil ASCS National series finishes out the 2010 season with the I-30 Speedway’s $15,000-to-win 23rd Annual Short Track Nationals (October 28-30), a long-awaited return to Las Cruces’ Southern New Mexico Speedway (November 12-13), the $15,000-to-win 43rd Annual Western World Championships at Tucson’s USA Raceway (November 18-20) and the season-ending Las Vegas Sprint Car Nationals (November 26-27).
The Series:
Lucas Oil ASCS presented by K&N Filters
When & Where:
Friday night, October 15 at 8:00 p.m. – 37th Annual Devil’s Bowl Winter Nationals prelim
Saturday night, October 16 at 8:00 p.m. – 37th Annual Devil’s Bowl Winter Nationals finale
Track Information:
Devil’s Bowl Speedway (Mesquite, TX) – ½-mile, high-banked clay oval 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. Track phone: 972-222-2421.
Lucas Oil ASCS Devil’s Bowl History:
Devil’s Bowl Speedway has been hosting the Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series since 1994, with 20 different drivers scoring at least one victory in 61 feature events. Gary Wright has claimed 20 of his 126 career Lucas Oil National Sprint Car wins at Devil’s Bowl, including a Spring Nationals triumph in 2008.
Since the Spring Nationals of 2007, Gary Wright and Jason Johnson have had somewhat of a stranglehold on victory lane at Devil’s Bowl, combining to win eleven of the last 15 features atop the storied clay oval. Only Tony Bruce, Jr. (a Spring Nationals preliminary winner in 2008), Shane Stewart (a Spring Nationals preliminary winner in 2009), Kevin Ramey (Winter Nationals winner in 2009) and Sammy Swindell (Spring Nationals 2010) have interrupted the Wright-Johnson reign of terror at Da’ Bowl.
The last eight editions of the Devil’s Bowl Winter Nationals have been under the Lucas Oil ASCS National sanction with Wright winning four times (2002, 2003, 2005 and 2008). Kevin Ramey is the reigning Winter Nationals champion with other recent event winners including Jason Johnson (2007), Travis Rilat (2006) and Shane Stewart (2004).
Devil’s Bowl Lucas Oil ASCS winners include: Gary Wright 20, Jason Johnson 7, Wayne Johnson 4, Kevin Ramey 4, Danny Jennings 3, Sammy Swindell 3, Shane Carson 2, Terry Gray 2, Garry Lee Maier 2, Mike Peters 2, Travis Rilat 2, Shane Stewart 2, Tony Bruce, Jr. 1, Tim Crawley 1, Edd French 1, Johnny Herrera 1, Larry Neighbors 1, Alan Payne 1, Jake Peters 1, Mike Ward 1.
Devil’s Bowl Lucas Oil ASCS Race-by-race Winners: Shane Carson (6/21/94), Alan Payne (5/12/95), Mike Ward (7/23/95), Mike Peters (9/1/95), Sammy Swindell (9/2/95), Sammy Swindell (9/3/95), Wayne Johnson (6/18/96), Terry Gray (7/6/96), Terry Gray (11/1/96), Johnny Herrera (11/2/96), Shane Carson (4/5/97), Wayne Johnson (6/18/97), Edd French (10/31/97), Mike Peters (11/1/97), Gary Wright (6/19/98), Gary Wright (10/3/98), Garry Lee Maier (10/4/98), Gary Wright (7/8/99), Garry Lee Maier (7/30/99), Gary Wright (10/1/99), Gary Wright (10/2/99), Gary Wright (7/21/00), Gary Wright (10/6/00), Larry Neighbors (4/20/01), Gary Wright (7/20/01), Gary Wright (10/6/01), Travis Rilat (4/19/02), Jason Johnson (6/7/02), Wayne Johnson (10/4/02), Gary Wright (10/5/02), Kevin Ramey (4/18/03), Tim Crawley (10/17/03), Gary Wright (10/18/03), Shane Stewart (10/23/04), Danny Jennings (3/18/05), Danny Jennings (3/19/05), Danny Jennings (6/9/05), Gary Wright (10/21/05), Gary Wright (10/22/05), Kevin Ramey (6/24/06 – Spring Nationals makeup feature), Kevin Ramey (6/24/06 – Summer Nationals), Gary Wright (7/13/06), Jason Johnson (10/13/06), Travis Rilat (10/14/06), Wayne Johnson (3/16/07), Jake Peters (3/17/07), Gary Wright (5/12/07), Gary Wright (7/19/07), Jason Johnson (10/12/07), Jason Johnson (10/13/07), Tony Bruce, Jr. (3/14/08), Gary Wright (3/15/08), Jason Johnson (5/10/08), Gary Wright (7/17/08), Jason Johnson (10/17/08), Gary Wright (10/18/08), Shane Stewart (3/20/09), Jason Johnson (3/21/09), Gary Wright (10/17/09), Kevin Ramey (10/19/09), Sammy Swindell (3/19/10).
Current Lucas Oil ASCS presented by K&N Filters National Points:
Top Twenty: 1. Jason Johnson (Eunice, LA) 2,627, 2. Brady Bacon (Broken Arrow, OK) 2,582, 3. Shane Stewart (Bixby, OK) 2,550, 4. Tim Crawley (Benton, AR) 2,414, 5. Tony Bruce, Jr. (Liberal, KS) 2,406, 6. Jack Dover (Springfield, NE) 2,337, 7. Zach Chappell (Talala, OK) 2,332, 8. Danny Wood (Norman, OK) 2,235, 9. Ricky Logan (Little Rock, AR) 2,190, 10. Kyle Hirst (Loomis, CA) 2,184, 11. Matt Covington (Glenpool, OK) 2,087, 12. Dustin Morgan (Tulsa, OK) 1,965, 13. Darren Long (Elida, OH) 1,942, 14. Channin Tankersley (Highlands, TX) 1,828, 15. Gary Wright (Hooks, TX) 1,517, 16. Justyn Cox (Clarksburg, CA) 1,513, 17. Austen Wheatley (Lake Stevens, WA) 1,344, 18. Travis Rilat (Forney, TX) 1,152, 19. Brian Brown (Grain Valley, MO) 1,081, 20. Andrew Marshala (Shawnee, OK) 823.
Brodix Rookie of the Year Points: 1. Kyle Hirst (Loomis, CA) 2,184, 2. Matt Covington (Glenpool, OK) 2,087, 3. Dustin Morgan (Tulsa, OK) 1,965, 4. Channin Tankersley (Highlands, TX) 1,828, 5. Justyn Cox (Clarksburg, CA) 1,513, 6. Austen Wheatley (Lake Stevens, WA) 1,344.
Owner Points (Top Twenty): 1. JJR 41 – 2,627, 2. Tel-Star 99 – 2,582, 3. Silva 57 – 2,550, 4. Ward 88 – 2,414, 5. Bruce Racing 18 – 2,406, 6. Dover 53 – 2,337, 7. Chappell 50z – 2,332, 8. Hammers 94 – 2,235, 9. Logan 10a – 2,190, 10. Perkins 6 – 2,184, 11. Covington 95 – 2,087, 12. Morgan 93 – 1,965, 13. Gaerte 3g – 1,942, 14. Tankersley 71 – 1,828, 15. Van Dyke 5h – 1,766.
2010 Lucas Oil ASCS National Feature Winners:
Brady Bacon 4, Shane Stewart 4, Jason Johnson 4, Tim Crawley 3, Zach Chappell 2, Brian Brown 1, Tony Bruce, Jr. 1, Matt Covington 1, Jerrod Hull 1, Sammy Swindell 1, Danny Wood 1.
Lucas Oil ASCS presented by K&N Filters – A Look Ahead:
October 28 – I-30 Speedway (Little Rock, AR)
October 29 – I-30 Speedway (Little Rock, AR)
October 30 – I-30 Speedway (Little Rock, AR) – $15,000 to win
November 12 – Southern New Mexico Speedway (Las Cruces, NM)
November 13 – Southern New Mexico Speedway (Las Cruces, NM)
November 18 – USA Raceway (Tucson, AZ)
November 19 – USA Raceway (Tucson, AZ)
November 20 – USA Raceway (Tucson, AZ) – $15,000 to win
November 26 – Las Vegas Motor Speedway (Las Vegas, NV)
November 27 – Las Vegas Motor Speedway (Las Vegas, NV)
Lucas Oil ASCS 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 ASCS 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) – 9/4/10 @ 6:00 p.m.
June 12 – Eagle Raceway (Eagle, NE) – 10/3/10 @ 5:00 p.m.
September 25 – Lucas Oil Speedway (Wheatland, MO) – 11/21/10 @ 6:00 p.m.
October 1 – Riverside Speedway (W. Memphis, AR) – 11/28/10 @ 6:00 p.m.
October 2 – Riverside Speedway (W. Memphis, AR) – 12/5/10 @ 5:00 p.m.
October 28 – I-30 Speedway (Little Rock, AR) – 12/5/10 @ 6:00 p.m.
October 29 – I-30 Speedway (Little Rock, AR) – 12/11/10 @ 6:00 p.m.
October 30 – I-30 Speedway (Little Rock, AR) – 12/12/10 @ 6:00 p.m.
The Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters is currently slated for 35 nights of racing action at 17 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.