Johnny Herrera shines at Hockett/McMillin Memorial

Bryan Hulbert – WHEATLAND, Mo. (September 29, 2013) After rain pushed the finale of the third annual Jesse Hockett / Daniel McMillin Memorial to a Sunday affair, the MAVTV American Real cameras saw Johnny Herrera live up to his nickname as “Hollywood” led from flag-to-flag for his fourth Protect the Harvest A-Feature win of the season.

His tenth overall with the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by MAVTV American Real, Herrera became the ninth different winner with the National Tour at the Lucas Oil Speedway.

“The short time I raced with Jesse, we did race some non-wing stuff together and we always had great races together. He was a great guy and I wish we were still racing with him but I know he’s watching down; I just feel honored that I could actually win this race,” commented Herrera on his victory.

“We usually come to Wheatland and seem to struggle. We drew a bad number both nights in a row. I just couldn’t seem to get out of the fifties and sixties but tonight, the track was wider in the Heat Races and we were able to do some passing to get ourselves in position.”

With the track developing what Herrera called “ridges” around the cushion, the Print Place No. 45x worked the highline around the Lucas Oil Speedway for the better part of the feature. Starting off low, Herrera went topside after the seventh round with Brian Brown stalking the New Mexico driver for the lead.

“We ran the first few laps around the bottom and it was really good. I’m sure the other guys got tight like I did running the first few laps around the bottom but you just had to keep your eyes open and known when to move up on the racetrack.”

Brian Brown posted his second runner up in as many nights of racing in the Jesse Hockett Racing No. 77. Close on several restart and late in slower traffic, Brown ran the runner up spot for all but two laps when Tony Bruce, Jr. was able to sneak by in traffic.

Getting the car tipped on the Right Front several times through turns one and two, Brown commented on the car nearly getting out from under him, “I just got in behind the lapped cars and got tight. You really needed to be able to rotate the corner there and getting behind those lapped cars I just couldn’t do anything with them.”

“Lap 12 through about Lap 24 that was the absolute hardest I could driver that racecar. I know how much it would mean to Jack and Connie to put this No. 77 in Victory Lane. I promise I was doing everything I could,” explained Brown as he threw an arm around a Champaign soaked Jack Hockett.

Asked about his driver’s run, the elder Hockett replied, “Jesse would have been proud of that. If he ever could have gotten the lead, it would have been lights out.”

Tony Bruce, Jr. recorded his second podium of the weekend in the Wheeler Metals No. 18. “We had a good car there. Unfortunately we just weren’t fast enough to contend for the win but more than anything, I want to thank all the fans for staying. We really appreciate you guy and Lucas Oil Speedway for sticking it out and putting the show on Sunday and letting us play.”

Jason Johnson climbed from twelfth to fourth with Danny Lasoski coming up five spots to complete the top five.

Jeff Swindell placed second in the night’s second B-Feature and clawed from twentieth to sixth with Brad Loyet following from twenty-second to seventh after placing third in the same B-Feature. Dustin Morgan crossed eighth with Roger Crockett ninth and Derek Hagar making up the top ten.

Dustin Morgan returned to competition with the Impact Signs W.A.R. Sprint Cars and completed a weekend sweep on the Non-Wing division.

Races were stopped once on the initial start for the flipped No. 23B of Brian Bell who emerged unhurt. The caution flag displayed three times for Wayne Johnson on Lap 4, Brandon Hahn on Lap 9, and finally for a multi-car incident that claimed fourth running No. 2L of Logan Forler and fifth running No. 23 of Seth Bergman on Lap 29, setting up for a green, white, checkered finish. Both drivers were able to return for the finish.

The weekend total came to 54 entries from 16 states with 48 returning for Sunday. Heat Race totaled five with Jason Johnson, Kyle Bellm, Dustin Morgan, Randy Martin, and Seth Bergman taking wins. A pair of B-Feature went to Wayne Johnson and Cole Wood.

The Lucas Oil ASCS presented by MAVTV American Real competes again on Friday, October 18 and Saturday, October 19 at the Devil’s Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, Texas for the 40th annual Winter Nationals. For official news, updates, and results on the ASCS Nation, log onto http://www.ascsracing.com.

Lucas Oil ASCS presented by MAVTV American Real
Speedway Motors Warrior Region
Lucas Oil Speedway – Wheatland, Mo.
3rd Hockett/McMillin Memorial Finale
Sunday, September 29, 2013

Sunday Car Count: 48
Event Car Count: 54

Wesmar Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 41-Jason Johnson[3]; 2. 77X-Wayne Johnson[2]; 3. 4-Evan Martin[9]; 4. 14X-D.J. Brink[4]; 5. 38-Cody Baker[8]; 6. 14T-Andrew Turley[5]; 7. 4J-John James[6]; DNS 71-R.J. Johnson; DNS 97-Kevin Cummings

Ti22 Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 48-Kyle Bellm[1]; 2. 23B-Brian Bell[2]; 3. 1P-Curtis Evans[3]; 4. 33-Austin Alumbaugh[6]; 5. 14S-Jarrod Schneiderman[4]; 6. 5X-Jerod Roller[5]; 7. 2A-Randy Hibbs[8]; 8. 25-Curtis Boyer[9]; 9. 34-Corey Nelson[7]

Rod End Supply Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. 93-Dustin Morgan[4]; 2. 1-Sean McClelland[2]; 3. 76-Jay Russell[1]; 4. 91-Justin Henderson[7]; 5. 94-Jeff Swindell[8]; 6. 4X-Shawn Petersen[6]; 7. 65-Trevor (T.J.) Muths[3]; 8. (DNF) 72-Josh Fisher[5]; 9. (DNF) 22-Dustin Barks[9]

Saldana Heat 4 (8 Laps): 1. 14-Randy Martin[1]; 2. 33L-Danny Lasoski[5]; 3. 2L-Logan Forler[8]; 4. 24-Lanny Carpenter[2]; 5. 29-Brandon Hahn[7]; 6. 17W-Cole Wood[9]; 7. 9-Casey Baker[4]; 8. 92J-J.R. Topper[3]; 9. (DNF) 17-Blake Hahn[6]

BMRS Heat 5 (8 Laps): 1. 23-Seth Bergman[4]; 2. 45X-Johnny Herrera[7]; 3. 88-Tim Crawley[8]; 4. 05-Brad Loyet[5]; 5. 28-Jonathan Cornell[6]; 6. 23F-Matt Fox[1]; 7. (DNF) 5M-Miranda Arnold[3]; 8. (DNF) 9M-Tyler Blank[2]

DMI B Feature 1 (12 Laps): 1. 17W-Cole Wood[5]; 2. 76-Jay Russell[4]; 3. 72-Josh Fisher[13]; 4. 33-Austin Alumbaugh[2]; 5. 1P-Curtis Evans[3]; 6. 38-Cody Baker[6]; 7. 24-Lanny Carpenter[7]; 8. 34-Corey Nelson[15]; 9. 65-Trevor (T.J.) Muths[12]; 10. 4J-John James[11]; 11. 2A-Randy Hibbs[9]; 12. 23F-Matt Fox[10]; 13. 92J-J.R. Topper[14]; 14. (DNF) 1-Sean McClelland[1]; 15. (DNF) 4X-Shawn Petersen[8]; 16. (DNF) 71-R.J. Johnson[16]

The Joie of Seating B Feature 2 (12 Laps): 1. 77X-Wayne Johnson[1]; 2. 94-Jeff Swindell[2]; 3. 05-Brad Loyet[3]; 4. 29-Brandon Hahn[4]; 5. 14X-D.J. Brink[5]; 6. 14S-Jarrod Schneiderman[7]; 7. 17-Blake Hahn[15]; 8. 5M-Miranda Arnold[12]; 9. 22-Dustin Barks[13]; 10. 5X-Jerod Roller[8]; 11. 25-Curtis Boyer[10]; 12. 14T-Andrew Turley[9]; 13. 9-Casey Baker[11]; 14. (DNF) 9M-Tyler Blank[14]; 15. (DNF) 97-Kevin Cummings[16]; 16. (DNF) 28-Jonathan Cornell[6]

Protect the Harvest A Feature (30 Laps): 1. 45X-Johnny Herrera[1]; 2. 77-Brian Brown[4]; 3. 18-Tony Bruce Jr[3]; 4. 41-Jason Johnson[12]; 5. 33L-Danny Lasoski[10]; 6. 94-Jeff Swindell[20]; 7. 05-Brad Loyet[22]; 8. 93-Dustin Morgan[5]; 9. 82-Roger Crockett[6]; 10. 9JR-Derek Hagar[2]; 11. 2L-Logan Forler[8]; 12. 23-Seth Bergman[7]; 13. 48-Kyle Bellm[13]; 14. 4-Evan Martin[11]; 15. 76-Jay Russell[19]; 16. 29-Brandon Hahn[23]; 17. (DNF) 17W-Cole Wood[17]; 18. (DNF) 72-Josh Fisher[21]; 19. (DNF) 14-Randy Martin[14]; 20. (DNF) 91-Justin Henderson[15]; 21. (DNF) 88-Tim Crawley[9]; 22. (DNF) 77X-Wayne Johnson[18]; 23. (DNF) 23B-Brian Bell[16]

Lap Leader(s): Johnny Herrera (1-30)
PitstopUSA.com Hard Charger: Brad Loyet +15
FSR High Points of the Night: Johnny Herrera 
Hawk Performance Products Fastest Lap of the Night: Johnny Herrera – 14.017 seconds
Provisionals: Brandon Hahn (BP1)

2013 “A” Feature Winners: Jason Johnson-8, Jeff Swindell-5, Johnny Herrera-4, Roger Crockett-3, Brian Brown-3, Logan Forler-2, Brad Loyet-2, Danny Lasoski-2, Tony Bruce, Jr.-2, Kyle Bellm, Jack Dover, Seth Bergman, Jonathan Cornell, Travis Rilat, Justin Henderson, Shane Stewart, Tim Crawley

Lucas Oil ASCS Driver Standings (Top 10): 1. Jason Johnson 4,712; 2. Johnny Herrera 4,660; 3. Jeff Swindell 4,463; 4. Brad Loyet 4,454; 5. Tony Bruce, Jr. 4,376; 6. Logan Forler 4,268; 7. Seth Bergman 4,134; 8. Dustin Morgan 3,953; 9. Cole Wood 3,753; 10. Brandon Hahn 3,053;

The 2013 season marks the twenty-second 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 and into Canada. Anchored by the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series, ASCS also consists of nine 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, PitstopUSA.com, Engler Machine and Tool, Roush Yates Racing Engines, FSR Radiator and Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, Driverwebsites.com, Weld Wheels, Fuel Safe, Saldana Racing Products, SBI Fuel Bladders, Maxwell Industries, Print Place, Xtreme Accu-Tach, Simpson, LeJoie Seating, Ti 22 Performance, Wesmar Racing Engines, Hinchman Indy Racewear, Brown and Miller Racing Solutions, DMI Rear Ends, Rod End Supply, Smiley’s Racing Products, Speedway Motors, and Hilborn Injection Systems.

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Photo Credit: Bryan Hulbert