From Lonnie Wheatley
TULSA, Okla. (December 7, 2010) โ With the 2010 season concluded just over a week ago and the 19th Annual ASCS Awards Banquet still on tap for this coming weekend, the Lucas Oil ASCS presented by K&N Filters National series has already unveiled a preliminary version of the 2011 schedule.
After completing 35 nights of National competition in 2010, the preliminary version of the 20th year of Lucas Oil ASCS National competition currently includes 40 nights of competition at 16 different tracks throughout 13 different states, including the first National events in the State of California. Several additional dates are under discussion as well and will be announced as details are finalized.
With a $250,000 points fund, including $60,000 earmarked for the series champion, once again in effect, the series embarks upon new territory when the season opener at the Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare, CA, on Wednesday night, February 9.
Two nights later, the series moves on to Kings Speedway in Hanford, CA, with another potential date or two before taking to Tucsonโs USA Raceway the following weekend, February 18-19, for the annual Copper on Dirt event. USA Raceway will also host the 2011 Lucas Oil ASCS season finale with the 44th Annual Western World Championships November 17-19.
After opening the 2011 season on the Left Coast, action resumes on March 25-26 with the 38th Annual Devilโs Bowl Spring Nationals in Mesquite, TX. The storied half-mile clay oval will also host the Lucas Oil ASCS National series with the annual Winter Nationals in October.
The month of April brings a two-night stand at Little Rockโs I-30 Speedway on April 15-16, the first of several events set for the high-banked, ยผ-mile with other cards on June 4 and August 27 setting the stage for the 24th Annual Short Track Nationals on October 27-29.
The series returns to Tri-City Speedway in Pontoon Beach, IL, on Friday night, May 6, before slipping down the Mississippi to Riverside International Speedway in West Memphis the following night. The month of May wraps up with the Third Annual Steve King Memorial at the Jetmore (KS) Motorplex on May 28-29.
After kicking off June at I-30, Nebraskaโs Eagle Nationals is up next on June 10-11 before a pair of Missouri stops two weekends later at La Monteโs LA Raceway and Eldonโs Lake Ozark Speedway, the annual Hockett/McMillin Memorial event.
July features the Third Annual North by Northwest Tour, kicking off July 8 at Iowaโs Clay County Fairgrounds, moving on to South Dakotaโs I-90 Speedway the following night and then on to Washingtonโs Grays Harbor Raceway (July 15-16), Oregonโs Cottage Grove Speedway (July 22-23) and then Californiaโs Placerville Speedway for the first time (July 29-30).
After finishing up the North by Northwest Tour, its back to the nationโs heartland for the 21st Annual ASCS Knoxville Nationals in August.
September features the series annual stop at โThe Diamond of Dirt Tracksโ, Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, MO.
After late season classics at the Devilโs Bowl Winter Nationals and I-30 Speedwayโs Short Track Nationals, the Lucas Oil ASCS presented by K&N Filters National series will wrap up the 2011 campaign with a two-night stand at Las Crucesโ Southern New Mexico Speedway and then USA Racewayโs Western World Championships.
Eunice, Louisiana native Jason Johnson is the reigning Lucas Oil ASCS National champion after outdistancing 20-year-old Broken Arrow, OK, shoe Brady Bacon by 129 markers for the 2010 crown. Bacon edged 2009 series champion Shane Stewart by just five points for runner-up honors.
Lucas Oil ASCS presented by K&N Filters 2011 Schedule:
February 9 โ Thunderbowl Raceway (Tulare, CA)
February 11 โ Kings Speedway (Hanford, CA)
February 12 โ TBA
February 18 โ USA Raceway (Tucson, AZ)
February 19 โ USA Raceway (Tucson, AZ)
March 25 โ Devilโs Bowl Speedway (Mesquite, TX)
March 26 โ Devilโs Bowl Speedway (Mesquite, TX)
April 15 โ I-30 Speedway (Little Rock, AR)
April 16 โ I-30 Speedway (Little Rock, AR)
May 6 โ Tri-City Speedway (Pontoon Beach, IL)
May 7 โ Riverside International Speedway (West Memphis, AR)
May 28 โ Jetmore Motorplex (Jetmore, KS)
May 29 โ Jetmore Motorplex (Jetmore, KS)
June 4 โ I-30 Speedway (Little Rock, AR)
June 10 โ Eagle Raceway (Eagle, NE)
June 11 โ Eagle Raceway (Eagle, NE)
June 24 โ LA Raceway (La Monte, MO)
June 25 โ Lake Ozark Speedway (Eldon, MO)
July 8 โ Clay County Fairgrounds (Spencer, IA)
July 9 โ I-90 Speedway (Hartford, SD)
July 15 โ Grays Harbor Raceway (Elma, WA)
July 16 โ Grays Harbor Raceway (Elma, WA)
July 22 โ Cottage Grove Speedway (Cottage Grove, OR)
July 23 โ Cottage Grove Speedway (Cottage Grove, OR)
July 29 โ Placerville Speedway (Placerville, CA)
July 30 โ Placerville Speedway (Placerville, CA)
August 4 โ Knoxville Raceway (Knoxville, IA)
August 5 โ Knoxville Raceway (Knoxville, IA)
August 6 โ Knoxville Raceway (Knoxville, IA)
August 27 โ I-30 Speedway (Little Rock, AR)
September 24 โ Lucas Oil Speedway (Wheatland, MO)
October 21 โ Devilโs Bowl Speedway (Mesquite, TX)
October 22 โ Devilโs Bowl Speedway (Mesquite, TX)
October 27 โ I-30 Speedway (Little Rock, AR)
October 28 โ I-30 Speedway (Little Rock, AR)
October 29 โ I-30 Speedway (Little Rock, AR)
November 11 โ Southern New Mexico Speedway (Las Cruces, NM)
November 12 โ Southern New Mexico Speedway (Las Cruces, NM)
November 17 โ USA Raceway (Tucson, AZ)
November 18 โ USA Raceway (Tucson, AZ)
November 19 โ USA Raceway (Tucson, AZ)
Additional information regarding the American Sprint Car Series is available at www.ascsracing.com.