By Lonnie Wheatley
HIGHLANDS, Texas (October 1, 2011) – Jason Johnson captured Saturday night’s Smiley’s Racing Products ASCS Gulf South season-ending main event at Battleground Speedway as Ray Allen Kulhanek took his second consecutive series championship.
Johnson led 30 rounds for his 13th overall ASCS win of the year aboard the Don Ott-powered Haynes No. 41 Maxim and his third in ASCS Gulf South competition.
Johnson was challenged along at one point by Kulhanek, who ultimately settled for runner-up honors as he claimed his third Gulf South crown and second in a row.
Johnson and Kulhanek were chased across the stripe by Travis Rilat, with Aaron Reutzel and Kolt Walker the final cars on the lead lap in fourth and fifth, respectively.
Michael McNeil was sixth, with Travis Elliott, Tommy Bryant, Bruce Griffith, Jr., and Larry Howery completing the top ten.
Rilat, McNeil, Kulhanek and Elliott topped heat race action, with Howery winning the “B” Main.
Smiley’s Racing Products ASCS Gulf South Results from Battleground Speedway:
First Heat (8 Laps): 1. 29-Travis Rilat, 2. 36-John Pate, 3. 41-Jason Johnson, 4. 93-Chris Sweeney, 5. 31-Brandon Berryman, 6. 10-George White, 7. 54-Evan Pardo, 8. 2-Wes Miller.
Second Heat (8 Laps): 1. 25m-Michael McNeil, 2. 17-Bruce Griffith, Jr., 3. 51s-Beau Smith, 4. 19-Klint Angelette, 5. 52-Roger Oakes, 6. 24-Brandie Jass, 7. 15-Andrew Van Blarcum.
Third Heat (8 Laps): 1. 21T-Ray Allen Kulhanek, 2. 28-Tommy Bryant, 3. 3-Gary Watson, 4. 88-Scottie McDonald, 5. 30t-Bean Elliott, 6. 71-Channin Tankersley, 7. 35-Greg Rilat.
Fourth Heat (8 Laps): 1. 15T-Travis Elliott, 2. 87-Aaron Reutzel, 3. 45k-Kolt Walker, 4. 12b-Logan Bledsoe, 5. 51-Jimmy Brooks, 6. 69-Larry Howery. DNS: 4-Eric Baldaccini.
“B” Feature (12 Laps): 1. 69-Larry Howery, 2. 10-George White, 3. 54-Evan Pardo, 4. 2-Wes Miller, 5. 35-Greg Rilat, 6. 52-Roger Oakes, 7. 51-Jimmy Brooks, 8. 24-Brandie Jass, 9. 15-Andrew Van Blarcum, 10. 71-Channin Tankersley. DNS: 4-Eric Baldaccini.
“A” Feature (30 Laps): 1. 41-Jason Johnson, 2. 21T-Ray Allen Kulhanek, 3. 29-Travis Rilat, 4. 87-Aaron Reutzel, 5. 45k-Kolt Walker, 6. 25m-Michael McNeil, 7. 15T-Travis Elliott, 8. 28-Tommy Bryant, 9. 17-Bruce Griffith, Jr., 10. 69-Larry Howery, 11. 35-Greg Rilat, 12. 19-Klint Angelette, 13. 93-Chris Sweeney, 14. 10-George White, 15. 54-Evan Pardo, 16. 2-Wes Miller, 17. 52-Roger Oakes, 18. 30x-Bean Elliott, 19. 36-John Pate, 20. 3-Gary Watson, 21. 51s-Beau Smith, 22. 12b-Logan Bledsoe, 23. 31-Brandon Berryman, 24. 88-Scottie McDonald.
Smiley’s Racing Products ASCS Gulf South Region Points (Top Ten): 1. Ray Allen Kulhanek 2,603, 2. Tommy Bryant 2,538, 3. George White 2,486, 4. Brandon Berryman 2,427, 5. Chris Sweeney 2,346, 6. Travis Elliott 2,329, 7. Channin Tankersley 2,286, 8. Greg Rilat 2,261, 9. Michael McNeil 2,163, 10. Beau Smith 2,107.