By Lonnie Wheatley
TULSA, Okla. (August 15, 2011) – The Smiley’s Racing Products ASCS Gulf South championship chase has been a see-saw affair from the outset with George White and Ray Allen Kulhanek constantly trading off the top spot as Tommy Bryant continues to lurk within striking distance.
Now, the stretch drive for the ASCS Gulf South title begins in earnest with this weekend’s pair of events at Beaumont’s Golden Triangle Raceway Park and Baytown’s Royal Purple Raceway.
Friday’s card at Golden Triangle Raceway Park marks the last of seven scheduled events atop the ¼-mile clay oval near Beaumont for 2011, with Saturday the third of four events at Royal Purple Raceway. After Friday’s $2,000 to win event, Saturday’s card pays $3,000 to win.
With 18 nights of action already in the books, only a handful of nights remain after this weekend’s pair of events.
And with just seven nights of competition remaining, the battle for the top spot can’t get much closer as Fort Worth’s George White holds a slight ten-point advantage over two-time and defending Gulf South champ Kulhanek.
While White and Kulhanek mix it up for the top spot, Bryant has successfully transitioned into the James Cooper No. 28 and is only 31 points out of the top spot. Friday’s card will mark Bryant’s 100th consecutive ASCS Gulf South event competed-in, a Gulf South mark that is just short of Brandon Berryman’s active stretch of 103 in a row and Greg Rilat’s Regional record of 140 in a row.
While White, Kulhanek and Bryant vie for the top spot, two-time series champion Brandon Berryman has climbed to fourth in points, just 120 markers off the lead pace, with Chris Sweeney another 13 points back in fifth.
The balance of the current top ten in ASCS Gulf South points includes Travis Elliott, Channin Tankersley, Greg Rilat, Beau Smith and Aaron Reutzel.
In five previous events at Golden Triangle this season, only Channin Tankersley has been able to post a repeat victory with other winners including Sam Hafertepe, Jr., Kulhanek and Gary Wright. The series has also been rained out once at Beaumont.
Michael Dupuy and Gary Wright have topped the two previous events at Royal Purple Raceway this season.
Friday’s action at Golden Triangle Raceway Park fires off at 8:00 p.m., with Saturday’s green flag at Royal Purple Raceway flying at 7:00 p.m.
Golden Triangle Raceway Park is located 9.5 miles west of I-10 on US 90 near Beaumont, TX. For more information, contact the track at 409-752-7200.
Royal Purple Raceway is located east of Houston on I-10 to Exit 799, then three miles south on State Highway 99, then west on FM 565. For more information, contact the track at 281-383-7223.
The Smiley’s Racing Products ASCS Gulf South Region is slated for 28 nights of racing action at eleven different tracks throughout Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi in 2011.
Past ASCS Gulf South Region Feature Winners at Golden Triangle Raceway Park:
6/17/11 – Channin Tankersley
5/27/11 – Gary Wright
5/13/11 – Channin Tankersley
4/15/11 – Ray Allen Kulhanek
3/4/11 – Sam Hafertepe, Jr.
9/3/10 – Jason Johnson
8/20/10 – Jason Johnson
7/16/10 – Gary Wright
6/18/10 – Tommy Bryant
5/28/10 – Chris Morgan
3/5/10 – Gary Wright
10/2/09 – Channin Tankersley
9/18/09 – Jason Johnson
7/17/09 – Aaron Reutzel
6/19/09 – Travis Rilat
5/16/09 – Gary Wright
5/16/09 – Tommy Bryant (4/24 Makeup Feature)
3/6/09 – Gary Wright
8/15/08 – Channin Tankersley
7/18/08 – Gary Watson
5/9/08 – Channin Tankersley
2/29/08 – Jason Johnson
9/28/07 – Jason Johnson
6/22/07 – Michael Dupuy
5/18/07 – Brandon Berryman
4/6/07 – Jason Johnson
9/29/06 – Kevin Ramey
8/18/06 – Jason Johnson
6/23/06 – Gary Watson
8/19/05 – Ray Allen Kulhanek
6/17/05 – Ray Allen Kulhanek
4/15/05 – Travis Rilat
9/18/04 – Kelly Angelette
7/9/04 – Stephen Chevallier
* 9/28/02 – Michael Dupuy
* 9/27/02 – Tim Crawley
7/5/02 – Buddy Bodden
5/24/02 – Jason Johnson
* 4/5/02 – Zach Chappell
* – Indicates events held in conjunction with ASCS National Tour.
Past ASCS Gulf South Region Feature Winners at Royal Purple Raceway:
6/18/11 – Gary Wright
4/16/11 – Michael Dupuy
9/18/10 – Jason Johnson
6/19/10 – Jason Johnson
4/3/10 – Jason Johnson
9/19/09 – Gary Wright
7/18/09 – Kevin Ramey
6/20/09 – Ray Allen Kulhanek
5/16/09 – Eric Baldaccini
9/27/08 – Jason Johnson
6/21/08 – Michael Dupuy
5/10/08 – Brandon Berryman
3/1/08 – Jack Dover
9/29/07 – Brandon Berryman
8/18/07 – Travis Rilat
5/19/07 – Johnny Miller
9/30/06 – Ray Allen Kulhanek
8/19/06 – Brad Best
6/24/06 – Ray Allen Kulhanek
4/8/06 – Travis Rilat
8/20/05 – Lane Whittington
6/18/05 – Ray Allen Kulhanek
7/10/04 – Kevin Ramey
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.