By Lonnie Wheatley
TULSA, Okla. (June 27, 2011) – The Speedway Motors ASCS Warrior Region is in action for a third consecutive weekend with a pair of events in the Show Me State this coming Fourth of July holiday weekend.
On Saturday night, the Warriors mix it up with the American Bank of Oklahoma ASCS Sooner Region atop the high-banked, ¼-mile Springfield Raceway clay oval. Then, on Sunday night, the ASCS Warriors return to the cozy confines of Double X Speedway in California, MO.
And, leading the Warrior forces into the weekend is Brad Loyet, who has effectively thrown his name into the hat for National Rookie of the Year pollsters to consider. After earning three podium finishes in the initial four events of the season, the 23-year-old from Sunset Hills, MO, picked off his first winged Sprint Car feature win this past weekend at La Monte, Missouri’s LA Raceway.
With the triumph, Loyet extended his ASCS Warrior points lead to 59 markers over California, MO, native Randy Martin, who is vying for a fifth Warrior title. Martin topped the Warrior event held at Double X Speedway on Memorial Day weekend.
Following Loyet and Martin in the championship battle is Nixa’s Kyle Bellm, with Lone Jack’s Cody Baker and Farmington’s Mark Shirshekan rounding out the current top five. The balance of the current top ten includes Jonathan Cornell (Sedalia), Josh Stephens (Buckner), Austin Alumbaugh (Higginsville), Tyler Blank (California) and Evan Martin (Lohman).
Saturday’s action at Springfield will be versus the ASCS Sooner Region which includes the likes of 2009 champion Joe Wood, Jr. (Oklahoma City), Michelle Decker (Guthrie), Andy Shouse (Oklahoma City) and Matt Covington (Glenpool, OK) among others.
Sunday’s action at Double X marks the second Warrior stop of the season atop the ¼-mile clay oval. In local Double X action since Randy Martin’s May 29 Warrior win, Evan Martin posted back-to-back wins before a Tyler Blank score and then Cody Baker’s first career Sprint Car feature win this past weekend.
Saturday’s action at Springfield Raceway goes green at 7:00 p.m., with Sunday’s card at Double X Speedway firing off at 7:30 p.m.
Missouri’s Springfield Raceway is located off I-44 Exit 75, then south to Kearney Hwy., then one mile west to Westgate, then 0.3 miles south. For more information, contact the track at 417-863-0097.
Double X Speedway is located 3.2 miles west of California, Missouri’s SR 87 on US 50. For more information, contact the track at 573-796-4694.
The inaugural season of Speedway Motors Warrior Region action under the ASCS banner currently consists of 17 nights of competition at nine different tracks throughout Missouri and into Kansas.
Past ASCS Regional Feature Winners at Springfield Raceway:
7/31/10 – Dustin Barks (Sooner)
5/8/10 – Nick Smith (Sooner)
6/20/09 – Brian McClelland (Sooner)
Past ASCS Warrior Feature Winners at Double X Speedway:
5/29/11 – Randy Martin
The 2011 season marks the 20th year of sanctioning Sprint Car racing for the American Sprint Car Series, with approximately 200 nights of competition at tracks throughout the nation and into 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