By Bryan Hulbert
SEDALIA, Mo. (August 18, 2015) The half-mile State Fair Speedway in Sedalia, Mo. will ring with horsepower once more as the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by the MAVTV Motorsports Network along with the Speedway Motors ASCS Warrior Region makes their return on Sunday, August 23, 2015 with the Casey’s General Store High Roller Classic presented by Impact4800.com.
A $12,000 to win event for the Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour, the last time the series visited the Missouri oval was 2007 with Texas native Gary Wright taking the win. What will go down as the 15th National Tour visit in the history of the Lucas Oil ASCS since 1995, a dozen drivers have earned a victory at the State Fair Speedway.
Among those drivers is current ASCS Championship contender, Wayne Johnson. The 2000 National Tour Champion, the Oklahoma City, Okla. shoe garnered his State Fair Speedway victory during the same year.
“I’m really looking forward to it. I’ve always like Sedalia and run well there,” said Johnson when asked about this coming Sunday. “It reminds me a lot of racing State Fair Speedway in Oklahoma City and I grew up racing Oklahoma City you know. Sedalia’s a big half-mile, flat, with big sweeping corners and normally doesn’t have a lot of grip. It’s definitely a finesse track, just like Oklahoma City was.”
Asked about his victory at the Missouri State Fair Speedway in 2000, Johnson explained that race was the single most emotional win of his career.
“I could go on for days about this one. It was a two day event and it got rained out on Friday night and thank God it did because we were on the way to the races and I got a phone call when we were maybe an hour or two up the road that by brother was killed, so we had to turn around and come back and Bud, my nephew, was the Crew Chief then, and that was his Dad.”
“The next morning, we talked about it and asked Bud what he wanted to do. He was 15 years old then and just said, there’s nothing we can do here. Let’s go win a race and we did. That was the most emotional win I’ve ever had.”
Coming off the Knoxville Nationals, where Johnson made the Saturday feature event, the driver of the Townline Variety No. 77x looks to keep his momentum going.
“We started off slow this year. I’m very goal oriented, and I didn’t really have any goals this year other than just racing until we decided to run with ASCS. We were behind the eight-ball, only had the one 360, and hadn’t really run that many 360 races but I definitely feel like we’re catching up now and the momentum has kind of shifted, and seems to be going our way so hopefully we can win a couple races here at the end and gain some points on these guys.”
Currently third in tour standings, Johnson trails ASCS National Tour points leader, Aaron Reutzel, by 119 points. A banner year for Reutzel, the B.C. Fundz No. 87 driver enters this weekend with five National Tour wins to his credit, along with 15 top five, and 21 top ten runs.
Sitting between the two is Johnny Herrera.
Racking up three wins while on the road back to Knoxville, Herrera trails by 73 points going into Sunday’s High Roller Classic.
Seth Bergman holds forth in tour standings with Matt Covington currently making up the top-five. Blake Hahn holds sixth with Kyle Bellm, Jordan Weaver, Kris Miller, and Jeff Swindell completing the top-ten.
Paired with the Speedway Motors ASCS Warrior Region, Jonathan Carries a healthy 104 lead over Evan Martin with Austin Alumbaugh riding third. Ricky Lee Stangl and Jay Russell make up the top-five.
A headliner for the closing night of the 113th Missouri State Fair, Hot Laps on Sunday, August 23 are scheduled for 6:00 P.M. with the first green flag flying at 7:00 P.M. (CT). Tickets to the Pepsi Grandstand series and State Fair Arena events can be purchased at the State Fair Box Office from 9:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M. from now until raceday on August 23. Tickets for the race are reserve seating only and are $20 for adults, $18 for military and seniors (age 65 and older), $10 for students ages 13-16, $8 for youth ages 8-12, and free for kids ages 7 and under.
For more information about concerts, events and other Fair activities, visit http://www.mostatefair.com, follow the Fair on Facebook and Twitter, or call 1-800-422-FAIR (3247).
For continued updates on the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series, log onto http://www.ascsracing.com.
Lucas Oil ASCS Winners: State Fair Speedway (Sedalia, Mo.):
• 5/28/95—Tommie Estes, Jr.
• 5/24/98—Billy Vielhauer
• 8/23/98—Danny Jennings
• 5/28/99—Ricky Logan
• 8/22/99—Ricky Logan
• 5/27/00—Wayne Johnson
• 5/28/00—Jason Johnson
• 7/1/00—Larry Neighbors
• 7/2/00—Larry Neighbors
• 9/25/03—Shane Stewart
• 9/27/03—Jesse Hockett
• 9/27/03—Billy Alley
• 7/3/06—Brian Brown
• 7/3/07—Gary Wright
Need to Know:
• Who: Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour / Speedway Motors ASCS Warrior Region
• What: $12,000 to win Casey’s General Store High Roller Classic
• Where: Missouri State Fair Speedway – Sedalia, Mo.
• When: Sunday. August 23, 2015
Speedway Contact Info:
• Website: http://www.mostatefair.com/entertainment-attractions/concerts-tractor-pulls
• Tickets: At the Box Office or online at http://www.ticketmaster.com/Missouri-State-Fair-tickets-Sedalia/venue/49164
• Phone: 800-422-FAIR (3247)
• Address: 2503 W 16th Street Sedalia MO, 65301
• Email: mostatefair@mda.mo.gov
• Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Missouri-State-Fair-Speedway/171625004981
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2015 Lucas Oil ASCS Winners: Aaron Reutzel 5; Seth Bergman 3; Jason Solwold 3; Johnny Herrera 3; Jason Sides 1; Mark Smith 1; Brian Brown 1; Blake Hahn 1; Wayne Johnson 1; Tony Bruce, Jr. 1; Ian Madsen 1; Jack Dover 1; Dusty Zomer 1; Danny Lasoski 1; Terry McCarl 1;
Lucas Oil ASCS Driver Points (Top 10): 1. Aaron Reutzel 3,119; 2. Johnny Herrera 3,046; 3. Wayne Johnson 3,000; 4. Seth Bergman 2,762; 5. Matt Covington 2,680; 6. Blake Hahn 2,574; 7. Kyle Bellm 2,520; 8. Jordan Weaver 2,270; 9. Kris Miller 2,202; 10. Jeff Swindell 1,759;
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The 2015 season will mark the 24th 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 in both National and Regional competition.
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.
ASCS Online:
American Sprint Car Series – http://www.ascsracing.com
Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/lucasoilascs
Twitter – http://www.twitter.com/lucasoilascs (@lucasoilascs)
Audio Broadcast – http://www.racinboys.com
Live Scoring (Where Applicable) – http://www.ascsracing.com/live and the Race Monitor App
ASCS National Drivers Online:
Kyle Bellm – http://www.kylebellm.com
Seth Bergman – http://www.sethbergmanracing.com
Tony Bruce, Jr. – http://www.tonybrucejr.com
Matt Covington – http://www.mattcovingtonracing.com
Blake Hahn – http://www.blakehahnracing.com
Sam Hafertepe, Jr. – http://www.sam15.com
Johnny Herrera – http://www.johnnyherreraracing.com
Wayne Johnson – https://www.facebook.com/WayneJohnsonRacing?fref=ts
Aaron Reutzel – http://www.aaronreutzelracing.com
Jeff Swindell – http://www.jeffswindell.com
Jordan Weaver – https://www.facebook.com/JordanWeaverRacing92
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, Kawasaki, Geico, E3 Spark Plugs, and General Tire.
Communications for the American Sprint Car Series is provided by Racing Electronics. All events are broadcast online at http://www.racinboys.com.
Product and Contingency Sponsorship provided by: K&N Filters, KSE Racing Products, Fuel Safe, DMI Rear Ends, BMRS, SpeedMart, Competition Suspension, Engler Machine and Tool, FSR Radiator and Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, Driverwebsites.com, Weld Wheels, 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.