Pat Grant Photo
2013 Speedweek: Three nights, three winners, three more to go
Bryan Hulbert – TULSA, Okla. (June 17, 2013) The 2013 Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by MAVTV American Real Sizzlin’ Summer Speedweek is three nights complete and has produced just as many winners.
The Kennedale Speedway Park opened the nineteenth edition of Speedweek with 42 drivers between the Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour and Smiley’s Racing Products Lone Star Region. Jason Johnson added his fourth victory of the 2013 season to his resume with a dominating performance that twisted it’s way 30 laps amid never ending traffic on the semi-banked, fully walled, quarter mile.
The Lucas Oil ASCS presented by MAVTV American Real’s first visit to Kennedale was Speedweek stop No. 116 since its 1993 beginning. For Jason, it stands as his seventy-second career triumph with the National arm of the ASCS Nation, and twelfth in Speedweek competition since 2002.
While Johnson added to his Speedweek win total, Saturday produced a first time Speedweek winner in Johnny Herrera. Not usual to associate the Albuquerque, N.M. veteran with a new statistic, but nevertheless Herrera, like Johnson the night before, never gave up point at the half-mile Devil’s Bowl Speedway.
Herrera’s ninth victory since going full time with the Lucas Oil ASCS presented by MAVTV American Real in 2011, the Devil’s Bowl win was the seventy-fourth time the Lucas Oil ASCS presented by MAVTV American Real had graced the clay of the Mesquite oval and was Herrera’s second in ASCS competition with plenty of time between victories as Herrera’s last Devil’s Bowl score came on November 2, 1996.
The Ark-La-Tex Speedway, with the help of Steven Schaberg’s SSR Promotions, brought a full field of cars to the high banked quarter-mile in Vivian, La. An hour of rain preceded the event before the skies turned clear and allowed fans to mingle around the pits and enjoy a catered BBQ meal with drivers and crews.
Jason Johnson looked to be on path to victory, working the top line with tires positioned inches from the track’s configuration of wall free corners. Traffic however would be the teller of tales as Logan Forler played the role of predator.
Stalking Johnson into slower traffic, a simple move up the track rather than down was all it took for Forler to pounce for the lead. Using that same slower traffic to prevent the three time ASCS National Champion from returning in kind the following lap, Forler led the final 18 revolutions for his first victory of 2013, and second of his career, coming only 19 starts since finally breaking into victory lane at the El Paso Speedway Park on November 9, 2012.
Glancing at the points of Sizzlin’ Summer Speedweek 2013 thus far, 49 drivers have already competed for their shot at the Bob Westphal Memorial Trophy and Shaver/Wesmar Gear Drive. Like most championships, the most wins doesn’t guarantee the top step on the podium as much as consistency.
Top five finishes in as many completed nights of Speedweek has kept the points chase tight as Johnson leads by only three over Jeff Swindell who had taken the points lead coming out of the Devil’s Bowl from the No. 41 team by four.
Third place Johnny Herrera shares a Speedweek record similar to fourth running Logan Forler with a single victory, top five, and two top tens’. Separated by a single position at Kennedale, Herrera seventh and Forler eighth, the next two nights saw the pair working opposites with Herrera winning at Mesquite, and finishing eleventh at Vivian and Forler eleventh at Mesquite, and victorious in Louisiana.
Seth Bergman and Cole Wood sit tied for fifth with Brad Loyet only four makers behind the pair of west coast drivers. Griffith Truck and Equipment Gulf South points’ leader Ray Allen Kulhanek spent three days with the National Series and holds eighth with Tony Bruce, Jr. rallying back from eleventh on Friday to fifth on Saturday and Sunday to hold ninth. The top ten rounds out with Dustin Morgan who was left with no room to avoid a crash on Friday, mechanical failure Saturday, and finally a seventh on Sunday to boost the Oklahoma driver up the standings.
The 2013 ASCS Sizzlin’ Summer Speedweek continues Wednesday, June 19 at the Lawton Speedway in Lawton, Okla. with special guest Tony Stewart. Thursday sees the series head north to the track that started ASCS, Creek County Speedway in Sapulpa, Okla. before finally ending with the Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo on Saturday, June 22 presented by Impact4800.com.
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Lawton Speedway – Lawton, Okla.
Track size: Quarter Mile
Series: ASCS National / American Bank of Okla. Sooner Region
Special guest Tony “Smoke” Stewart
Gates: 6:00 P.M. (CDT)
Races: 8:00 P.M.
Location: 3501 S. Sheridan Lawton, OK 73501
Directions: Take Interstate 44 to Lee Blvd. Go west on Lee to Sheridan Road. Turn south and go 1 ½ mile.
Contact: 580-355-6417 (call for reserved seating)
Website: http://www.lawtonspeedway.com
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Creek County Speedway – Sapulpa [Kellyville], Okla.
Track size: Quarter Mile
Series: ASCS National / American Bank of Okla. Sooner Region
Gates: 4:30 P.M. (CDT) (Catered with Steak Dinner)
Races: 8:00 P.M.
Location: 18450 W Highway 66 Kellyville, OK 74039
Directions: From Tulsa: Take I-44 west [Turner Turnpike] to exit 211 [Kellyville Exit]. Turn left to stop light [Highway 66] turn right and track is 1 mile on left side of highway.
Contact: 918-693-RACE (7223)
Website: http://www.creekcountyspeedway.co
Saturday, June 22, 2013
Lucas Oil Speedway – Wheatland, Mo
Impact Signs, Awnings, and Wraps presents the Speedweek Finale!
Track size: Three-eighths Mile
Series: ASCS National / Speedway Motors Warrior Region
Gates: 5:00 P.M. CDT
Races: 7:30 P.M
Location: 700 E Highway 54 Wheatland, MO 65779
Directions: Lucas Oil Speedway is located 5 Blocks south of US Highway 54, on State Highway 83, Wheatland, MO
Contact: 417-282-5984
Website: http://www.lucasoilspeedway.com
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.. 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, Geico, Hawk Racing Products, 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.
All Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series national events are broadcast live on www.racinboys.com for anyone who is unable to attend the races live. Official results, points, and race notes are posted at www.ascsracing.com. The Lucas Oil ASCS presented by MAVTV can also be found on Facebook and Twitter @LucasOilASCS.
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.