By John Lemon
Tulsa Oklahoma (May 13, 2014) – After paying a visit to the one of the fastest tracks on the circuit last week in the form of the Oklahoma Sports Park, the traveling sprint cars of the Oil Capital Racing Series will now trek down the highway to the Salina Highbanks Speedway in Salina Oklahoma this Saturday night thus making back to back speed plants that the racing series will contest on. Of the first five races on the schedule, there have been four winners to date which includes: Whit Gastineau with his two wins, followed by Shane Sellers, Alex DeCamp, and last Saturday nights winner, Gary Owens.
~~ Who’s Going To Win Saturday? The Heck If We Know ~~
At the conclusion of this Saturday nights event, OCRS could very well have another new Salina Highbanks winner gracing victory lane. The Highbanks, which was closed from 2007 through 2010, has hosted OCRS sprint cars a total of 11 times in post and pre-closing status and the turnover in OCRS A-Feature conquerors has been absolutely amazing.
For example, the OCRS record book shows that in those 11 events, there has not been a single repeat winner. None, nada, zero, zilch, El Zippo! The 11 consecutive different winners have been:
Mike Goodman (2005)
Rafe Essary and Christi Mack (2006)
Whit Gastineau and Sean McClelland (2011)
Shayla Waddell, Jamie Passmore and Jeremy Allen (2012)
Harli White, Casey Wills, and Andrew Deal (2013)
This Saturday night will determine if there will be a 12th different winner at the Highbanks. One driver that is a serious threat to be that 12th straight winner at the Highbanks is Danny Smith, the current OCRS points leader. Smith is a proven commodity anytime he unloads and to this point, the one track missing on his resume that he would like to add to his list of tracks he has tamed is the Highbanks.
For the first time in 2014, race fans will get to see 4-time OCRS champion Jamie Passmore compete with the OCRS series, as he will make his season debut this Saturday along with his brother Glen. The Passmore brothers will be in their familiar red and white GAP Roofing Special sprinters.
There has been some maneuvering in the chase for the Harold Leep Championship Trophy since last week. Andrew Deal was 33 points back of Smith for the points lead going into last weeks race and he is now only 12 points back after last Saturday’s event. Whit Gastineau tumbles from fourth to eighth in the standings due to a motor problem he encountered at OSP. Chance Morton made the biggest movement in points going from 10th last week to fifth this week. Chance’s brother Kade, moves from 9th to 6th in the standings.
So race fans…… if you want to see some tremendous high-speed, teeth clenching, bench shaking racing from the OCRS series, you’re in for a treat at the Highbanks Speedway. Come check the action out this Saturday night. Schedule is as follows:
What: Oil Capital Racing Series Sprint Cars
Where: Salina Highbanks Speedway / Salina Oklahoma
When: Saturday May 17, 2014
Time: Gates open at 5pm / Hot laps at 6:30pm / Racing begins at 7pm
OCRS drivers meeting at 6:00pm
Fans can choose to view the racing from the general grandstand, the upper deck beer garden, the full service “Finish Line Bar & Grill” or from one of the special VIP suites. The Highbanks has it all! (Contact the racetrack for VIP suite availability prior to arriving).
The track is easy to locate as it sits directly on Highway 20 between Pryor and Salina with a lakeside view of Hudson Lake in the background.
Track Phone: (918) 434-RACE (7223)
Track website: www.salinahighbanksspeedway.
For more information on the OCRS sprint car series including updates, stories, photos, complete 2014-point standings and dates of future events, log onto: www.ocrsracing.com
You can also checkout our Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/oil.
Time To Check Out The OCRS Sprint Cars………