By John Lemon
Tulsa Oklahoma (May 6, 2013)- It’s the heart of the spring season and the Oil Capital Racing Series sprint cars will make their normal May voyage south to George Welch’s Oklahoma Sports Park in Ada Oklahoma. OSP and OCRS will present the fifth annual running of the “Harold Leep Jr Memorial” race. This event honors a man that gave his heart and soul to the open wheel world all the while being a great gentleman off-track as well. “Junior” will forever be in our hearts and our prayers. Thus we honor him with this special event.
Traditionally, Oklahoma Sports Park produces some exciting action on the 4/10 mile track and Welch and his staff always have good crowds when the sprint car travelers stroll into town. OSP fans will see the return of Harli White, who leads the OCRS point’s standings. Residing just an hour to the west of Oklahoma Sports Park in Lindsay, OSP fans are becoming more and more excited when White makes as appearance. The last time OCRS visited OSP was in September last season during the sixth annual Oklahoma State Championship event. Moore Oklahoma’s Whit Gastineau was the victor taking his second OSC title. White was the AmeriFlex Hose & Accessories ‘Hard Charger’ having passed ten cars enroot to third place finish. She has improved on what was then her best showing at the time by taking the first two legs of the 28 race 2013 tour.
Saturday’s event should be the seventh tour stop for the OCRS teams, but inclement weather has caused the last three scheduled events to be delayed. “Mother Nature just hasn’t been a weekend fan,” said series president Barry Grabel. “We have come off of the two driest spring seasons in recent memory and it appears the odds have caught up. We need the rain in the area, everyone knows that. Just would be nice to have a wet weekday and a dry weekend for a change. Once our teams hit the track, they will be very anxious to step on the loud pedal,” said Grabel. Race fans are going to be in for a very special night of racing.
WHAT: 5th Annual Harold Leep Jr. Memorial featuring OCRS sprint cars
WHERE: Oklahoma Sports Park / Ada Oklahoma
WHEN: Saturday May 11, 2013
TIME: Gates open 5pm / Hot laps 7pm / Racing 7:30pm
TICKETS: Adults: $15 / 11 – 15 and Seniors: $12 / 10 & under: FREE / Pit Passes – $30
OCRS drivers meeting will be held at 6:30pm
Oklahoma Sports Park is home to a 4/10-mile clay oval track and is located just 10 miles northwest of Ada, Oklahoma on state highway 3W. Parking is FREE!
Track Phone: 580-332-5535 / Promoters Phone: 580-332-5383
Track website: www.oklahomasportspark.com
~~ From The Editors Desk ~~
New Winners – Harli White and Kade Morton are first time OCRS A Feature winners in 2013 and they have done so in only three events in the books so far. There were two new A Feature winners all of last year in Shayla Waddell and Jeremy Allen. Will 2013 produce even more? Don’t bet against it.
Rookie Winners – Kade Morton is a Brodix / PM-Pro rookie of the year candidate. With one more win, he will accomplish the feat of winning twice in a rookie season, as did Jonathan Beason in 2009.
Still Here! – OCRS held their first race at OSP on May 19, 2007. Nine drivers on that first trip have participated in at least one of the three races held in 2013. Can you guess who the drivers are and name who won the 2007 race? (Answer will appear on our Facebook page this week).
Front Row Awaits – With the new format in lining up the A Feature now in place based on feature point averages, the two drivers that can lay claim to those premium spots if they are in the top 12 in heat race points at OSP Saturday night are: Jeff Garnett and Brent Swift.
Former Winners @ OSP: Mike Goodman and Whit Gastineau are tied with the most wins at OSP with four each. Jamie Passmore could join this duo as he comes into the Saturday night race with three such victories. The list includes:
5.19.07: Mike Goodman
7.14.07: Chris Burns
9.22.07: Mike Goodman*
5.31.08: Mike Goodman
9.20.08: Danny Smith*
5.30.09: Frank Dittman**
9.19.09: Andy Shouse*
6.12.10: Mike Goodman**
7.10.10: Jamie Passmore
9.18.10: Whit Gastineau*
5.14.11: Whit Gastineau**
7.09.11: Whit Gastineau
9.17.11: Gary Owens*
6.09.12: Jamie Passmore
7.28.12: Jamie Passmore**
9.15.12: Whit Gastineau*
*Denotes Oklahoma State Championship event
** Denotes “Harold Leep Jr. Memorial” event