Cody Morris
Lawton, Oklahoma (4-28-2012) – With storms nearly a race time certainty for the 2012 American Bank of Oklahoma ASCS Sooner Region season opener at Lawton Speedway, 26 teams gathered in southwestern Oklahoma to defy the odds
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Lawton’s Hall of Fame promoter Lanny Edwards has defied many odds over his forty-plus years of promoting dirt track racing in the region; chalk up another for the legend
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In an event that was completed just seconds past the 2 hour mark, the American Bank of Oklahoma ASCS Sooner Region got the 2012 campaign underway with lightning flashing on the northern horizon.
In the 32nd ASCS Sooner Region contest at the historic Lawton Speedway, Collinsville, Oklahoma’s Sean McClelland led all 25 main event laps in what could turn into a bid for a third American Bank of Oklahoma ASCS Sooner Region championship aboard the Rose powered and Penske Shocks, Lawton Auto Parts, Maxwell Oil, and Lightning Wings sponsored no. 1 XXX Chassis.
With only a lap two stoppage to hinder the pace, McClelland led the entire field in a rim rider that took approximately 10 minutes and 36 seconds to complete. The score marked McClelland‘s sixth career ASCS Sooner Region victory at Lawton‘s ¼ mile red clay oval.
Norman, Oklahoma’s 2002 ASCS Sooner Region champion and State Fair Speedway legend Danny Jennings shadowed McClelland around the extreme top side groove, pulling up to McClelland’s tail tank with a handful of laps remaining, but ultimately settled four car lengths behind the leader with runner up honors.
Mustang, Oklahoma’s Shane Sellers earned a new career best ASCS finish, turning away Andy Shouse in spirited fashion to take show position honors at the finish line
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Two-time and reigning American Bank of Oklahoma ASCS Sooner Region titlist Joe Wood Jr. had seemingly resumed last season’s fast pace until a failed coil relegated the Oklahoma City racer to a last place finish in his heat race.
Coming from the last row of the 12 lap B Feature, Joe Wood Jr. stormed to victory and leading transfer into the main event. Starting inside 8th row in the initial run down and with only one early race stoppage, Joe Wood Jr. battled past ten contenders to complete the top five running order and garner the Hard Charger effort much to Lawton Speedway race fans‘ delight.
El Paso, Texas’ John Carney, Brian McClelland, and Andy Shouse took heat race honors over the 26 car ASCS Sooner Region field, with Joe Wood Jr. victorious in the night’s sole 12 lap B Feature.
The American Bank of Oklahoma ASCS Sooner Region season opener at Lawton Speedway also showcased the debut efforts’ of six young talents expected to vie for Rookie of the Year Honors; Lawton’s hometown racer Joe Bob Lee joined Tulsa area talents Kacee Frazier, Jesse Frazier, Kyle Chady, Nick Lucito, and Brandon Hahn in Rookie of the Year pursuit.
Jesse Frazier topped the half dozen RoY competitors with a 13th place finish.
Featured Photo Credit: Micheal Jackson – Thriller Photography
American Bank of Oklahoma ASCS Sooner Region series sprints
April 28th, 2012 / Event 1 of 17
Lawton Speedway / Lawton, Oklahoma
A Feature (25 Laps): 1. 1-Sean McClelland[1]; 2. 1j-Danny Jennings[4]; 3. 7s-Shane Sellers[2]; 4. 27-Andy Shouse[5]; 5. 03-Joe Wood Jr[15]; 6. 224-John Carney[6]; 7. 11c-Matt Covington[8]; 8. 22-Koby Barksdale[3]; 9. 21-Wes Wofford[13]; 10. 25-Brian McClelland[7]; 11. 17-Josh Baughman[14]; 12. 45-Martin Edwards[16]; 13. 27x-Jesse Frazier[12]; 14. 7-Michelle Decker[11]; 15. 76-John Ricketts[9]; 16. 010-Brian Roberts[20]; 17. 65L-Nicholas Lucito[18]; 18. 29-Brandon Hahn[19]; 19. 5-Joe Bob Lee[17]; 20. 36-Robert Sellers[10]
Lap Leaders: Sean McClelland 1-25
B Feature (12 Laps): 1. 03-Joe Wood Jr[11]; 2. 45-Martin Edwards[2]; 3. 5-Joe Bob Lee[1]; 4. 65L-Nicholas Lucito[12]; 5. 29-Brandon Hahn[5]; 6. 010-Brian Roberts[7]; 7. 4J-John James[4]; 8. 00-Kacee Frazier[6]; 9. 15b-Michael Brown[8]; 10. 22K-Kevin Barksdale[9]; 11. 43-Russell Boren[10]; 12. 57-Kyle Chady[3]
Top 6 advance to A Feature
Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 224-John Carney; 2. 22-Koby Barksdale; 3. 1-Sean McClelland; 4. 1j-Danny Jennings; 5. 7s-Shane Sellers; 6. 4J-John James; 7. 00-Kacee Frazier; 8. 43-Russell Boren; 9. 03-Joe Wood Jr
Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 25-Brian McClelland; 2. 11c-Matt Covington; 3. 27x-Jesse Frazier; 4. 36-Robert Sellers; 5. 17-Josh Baughman; 6. 57-Kyle Chady; 7. 45-Martin Edwards; 8. 15b-Michael Brown; 9. 65L-Nicholas Lucito
Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. 27-Andy Shouse; 2. 22K-Kevin Barksdale; 3. 76-John Ricketts; 4. 7-Michelle Decker; 5. 21-Wes Wofford; 6. 5-Joe Bob Lee; 7. 29-Brandon Hahn; 8. 010-Brian Roberts