Brian Brown charges to first Devil’s Bowl Victory

Bryan Hulbert – Mesquite, Texas (June 16, 2012) Making a statement could be an understatement as Brian Brown charged from fourteenth to win the Summer Nationals at the Devil’s Bowl Speedway with a closing lap pass on Wayne Johnson.

“I tell you what man this Devils Bowl’s just been like the devil to me. I’ve never had any good luck here and just need to thank my guys on this Casey’s General Store team” commented a very elated Brian Brown. “I’m worn out but this is cool. I Just kept working that bottom and just knew we kept getting better and better and just needed a yellow but I’m out of breath and tickled to death.”

Spending the first ten laps outside the top ten, Brown began working the inside groove of the Devil’s Bowl while pole sitting Tony Bruce Jr. showed the way over the Oil Medics No. 77x of Wayne Johnson.

Working into slower traffic by lap ten, Bruce would surrender the point to Johnson on the thirteenth circuit with the Mark Burch Motorsports No. 1m of Danny Lasoski running third. Fast off the inside groove, Lasoski would give chase for second as the field raced past the half-way point.

Able to hold the runner up spot with a smooth high line run, Bruce would fall to a half straight-a-way disadvantage as Wayne Johnson ran on clean race track. Moving into fifth on the twentieth circuit Brown continued his march around the inside-line with the O.E.M No. 11c of Covington within sight as the caution flew for the spun No. 99 of Brady Bacon.

Restarting with nine laps remaining, Danny Lasoski would work around Tony Bruce Jr. after the Oil Medics No. 18 slipped off the bottom groove. Setting the Engler Machine and Tool No. 1m around the bottom of the Devil’s Bowl, Lasoski would bolt into the race lead on lap twenty-four; leaving Johnson by a half straight.

Working into the closing laps, Brown would begin mounting his final charge after dropping Tony Bruce Jr. to fourth on the restart. Setting his sights on Wayne Johnson with only three laps to run, the battle looked to be for second until a puff of smoke turned to a fiery flash out the side of the No. 1m of Danny Lasoski.

With his engine expiring, Lasoski rolled helplessly into the infield with less than a pair of laps to run as his nephew raced by wheel to wheel with Wayne Johnson for the white flag. Bring a hearty Devil’s Bowl crowd to their feet, Brown would capture the lead at the line; holding off a last lap charge from Johnson for his first Devil’s Bowl triumph with the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by MAVTV

Wayne Johnson would cross the line second with Tony Bruce Jr. able to hold on to a third place finish. Matt Covington would take fourth with Jason Johnson rounding out the top five.

Gary Wright would salvage his weekend with a six place run with Johnny Herrera seventh. Finishing third in the night’s B-Feature, Brad Loyet would charge from nineteenth to finish eighth with Brady Bacon, who forced the races lone caution on lap twenty-one, taking ninth after restarting twentieth. Danny Wood would round out the top ten.

Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by MAVTV

Devil’s Bowl Speedway – Mesquite, Texas
Summer Nationals/Speedweek – Night #2
June 16, 2012
Night #2 Car Count: 34
Event Car Count: 35

Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 2-Dustin Morgan[2]; 2. 224-John Carney II[4]; 3. 54-Evan Pardo[1]; 4. 45-Martin Edwards[6]; 5. 1a-Kevin Ramey[7]; 6. 10-George White[3]; 7. 23-Seth Bergman[8]; 8. 74E-Claud Estes III[5]

Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 5h-Logan Forler[1]; 2. 81-Danny Wood[5]; 3. 11c-Matt Covington[7]; 4. 99-Brady Bacon[8]; 5. 11-Justin Melton[4]; 6. 14B-Robert Byrom[6]; 7. 4x-Shawn Petersen[2]; 8. 17-Bruce Griffith Jr[3]

Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. 18-Tony Bruce Jr[4]; 2. 19-Klint Angelette[2]; 3. 74x-Joshua Hodges[3]; 4. 12w-Dale Wester[6]; 5. 11s-Patrick Stasa[8]; 6. 14-Michael Lang[5]; 7. 69-Larry Howery[7]; 8. 35-Barry Gifford[1]

Heat 4 (8 Laps): 1. 87-Aaron Reutzel[1]; 2. 21-Brian Brown[3]; 3. 9-Gary Wright[7]; 4. 45K-Kolt Walker[4]; 5. 05-Brad Loyet[6]; 6. 27-Andy Shouse[5]; DNF 50z-Zach Chappell[2]

B Feature (12 Laps): 1. 74x-Joshua Hodges[3]; 2. 11s-Patrick Stasa[2]; 3. 05-Brad Loyet[7]; 4. 1a-Kevin Ramey[5]; 5. 45K-Kolt Walker[6]; 6. 50z-Zach Chappell[16]; 7. 27-Andy Shouse[11]; 8. 54-Evan Pardo[4]; 9. 23-Seth Bergman[12]; 10. 10-George White[13]; 11. 11-Justin Melton[8]; 12. 69-Larry Howery[14]; 13. 74E-Claud Estes III[17]; 14. 35-Barry Gifford[19]; 15. 4x-Shawn Petersen[15]; DNF 12w-Dale Wester[1]; DNS 14B-Robert Byrom; DNS 17-Bruce Griffith Jr.

A Feature (30 Laps): 1. 21-Brian Brown[14]; 2. 77x-Wayne Johnson[3]; 3. 18-Tony Bruce Jr[1]; 4. 11c-Matt Covington[7]; 5. 41-Jason Johnson[6]; 6. 9-Gary Wright[8]; 7. 45x-Johnny Herrera[4]; 8. 05-Brad Loyet[19]; 9. 99-Brady Bacon[13]; 10. 81-Danny Wood[5]; 11. 87-Aaron Reutzel[12]; 12. 50z-Zach Chappell[22]; 13. 2-Dustin Morgan[9]; 14. 1a-Kevin Ramey[20]; 15. 45K-Kolt Walker[21]; 16. 5h-Logan Forler[11]; 17. 224-John Carney II[10]; 18. 45-Martin Edwards[16]; 19. 23-Seth Bergman[23]; 20. 19-Klint Angelette[15]; DNF 1m-Danny Lasoski[2]; DNF 11s-Patrick Stasa[18]; DNF 74x-Joshua Hodges[17]

Lap Leader(s): Tony Bruce Jr. (1-12), Wayne Johnson (13-23), Danny Lasoski (24-28), Brian Brown (29-30)

Pitstopusa.com Hard Charger of the Night: Brian Brown +14
FSR Radiator High Point Driver: Tony Bruce Jr.
Provisional(s): Seth Bergman (1)

2012 Feature Winners: Brady Bacon-3, Jason Johnson-3, Wayne Johnson-3, Tony Bruce Jr.-2, Brian Brown-1, Seth Bergman-1, Danny Lasoski-1, Jason Martin-1, Dustin Morgan-1, Danny Wood-1

Lucas Oil ASCS presented by MAVTV Points (top 10): 1. Wayne Johnson 2,244 2. Jason Johnson 2,211; 3. Brady Bacon 2,186; 4. Johnny Herrera 1,064; 5. Brad Loyet 1,012; 6. Tony Bruce Jr. 1,914; 7. Danny Wood 1,872 8. Seth Bergman 1,786; 9. Dustin Morgan 1,700; 10. Gary Wright 1,642

2012 Lucas Oil ASCS Speedweek Points (top 10) 1. Wayne Johnson 292; 2. Jason Johnson 255; 3. Johnny Herrera 254; 4. Brian Brown 240; 5. Brady Bacon 235; 6. Aaron Reutzel 233; 7 Gary Wright 232; 8. Danny Lasoski 231; 9. Brad Loyet 229; 10. Danny Wood 229

The Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by MAVTV is scheduled to compete 68 times in 15 states throughout the United States with divers competing for their share of a $250,000 point’s fund.

The 2012 season marks the 21st 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 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. For information regarding availability and listings in your area log onto www.mavtv.com.

Associate sponsors for the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by MavTV include: Hoosier Racing Tire, Brodix, Geico, E3 Spark Plugs, General Tire, K&N Filters, PitstopUSA.com, FSR Radiator and Racing Proucts, Schoenfeld Headers, Driverwebsites.com, Weld Wheels, Maxwell Industries, Print Place, Simpson, Wesmar Racing Engines, and Hilborn Injection Systems.

Additional information regarding the American Sprint Car Series is available at www.ascsracing.com.

Photo Credit: Tim Aylwin