Inside Line Promotions
– MESQUITE, Texas (June 21) – Finally, the long-awaited introduction between Tony Bruce Jr. and luck happened.
After a rough first couple of months to the season, with high pill draws, tough heat races and untimely mechanical issues, the Liberal, Kan., native caught a break and he capitalized on Friday at Devil’s Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, Texas.
Bruce Jr. started the feature on the bottom of the one-lane track, worked his way into the lead just before the track took rubber and found cautions every time he entered traffic to set up his first win of the season in the ASCS Lone Star vs. Sooner Region event.
“It was real nice because The Oil Medics is down there,” Bruce Jr. said of one of his sponsors. “I was also really excited for our team because the crew goes through a lot. It was a big relief for me to reward them and show them that their hard work is paying off.”
After driving from eighth to fourth in his heat race, Bruce Jr. was one spot out of the redraw. However, he took advantage of starting on the inside in the feature and found himself in third place by the time the first lap was completed.
“We were able to get up underneath everybody and hug the bottom on the start,” he said. “You had to be on the inside. The track was so slick.”
Bruce Jr. was in second by the third lap and took the lead on the 10th circuit.
“The track took rubber about the time I took the lead,” he said. “Once it finally took rubber, it was ‘Just don’t get out of line, don’t screw up and we’ve got the race won.’
“The cautions fell perfect, too. As soon as I’d catch the lapped cars, the caution would come out. Everything just kind of played into our hands.”
It was his 11th career ASCS victory.
The team returned to Devil’s Bowl Speedway on Saturday, but this time the bad draw hurt Bruce Jr.
He again started last – eighth – in the heat race and finished fifth, which put him 13th in points heading into the feature. Starting inside the seventh row, Bruce Jr. gradually worked his way into seventh on a track that was tough to pass on.
“Turns one and two were completely dry and you had to be on the bottom,” he said. “Turns three and four were wet on the top. Basically, the only time you got around anybody was if someone messed up in front of you.”
After a caution late in the race, Bruce Jr. tried to pass a slew of cars in the middle of turns one and two. It worked entering the corner, as he climbed into the top five, but Bruce Jr. slid off the track off turn two and a handful of cars passed him.
“I rode around for like 25 laps,” he said. “I just got sick and tired of riding around. We went for it and unfortunately it didn’t pay off.”
Bruce Jr. finished 10th, which was his ninth top 10 of the season.
He is scheduled to race for Clifford and Don Young Friday at L A Raceway in La Monte, Mo., with the ASCS Warrior Region and Saturday at Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa.
QUICK RESULTS –
June 17 – Devil’s Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, Texas – Heat race: 4 (8); Feature: 1 (9).
June 18 – Devil’s Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, Texas – Heat race: 5 (8); Feature: 10 (13).
SEASON STATS –
22 races, 19 features, 1 win, 3 top fives, 9 top 10s, 14 top 15s, 19 top 20s
UP NEXT –
Friday at L A Raceway in La Monte, Mo., with the ASCS Warrior Region and Saturday at Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa
FAVORITE NUMBER –
4: Top-10 finishes in Bruce Jr’.s last five races, including his first win of the season last Friday at Devil’s Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, Texas.
SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS –
Website: www.tonybrucejr.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/tonybrucejr
ON THE AIR –
Bruce Jr. was a featured guest on the ASCS Show by Racinboys on May 24. Check out the link below for his interview, which starts at approximately 44:20 into the show.
http://www.meridix.com/mbp/general/index.php?liveid=Racinboys&recordid=19159
He was also on the April 26 edition. Click on the link below to listen to Bruce Jr.’s interview, which begins around the 52:25 mark.
http://www.meridix.com/mbp/general/index.php?liveid=Racinboys&recordid=18733
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT – Ticketmob.com
Ticketmob.com is a website devoted to providing tickets to any event, ranging from concerts to sporting events. Co-owned by Tony Bruce Jr., Ticketmob.com is also one of the few websites that can buy tickets. For more information, visit www.ticketmob.com.
“The cool thing about Ticketmob.com is that even if it’s a sold-out show, we’ve got a place you can sell tickets as well,” Bruce Jr. said. “You can still get tickets on Ticketmob.com. We sell tickets and we buy tickets. We’re one of the few websites that offers the ability to buy tickets to a sold-out show.”
Bruce Jr. would like to thank his sponsors, including The Oil Medics, TBJ Promotions, Travelwizer.com, LRB Manufacturing, Hoosier and Smiley’s Racing Products for their continued support.