By Cody Morris
BEAUMONT, TEXAS (3-16-2012) – The Griffith Trucking and Equipment ASCS Gulf South Region ignited the 2012 campaign Friday night at Golden Triangle Raceway Park in Beaumont, Texas.
The event marked the first of 26 events on the 2012 Griffith Trucking and Equipment ASCS Gulf South Region calendar, as well as the first of six ASCS Gulf South visits to Beaumont’s semi banked, quarter-mile oval.
A packed house would see the $3,000 winner’s purse snared by an invader, as Mustang, Oklahoma native and current Knoxville, Iowa resident Wayne Johnson powered to his first ASCS win of the season
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A trio of stoppages prevented the field from completing a lap while also eliminating five teams from the event. Perennial Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour contender Tony Bruce Jr. barely settled into an early lead before Johnson’s pace began to net results just a handful of laps into the 30 lap A Feature event.
The accomplished duo scrapped in each turn with Johnson pulling away for the final time on the 6th circuit. After a lap 15 caution Johnson sailed away, crossing the finish line with nearly a full straightaway advantage for his first win of the 2012 season aboard the Oil Medics, City Vending, and Outlaw Wings sponsored no. 77x.
Tony Bruce Jr. sailed for runner up honors with 4-time Lucas Oil ASCS Nation Tour Champion Gary Wright finishing 3rd. Woodlands, Texas’ Tommy Bryant took Hard Charger honors by advancing 9 positions to a 4th place finish, with Snohomish, Washington’s Seth Bergman charging from the rear of the field to finish 5th after a flat tire forced him to the tail of the field.
Tony Bruce Jr., Wes Miller, Klint Angellete, and Aaron Reutzel each claimed heat race wins over the 27 car field, with Larry Howery winning the 12 lap B Feature.
Griffith Trucking and Equipment ASCS Gulf South Region action concludes the opening weekend of 2012 action Saturday night, March 17th at Royal Purple Raceway in Baytown, Texas.
3/16/2012 at Golden Triangle Raceway Park
Griffith Trucking and Equipment ASCS Gulf South Region Sprints
A Feature (30 Laps): 1. 77x-Wayne Johnson[7]; 2. 18-Tony Bruce Jr[9]; 3. 9-Gary Wright[11]; 4. 28-Tommy Bryant[13]; 5. 23-Seth Bergman[6]; 6. 15T-Travis Elliott[12]; 7. 69-Larry Howery[15]; 8. 25M-Michael McNeil[18]; 9. 93-Chris Sweeney[14]; 10. 31-Brandon Berryman[10]; 11. 51s-Beau Smith[20]; 12. 87-Aaron Reutzel[3]; DNF 51-Jimmy Brooks[16]; DNF 35-Greg Rilat[17]; DNF 19-Klint Angelette[1]; DNF 21T-Ray Allen Kulhanek[5]; DNF 12-Logan Bledsoe[2]; DNF 2-Wes Miller[4]; DNF 29-Travis Rilat[8]; DNF 3-Gary Watson[19]
Lap Leaders: Tony Bruce Jr.1-5; Wayne Johnson 6-30
B Feature (12 Laps): 1. 69-Larry Howery; 2. 51-Jimmy Brooks; 3. 35-Greg Rilat; 4. 25M-Michael McNeil; 5. 3-Gary Watson; 6. 51s-Beau Smith; 7. 8-Bruce Crockett; 8. 24-Brandie Jass; 9. 17-Bruce Griffith Jr; 10. 15-Andrew VanBlarcum; 11. 4-Jon Agan; 12. B51-Johnny Brown; 13. 30-Brandon Corn
Top 6 advance to 30 lap A Feature
Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 18-Tony Bruce Jr; 2. 23-Seth Bergman; 3. 9-Gary Wright; 4. 28-Tommy Bryant; 5. 93-Chris Sweeney; 6. 15-Andrew VanBlarcum; 7. 30-Brandon Corn
Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 2-Wes Miller; 2. 31-Brandon Berryman; 3. 29-Travis Rilat; 4. 51-Jimmy Brooks; 5. 8-Bruce Crockett; 6. 25M-Michael McNeil; 7. 51s-Beau Smith
Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. 19-Klint Angelette; 2. 21T-Ray Allen Kulhanek; 3. 12-Logan Bledsoe; 4. 69-Larry Howery; 5. 17-Bruce Griffith Jr; 6. 4-Jon Agan; 7. B51-Johnny Brown
Heat 4 (8 Laps): 1. 87-Aaron Reutzel; 2. 77x-Wayne Johnson; 3. 15T-Travis Elliott; 4. 35-Greg Rilat; 5. 3-Gary Watson; 6. 24-Brandie Jass