Bryan Hulbert – Kilgore, Texas (October 11, 2012) On a rough and tumble kind of track, the Buffalo Wild Wings No. 82 of Justin Henderson found his way to victory on night one of the Lone Star Sprint Car Nationals at the Lone Star Speedway.
All smiles in Victory Lane, the Tea, South Dakota driver was pleased with the track, “It seems like tracks are getting flatter and flatter and slicker and slicker which is great for Late Models but these are Sprint Cars and I like these kind of tracks.”
Taking the field from the pole position, Henderson jumped to the point ahead of Travis Rilat’s No. 39c. Bicycling the car exiting turn four with three laps complete, Rilat fell back to fifth as the 77x of Wayne Johnson bolted into the runner up spot followed by Jeff Swindell.
Running down Henderson with slower traffic looming, the Oil Medics No. 77x would begin challenging for the lead only to see the caution fly on lap seven for the No. 11 of Justin Melton after contact with the wall. Melton would not continue and was scored twenty-fourth.
Taking off for two more laps the caution flew again as Tony Bruce spun to a stop exiting turn four. The Oil Medics No. 18 would continue on as the caution waved before a lap could be complete as the No. 17r of Aaron Reutzel slowed exiting turn two. Reutzel did not continue.
Underway once again, the car on the move was the Gaerte No. 3g of Shane Stewart. Taking away third from Jeff Swindell, the defending Lone Star Sprint Nationals Champion worked around Wayne Johnson for second with eleven laps complete.
Running down Henderson along with the back of the field, Stewart would begin to challenge for the top spot before the caution flew on lap fourteen as the No. 52 of Blake Hahn stalled at the top of turn four. Kevin Swindell would also retire with mechanical problems on the Curb Records No. 39.
Dustin Morgan would be the cause of a caution on lap fifteen and Terry McCarl on lap sixteen before a competition red was taken following Kyle McCutcheon slamming the wall in turn four. Running in fourth before the red, Jeff Swindell would see the rear suspension of his H&H Container Services No. 94 come apart; allowing Brady Bacon to take over the fourth position.
The final caution of the night would fly with twenty-three laps complete as Josh Baughman spun collecting Zach Pringle, Jeff Swindell, and Mike Goodman.
Marking the final run to the checkered flag, Justin Henderson would be challenged briefly by Shane Stewart on the restart but would sail to victory. Shane Stewart would settle for second with Wayne Johnson completing the podium. Brady Bacon would hold onto fourth after having to hold off the hard charging Johnny Herrera who climbed from twenty-second to finish fifth.
Travis Rilat would end up sixth with Seth Bergman coming from twentieth to seventh. After starting twenty-fourth, climbing into the top ten and having to go to the rear as the cause of a caution on lap nine, Tony Bruce Jr. would end his night eighth with Dustin Morgan following the Oil Medics No. 18 from the back to ninth after spinning to a stop on lap fifteen. Matt Covington would round out the top ten after starting fifteenth.
The Lone Star Sprint Nationals continues Friday October 12, 2012 with the Oil Medics Qualifying night #2.
Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by MAVTV
Lone Star Sprint Car Nationals – Smiley’s Racing Products Night #1
Lone Star Speedway – Kilgore, Texas
October 11, 2012
Car Count:40
Heat 1 (10 Laps): 1. 39C-Travis Rilat[2]; 2. 4J-Jamie Passmore[1]; 3. 39-Kevin Swindell[6]; 4. 11G-Mike Goodman[8]; 5. 52-Blake Hahn[5]; 6. 21-Wes Wofford[4]; 7. 90-Lance Norick[3]; 8. 4X-Shawn Petersen[7]
Heat 2 (10 Laps): 1. 82-Justin Henderson[6]; 2. 94-Jeff Swindell[5]; 3. 76-John Ricketts[2]; 4. 14Z-Zach Pringle[4]; 5. 12M-Kyle McCutcheon[7]; 6. 45X-Johnny Herrera[8]; 7. 41W-Joshua Williams[3]; DNF 14B-Robert Byrom[1]
Heat 3 (10 Laps): 1. 77X-Wayne Johnson[2]; 2. 2-Dustin Morgan[3]; 3. 17-Josh Baughman[8]; 4. 5-Jerod Roller[4]; 5. 74E-Claud Estes III[5]; 6. 32-Derek Weaver[6]; DNF 11P-Preston Peebles II[1]; DNS 18-Tony Bruce Jr
Heat 4 (10 Laps): 1. 24-Terry McCarl[3]; 2. 99-Brady Bacon[2]; 3. 17R-Aaron Reutzel[8]; 4. 69-Larry Howery[4]; 5. 11-Justin Melton[5]; DNF 17T-Christopher Bell[6]; DNF 45-Martin Edwards[7]; DNS 9-Gary Wright
Heat 5 (10 Laps): 1. 3G-Shane Stewart[2]; 2. 224-John Carney II[1]; 3. 11C-Matt Covington[5]; 4. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr[7]; 5. 23-Seth Bergman[8]; 6. 29-Brandon Hahn[6]; 7. 12W-Dale Wester; DNS 3-Raven Culp
B Feature 1 (15 Laps): 1. 52-Blake Hahn[4]; 2. 11-Justin Melton[5]; 3. 12M-Kyle McCutcheon[3]; 4. 21-Wes Wofford[6]; 5. 5-Jerod Roller[2]; 6. 90-Lance Norick[8]; DNF 76-John Ricketts[1]; DNF 17T-Christopher Bell[7]; DNF 12W-Dale Wester[10]; DNF 14B-Robert Byrom[11]; DNS 11P-Preston Peebles II; DNS 9-Gary Wright
B Feature 2 (15 Laps): 1. 14Z-Zach Pringle[1]; 2. 23-Seth Bergman[3]; 3. 45X-Johnny Herrera[5]; 4. 18-Tony Bruce Jr[11]; 5. 69-Larry Howery[2]; 6. 41W-Joshua Williams[8]; 7. 29-Brandon Hahn[7]; 8. 32-Derek Weaver[6]; DNF 74E-Claud Estes III[4]; DNF 4X-Shawn Petersen[10]; DNS 45-Martin Edwards; DNS 3-Raven Culp
A Feature (30 Laps): 1. 82-Justin Henderson[1]; 2. 3G-Shane Stewart[5]; 3. 77X-Wayne Johnson[4]; 4. 99-Brady Bacon[13]; 5. 45X-Johnny Herrera[22]; 6. 39C-Travis Rilat[2]; 7. 23-Seth Bergman[20]; 8. 18-Tony Bruce Jr[24]; 9. 2-Dustin Morgan[10]; 10. 11C-Matt Covington[15]; 11. 224-John Carney II[14]; 12. 94-Jeff Swindell[3]; 13. 4J-Jamie Passmore[11]; DNF 17-Josh Baughman[6]; DNF 14Z-Zach Pringle[18]; DNF 11G-Mike Goodman[12]; DNF 21-Wes Wofford[23]; DNF 12M-Kyle McCutcheon[21]; DNF 24-Terry McCarl[8]; DNF 39-Kevin Swindell[9]; DNF 52-Blake Hahn[17]; DNF 17R-Aaron Reutzel[7]; DNF 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr[16]; DNF 11-Justin Melton[19]
Lap Leader(s): Justin Henderson (1-30)
Pitstopusa.com Hard Charger of the Night: Johnny Herrera+17
FSR Radiator High Point Driver of the Night: Justin Henderson
Provisional(s): N/A
2012 Feature Winners: Jason Johnson-12, Wayne Johnson-8, Brady Bacon-7, Tony Bruce Jr.-3, Danny Lasoski-2, Shane Stewart-2, Jeff Swindell-2, Brian Brown-1, Seth Bergman-1, Jason Martin-1, Dustin Morgan-1, Danny Wood-1, Cody Baker-1, Jordan Boston-1, Brock Lemley-1, Mason Moore-1, Brad Loyet-1, Brooke Tatnell-1, Kevin Swindell-1, Justin Henerson-1
Lucas Oil ASCS presented by MAVTV Points (top 10): 1. Jason Johnson 6,035; 2. Wayne Johnson 5,985; 3. Brady Bacon 5,850; 4. Johnny Herrera 5,487; 5. Tony Bruce Jr. 5,429; 6. Brad Loyet 5,427; 7. Seth Bergman 5,012; 8. Logan Forler 4,972; 9. Dustin Morgan 4,848; 10. Gary Wright 4,815
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.
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Photo Credit: Tim Aylwin