Opening the busiest stretch of the season for the Lucas Oil ASCS National tour season, Tony Bruce, Jr and his one8 motorsports team began to show strength and consistency during Sizzlin’ Summer Speedweek as they racked up three top fives, and four top 10’s as they closed out the busy week that kicked off last weekend at the Devils Bowl Speedway.
“Overall I think we had a very good speedweek,” said TBJ. “We didn’t pick up any wins but we were up front in five out of the seven races which is huge for this race team.”
Round three of speedweek saw the series invade the state of Louisiana as they hit the dirt at the Jones Motor Speedway.
A high pill draw put Bruce in the third row of his heat race where he would finish fifth and acquire enough points to transfer to the A where he lined the Pro Auto/Hinchman/Oil Medics entry up in the 14th spot.
On a very sticky and locked down racetrack, Bruce wasn’t able to do much over the 30-lap feature as everyone was equaled out on the fast surface.
Bruce would work his way up into the ninth spot at the stripe, but wasn’t satisfied.
“We had a low car count on Monday, and I think that led to the track staying so good all night,” said Bruce. “Our pill draw wasn’t good, but there just wasn’t a lot of passing going on all night, but we picked up a top-10.”
Tuesday night the scene was Diamond Park Speedway in Murfreesboro, AR, and again the racetrack was wet early, and stayed very fast all night long.
Another high pill haunted Bruce and his SWE/Maxwell Industries/FK Rod Ends machine as he lined up in the last row of his heat, and was only able to score a seventh place finish.
Starting in the 16th spot in the finale, Bruce got in line and picked up four spots throughout the feature, as he was 12th at the stripe.
“Drawing high is rough when the heat races are so locked down like they were in Arkansas,” he explained. “We were decent, but you basically finished where you started.”
Wednesday night the grueling week continued as the tour invaded the very scenic Lawton Speedway in Lawton, OK.
To Bruce’s approval, a good pill draw put him on the front row of his heat race, where he motored away to the win, and put himself in the top eight redraw.
Pulling the six pill, Bruce lined his Factory Kahne Shocks/Randy’s Racing Filters/Smiley’s machine in the third row for the heat race.
On the initial start of the race Bruce was able to grab the fifth spot as he worked up to the third spot by the halfway point of the feature as everyone worked the high side of the speedway.
Late in the feature, TBJ slipped back to the fourth spot, where he would go on to finish.
“Lawton (OK) went much better compared to the early part of the week,” he continued. “I wish we could have been a little better in the feature, but with how Monday and Tuesday played out I’m pleased with the fourth.”
Taking Thursday night off, Sizzlin Summer Speedweek fired back up on Friday as they stayed in the state of Oklahoma and took to the Salina Highbanks.
A charge from seventh to third put Bruce in the top-eight redraw where he would pull the dreaded eight pill and started the feature in the fourth row.
In the feature, Bruce hung out in the eight spot during the early stages of the feature as he searched around the very high-banked track.
Bruce was able to gain a few spots at the end of the night as he posted his second straight top five, and third of speedweek.
“Salina is a fun track to run, and it was nice to post another top five,” Bruce said. “Obviously you want to win races, but it’s good to build momentum and get in a grove and I think we might be on to something.”
The finale of Speedweek was at the “Diamond of Dirt Track”, the Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, MO, and unfortunately the track did not live up to it’s name, as it was a very brutal racing surface.
A very slick track for heat race action made for very exciting heats with tons of passing, and TBJ was able to go from sixth to second in his heat, again making the top-eight redraw, and again pulling the eight pill.
In the feature, as soon as the green flag waved, rubber began being laid on the track and the race turned into a single file freight train around the bottom of the speedway.
Bruce took advantage of a few drivers ahead of him missing the rubber and worked his way up to the fourth spot at the stripe closing out his speedweek with three straight top five finishes.
“Nice to string together a few good finishes after this week,” he said. “I can’t believe how bad this track was tonight. It wasn’t fun for the fans or the drivers.”
Bruce would like to thank all of his sponsors, Hinchman Racewear, Pro Auto, The Oil Medics, Smileys, SWE, Maxwell Industries, FK Rod Ends, Butlerbuilt, Factory Kahne Shocks, Randy’s Racing Filters, DriversWebsites.com, Racinboys.com, Wilwood, Zemco Headers, Hoosier Tires, Gaerte Engines, Pro Powder Coating, Fuel Safe, Bell, Weld Wheels, and ISC Racer’s Tape for their support through the 2012 season.
ON TAP: TBJ and the one8 motorsports team will now take a bit of a break as they are scheduled to return to action on July 3rd at the US 36 Raceway for the inaugural running of the US 36 Nationals.
STAY CONNECTED: Stay updated with TBJ by visiting his website at
www.tonybrucejr.com, or by following him on twitter @tonybrucejr
SPONSOR SHOUT OUT: Pro Auto
Located in Memphis, TN, Pro Auto Sales is a friendly family ran, state-of-the-art full service auto repair shop. Owned by Clifford Young, Pro Auto has been a supporter of sprint car racing for several years, and is a quality business in the Memphis Area.
“Clifford Young let me drive his race car last year when I didn’t have National Events to race with my car, but with the increased schedule this year it really left me no time to drive the #7,” said Bruce. “Thankfully Clifford believes in me enough to come on board to our team for the 2012 campaign. I feel lucky to have met and got the opportunity to call him and his family part of mine.”