Lucas Oil ASCS ready for Gulf South showdown

TULSA, Okla. (April 1, 2013) The toughest part of running the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by MAVTV American Real is often not the other national drivers. More times than not, it is the regional competition that make up the ASCS nation.

As pointed out in an interview with Brad Loyet earlier this year, the regional competition is not above giving the national divers a run for their money, “When you think about it, yeah we’ve got the same National guys that we contend with every week in and week out and we’re all capable of winning every single night, but biggest thing a lot of people forget about is the Regional competition we race against is all really tough too.”

Loyet expanded on the Regional competition by saying, “We kind of race on their home turf, and these guys race at these same racetracks all year long and they already know what they need to do.”

Billed as the Gulf South Showdown, the Lucas Oil ASCS presented by MAVTV American Real will make their lone appearance with the Griffith Truck and Equipment Gulf South Region on Friday, April 5 at the Golden Triangle Raceway Park in Beaumont, Texas. 

In the series 2012 appearance at the three-eighths mile high banked oval, the day was ruled early on by Gulf South regular Travis Elliot before problems late in the race earned the Alvin, Texas driver a DNF for the evening. Ultimately it was Wayne Johnson who charged from twelfth to capture his first of ten wins on the season. 

Scheduled from Friday, April 5, the 2013 edition will be the fifth time the Lucas Oil ASCS presented by MAVTV American Real has appeared at the Golden Triangle Raceway Park, formally known at Speedway 90. By the numbers four showings has yielded four winners with Zach Chappell (4/5/02), Tim Crawley (9/27/02), Michael Dupuy (9/28/02) finally Wayne Johnson in April, 2012. 

Heading into the April 5 event, Jason Johnson leads the Lucas Oil ASCS presented by MAVTV American Real point standings with Johnny Herrera following 40 points behind. Jeff Swindell made the biggest move following events the Devil’s Bowl Speedway, coming from ninth to fourth in the tour standings. 

Tony Bruce, Jr. rides fifth with Seth Bergman sixth. Brad Loyet has climbed to eighth followed by Logan Forler making up the National drivers in the top ten in driver points. Drivers who plan on running a limited National schedule who remain the top ten include Lucas Wolfe who holds third, Brian Brown in seventh, and Roger Crockett who holds tenth. 

On the Gulf South Region side, Ray Allen Kulhanek and Aaron Reutzel each have wins on the season with Kulhanek’s coming at the Golden Triangle Raceway Park on March 1 ahead of Sam Hafertepe, Jr. and Tommy Bryant. 

Kulhanek currently holds an advantage of 10 points over Aaron Reutzel with Channin Tankersley, Tommy Bryant, and John Carney II making up the current top five in regional standings.

Events at the Golden Triangle Raceway Park will include Hobby/Street Stocks, Limited Modifieds, Mini Sprints, and Dwarf Cars. 

Gates are slated to open at 5 P.M. with races beginning at 8 P.M. For more information on the Golden Triangle Raceway Park, log onto http://www.motoramaspeedway.com or call 409-752-7200.