Inside Line Promotions
– KILGORE, Texas (Oct. 17) – Good, bad and average.
That is exactly how Channin Tankersley summarized last weekend when he competed with the ASCS National Tour at the inaugural LoneStar Sprint Nationals at Lone Star Speedway in Kilgore, Texas. The three-day event garnered more than 50 cars competing to get in the $12,000-to-win, $1,000-to-start feature on Saturday.
“That was a big event with a lot of good drivers,” he said. “We knew every night was going to be tough, but the overall goal was to make Saturday’s feature and see what happened.”
With the top four cars being locked into Saturday’s main event from both Thursday and Friday, Tankersley was on a roll from the time he drew a pill. The 20-year-old from Highlands, Texas, got the No. 2, which was the lowest and put him on the pole of the first 10-lap heat race on Thursday.
Tankersley rocketed to the lead at the start and never looked back, leading the entire race to secure victory. That earned him the ninth-most points in the 53-car field, which started Tankersley inside the fifth row for the 30-lap feature on an extremely rough track.
Braving the conditions and driving around the top side of the track, he climbed to fifth place near the midpoint of the race. Tankersley gained another spot after a restart and was challenging for third place with less than 10 laps remaining. However, his right rear tire began to deflate during a late caution.
Tankersley restarted in the fourth-and-final lock-in position, which he lost while fighting the tight race car with five laps remaining. Another driver got by before Tankersley stopped in turn four with two laps remaining. Both of his right side tires were completely flat and he was towed to the pits.
“I can’t explain how frustrating that is being in a locked-in position and then having that happen,” he said after finishing 15th. “I felt it go flat about one lap after the restart. It made the car really, really tight.”
The track smoothed out for Friday’s event, which didn’t go as well for Tankersley. He drove from ninth to fifth in his heat race, which forced him into a B Main. Tankersley placed third to earn a transfer to the feature, which he started 22nd. However, the car struggled and he pulled to the infield with about five laps remaining in the feature.
“I just couldn’t find any speed,” he said. “In the middle and off the corners it was really lacking speed.”
He finished 22nd and his point total from Thursday put him fourth in Saturday’s second B Main. With a lot of money and pride on the line, Tankersley continued to lack speed during the 15-lap B Main. He lost a position midway through the race, but gained it back in the closing laps as three cars went three-wide in turn three. Tankersley and Eric Baldaccini made contact – an impact that sent Baldaccini into the wall and broke the front end and radiator on Tankersley’s car.
However, he managed to finish fourth to earn a spot in the prestigious main event. The team fixed the damaged parts and made major changes to shocks, tires, bars, air pressure and the wing angle before he returned to the track for the 40-lap feature, which he started 22nd.
“The car was faster,” he said. “We got around a few guys in the beginning. After that it was pretty much just follow the leader around the top.”
Tankersley placed 16th to wrap up the weekend.
He will continue the Texas swing with the ASCS National Tour this Friday and Saturday at Devil’s Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, Texas, for the 38th annual Winter Nationals.
For live updates on Tankersley and the rest of the Winter Nationals throughout the weekend, visit www.insidelinepromotions.com.
QUICK RESULTS –
Oct. 13 – Lone Star Speedway in Kilgore, Texas – Heat race: 1 (1); Feature: 15 (9).
Oct. 14 – Lone Star Speedway in Kilgore, Texas – Heat race: 5 (9); B Main: 3 (1); Feature: 22 (22).
Oct. 15 – Lone Star Speedway in Kilgore, Texas – B Main: 4 (4); Feature: 16 (22).
SEASON STATS –
29 races, 23 features, 2 wins, 8 top fives, 11 top 10s, 13 top 15s, 19 top 20s
UP NEXT –
Friday and Saturday at Devil’s Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, Texas, with the ASCS National Tour
FAVORITE NUMBER –
4: Position Tankersley was in when his right rear tire went flat approximately five laps from the finish last Thursday at Lone Star Speedway in Kilgore, Texas.
SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS –
Twitter: www.twitter.com/Tankersley71
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT – Griffith Truck & Equipment
Located in Channelview, Texas, Griffith Truck & Equipment buys and sells specialty trucks and heavy equipment, including utility trucks, yardmules, truck tractors and trailers to name a few. For more information, visit www.griffithtruck.com.
“Bruce Griffith pretty much started my sprint car racing career and he put me on the ASCS National Tour in 2010,” Tankersley said. “Griffith Truck & Equipment has been a huge support for me the past few years and I recommend for anyone interested in trucks and heavy equipment, check out Griffith Truck & Equipment.”
Tankersley would like to thank his sponsors, including Custom Vinyl Designs and Miller’s Machine & Welding for their continued support.