From Cody Morris
Baytown TX — (March 17, 2012) — The Griffith Trucking and Equipment ASCS Gulf South Region pivoted closer to the Houston metro to showcase the finale of the opening weekend of the 2012 campaign at Baytown, Texas’ Royal Purple Raceway.
Several Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour competitors headed south to challenge the rising talents of the Gulf South Region for the $3,000 winners purse, and Texans would see the best of both worlds as 4 time ASCS National Tour Champion Gary Wright nabbed the loot much to the satisfaction of several thousand race fans.
Snohomish, Washington’s Seth Bergman drew the pole for the 30 lap main event at Royal Purple’s regal 3/8 mile dirt oval, but Knoxville, Iowa’s Wayne Johnson snared the early lead. After a Friday night ASCS Gulf South score in Beaumont, Texas, Johnson’s bid for a weekend sweep would suffer a setback as Forney, Texas’ Travis Rilat shot by on lap 7.
Rilat set a strong pace until a stoppage on the 22nd circuit due to a deflated tire on Aaron Reutzel’s mount, the caution would prove to be a costly one for Rilat, as The Texan Gary Wright immediately seized the initiative with a brilliant move to the low side upon entering turn one.
Wright would then cruise to a half-straightaway victory aboard the Lubbock Wrecker and Griffith Trucking and Equipment sponsored no. 9.
A late race pass would net Wayne Johnson runner up honors, with Rilat settling for the show position at the final stripe. Liberal, Kansas native and current Owasso, Oklahoma resident Tony Bruce Jr. crossed the finish line in the 4 spot to credit his 2nd top five finish in as many nights, while Bergman would fend off a Travis Elliott assault to complete the top five running order. Elliott’s run from 16th to 6th resulted in Hard Charger Honors for the Alvin, Texas resident.
Reutzel, Bergman, and Brandon Berryman took heat race honors over the 30 car field, with Evan Pardo taking the top spot in the 12 lap B Feature.
The Griffith Trucking and Equipment ASCS Gulf South Region roars back to action Friday, March 30th at Heart O’ Texas Speedway in Waco, Texas, before a Saturday, March 31st weekend finale at the 1st Annual Nolan Wren Memorial at the Gator Motorplex in Willis, Texas. Both events feature $4,000 to the main event winner.
3/17/2012 at Royal Purple Raceway
Griffith Trucking and Equipment ASCS Gulf South Region Sprints – (starting position in parenthesis)
A Feature (30 Laps): 1. 9-Gary Wright[8]; 2. 77x-Wayne Johnson[2]; 3. 50-Travis Rilat[7]; 4. 18-Tony Bruce Jr[5]; 5. 23-Seth Bergman[1]; 6. 15T-Travis Elliott[16]; 7. 28-Tommy Bryant[9]; 8. 2-Wes Miller[11]; 9. 31-Brandon Berryman[3]; 10. 25M-Michael McNeil[12]; 11. 21T-Ray Allen Kulhanek[17]; 12. 87-Aaron Reutzel[6]; 13. 54-Evan Pardo[19]; 14. 12B-Logan Bledsoe[22]; 15. 30-Brandon Corn[13]; 16. 8-Bruce Crockett[18]; 17. 69-Larry Howery[20]; 18. 35-Greg Rilat[10]; 19. 93-Chris Sweeney[14]; 20. 24-Brandie Jass[24]; DNF 4-Jon Agan[4]; DNF 51s-Beau Smith[23]; DNF 19-Klint Angelette[21]; DNF 3-Gary Watson[15]
Lap Leaders: Wayne Johnson 1-6, Travis Rilat 7-21, Gary Wright 22-30
B Feature (12 Laps – top six transfer to A Feature): 1. 54-Evan Pardo; 2. 69-Larry Howery; 3. 19-Klint Angelette; 4. 12B-Logan Bledsoe; 5. 51s-Beau Smith; 6. 24-Brandie Jass; 7. 17-Bruce Griffith Jr; 8. 7W-Dustin Welch; 9. 51-Jimmy Brooks; 10. 15-Andrew VanBlarcum; 11. 02-Harry Yarrington; DNS 36-John Pate
Heat 1 (10 Laps): 1. 87-Aaron Reutzel; 2. 77x-Wayne Johnson; 3. 28-Tommy Bryant; 4. 93-Chris Sweeney; 5. 3-Gary Watson; 6. 30-Brandon Corn; 7. 7W-Dustin Welch; 8. 54-Evan Pardo; 9. 15-Andrew VanBlarcum; DNS 02-Harry Yarrington
Heat 2 (10 Laps): 1. 31-Brandon Berryman; 2. 4-Jon Agan; 3. 25M-Michael McNeil; 4. 35-Greg Rilat; 5. 2-Wes Miller; 6. 21T-Ray Allen Kulhanek; 7. 12B-Logan Bledsoe; 8. 24-Brandie Jass; 9. 17-Bruce Griffith Jr; 10. 36-John Pate
Heat 3 (10 Laps): 1. 23-Seth Bergman; 2. 18-Tony Bruce Jr; 3. 50-Travis Rilat; 4. 9-Gary Wright; 5. 15T-Travis Elliott; 6. 8-Bruce Crockett; 7. 69-Larry Howery; 8. 19-Klint Angelette; 9. 51s-Beau Smith; 10. 51-Jimmy Brooks