Jason Johnson scores Lucas Oil ASCS Speedweek opener

Jason Johnson enjoys his fourth victory of 2013 in Lucas Oil ASCS presented by MAVTV American Real competition with his son Jaxx. (ASCS / Tim Aylwin Photo)
Jason Johnson enjoys his fourth victory of 2013 in Lucas Oil ASCS presented by MAVTV American Real competition with his son Jaxx. (ASCS / Tim Aylwin Photo)
Jason Johnson enjoys his fourth victory of 2013 in Lucas Oil ASCS presented by MAVTV American Real competition with his son Jaxx. (ASCS / Tim Aylwin Photo)

From  Bryan Hulbert

Kennedale, TX —  (June 14, 2013) — Taking his fourth Lucas Oil ASCS presented by MAVTV American Real victory of 2013, Jason Johnson led the night’s 30 laps at the Kennedale Speedway Park in the series first visit to the quarter-mile oval which attracted 42 drivers for the 2013 Sizzin’ Summer Speedweek kickoff.

“My guys have been working their tails off these past few weeks. We’ve kind of been off. We haven’t won a race in a month, and for us that’s a long time” explained Johnson in victory lane. “They built a brand new car and Chris with Roush Yates has been working on our engines trying to figure out some of our problems.”

Earning the outside, front row, the MVT No. 41 grabbed the lead only to have a caution displayed for the spun No. 4j of John James; forcing the complete restart.

The second attempt was much of the same for Johnson, jumping to the point over pole sitter Ryan Hall.

The caution displayed on Lap 3 as Patrick Stasa and Brad Loyet tangled in turn one. Both drivers were able to continue.

Returning to speed, the yellow was again displayed on Lap 5 as Ryan Hall spun running fourth. With nowhere to escape, the No. 21t of Ray Allen Kulhanek jumped the front wing of Hall’s No. 79 in order to avoid stopping. Kulhanek received little, if no damage.

Underway, second running Aaron Reutzel began feeling the challenge from Jeff Swindell who had worked to third after starting sixth. Rounding turns three and four for the seventh time however, Reutzel’s night ended in a cloud of smoke.

Swindell inherited the runner up spot with Zach Pringle, Ray Allen Kulhanek, and Cole Wood in tow.

To the caution on Lap 13, the single file restart pitted leaders against lapped cars as Swindell worked the cushion in Johnson’s tire tracks, but again watched as the No. 41 opened to a nearly straight-a-way advantage.

“We went back to some old stuff we used to do six, eight, ten years ago and it’s brought the car back to life” said Swindell of his runner up finish. “We were pretty equal to Jason there I think, and I had a little on the bottom because that’s where I was making all my passes.”

Despite several near calls in slower traffic, Jason Johnson parked the Stenhouse, Jr. Motorsports No. 41 in victory lane. Jeff Swindell crossed second with Zach Pringle third but unfortunately would be disqualified for failing to report to the scales. Cole Wood would be credited with the final podium step with Ray Allen Kulhanek fourth. Advancing out of the night’s first B-Feature, Matt Covington earned the PitStopUSA.com Hard Charger of the Night, clawing from twenty-first to complete the top five.

Kevin Ramey climbed the board from fifteenth to sixth with Johnny Herrera seventh from eighteenth. Logan Forler advanced fourteen spots to eighth with Seth Bergman and Travis Rilat making up the top ten.

Heat wins went to Jason Johnson in Ti22 Heat one with John James topping Wesmar Heat two. Patrick Stasa topped Rod End Supply Heat three followed by Aaron Reutzel in BMRS Heat four. Saldana Heat five went to Jeff Swindell with Ryan Hall holding on to win Engler Machine and Tool Heat six.

Joie of Seating B-Main went to Travis Rilat with Johnny Herrera topping DMI B-Main two. Provisionals were taken by Tony Bruce, Jr. his first of the season, and Dustin Morgan who took his third.

Aaron Reutzel turned the Hawk Performance Products Fastest Lap of the Night with a 12.400 second lap.

The 19th ASCS Sizzlin Summer Speedweek continues Saturday, June 15 at the Devil’s Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, Texas.

 

Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by MAVTV American Real
Kennedale Speedway Park – Kennedale, Texas
Friday, June 14, 2013

Car Count: 42

Ti22 Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 41-Jason Johnson[3]; 2. 6-Ryan Beechler[1]; 3. 12W-Dale Wester[5]; 4. 29-Brandon Hahn[2]; 5. 95-Matt Covington[7]; 6. 2A-Randy Hibbs[4]; 7. 7S-Robert Sellers[6]

Wesmar Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 4J-John James[1]; 2. 05-Brad Loyet[7]; 3. 7M-Kevin Ramey[4]; 4. 45X-Johnny Herrera[5]; 5. 17-Blake Hahn[2]; 6. 21-Michele Melton[3]; 7. 17X-Brad Welborn[6]

Rod End Supply Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. 19-Patrick Stasa[1]; 2. 21T-Ray Allen Kulhanek[3]; 3. 7X-Shane Sellers[2]; 4. 17B-Josh Baughman[4]; 5. 2L-Logan Forler[6]; 6. 18-Tony Bruce Jr[5]; 7. 2K-John Kelly[7]

BMRS Heat 4 (8 Laps): 1. 87-Aaron Reutzel[1]; 2. 17W-Cole Wood[2]; 3. 3-Raven Culp[4]; 4. 25-Chad Koch[3]; 5. 45-Martin Edwards[7]; 6. 3X-Scott Peterson[5]; 7. 69-Larry Howery[6]

Saldana Heat 5 (8 Laps): 1. 94-Jeff Swindell[2]; 2. 23-Seth Bergman[1]; 3. 14Z-Zach Pringle[6]; 4. 45J-J.P. Bailey[4]; 5. 74E-Claud Estes III[5]; 6. 17T-Channin Tankersley[7]; 7. 11-Justin Melton[3]

Engler Machine Heat 6 (8 Laps): 1. 79-Ryan Hall[1]; 2. 74X-Joshua Hodges[2]; 3. 29T-Travis Rilat[4]; 4. 12M-Kolt Walker[6]; 5. 93-Dustin Morgan[3]; 6. 21K-Kyle Sager[5]; 7. 25M-Morgan Montgomery[7]

The Joie of Seating B Feature 1 (12 Laps): 1. 29T-Travis Rilat[1]; 2. 7X-Shane Sellers[2]; 3. 95-Matt Covington[3]; 4. 17T-Channin Tankersley[7]; 5. 17B-Josh Baughman[4]; 6. 29-Brandon Hahn[6]; 7. 11-Justin Melton[13]; 8. 17-Blake Hahn[8]; 9. 25-Chad Koch[5]; 10. 3X-Scott Peterson[9]; 11. 2K-John Kelly[11]; DNF 17X-Brad Welborn[12]; DNS 2A-Randy Hibbs

DMI B Feature 2 (12 Laps): 1. 45X-Johnny Herrera[2]; 2. 12M-Kolt Walker[1]; 3. 2L-Logan Forler[5]; 4. 93-Dustin Morgan[7]; 5. 18-Tony Bruce Jr[8]; 6. 7S-Robert Sellers[11]; 7. 21K-Kyle Sager[9]; 8. 25M-Morgan Montgomery[13]; 9. 69-Larry Howery[12]; 10. 21-Michele Melton[10]; DNF 45-Martin Edwards[3]; DNF 74E-Claud Estes III[6]; DNF 45J-J.P. Bailey[4]

Protect the Harvest A Feature (30 Laps): 1. 41-Jason Johnson[2]; 2. 94-Jeff Swindell[6]; 3. 17W-Cole Wood[11]; 4. 21T-Ray Allen Kulhanek[9]; 5. 95-Matt Covington[21]; 6. 7M-Kevin Ramey[15]; 7. 45X-Johnny Herrera[18]; 8. 2L-Logan Forler[22]; 9. 23-Seth Bergman[14]; 10. 29T-Travis Rilat[17]; 11. 12M-Kolt Walker[20]; 12. 18-Tony Bruce Jr[23]; 13. 74X-Joshua Hodges[12]; 14. 3-Raven Culp[16]; 15. 4J-John James[5]; DNF 12W-Dale Wester[10]; DNF 87-Aaron Reutzel[4]; DNF 93-Dustin Morgan[24]; DNF 19-Patrick Stasa[3]; DNF 05-Brad Loyet[7]; DNF 79-Ryan Hall[1]; DNF 6-Ryan Beechler[13]; DNF 7X-Shane Sellers[19]; 24. 14Z-Zach Pringle[8]

Lap Leaders: Jason Johnson 1-30
PitstopUSA.com Hard Charger: Matt Covington +16
FSR High Points of the Night: Brad Loyet
Hawk Performance Products Fastest Lap of the Night: Aaron Reutzel 14.200
Provisionals: Tony Bruce, Jr. (P1), Dustin Morgan (P3)

2013 “A” Feature Winners: Jason Johnson-4, Johnny Herrera-2, Brian Brown-1, Roger Crockett-1, Kyle Bellm-1, Brad Loyet-1, Danny Lasoski-1, Jack Dover-1, Seth Bergman-1

Lucas Oil ASCS Driver Standings (Top 10): 1. Johnny Herrera 1,681; 2. Jason Johnson 1,603; 3. Brad Loyet 1,512; 4. Seth Bergman 1,477; 5. Logan Forler 1,476; 6. Tony Bruce, Jr. 1,460; 7. Jeff Swindell 1.422; 8. Dustin Morgan 1,311; 9. Cole Wood 1,307; 10. Brandon Hahn 1,033;

Bob Westphal Memorial Speedweek Driver Standings (Top 10): 1. Jason Johnson 150; 2. Jeff Swindell 142; 3. Cole Wood 135; 4. Ray Allen Kulhanek 130; 5. Matt Covington 125; 6. Kevin Ramey 122; 7. Jonny Herrera 119; 8. Logan Forler 116; 9. Seth Bergman 113; 10. Travis Rilat 110;

The 2013 season marks the twenty-second year of sanctioning Sprint Car racing for the American Sprint Car Series, which brings the best of Sprint Car racing to dozens of different tracks throughout the nation and into Canada. Anchored by the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series, ASCS also consists of nine different Regions throughout the nation.

Lucas Oil Products is the title sponsor of the American Sprint Car Series. More information can be found on Lucas Oil Products at www.lucasoil.com. MAVTV is the presenting sponsor of the American Sprint Car Series. Log onto www.mavtv.com for information regarding availability and listings in your area.

Associate sponsors for the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by MAVTV include: Hoosier Racing Tire and Brodix

Team Lucas Sponsors for the American Sprint Car Series consist of Protect the Harvest, Hawk Performance Products, Geico, E3 Spark Plugs, and General Tire.

Product and Contingency Sponsorship provided by: K&N Filters, PitstopUSA.com, Engler Machine and Tool, Roush Yates Racing Engines, FSR Radiator and Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, Driverwebsites.com, Weld Wheels, Fuel Safe, Saldana Racing Products, SBI Fuel Bladders, Maxwell Industries, Print Place, Xtreme Accu-Tach, Simpson, LeJoie Seating, Ti 22 Performance, Wesmar Racing Engines, Hinchman Indy Racewear, Brown and Miller Racing Solutions, DMI Rear Ends, Rod End Supply, Smiley’s Racing Products, Speedway Motors, and Hilborn Injection Systems.

Additional information regarding the American Sprint Car Series is available at www.ascsracing.com as well as Twitter (@LucasOilASCS) and Facebook. News and information can also be sent to you with the ASCS E-News by texting ASCS to 22828 with any mobile device.