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– LUFKIN, Texas (May 31) – A wreck, a top five and a costly mistake best summarizes Channin Tankersley’s weekend.
Racing three nights with the ASCS Gulf South Region throughout Texas, the 20-year-old from Highlands, Texas, experienced more highs and lows than a roller coaster.
“We hit an all-time low Friday, rebounded Saturday and went back down to the low on Sunday,” he said. “It was … interesting.”
The ride began on Friday at Golden Triangle Raceway Park in Beaumont, where his car was nearly destroyed in a vicious crash during his heat race.
“I went to set the car and it just snapped around,” he said. “As it was sideways, two people hit me and it jacked everything up.”
The impact broke the frame, knocked the front end out, crushed the headers and damaged the wings, nerf bars and hood, among other things.
The team pieced the car together enough to get him on the track for the B Main. He was then saved by a caution on the first lap, which allowed them to fix an oil line. Tankersley tagged the back of the race and worked his way from 12th to finish fourth and earn a transfer to the feature.
He then pulled in after a lap to finish 20th.
Tankersley turned things around on Saturday at Gator Motorplex in Willis, where he claimed the heat race and finished fifth – his fourth top five of the season.
Tankersley was up to third at one point in the race before falling back a few positions.
“A couple of guys found the rubber before me,” he said. “As soon as I did, I got back down to the bottom and it was follow the leader.”
The momentum was short-lived as Tankersley ran into some tough luck on Sunday at Speedarama Raceway in Lufkin.
After finishing fifth on the super dry track in his heat race, Tankersley was relegated to the B Main. He started second and was leading with about five laps remaining when trouble struck.
“We had the car way too tight,” he said. “I was having to turn the car three times in the corner and two times down the straightaway.
“I went to pass a lapped car entering turn one and it picked up a bad push. I couldn’t get it turned. I got into the wall and flattened the right rear tire.”
He finished 11th and failed to earn a transfer to the feature for only the third time this season.
Tankersley remains in sixth place in the ASCS Gulf South standings.
He isn’t scheduled to return to the track until the next ASCS Gulf South weekend, which is June 17 at Golden Triangle Raceway Park and June 18 at Royal Purple Raceway in Baytown, Texas.
QUICK RESULTS –
May 27 – Golden Triangle Raceway Park in Beaumont, Texas – Heat race: 5 (2); B Main: 4 (12); Feature: 20 (18).
May 28 – Gator Motorplex in Willis, Texas – Heat race: 1 (2); Feature: 5 (4).
May 29 – Speedarama Raceway in Lufkin, Texas – Heat race: 5 (6); B Main: 11 (2).
SEASON STATS –
14 races, 11 features, 1 win, 4 top fives, 4 top 10s, 6 top 15s, 10 top 20s
UP NEXT –
June 17 at Golden Triangle Raceway Park in Beaumont, Texas, and June 18 at Royal Purple Raceway in Baytown, Texas, with the ASCS Gulf South Region
FAVORITE NUMBER –
8: Cars Tankersley passed in the B Main on Friday to earn a transfer to the ASCS Gulf South feature at Golden Triangle Raceway Park in Beaumont, Texas.
SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS –
Twitter: www.twitter.com/Tankersley71
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT – Miller’s Machine & Welding
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“Miller’s Machine & Welding has helped me out on all my machining and fabricating,” Tankersley said. “As everyone knows, most of this stuff in racing has to be built to fit your suit and Miller’s Machine & Welding makes my life a lot easier. They do a great job and I know they can fix anything I tear up.”
Tankersley would like to thank his sponsors, including Griffith Truck & Equipment and Custom Vinyl Designs for their continued support.