From Bryan Hulbert
Salina, OK — (August 17, 2013) — The Salina Highbanks Speedway saw the return of the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by MAVTV American Real on Saturday, August 17 with Jeff Swindell edging out Jason Johnson in slower traffic for his fourth Protect the Harvest A-Feature win of 2013.
Driving under Johnson with ten laps to run entering turn three, Swindell’s pass came complete with splitting lapped traffic in the process for a three-for-one move. “I’ll tell you, he got caught sitting in the wrong spot,” commented Swindell of the pass on Jason Johnson.
“When we got to traffic, a couple of them got him, and then the lapped car wanted to race us when we lapped him and run Jason into the wall there”
Taking the lead on Lap 21, the caution flew on Lap 22. Underway again, it didn’t take long to catch the tail of the field, “I kept wanting to run the bottom there in one and two, but I was making a good line on the top down there, so, when we got to traffic again, I got caught a little bit with my shorts down. Jason got the bottom there in one and two and got back by me but man the next couple laps it was just slide job, after slide job.”
Trading the lead seven times in the final ten laps, Jason Johnson only crossed the stripe ahead of Swindell one time after surrendering; doing so on Lap 25.
“Man, lapped traffic was hairy,” said Johnson. “When you’re out front, sometimes you don’t know where to go, and when you’re running second, you just go the opposite direction the leader goes, but the lapped car actually pounded me in the back straight-a-wall.”
“I’m trying to gather this thing back up and all the sudden me and Jeff are racing inches apart and were not even touching so that just shows what a class act Jeff really is as a driver.”
The runner up finish was enough to propel the MVT No. 41 back into the series points lead by three markers over Johnny Herrera, making this the fourth time the pair has traded the top spot.
After tangling with Sean McClelland on the start, Brad Loyet held on the finish third, despite missing the left sideboard on the front wing of the No. 05. “It was a racing deal. We were both going for the same spot. I was on the brakes as hard as I could,” said Loyet of the incident. “Me and Sean are pretty good friends and I hope he understands, I don’t want to take someone out on the first lap.”
Dustin Morgan fared well with a fourth place finish followed by Tony Bruce, Jr. who charged from seventeenth to fourth, after engine woes put the TBJ Promotions No. 18 twelfth in the night’s DMI B-Feature, which Bruce won by 4.260 seconds.
Johnny Herrera experienced engine problems throughout the night. Despite the mechanical woes, the Print Place No. 45x came from fourteenth to sixth with Derek Hagar having to fight from the tail to seventh after getting caught up in the opening lap tangle that collected Sean McClelland and Seth Bergman.
Cole Wood crossed eighth with Brian Brown and Logan Forler completing the top ten.
Heat Races numbered four with Jason Johnson, Cole Wood, Derek Hagar, and Jeff Swindell each earning wins.
The Lucas Oil ASCS presented by MAVTV American Real competes next at the I-30 Speedway in Little Rock, Ark. on Thursday, August 21, then Saturday, August 24 at the Lexington 104 Speedway in Lexington, Tenn.
Lucas Oil ASCS presented by MAVTV American Real
Salina Highbanks Speedway – Salina, Okla.
Saturday, August 17, 2013
Car Count: 30
Wesmar Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 41-Jason Johnson[2]; 2. 05-Brad Loyet[3]; 3. 95-Matt Covington[6]; 4. 21-Brian Brown[8]; 5. 85-Forrest Sutherland[5]; DNF 90-Jeremy Thompson[7]; DNF 18-Tony Bruce Jr[1]; DNS 22K-Kevin Barksdale
Ti22 Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 17W-Cole Wood[1]; 2. 93-Dustin Morgan[3]; 3. 1-Sean McClelland[8]; 4. 45X-Johnny Herrera[6]; 5. 22-Koby Barksdale[4]; 6. 29-Brandon Hahn[5]; 7. 13-Tristan Tidmore[2]; DNF 17-Blake Hahn[7]
Rod End Supply Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. 9JR-Derek Hagar[1]; 2. 4AM-Mike Goodman[3]; 3. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr[6]; 4. 2L-Logan Forler[5]; 5. 5-Joe Bob Lee[7]; 6. 57-Kyle Chady[2]; DNF 8-Shane Pace[4]
BMRS Heat 4 (8 Laps): 1. 94-Jeff Swindell[4]; 2. 23-Seth Bergman[3]; 3. 4X-Shawn Petersen[5]; 4. 007-Michael Bookout[6]; 5. 97-Kevin Cummings[1]; DNF 14K-Kyle Bellm[2]; DNF 8S-Alex Sewell[7]
DMI B Feature 1 (12 Laps): 1. 18-Tony Bruce Jr[12]; 2. 5-Joe Bob Lee[1]; 3. 57-Kyle Chady[7]; 4. 29-Brandon Hahn[6]; 5. 13-Tristan Tidmore[10]; 6. 22-Koby Barksdale[3]; 7. 8-Shane Pace[9]; 8. 90-Jeremy Thompson[4]; DNF 22K-Kevin Barksdale[13]; DNF 85-Forrest Sutherland[2]; DNF 97-Kevin Cummings[5]; DNS 14K-Kyle Bellm; DNS 17-Blake Hahn; DNS 8S-Alex Sewell
Protect the Harvest A Feature (30 Laps): 1. 94-Jeff Swindell[4]; 2. 41-Jason Johnson[2]; 3. 05-Brad Loyet[5]; 4. 93-Dustin Morgan[6]; 5. 18-Tony Bruce Jr[17]; 6. 45X-Johnny Herrera[14]; 7. 9JR-Derek Hagar[8]; 8. 17W-Cole Wood[7]; 9. 21-Brian Brown[13]; 10. 2L-Logan Forler[16]; 11. 95-Matt Covington[12]; 12. 4AM-Mike Goodman[9]; 13. 5-Joe Bob Lee[18]; 14. 57-Kyle Chady[19]; 15. 007-Michael Bookout[15]; DNF 1-Sean McClelland[3]; DNF 4X-Shawn Petersen[11]; DNF 22-Koby Barksdale[22]; DNF 29-Brandon Hahn[20]; DNF 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr[1]; DNF 23-Seth Bergman[10]; DNF 13-Tristan Tidmore[21]
Lap Leaders: Jason Johnson (1-20) (25), Jeff Swindell (21-24) (26-30)
PitstopUSA.com Hard Charger: Tony Bruce, Jr. +12
FSR High Points of the Night: Jeff Swindell
Hawk Performance Products Fastest Lap of the Night: Jason Johnson – 13.817 seconds
Provisionals: N/A
2013 “A” Feature Winners: Jason Johnson-6, Jeff Swindell-4, Johnny Herrera-3, Roger Crockett-3, Logan Forler-2, Brian Brown-2, Brad Loyet-2, Danny Lasoski-2, Kyle Bellm, Jack Dover, Seth Bergman, Jonathan Cornell, Tony Bruce, Jr., Travis Rilat, Justin Henderson, Shane Stewart
Lucas Oil ASCS Driver Standings (Top 10): 1. Jason Johnson 3,798; 2. Johnny Herrera 3,795; 3. Jeff Swindell 3,639; 4. Brad Loyet 3,599; 5. Logan Forler 3,466; 6. Tony Bruce, Jr. 3,464; 7. Seth Bergman 3,362; 8. Dustin Morgan 3,219; 9. Cole Wood 3,054; 10. Brandon Hahn 2,457
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.