By Lonnie Wheatley
STERLINGTON, Lou. (July 1, 2011) – Sprint Cars took to Louisiana’s USA Speedway for the first time on Friday night with a familiar face reaching victory lane as Gary Wright topped the opening leg of the Smiley’s Racing Products ASCS Gulf South Fourth of July weekend triple.
Wright took command on the 13th circuit en route to capturing the $2,000 winner’s share in the 25-lapper for his seventh overall ASCS win of 2011 and fifth in Gulf South Regional action.
While Wright started from the front row outside in his No. 9 Maxim, it was Chris Sweeney gunning into the early lead from the pole position after the initial start was waved off for a turn one spinner. Sweeney paced the initial dozen circuits before Wright took over for keeps.
Wright raced on to the checkered flag in the non-stop affair, with Sweeney, Aaron Reutzel, Travis Elliott and Travis Rilat rounding out the top five. Channin Tankersley was sixth, with Brandon Berryman, Scottie McDonald, George White and current points leader Ray Allen Kulhanek completing the top ten.
Elliott, Sweeney, Kulhanek and Berryman topped heat race action, with Tommy Bryant winning the “B” Main.
Smiley’s Racing Products ASCS Gulf South Results from USA Speedway:
First Heat (8 Laps): 1. 15T-Travis Elliott, 2. 9-Gary Wright, 3. 10-George White, 4. 19-Klint Angelette, 5. 25m-Michael McNeil, 6. 51s-Beau Smith, 7. 52-Roger Oakes.
Second Heat (8 Laps): 1. 93-Chris Sweeney, 2. 29-Travis Rilat, 3. 2-Casey Hinton, 4. 3-Gary Watson, 5. 5c-Chris Coker, 6. 7-Philip Faulkner, 7. 24-Brandie Jass.
Third Heat (8 Laps): 1. 21T-Ray Allen Kulhanek, 2. 74x-Joshua Hodges, 3. 71-Channin Tankersley, 4. 28-Tommy Bryant, 5. 69-Larry Howery, 6. 17-Bruce Griffith, Jr.
Fourth Heat (8 Laps): 1. 31-Brandon Berryman, 2. 87-Aaron Reutzel, 3. 88-Scottie McDonald, 4. 35-Greg Rilat, 5. 30x-Bean Elliott, 6. 12b-Logan Bledsoe.
“B” Feature (12 Laps): 1. 28-Tommy Bryant, 2. 30x-Bean Elliott, 3. 5c-Chris Coker, 4. 25m-Michael McNeil, 5. 51s-Beau Smith, 6. 69-Larry Howery, 7. 12b-Logan Bledsoe, 8. 52-Roger Oakes, 9. 17-Bruce Griffith, Jr., 10. 24-Brandie Jass, 11. 19-Klint Angelette, 12. 7-Philip Faulkner.
“A” Feature (30 Laps): 1. 9-Gary Wright, 2. 93-Chris Sweeney, 3. 87-Aaron Reutzel, 4. 15T-Travis Elliott, 5. 29-Travis Rilat, 6. 71-Channin Tankersley, 7. 31-Brandon Berryman, 8. 88-Scottie McDonald, 9. 10-George White, 10. 21T-Ray Allen Kulhanek, 11. 51s-Beau Smith, 12. 30x-Bean Elliott, 13. 28-Tommy Bryant, 14. 35-Greg Rilat, 15. 25m-Michael McNeil, 16. 69-Larry Howery, 17. 74x-Joshua Hodges, 18. 3-Gary Watson, 19. 5c-Chris Coker, 20. 2-Casey Hinton.
Smiley’s Racing Products ASCS Gulf South Region Points (Top Ten): 1. Ray Allen Kulhanek 1,640, 2. George White 1,630, 3. Tommy Bryant 1,607, 4. Chris Sweeney 1,544, 5. Brandon Berryman 1,507, 6. (tie)Channin Tankersley and Aaron Reutzel 1,472, 8. Travis Elliott 1,463, 9. Greg Rilat 1,394, 10. Beau Smith 1,333.