By Bryan Hulbert
TULSA, Okla. (August 18, 2014) – Some of the toughest local Sprint Car competition you’ll find in 360cid Sprint Car racing is through southern Arkansas, and that’s where the first of a two night swing through the Mid-South begins with the Inaugural Mid-South Showdown presented by TBJ Promotions at the Riverside International Speedway in West Memphis, Ark. on Thursday, August 21.
Paired with the Lexington 104 Speedway in Lexington, Tenn. on Friday, August 22, the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by MAVTV American Real can expect a fight both nights from the likes of Derek Hagar and Tim Crawley who finished first and second in the Rock N’ Roll 50 earlier this season at “The Ditch”.
Scheduled for a 35 lap A-Feature on Thursday night, the $3,000 to win affair is the second TBJ Promotions event of the season at the famed West Memphis oval and potentially the thirty-first event for the Lucas Oil ASCS presented by MAVTV American Real.
Brad Loyet carries the field into the Mid-South Showdown with a 99 point advantage on the championship standings. Loyet’s best finish of second at the Riverside International Speedway came in 2012 after leading the first 35 laps of the Rock N’ Roll 50 on April 28. The Lexington 104 Speedway saw Loyet cross eighth in the series inaugural visit on August 24, 2013 which was won by Jason Johnson.
The MVT No. 41 currently holds the runner-up spot with the Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour. Sill winless in National Tour competition, Johnson came from seventh to win in 2013 at the Lexington 104 Speedway. in the series most recent trip to the Riverside International Speedway, Jason garnered a eight place finishing from nineteenth.
After the Salina Highbanks Speedway this past Saturday night, Jeff Swindell finds himself tied for the third in driver standings with Johnny Herrera.
Barely missing out on the win on the final lap, Herrera is also winless in 2014 with the National Tour but has managed to match Swindell with seven top-fives, and 15 top-tens. Swindell’s two wins gives him the tie-breaking nod going into the weekend. In a rare time trail session at the Lexington 104 Speedway, Swindell pocketed a $500 bonus for setting the night’s fast time of 11.871 seconds and ended his night ninth at the Tennessee oval after the ignition system went sour in the Heartland Catfish No. 94. Johnny Herrera was runner up in 2013 at the Lexington 104 Speedway.
Following his win at the Salina Highbanks Speedway, Sam Hafertepe, Jr. now occupies the fifth spot in driver standings, trailing Swindell and Herrera by a mere 16 points. Hafertepe’s second win on the season, the No. 15h has seen eight top-fives and 16 top-tens so far this season.
Aaron Reutzel looks to rebound this weekend after suffering engine problems in the BC Funds No. 87 while running third on Saturday night. Seth Bergman enters the weekend seventh in tour standings after posting his twelfth top-ten of the season. Matt Covington, Tony Bruce, Jr. and Blake Hahn complete the top ten of full time travelers.
Thursday, August 21 at the Riverside International Speedway gets underway at 7:30 P.M. (CT). Discount tickets are on sale at http://www.tbjpromotions.com. Tickets purchased in advance at $20 or $25 day of the race. Kids get in for only $5 and can only be purchased at the gate. Tickets are on sale by going to http://www.tbjpromotions.com/
Friday, August 22 at the Lexington 104 Speedway will see action fire off at 7:30 P.M. (CT). Tickets are $20 with discounts for kids into the grandstands. Tickets will be available for sale at the gate. Anyone that brings their Pit Pass from the Riverside International Speedway to the gate, whether Pit or Grandstands, will receive $5 off per person.
For continued updates and information on the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series, log onto http://www.ascsracing.com.
Track facts:
Lucas Oil ASCS Winners: Riverside Int. Speedway – Terry Gray (7/8/95), Eddie Gallagher (7/20/96), Pete Braswell (9/15/96), Gary Wright (6/21/97), Brook Tatnell (9/13/97), Mike Ward (6/20/98), Terry Gray (9/19/98), Chad Jones (6/19/99), Pete Butler (7/24/99), Terry Gray (9/18/99), Kenny Coke (6/24/00), Travis Rilat (7/15/00), Gary Wright (9/16/00), Eddie Gallagher (6/9/01), A.G. Rains (7/14/01), Tim Crawley (9/15/01), Eddie Gallagher (6/1/02), Eddie Gallagher (9/14/02), Eddie Gallagher (5/31/03), Gary Wright (7/19/03), Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. (7/17/04), Eddie Gallagher (9/11/04), Darren Stewart (6/4/05), A.G. Rains (9/10/05), Tim Crawley (7/3/09), Tim Crawley (7/4/09), Tony Bruce, Jr. (10/1/10), Tim Crawley (10/2/10), Seth Bergman (4/28/12), Derek Hagar (5/3/2014)
Lucas Oil ASCS Winner: Lexington 104 Speedway -Jason Johnson (8/24/2013)
The Series:
Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by MAVTV American Real
When: Thursday, August 21, 2014 – Open at 5:00 P.M. / Racing at 7:30 P.M.
Event: Mid-South Showdown presented by TBJ Promotions
Track: Riverside International Speedway – West Memphis, Ark.
Address: 151 Legion Rd, West Memphis, AR 72301
Directions: West of Memphis, Tenn. on I-55 to Exit 4 in Arkansas, then 0.3 miles south, then 0.2 miles east on Broadway, then south on Legion Road.
Contact Information:
Website: http://www.tbjpromotions.com – or – http://www.
Phone (Track): 901-508-6200
Email: webmaster@
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When: Friday, August 22, 2014 – Open at 5:00 P.M. / Racing at 7:30 P.M.
Event: 2nd annual Racer’s Memorial
Track: Lexington 104 Speedway – Lexington, Tenn.
Address: 2800 Sand Ridge Bargerton Rd. Lexington, TN, 38351
Contact Information:
Website: http://www.
Phone (Track): 731-968-8333
Email: tedi@Lexington104Speedway.com
Event Coverage:
Online audio will be available at http://www.racinboys.com. Live broadcasts are brought to you by Lucas Oil and presented by the McCarthy Auto Group, located in the Kansas City metropolitan area.
Line-ups, finishes, and further updates are provided throughout each race night at http://www.facebook.com/
Live Timing and scoring is available at most Lucas Oil ASCS events via Race Monitor that is available in the App Store of your Smart Phone or Tablet. The American Sprint Car Series app can also be downloaded for free in the Google Play store.
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2014 A-Feature Winner(s): Brad Loyet – 3, Aaron Reutzel -2, Rico Abreu – 2, Tony Bruce, Jr. – 2, Christopher Bell – 2, Jeff Swindell – 2, Brian Brown – 2, Patrick Stasa – 1, Sam Hafertepe, Jr. – 2, Derek Hagar – 1, Seth Bergman – 1, Sammy Swindell – 1, Davey Heskin – 1
2014 Lucas Oil ASCS Driver Standings (Top 10): 1. Brad Loyet 2,506; 2. Jason Johnson 2,407; 3. Jeff Swindell 2,630 4. Johnny Herrera 2,630; 5. Sam Hafertepe, Jr. 2,344; 6. Aaron Reutzel 2,309; 7. Seth Bergman 2,249; 8. Matt Covington 2,194; 9.Tony Bruce, Jr. 2,184; 10. Blake Hahn 2,171;
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The 2014 season marks the twenty-third 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. Anchored by the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series, ASCS also consists of ten 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, iON Camera, Smokey Mountain Moonshine, C&R Radiator, Hawk Performance Products, Geico, E3 Spark Plugs, and General Tire.
Product and Contingency Sponsorship provided by: K&N Filters, KSE Racing Products, SpeedMart, Competition Suspension, Engler Machine and Tool, FSR Radiator and Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, Driverwebsites.com, Weld Wheels, Saldana Racing Products, Maxwell Industries, Print Place, Simpson, The Joie of Seating, Wesmar Racing Engines, Hinchman Indy Racewear, 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.