Sedalia, MO — (June 17, 2016) — After a terrible night at the track on Thursday at the Creek County Speedway, Friday’s performance at the Missouri State Fair Speedway made the sting disappear as Missouri’s Brad Loyet parked the Vacuworx Global/Buddy Loyet Motorsports No. 05 in Victory Lane for the second time in 2016 with the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by the MAVTV Motorsports Network, and first time at the “Historic Half-Mile”.
Speedweek’s first repeat winner, Loyet gave chase the first 17 laps before finding the line around the Missouri State Fair Speedway and leader, Channin Tankersley, as the pair began to clear slower traffic.
“To win here is really cool. I’ve always wanted to pick up a win here at the “Historic Half-Mile” so now my names on the list but, it definitely wasn’t easy. Channin [Tankersley] was setting a really quick pace out there and I didn’t know if I was going to catch him. I though lapped traffic was going to help me, but it actually hurt me getting into the dirt air and throwing up a lot of dust,” commented Loyet, who is not third in Speedweek standings.
“Right when I got by him, the Nose Wing fell on the Hood, and I like great, what are the odds of this? But it all worked out. It feels awesome to win after last night and the fiasco that happened there. To come out here and win puts a nail in the coffin and proves a point that we’re not here to mess around. We’re here to win.”
Gridding the No. 05 fourth, Loyet found his way to the runner-up spot on the fifth round. Chasing Channin Tankersley, the back of the field came into view on Lap 9 with the Berryman Motorsports No. 31b of Tankersley still able to keep Loyet at a half straightaway deficit.
Working top and bottom on the Sedalia oval, the pair ran in their own world as Loyet finally started to gain ground on Tankersley. Under continuous green flag laps, Channin began having to search around to clear slower cars, allowing Loyet to close the gap.
With the run building, Loyet shot to the lead on Lap 18. Putting several car lengths on the No. 31b, Tankersley began pedaling back to Loyet’s back bumper as the field came to five to go. Game on with the field coming to the final two laps, the white flag was out with Channin setting up for the run, only to see the race’s only caution fly.
Restacked single file, Loyet was not to be denied as the final two laps saw the No. 05 pull away.
A massive turn around for Tankersley, who has crashed out the last two nights, the runner-up finish was just what the Berryman Motorsports team needed.
Reflecting on the race, Channin stated, “We had a good car starting out, just got a little free there at the end. That’s just part of it, the track started going away but Brad [Loyet] did pretty good. He ran the last half of the race like you’re supposed too but I’m just tickled to death right now. I would have like to have won it, but second is way better than what we’ve been doing. We’ve had a rough start to Speedweek so I can’t thank all my guys enough for busting their butts and not giving up on me. Feels good to walk away with a podium finish.”
Coming from the 14th starting spot, Johnny Herrera’s night paid dividends as the New Mexico veteran’s seventh podium finish of the season brought Herrera to within a single point of Sam Hafertepe, Jr. in the Lucas Oil ASCS National Driver Standings, and second in Speedweek points.
“We had an awesome Racecar. Too bad we started 14th because I think we may have had something for them boys. Just had work extra hard to get to those cars but we had one hell of a Hot Rod tonight. Big thanks to Chris, my crew guy. We got behind on the start of the night. We had to change motors so we didn’t have any Hot Laps. We put in an old motor in that we borrowed from a guy down in Texarkana so I need to give a big shout out to Mark Huddleston. He let me borrow the motor and this thing is probably 10 years old but it’s an old hoss and it ran good.”
Tyler Thomas crossed fourth with Matt Covington fifth. Seth Bergman worked to sixth from the 10th start spot with Josh Baughman eighth. Wayne Johnson from 12th crossed ninth, followed by Aaron Reutzel to round out the top-ten after having to come from deep in the B-Feature due to an engine swap on the No. 87.
Drawing 36 drivers to the Missouri State Fair Speedway, four Heat Races went to Tyler Thomas, Josh Baughman, Brandon Hanks, and Randy Martin. The night’s B-Main went to Jonathan Cornell. A Regional Provisional was awarded to Cody Baker as the first non-transfer ASCS Warrior Region Driver with 100% attendance on the 2016 season. No National Tour Provisionals were utilized.
The 24th ASCS Sizzlin’ Summer Speedweek and third Bob Westphal Memorial Cup concludes on Saturday, June 18 at the “Diamond of Dirt Tracks”, the Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo. Races are set to begin at 7:30 P.M. (CDT). For more information, log onto http://www.lucasoilspeedway.com.
For continued updates on the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by the MAVTV Motorsports Network, log onto http://www.ascsracing.com.
Race Results:
ASCS National and ASCS Warrior
Missouri State Fair Speedway – Sedalia, Mo.
Friday, June 17, 2016
Speedweek Round 4
Car Count: 36
ButlerBuilt Heat Races (8 Laps, Top 16 in Passing Points to the A-Feature)
Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 86-Tyler Thomas[2]; 2. 95-Matt Covington[6]; 3. 28T-Tommy Bryant[1]; 4. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr[4]; 5. 2C-Wayne Johnson[8]; 6. 28-Jonathan Cornell[9]; 7. 2L-Logan Forler[7]; 8. 4J-John Carney II[3]; 9. 12C-Faron Crank[5]
Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 17-Josh Baughman[3]; 2. 91-Steven Russell[4]; 3. 05-Brad Loyet[7]; 4. 4-Evan Martin[5]; 5. 23-Seth Bergman[9]; 6. 2-Mickey Walker[8]; 7. 8M-Kade Morton[1]; 8. (DNF) 27-Danny Thoman[6]; 9. (DNF) 87B-Jason Barney[2]
Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. 84-Brandon Hanks[2]; 2. 31B-Channin Tankersley[3]; 3. 34-Corey Nelson[1]; 4. 45X-Johnny Herrera[5]; 5. 87-Aaron Reutzel[8]; 6. 7M-Chance Morton[6]; 7. 17W-Harli White[7]; 8. 5-Matt Close[9]; 9. (DNF) 75-Tyler Blank[4]
Heat 4 (8 Laps): 1. 14-Randy Martin[1]; 2. 52-Blake Hahn[3]; 3. 66-Ray Allen Kulhanek[4]; 4. 40-Howard Moore[2]; 5. 14K-Kyle Bellm[6]; 6. 38-Cody Baker[8]; 7. 42-Andy McElhannon[7]; 8. 75E-Broc Elliott[9]; 9. 33-Austin Alumbaugh[5]
BMRS B-Features (12 laps, Top 6 advance into A-Feature.)
B Feature (12 Laps): 1. 28-Jonathan Cornell[1]; 2. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr[2]; 3. 40-Howard Moore[3]; 4. 87-Aaron Reutzel[20]; 5. 14K-Kyle Bellm[4]; 6. 2L-Logan Forler[19]; 7. 4J-John Carney II[15]; 8. 38-Cody Baker[5]; 9. 7M-Chance Morton[7]; 10. 42-Andy McElhannon[8]; 11. 8M-Kade Morton[13]; 12. 2-Mickey Walker[6]; 13. 75E-Broc Elliott[10]; 14. 5-Matt Close[11]; 15. 17W-Harli White[9]; 16. 33-Austin Alumbaugh[16]; 17. 12C-Faron Crank[17]; 18. 75-Tyler Blank[14]; 19. 27-Danny Thoman[12]; 20. 87B-Jason Barney[18]
Protect the Harvest A-Feature (25 Laps)
A Feature (25 Laps): 1. 05-Brad Loyet[4]; 2. 31B-Channin Tankersley[2]; 3. 45X-Johnny Herrera[14]; 4. 86-Tyler Thomas[3]; 5. 95-Matt Covington[6]; 6. 23-Seth Bergman[10]; 7. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr[18]; 8. 17-Josh Baughman[5]; 9. 2C-Wayne Johnson[12]; 10. 84-Brandon Hanks[1]; 11. 87-Aaron Reutzel[20]; 12. 52-Blake Hahn[9]; 13. 66-Ray Allen Kulhanek[11]; 14. 28T-Tommy Bryant[15]; 15. 28-Jonathan Cornell[17]; 16. 2L-Logan Forler[22]; 17. 40-Howard Moore[19]; 18. 91-Steven Russell[8]; 19. 14-Randy Martin[7]; 20. 4-Evan Martin[13]; 21. 14K-Kyle Bellm[21]; 22. 38-Cody Baker[23]; 23. 34-Corey Nelson[16]
Lap Leader(s): Brandon Hanks 1; Channin Tankersley 2-17; Brad Loyet 18-25;
FSR High Point Driver: Matt Covington
Hard Charger: Johnny Herrera +11
Provisional(s): Cody Baker (Regional)
2016 ASCS National Driver Standings (Top 10): 1. Sam Hafertepe, Jr. 1,563; 2. Johnny Herrera 1,562; 3. Matt Covington 1,423; 4. Logan Forler 1,404; 5. Aaron Reutzel 1,395; 6. Blake Hahn 1,392; 7. Wayne Johnson 1,375; 8. Brad Loyet 1,356; 9. Seth Bergman 1,348; 10. Josh Baughman 1,278;
2016 Speedweek Standings (Top 10): 1. Sam Hafertepe, Jr. 427; 2. Johnny Herrera 503; 3. Brad Loyet 487; 4. Aaron Reutzel 480; 5. Blake Hahn 466; 6. Seth Bergman 455; 7. Logan Forler 446; 8. Matt Covington 443; 9. Wayne Johnson 438; 10. Kyle Bellm 421;
2016 ASCS National Winner(s): Sam Hafertepe, Jr. 2 (5/13 – Texas Motor Speedway; 6/12 – Rt. 66 Motor Speedway); Johnny Herrera 2 (3/17-Heart O’ Texas Speedway; 6/3-Hartford Speedway); Brad Loyet 2 (6/15 – Lawton Speedway; 6/17 – Mo. State Fair Speedway); Aaron Reutzel 1 (5/14 – Texas Motor Speedway); Wayne Johnson 1 (3/19-Devil’s Bowl Speedway); Brandon Hanks 1 (3/25-Cotton Bowl Speedway); Josh Baughman 1 (3/26 – Bronco Raceway Park); Brian Brown 1(5/5-Lakeside Speedway); Bryan Clauson 1 (6/16 – Creek County Speedway);