Inside Line Promotions
– HIGHLANDS, Texas (May 5, 2014) – Travis Rilat has two victories this year and both have been recorded during memorial races honoring friends.
Rilat led the final two thirds of the ASCS Gulf South Region Ronald Laney Memorial last Saturday at Battleground Speedway in the Richard Saumure owned No. 39c. It was Rilat’s first victory of the season in the United States and his first since claiming the Tyson Perez Memorial in Australia in February.
“We can’t have any more friends die,” he said. “I’ve got to go win their races. It makes it more of a bigger race personally for you. You know both of those guys, Tyson and Ronald, would make fun of you if you didn’t win.”
Rilat not only won, he dominated. After taking the lead in traffic early, Rilat went on to lap up to the fourth-place driver.
“We had our car set up to run the top side of the track,” said Rilat, who passed five lapped cars in a set of corners at one point. “They were scattered from the bottom to the middle. You put four tires in the fluff. We just had our car free enough where we could get in the crumbs and pass.”
Although Rilat powered to the emotional victory in the feature, he caught a break early in the night. After maneuvering from sixth to fourth place in his heat race, Rilat was eighth in points overall. That earned him the final spot into the feature redraw, where the last number remaining in the random draw was the No. 1 to give him the pole position for the main event.
“Sometimes it’s better to just be lucky,” he said.
Rilat was nearly as lucky when he opened the weekend with the ASCS Gulf South Region on Friday at Golden Triangle Raceway Park in Beaumont, Texas.
After advancing from third place to win his heat race, Rilat started the main event on the inside of the second row.
“It was just right on the bottom,” he said. “They shoved the tires on the track for hot laps so the bottom never gets worked in and you wear the top out. Then the bottom comes in late in the night and is too fast.”
After dropping to fourth early in the feature, Rilat rallied to record a runner-up finish. However, the winner was initially disqualified to hand Rilat the win. Series officials reversed their decision several minutes later to credit Rilat with a second-place finish.
“I should have just won the race and then there’d be no controversy,” he said.
Rilat isn’t scheduled to race until the next ASCS Gulf South Region weekend, which is May 23 at Cotton Bowl Speedway in Paige, Texas, and May 24 at Shady Oaks Speedway in Goliad, Texas.
QUICK RESULTS –
May 2 – Golden Triangle Raceway Park in Beaumont, Texas – Heat race: 1 (3); Feature: 2 (3).
May 3 – Battleground Speedway in Highlands, Texas – Heat race: 4 (6); Feature: 1 (1).
SEASON STATS –
7 races, 2 wins, 3 top fives, 4 top 10s, 4 top 15s, 4 top 20s
UP NEXT –
May 23 at Cotton Bowl Speedway in Paige, Texas, and May 24 at Shady Oaks Speedway in Goliad, Texas, with the ASCS Gulf South Region
MEDIA LINKS –
Website: http://www.TravisRilat.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT – Carlan Services
Established in 1997, Carlan Services operates an environmental cleanup business that transports contaminated and other materials as well as a variety of other services. For more information, visit http://www.Carlan.com.
“They do so much stuff I can’t even keep up,” Rilat said. “They are one of the major sponsors and we’re grateful for all of the help they provide.”
Rilat would also like to thank Xtreme Oilfield Technology, Shark Racing Engines, Northern Provincial Pipelines, Matt’s Oilfield Services, TriJet Manufacturing Services, Northern Lights Welding, Camex VP, Rob Wright Building Supplies, Scott Safety, Max Fuel, Jaron Water Hauling, Maxim, Factory Kahne, HRP, Ti22, Weld Wheels, Ben Cook Racing and Smiley’s Racing Products among others for their continued support on Richard Saumure’s No. 39c Maxim.
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