By Lonnie Wheatley
TULSA, Okla. (August 15, 2011) – The Lucas Oil ASCS presented by K&N Filters National series embarks upon more new territory this weekend with the running of the 33rd Annual Jackson Nationals presented by Brodix Cylinder Heads atop the high-banked, ½-mile Jackson Speedway dirt oval in Jackson, MN, on Friday and Saturday.
Friday night’s Loren Woodke Memorial Night portion of the Jackson Nationals offers up a $3,000 winner’s share, with Saturday’s Jackson Nationals championship a $6,000-to-win tilt.
The weekend’s action will mark just the second visit to Minnesota in ASCS National history and the first since a Brainerd outing in 2007 won by Wayne Johnson.
And, leading the way into the weekend is current Lucas Oil Sprint Car points leader Shane Stewart, who ranks as arguably the hottest Sprint Car driver in the nation after a sizzling Southern Iowa Sprint Week that netted Stewart and car owner Paul Silva earnings in the six-figure range over a ten night stretch of action.
Fresh off a $10,000 triumph in the ASCS Knoxville Nationals on August 6, his second event win in as many years, and a 17th to second run in this past weekend’s Knoxville Nationals championship event, Stewart also knows his way around the Jackson Speedway ½-mile oval as evidenced just a few weeks ago.
Stewart, a native of Bixby, OK, picked off Jackson’s Spring Nationals victory on July 8, fending off fellow Lucas Oil National shoe Jason Johnson for the win with other National contenders testing out Jackson turf including Brady Bacon and Tony Bruce, Jr., along with current Speedway Motors ASCS Midwest points leader Jack Dover.
While Stewart currently holds a 142-point edge over Albuquerque’s Johnny Herrera in the driver’s portion of the $60,000 championship points chase, the owner’s side of the things is much tighter with the Jason Johnson Racing No. 41 holding a mere 10-point edge over Silva’s No. 57 piloted by Stewart.
Stewart and defending Lucas Oil Sprint Car champion Jason Johnson, who sits atop the series win charts in 2011 with four triumphs this season, lead a stellar cast of full-time series contenders that includes Herrera, Jeff Swindell, 2010 series runner-up Brady Bacon, four-time series champion Gary Wright, three-time series champion Tim Crawley, Washington’s Seth Bergman, leading Brodix Rookie of the Year contender Aaron Reutzel, two-time Short Track Nationals champion Tony Bruce, Jr., and 2001 series champion Zach Chappell.
The weekend also awards Speedway Motors ASCS Midwest points, with Nebraska’s Jack Dover holding the current Midwest edge over Wayne Johnson, who has parted ways with car owner Bryan Sundby since the series last action. Colorado’s Bryan Gossel, North Dakota’s Lee Grosz and Missouri’s Brian Brown are also among the ASCS Midwest top five.
Grosz, a two-time ASCS Regional champion fresh off his first National win during ASCS Knoxville Nationals preliminary action, held off Brian Brown to win last year’s Jackson Nationals.
The Series:
Lucas Oil ASCS presented by K&N Filters with the Speedway Motors ASCS Midwest Region
When & Where:
Friday night, August 19 at 7:30 p.m. – 33rd Annual Jackson Nationals presented by Brodix
Saturday night, August 20 at 7:30 p.m. – 33rd Annual Jackson Nationals presented by Brodix
Track Information:
Jackson Speedway (Jackson, MN) – ½-mile, high-banked dirt oval located 0.3 miles south of I-90 Exit 73 on US 71, then one mile east on CR 38, then 0.9 miles south on CR 51 at the fairgrounds. For more information, contact the track at 507-841-1957 or check http://www.jacksonspeedway.com/.
Lucas Oil ASCS Jackson Speedway History:
This weekend will mark the first time for the Lucas Oil ASCS National series to take to Minnesota’s Jackson Speedway. The series has only been in Minnesota once before, with Wayne Johnson snaring a 2007 win at Brainerd. Jackson Speedway will become the 117th different track to host an ASCS National event since 1993 and the fourth new track to host the series in 2011 along with California tracks in Tulare, Hanford and Placerville.
Current 2011 Points:
Top 15 Driver Points: 1. Shane Stewart (Bixby, OK) 1,916, 2. Johnny Herrera (Albuquerque, NM) 1,774, 3. Jeff Swindell (Bartlett, TN) 1,722, 4. Brady Bacon (Broken Arrow, OK) 1,678, 5. Gary Wright (Hooks, TX) 1,637, 6. Tim Crawley (Benton, AR) 1,602, 7. Seth Bergman (Snohomish, WA) 1,554, 8. Aaron Reutzel (Clute, TX) 1,532, 9. Tony Bruce, Jr. (Liberal, KS) 1,450, 10. Jason Johnson (Eunice, LA) 1,374, 11. Zach Chappell (Talala, OK) 1,337, 12. Wayne Johnson (Oklahoma City, OK) 1,196, 13. Logan Forler (Eatonville, WA) 1,091, 14. Dustin Morgan (Tulsa, OK) 877, 15. Tim Kaeding (San Jose, CA) 776.
Lucas Oil ASCS Sprint Cars presented by K&N Filters Owner Points (Top 15): 1. Jason Johnson Racing #41 – 1,926, 2. Paul Silva #57 – 1,916, 3. Herrera/Main #45x – 1,774, 4. Swindell Group #28 – 1,722, 5. Bacon/Tel-Star #99 – 1,678, 6. Mike Ward #88 – 1,602, 7. Petersen Motorsports #23 1,554, 8. Kenny Reutzel #87 – 1,532, 9. Bruce Racing #18 – 1,450, 10. Randy Washburn #0 – 1,337, 11. Bryan Sundby #38 – 1,196, 12. Steve Forler #2L – 1,091, 13. Gary Wright #9 – 1,041, 14. M&M Motorsports #2 – 877, 15. Cooper/Sperry #01/51 – 872.
Brodix Rookie of the Year Points: 1. Aaron Reutzel (Clute, TX) 1,532, 2. Logan Forler (Eatonville, WA) 1,091.
Speedway Motors ASCS Midwest Points (Top 10): 1. Jack Dover (Springfield, NE) 1,523, 2. Wayne Johnson (Oklahoma City, OK) 1,344, 3. Bryan Gossel (Ft. Collins, CO) 1,254, 4. Lee Grosz (Harwood, ND) 1,126, 5. Brian Brown (Grain Valley, MO) 1,102, 6. Jordan Boston (Lincoln, NE) 1,098, 7. Billy Alley (Lincoln, NE) 1,071, 8. Don Droud, Jr. (Lincoln, NE) 910, 9. Jeff Osborn (Savannah, MO) 868, 10. Ryan Anderson (Deloit, IA), 855.
2011 Feature Winners:
Lucas Oil ASCS Sprint Car Series: Jason Johnson 4, Wayne Johnson 2, Shane Stewart 2, Jack Dover 1, Lee Grosz 1, Sam Hafertepe, Jr. 1, Johnny Herrera 1, Tim Kaeding 1, Kyle Larson 1, Jeff Swindell 1, Sammy Swindell 1, Gary Wright 1.
Speedway Motors ASCS Midwest Region: Brian Brown 3, Wayne Johnson 2, Ryan Anderson 1, Seth Bergman 1, Jack Dover 1, Chad Humston 1, Danny Lasoski 1, Brad Loyet 1, Shane Stewart 1.
Lucas Oil ASCS presented by K&N Filters – A Look Ahead:
September 23/24 – Lucas Oil Speedway (Hockett / McMillin Memorial)
October 13/14/15 – Lone Star Speedway (Lone Star Sprint Nationals)
October 21/22 – Devil’s Bowl Speedway (Devil’s Bowl Winter Nationals)
October 27/28/29 – I-30 Speedway (24th Annual Short Track Nationals)
Lucas Oil ASCS on the Web:
Those unable to catch all the action in person can listen to every Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters live at www.racinboys.com.
Official results, championship point updates, photos and race notes will be available at www.ascsracing.com.
Lucas Oil ASCS on TV:
The Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters will be featured in nine one-hour shows broadcast on a tape-delayed basis on the VERSUS Network and MavTV.
The full schedule according to www.motorsportshour.com is as follows:
Thunderbowl Raceway (Feb. 9) – 4/23/11 @ 6:00 p.m. ET
Kings Speedway (Feb. 12) – 5/7/11 @ 6:00 p.m. ET
USA Raceway (Feb. 18) – 5/29/11 @ 6:00 p.m. ET
USA Raceway (Feb. 19) – 6/5/11 @ 6:00 p.m. ET
Eagle Raceway (RAINED OUT) – 9/11/11 @ 6:00 p.m. ET
Eagle Raceway (June 11) – 9/18/11 @ 6:00 p.m. ET
Grays Harbor Raceway (RAINED OUT) – 10/30/11 @ 6:00 p.m. ET
Cottage Grove Speedway (July 22) – 11/6/11 @ 6:00 p.m. ET
Cottage Grove Speedway (July 23) – TBA
The Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters is slated for 38 nights of racing action at 15 different tracks throughout the nation, with the country’s top Sprint Car drivers set to battle it out for their share of the $250,000 points fund.
The 2011 season marks the 20th year of sanctioning Sprint Car racing for the American Sprint Car Series, with approximately 200 scheduled 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.