From Lonnie Wheatley
BEAUMONT, Texas (May 13, 2011) – After seeing the night’s final checkered flag just once in six previous events, the 20-year-old from Highlands, TX, raced from the fifth starting position to pick off his fifth career ASCS Gulf South score aboard the Harris-powered CVS/Griffith Truck & Equipment No. 71 Maxim, becoming the seventh different winner in as many Gulf South events thus far in 2011.
Plagued by misfortune over much of last year and the early portion of 2011, Lady Luck finally gave Tankersley a friendly nod as he took command in the final circuits when race-long leader Travis Rilat slowed with a broken rocker arm.
Originally slated to start third, Rilat moved up to the pole position when scheduled pole starter Jason Johnson knocked a front end down prior to the start of the race.
Rilat gunned into the lead at the outset, with Tankersley making his way past Tommy Bryant for third by the 10th circuit and then by Gary Taylor for second by the 15th round. When Rilat began to lose power in the final laps, Tankersley was there to take quick advantage with a move into the lead with just three laps remaining.
Tankersley went on to take the checkered flag in front of Rilat, who held on for runner-up honors. Filling in for Michael Dupuy aboard the Jaz-Tek No. 3x, Gary Taylor claimed the show position while Bryant took over the series point lead with a fourth-place run.
Brandon Berryman rounded out the top five, while two-time series champion Ray Allen Kulhanek picked up hard charger honors by climbing from 12th to sixth. George White was seventh, with Aaron Reutzel, Travis Elliott and Michael McNeil completing the top ten.
White, Tankersley and Logan Bledsoe topped heat race action, with Reutzel winning the “B” Main.
Smiley’s Racing Products ASCS Gulf South Results from Golden Triangle Raceway Park:
First Heat (8 Laps): 1. 10-George White, 2. 15T-Travis Elliott, 3. 35-Greg Rilat, 4. 54-Evan Pardo, 5. 28-James Cooper, 6. 51s-Beau Smith, 7. 5c-Chris Coker, 8. 93-Chris Sweeney, 9. 17-Bruce Griffith, Jr.
Second Heat (8 Laps): 1. 71-Channin Tankersley, 2. 41-Jason Johnson, 3. 21T-Ray Allen Kulhanek, 4. 19-Klint Angelette, 5. 31-Brandon Berryman, 6. 87-Aaron Reutzel, 7. 25m-Michael McNeil, 8. 24-Brandie Jass, 9. 52-Roger Oakes.
Third Heat (8 Laps): 1. 12b-Logan Bledsoe, 2. 29-Travis Rilat, 3. 3x-Gary Taylor, 4. 14e-Tommy Bryant, 5. 3-Gary Watson, 6. 51-Jimmy Brooks, 7. 69-Larry Howery, 8. 36-John Pate.
“B” Main (12 Laps): 1. 87-Aaron Reutzel, 2. 3-Gary Watson, 3. 25m-Michael McNeil, 4. 69-Larry Howery, 5. 5c-Chris Coker, 6. 93-Chris Sweeney, 7. 51-Jimmy Brooks, 8. 24-Brandie Jass, 9. 52-Roger Oakes, 10. 36-John Pate, 11. 28-James Cooper, 12. 17-Bruce Griffith, Jr.
“A” Feature (25 Laps): 1. 71-Channin Tankersley, 2. 29-Travis Rilat, 3. 3x-Gary Taylor, 4. 14e-Tommy Bryant, 5. 31-Brandon Berryman, 6. 21T-Ray Allen Kulhanek, 7. 10-George White, 8. 87-Aaron Reutzel, 9. 15T-Travis Elliott, 10. 25m-Michael McNeil, 11. 12b-Logan Bledsoe, 12. 51s-Beau Smith, 13. 35-Greg Rilat, 14. 19-Klint Angelette, 15. 93-Chris Sweeney, 16. 5c-Chris Coker, 17. 69-Larry Howery, 18. 3-Gary Watson, 19. 54-Evan Pardo, 20. 41-Jason Johnson.
Smiley’s Racing Products ASCS Gulf South Region Points (Top Ten): 1. Tommy Bryant 870, 2. George White 860, 3. Ray Allen Kulhanek 766, 4. Brandon Berryman 760, 5. Chris Sweeney 736, 6. Channin Tankersley 704, 7. Travis Elliott 695, 8. Michael McNeil 680, 9. Greg Rilat 678, 10. Beau Smith 648.
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