By John Lemon
Tulsa Oklahoma (August 12, 2014)- The Salina Highbanks Speedway will present the initial running of the ‘Oklahoma Open Wheel Thunder Nationals’ this Saturday night at the famed 3/8-mile track in Salina Oklahoma. This event will consist of the Oil Capital Racing Series sprint cars, the ASCS National sprint car series along with open competition midgets offering race fans one very exciting night of thrilling wheel – wheel racing action. The RacinBoys Internet network featuring the trio of Scott Traylor, Kirk Elliot and Scotty Cook, will cover this special event live to race fans throughout the world.
This will be the third and final stop to the Highbanks for the OCRS warriors in 2014 as the racing season begins its slow descending curtain closing. Brian McClelland waxed the field with a powerful performance in May and Alex DeCamp scored his third overall win of the season last month at Salina with a thrilling last lap slide job on Johnny Kent. Whit Gastineau is the only other driver to have won multiple OCRS events this season as the ‘Gasman’ took the first two events on the schedule. Kent, who is searching for that elusive OCRS victory is on fire having placed a third and two second’s in his last three outings.
OCRS points leader Danny ‘The Caretaker’ Smith has one feature win this season on tour and he will look to see if he can pad his points lead in the race for the coveted Harold Leep Championship Trophy. Going into the Oklahoma Open Wheel Thunder Nationals event, Smith is just 69 points ahead of Caney Kansas native Andrew Deal (1156 – 1087). Deal, who won the last OCRS event before the series went on a two week break, won his first ever OCRS main event at the Highbanks last year.
As was the case last season, multiple winners have made victory lane visits in OCRS action as 12 different drivers have seen checkers first in 15 events conducted to date. 2013 produced an OCRS single season record of 15 winners (in 22 events) and with eight races left on this years schedule including this weeks special, that record is in line to be broken.
Additional OCRS feature winners this season include: Shane Sellers, Michael Bookout, Derek Cottrell, Chance & Kade Morton, Michael Bookout and the four-time series champion, Jamie Passmore. Previous winners at the Highbanks expected to compete this week include Casey Wills (2013) Shayla Waddell (2012).
OCRS president Barry Grabel had this to say about this week’s event: “Dave Edwards (Salina promoter) put together a fabulous program of which we are proud to be a part of. To have Emmett Hahn’s ASCS National series, midgets and OCRS all on the same night is just fantastic. Salina Highbanks is providing not only open wheel fans a great opportunity with this program, but fans of racing in general. We look forward to this event not only being a success this weekend, but possibly for a few years to come and we are honored to be a partner in this endeavor”.
What: Inaugural Oklahoma Open Wheel Thunder Nationals
(Featuring ASCS / OCRS Sprint Cars and Midgets)
When: Saturday August 16th.
Where: Salina Highbanks Speedway / Salina Oklahoma.
Time: Gates Open at 5pm / Racing Begins at 7pm (Hot laps at 6:30pm)
Tickets: 13 yrs and up: $20 / Kids 5-12: $10 / Kids 4 and under free.
Family Pass: $40 / VIP & Beer Garden: $50
Pits: $35 ($30 for drivers) / Kid pit pass: $25
Directions: 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.
Phone: (918) 434-RACE (7223)
Website: www.salinahighbanksspeedway.com
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
Checkout our Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/oil.series
Get ready for one of the most anticipated and sought after events of the entire year at the Salina Highbanks Speedway………..