By Cody Morris
Tulsa, Oklahoma (5-14-2012) – This coming Saturday night will mark the first regional ASCS showdown of the season at the high banked half mile clay of Devil’s Bowl Speedway.
This Saturday’s ASCS Sooner vs. Lone Star event at the famed Mesquite, Texas half mile will feature the eighth border battle at Devil’s Bowl Speedway.
Five of the seven Sooner/Lone Star battles at the Bowl have been picked off by ASCS National Tour invaders, with the remaining pair belonging to Sooner State standouts Kenneth Walker(June 2010) and defending two time ASCS Sooner Region champion Joe Wood Jr. (June 2011).
Overall, the only Lone Star state win went to Gary Wright in the inaugural installment in May of 2009. Since that time, Eunice, Louisiana’s ASCS National star Jason Johnson grabbed a pair, with fellow National Tour competitors Tony Bruce Jr. and Danny Wood also adding to regional success for the National Tour invaders.
This Saturday’s Sooner vs. Lone Star showdown showcases the first of two 2012 Red River Showdowns at Devil’s Bowl Speedway, with the second installment scheduled a scant three weeks later.
Mesquite, Texas’ Martin Edwards has found early season success among the Oil Medics ASCS Lone Star ranks with a pair of runner up finishes accompanying a top ten run in recent Lone Star action at Cowtown Speedway.
Defending Oil Medics ASCS Lone Star Region champion Matt Covington has been hot on Edwards’ heels, with an April 21st Lone Star triumph victory at Devil’s Bowl highlighting the early season effort for the Glenpool, Oklahoma native.
Edwards maintains a razor thin six point advantage over Covington in the 2012 Oil Medics ASCS Lone Star campaign.
Collinsville, Oklahoma native and former two time ASCS Sooner champ Sean McClelland is off to a hot start in American Bank of Oklahoma ASCS Sooner Region action, taking the season opener at Lawton Speedway before a top five finish in recent Sooner action at Creek County Speedway.
Mustang, Oklahoma upstart Shane Sellers has kept pace by virtue of a pair of podium finishes in the two early contests.
An stout field of eight American Bank of Oklahoma ASCS Sooner Region competitors have cast their early bid for the 2012 Car & Fleet Rookie of the Year award. Saturday night’s Sooner vs. Lone Star Shootout at the high speed half mile delivers a hurdle for the pack, as both early season Sooner contests have been showcased on ¼ mile bullrings.
This Saturday’s Sooner vs. Lone Star clash is only the first of four duels between the two Red River based regions this season. Devil’s Bowl will host the second Red River clash on June 2nd before the Rivalry shifts to the west side of the DFW metro for a July 21st outing at Cowtown Speedway. The Rivalry finally moves to the Sooner State one week later for the final Sooner vs. Lone Star duel of the 2012 season at Lawton Speedway.
Saturday’s showdown at Devil’s Bowl features the third of 16 events penned for the 2012 American Bank of Oklahoma ASCS Sooner Region, while also featuring the fourth of 14 events on the 2012 Oil Medics ASCS Lone Star season slate.
Devil’s Bowl Speedway directions per www.devilsbowl.com: take Interstate 20 East of Mesquite to the Lawson Road exit (three miles east of the I-635 interchange). The speedway is three and one-half miles north on Lawson Road. ATTENTION:
LAWSON ROAD between US-80 and the railroad tracks is closed to all traffic
Past ASCS Regional Feature Winners at Devil’s Bowl Speedway:
4/21/12 – Matt Covington (Lone Star)
7/9/11 – Danny Wood (Lone Star vs. Sooner)
6/18/11 – Joe Wood, Jr. (Lone Star vs. Sooner)
6/17/11 – Tony Bruce, Jr. (Lone Star vs. Sooner)
5/7/11 – Jason Johnson (Lone Star vs. Sooner)
7/24/10 – Kolt Walker (Gulf South vs. Lone Star)
6/19/10 – Kenneth Walker (Lone Star vs. Sooner)
6/18/10 – Jason Johnson (Lone Star vs. Sooner)
9/5/09 – Gary Wright (Gulf South vs. Lone Star)
5/9/09 – Gary Wright (Lone Star vs. Sooner)
9/27/08 – Justin Spoerl (Sooner)
9/1/07 – Jason Johnson (Gulf South vs. Sooner)
7/22/06 – Larry Neighbors (Gulf South vs. Sooner)
7/16/05 – Kevin Ramey (Gulf South vs. Sooner)
10/16/04 – Kevin Ramey (Gulf South vs. Sooner)
7/12/03 – Kevin Ramey (Gulf South vs. Sooner)
2012 Oil Medics ASCS Lone Star Region point standings:
1. Martin Edwards 400; 2. Matt Covington 394; 3. Claud Estes III 358; 4. Justin Melton 351; 5. Dale Wester 333; 6. Evan Pardo 329; 7. Larry Howery 312; 8. Michael Lang 305; 9. John Ricketts 292; 10. Robert Byrom 282
2012 American Bank of Oklahoma ASCS Sooner Region point standings:
1. Sean McClelland 275; 2. Shane Sellers 270; 3. Andy Shouse 252; 4. Matt Covington 235; 5. Joe Wood Jr. 233; 6. Brian McClelland 206; 7. Jesse Frazier 202; 8. Joe Bob Lee 196; 8. Robert Sellers 196; 10. Brian Roberts 192; 10. Michelle Decker 192; 12. Brandon Hahn 186; 13. Koby Barksdale 181; 14. Kyle Chady 167; 15. Nick Lucito 161
Car & Fleet Sooner Region Rookie of the Year point standings:
1. Shane Sellers 270; 2. Jesse Frazier 202; 3. Joe Bob Lee 196; 4. Brandon Hahn 186; 5. Kyle Chady 167; 6. Nick Lucito 161; 7. (tie) Kacee Frazier 130; John James 130