Lonnie Wheatley
DODGE CITY, Kan. (August 27, 2012) – Seven years. It has been seven long years since the Lucas Oil ASCS presented by MavTV National Tour has taken to the pristine 3/8-mile Dodge City Raceway Park clay oval.
That changes with this weekend’s Inaugural Wicked City Shootout, as the series takes to the track for two full nights of action on Saturday and Sunday. The IMCA Modifieds, United Wireless IMCA Sport Modifieds and IMCA Stock Cars join in on Saturday’s fun, with the IMCA Sport Mods, IMCA Stock Cars and Poor Boy Kustomz Thunder Cars rounding out Sunday’s action.
Both nights of competition, which also serve as a benefit event for Megan Kramer, a 30-year-old mother of three who is battling breast cancer, will get under way at 7:30 p.m.
The Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour has competed at Dodge City Raceway Park on just one previous weekend in June of 2005, with Gary Wright of Hooks, TX, topping the opening night before Norman, Oklahoma’s Danny Jennings won the finale.
At least one will be in the field this weekend more than seven years and 250 series feature events later, and it’s quite possible both will be in action.
Wright, inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame, is among the full-time Lucas Oil ASCS National contenders and enters the weekend ranked ninth in points. Jennings has been making spot starts in 2012, picking up an ASCS Sooner Regional win along with a couple of NCRA wins along the way.
With fewer than a dozen full-point nights remaining after this weekend, the Wicked City Shootout could prove pivotal in a Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour championship battle that’s already featured ten lead changes by the unrelated duo of Jason Johnson and Wayne Johnson.
Coming off a weekend sweep, “The Ragin’ Cajun”, Jason Johnson of Eunice, LA, enters the weekend with a 31-point edge over Oklahoma City native Wayne Johnson. Jason Johnson, partnered with NASCAR Nationwide champion Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., is vying to reel in his third driver’s championship and fourth as an owner in his first year with Ford power. Meanwhile, Wayne Johnson is trying to add a second ASCS National title after taking the crown in 2000.
Broken Arrow, Oklahoma’s Brady Bacon remains in striking distance of the top spot in third, with other series contenders including Johnny Herrera (Albuquerque, NM), Brad Loyet (Sunset Hills, MO), Tony Bruce, Jr. (Liberal, KS), Seth Bergman (Snohomish, WA), Logan Forler (Orting, WA), Wright and Dustin Morgan (Tulsa, OK).
Saturday’s Lucas Oil ASCS feature offers up a $3,000 winner’s share, with Sunday’s winner pocketing $4,000.
In the DCRP track championship chases, Cole Traugott holds a slim 10-point lead in IMCA Modifieds over Brendon Gemmill with Beau Davis just two more points back in third. Bart Baker holds a 17-point edge over Josh Appel in United Wireless IMCA Sport Mods, Perry Misner has a commanding 54-point advantage in the IMCA Stock Cars and Dan Rogers holds a 32-point lead in Poor Boy Kustomz Thunder Cars.
Tickets to the September 1-2 Wicked City Shootout featuring the Lucas Oil ASCS presented by MavTV National Tour, all general admission, are $20 for the Saturday preliminary card and $25 for the Sunday finale. Those ordering the two-day package in advance for $45 will also receive a free pit pass for Saturday’s action. Advance tickets may be ordered by calling the track office at 620-225-3277.
Dodge City Raceway Park presents 16 nights of racing over a dozen different weekends in 2012. In addition to the five regularly featured classes of competition, special events over the course of the year will include World of Outlaws Sprint Cars, USAC Midgets, USAC Sprint Cars, ASCS National Tour, NCRA Sprint Cars, URSS 305 Sprints and BST Modifieds.
Dodge City Raceway Park is located on the south edge of Dodge City, KS, on US 283, then 0.9 miles west on US 56, then 0.1 miles south. For more information, contact the track at 620-225-3277 or check www.dodgecityraceway.com.