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ASCS News and Events
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| Lucas Oil Sprint Cars - The Dates Keep Coming! |
 Lonnie Wheatley, TULSA, Okla. (January 21, 2010) – In what is already shaping up as another banner year for the Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters, several dates have been added to the 2010 slate in recent weeks since the preliminary schedule was announced last month.
Among the added dates are a pair of premier weekend doubles to close out the season in November as well as a return to Oklahoma’s Outlaw Motor Speedway and Kilgore’s Lone Star Speedway in the early portion of the 2010 campaign.
It was announced today that the series will return to Outlaw Motor Speedway near Muskogee, OK, for the first time since 2003, where reigning Lucas Oil Sprint Car champion Shane Stewart won the third of his 18 career series feature events.
The series will return to the semi-banked, 3/8-mile Outlaw Motor Speedway clay oval on Friday, June 4, setting up a weekend double that wraps up the following night at Little Rock’s I-30 Speedway.
The event originally slated for June 4 at Tri-City Speedway in Granite City, IL, has been reset for August 27.
The Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series will also return to the high-banked, ½-mile Lone Star Speedway dirt oval in Kilgore, TX, for the first time since 2002 on Friday night, April 9, leading the way into the first series event of the year at I-30 Speedway the following night.
Also added in recent weeks are November weekend doubles at both Las Cruces’ Southern New Mexico Speedway and Nevada’s Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Following I-30 Speedway’s $15,000-to-win Short Track Nationals on October 28-30 and the event rain date for the following weekend, the Lucas Oil Sprint Cars travel to the southwest to put the finishing touches on the season.
On Friday and Saturday, November 12 and 13, the Lucas Oil Sprint Cars tackle the high-banked, 5/16-mile Southern New Mexico Speedway clay oval in Las Cruces, NM, for the first time since Chris Ikard posted his lone series win in February of 1997.
Then, following the 43rd Annual Western World Championships at Tucson’s USA Raceway on November 18-20, the Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters closes out the year with the Lucas Oil National Sprint Car Championships atop the semi-banked, ½-mile Las Vegas Motor Speedway clay oval on November 26-27, with the series annual banquet to follow the next night.
The Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters is currently slated for 38 nights of competition at 18 different tracks throughout 14 different states, pending the outcome of tomorrow’s expected ruling in Oklahoma City that will determine the immediate fate of the long-standing tradition revolving about the State Fair Speedway’s grandstand and the governmentally-perceived safety thereof.
The Lucas Oil Sprint Cars presented by K&N Filters will once again vie for a staggering $250,000 point fund with $60,000 earmarked for the series champion. The standard purse for one-night events and the final night of two-night stands includes a $6,000 winner’s share and $500 minimum to start the main event, with a healthy tow money package in effect for the top 15 in series points.
Bixby, Oklahoma’s Shane Stewart captured his first Lucas Oil National Sprint Car championship in 2009 aboard California car owner Paul Silva’s Wesmar-powered No. 57 A.R.T. Chassis, edging 2008 champ Jason Johnson by just 25 markers for the crown.
Stewart kicks off his title defense at the 37th Annual Devil’s Bowl Speedway Spring Nationals on March 19-20, taking on a full assemblage of full-time Lucas Oil Sprint Car competitors along with a strong contingent of invaders atop the famed Mesquite, TX, clay oval and each ensuing stop along the way.
Additional information regarding the Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters is available at www.ascsracing.com. |
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| Lucas Oil Sprint Cars - 2009 Year in Review |
 Lonnie Wheatley, TULSA, Okla. (December 26, 2009) - A new era for the series opened in 2009, with the Lucas Oil Sprint Cars racing for increased purses (standard $6,000 to win and $500 to start on single night shows and final night of two-night events), boosted tow money and a record $250,000 points fund.
The series didn't disappoint, with 16 teams surviving the full grind, generating record car counts (55.3 cars per night and 64.8 per event) and on-track racing action that left race fans and promoters beaming.
And, in the end, the proof was in the spotlight on the main stage that it didn't take the big dollars to win the big money. After all, Shane Stewart and Paul Silva pulled off the $60,000 title on a budget that was a fraction of many of their top rivals, surviving the year with a makeshift trailer, limited spare parts and often using other's throw-away tires.
The Stewart-Silva effort nearly got wiped out before it started when a primary sponsor pulled out just two weeks before the scheduled season opener.
Undeterred, the team scrambled to get a trailer ready for the haul from California to Texas. "Without all the help from the guys at A.R.T. and a bunch of other people, there's no way we could have made it to Texas."
They made it just in time to win the opening night of the Devil's Bowl Spring Nationals on March 20, later adding victories in Cottage Grove preliminary action on July 24 and then a televised score at Missouri's Lucas Oil Speedway on September 26.
With Stewart locked in a fierce three-way battle for the crown over most of the season with 2008 champ Jason Johnson and four-time series champion Gary Wright, the battle was essentially whittled down to two after engine woes on the series inaugural Northwest Tour virtually eliminated his chances.
Down to Stewart and Johnson, the pivotal weekend proved to be the Devil's Bowl Winter Nationals in October when Johnson surrendered the series lead after finishes of 18th and tenth while Stewart finished on the podium both nights.
While Tony Bruce, Jr., and Sammy Swindell both snared $15,000 paydays to close out the season with I-30 Speedway's Short Track Nationals and USA Raceway's Western World Championships, Stewart did enough to take the title by 25 points over Johnson after finishing out the season by finishing outside the top ten in just one feature event along the way.
A number of his competitors noted at the series banquet at Old Tucson Studios on November 22 that, "Shane and Paul proved that trailers don't win races, they did it without all the fancy extras."
Along the way, Stewart's Wesmar-powered ProBilt Construction/Palmero Properties No. 57 A.R.T. Chassis was often shod with throwaway Hoosier tread. "We bought old tires off of Jason (Johnson) several times, I've gotta admit it felt kinda good to beat him on his old tires," Stewart commented at the series awards banquet.
While the Lucas Oil Sprint Car regulars flexed muscle throughout the country, local competitors proved their merit at virtually every stop. Roger Crockett defended Northwest turf with a preliminary win at Washington's Grays Harbor Raceway, while Kevin Ramey upheld Lone Star honors with a Devil's Bowl Winter Nationals triumph.
Subbing for an ailing Jerry Bell, Gulf South shoe Tommy Bryant gave Jason Johnson all he could handle in Lake Ozark Speedway's Daniel McMillin Memorial, Chad Meyer flirted with victory at South Dakota's I-90 Speedway, Travis Rutz earned a podium finish in the Fred Brownfield Memorial at Grays Harbor and Dale Smith opened eyes with a fourth-place run in the Cottage Grove finale.
With thirteen drivers competing in 100% of the events (Stewart, Johnson, Wright, Travis Rilat, Paul McMahan, Tim Crawley, Danny Wood, Tony Bruce, Jr., Jack Dover, Jesse Hockett, Sean McClelland, Kenneth Walker and Chad Corken) another three missed just one or two nights of action including Darren Long, Gary Taylor and Seth Bergman.
California native Paul McMahan edged Nebraska's Jack Dover for Brodix Rookie of the Year honors, with other rookie contenders including Darren Long, Chad Corken, Seth Bergman, Brady Bacon, Gavin Punch and Ricky Logan.
While Bruce, Jr., and Swindell took the hefty $15,000 wins to close out the season, other top paydays included Travis Rilat's $10,092 score in the Fred Brownfield Memorial at Grays Harbor Raceway, Terry McCarl's $10,000 triumph in the 19th Annual ASCS Knoxville Nationals and Jack Dover's $10,000 take in the Steven King Memorial at the Jetmore Motorplex.
Mother Nature proved to be a challenge with five early season events rained out and then the Devil's Bowl Winter Nationals and I-30 Speedway's Short Track Nationals both completed only after being rescheduled in part or completely due to weather.
Lucas Oil Sprint Cars presented by K&N Filters Feature Winners (13 winners in 24 features): Jason Johnson 4, Shane Stewart 3, Tim Crawley 2, Wayne Johnson 2, Terry McCarl 2, Travis Rilat 2, Sammy Swindell 2, Gary Wright 2, Tony Bruce Jr. 1, Roger Crockett 1, Jack Dover 1, Tim Kaeding 1, Kevin Ramey 1.
Lucas Oil Sprint Cars presented by K&N Filters Points (Top Twenty): 1. Shane Stewart (Bixby, OK) 2,573, 2. Jason Johnson (Eunice, LA) 2,548, 3. Gary Wright (Hooks, TX) 2,517, 4. Travis Rilat (Forney, TX) 2,398, 5. Paul McMahan (Hendersonville, TN) 2,353, 6. Tim Crawley (Benton, AR) 2,307, 7. Danny Wood (Norman, OK) 2,292, 8. Tony Bruce, Jr. (Liberal, KS) 2,261, 9. Jack Dover (Springfield, NE) 2,247, 10. Jesse Hockett (Warsaw, MO) 2,232, 11. Sean McClelland (Tulsa, OK) 1,949, 12. Kenneth Walker (Sapulpa, OK) 1,848, 13. Darren Long (Elida, OH) 1,764, 14. Chad Corken (Highlands Ranch, CO) 1,732, 15. Gary Taylor (Snohomish, WA) 1,711, 16. Seth Bergman (Snohomish, WA) 1,622, 17. Brady Bacon (Broken Arrow, OK) 1,478, 18. Wayne Johnson (Oklahoma City, OK) 1,395, 19. Gavin Punch (Collinsville, OK) 1,344, 20. Ricky Logan (Little Rock, AR) 1,256. |
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| Lucas Oil Sprint Cars Release Prelim 2010 Schedule |
 Lonnie Wheatley, TULSA, Okla. (December 9, 2009) – With a banner 2009 season recently logged into the record books, Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters officials have already been hard at work on what will prove to be an even better 2010 season.
Praised by fans, promoters and competitors alike as the nation's most intensively competitive touring Sprint Car series, a preliminary 2010 slate of 35 nights of competition at fifteen different tracks throughout a dozen different states was released for the Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters.
The 2010 schedule of events very much reflects the 2009 schedule, with new venues added including a two-day stand at Nebraska's Eagle Raceway on June 11-12.
The series will also make its first appearance at Tri-City Speedway in Granite City, IL, where Mother Nature nixed the scheduled 2009 debut.
The Lucas Oil Sprint Cars will once again kick off the season with the Devil's Bowl Speedway Spring Nationals on March 19-20 before rolling up I-35 for Oklahoma City's State Fair Speedway Spring Nationals the following weekend.
From there, the Lucas Oil Sprint Cars move on to Little Rock's I-30 Speedway on April 10 for the first of three one-night events (with other I-30 stops on June 5 and August 28) before taking to the high-banked, ¼-mile clay oval for the $15,000-to-win 23rd Annual Short Track Nationals on October 28-30.
The two-day event at the West Memphis, Arkansas' fabled Riverside International Speedway has been shifted to April 23-24, with the two-night card at Kansas' Jetmore Motorplex remaining on Memorial Day weekend.
In addition to I-30 Speedway, Tri-City Speedway and I-90 Speedway, other venues hosting one-night events include Missouri speedplants in Eldon (Lake Ozark Speedway) and Wheatland (Lucas Oil Speedway).
The Lucas Oil Sprint Cars will also venture to the Northwest for the second year in a row to revisit Washington's Grays Harbor Raceway and Oregon's Cottage Grove Speedway.
The Northwest swing leads the way into Knoxville Raceway's 20th Annual ASCS Knoxville Nationals on August 5-7.
The Lucas Oil Sprint Cars will once again lead into the Short Track Nationals with the Devil's Bowl Winter Nationals on October 15-16 before taking on Tucson's USA Raceway for the Western World Championships on November 18-20.
Several other events are under discussion and will be added to the schedule as details are finalized.
After averaging 55.3 cars per race night and 64.8 cars per event in 2009, the Lucas Oil Sprint Cars will continue on with no changes for 2010. The same format, same rules package including tires and wings, same purse structure, same tow money package and same $250,000 points fund with a $60,000 share for the series champion will all be in place.
Ten Lucas Oil Sprint Cars presented by K&N Filters events will also be taped for later broadcast on the VERSUS Network, with those dates to be announced soon.
Regional schedules will be released as available in the coming days and weeks.
Anchored by the Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters, the American Sprint Car Series embarks upon its 19th year of sanctioning Sprint Car racing events throughout the nation in 2010.
Additional information regarding the Lucas Oil Sprint Cars and the dozen ASCS Regional Tours is available at www.ascsracing.com.
2010 Schedule
March 19 Devil's Bowl Speedway Mesquite, TX
March 20 Devil's Bowl Speedway Mesquite, TX
March 26 State Fair Speedway Oklahoma City, OK
March 27 State Fair Speedway Oklahoma City, OK
April 9 Lone Star Speedway Kilgore, TX
April 10 I-30 Speedway Little Rock, AR
April 23 Riverside International Speedway West Memphis, AR
April 24 Riverside International Speedway West Memphis, AR
May 29 Jetmore Motorplex Jetmore, KS
May 30 Jetmore Motorplex Jetmore, KS
June 5 I-30 Speedway Little Rock, AR
June 11 Eagle Raceway Eagle, NE
June 12 Eagle Raceway Eagle, NE
June 26 Lake Ozark Speedway Eldon, MO
July 3 TBA TBA
July 4 TBA TBA
July 10 I-90 Speedway Hartford, SD
July 16 Grays Harbor Raceway Elma, WA
July 17 Grays Harbor Raceway Elma, WA
July 23 Cottage Grove Speedway Cottage Grove, OR
July 24 Cottage Grove Speedway Cottage Grove, OR
August 5 Knoxville Raceway Knoxville, IA
August 6 Knoxville Raceway Knoxville, IA
August 7 Knoxville Raceway Knoxville, IA
August 27 Tri-City Speedway Granite City, IL
August 28 I-30 Speedway Little Rock, AR
Sept. 25 Lucas Oil Speedway Wheatland, MO
October 15 Devil's Bowl Speedway Mesquite, TX
October 16 Devil's Bowl Speedway Mesquite, TX
October 28 I-30 Speedway Little Rock, AR
October 29 I-30 Speedway Little Rock, AR
October 30 I-30 Speedway Little Rock, AR
Nov. 18 USA Raceway Tucson, AZ
Nov. 19 USA Raceway Tucson, AZ
Nov. 20 USA Raceway Tucson, AZ |
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| Stewart Takes Top Lucas Oil Sprint Car Accolades |
 Lonnie Wheatley, TUCSON, Ariz. (November 22, 2009) – A Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters record $250,000 point fund plus contingencies and other prizes were distributed at the 18th Annual ASCS Awards Banquet presented by Brodix on Sunday afternoon at Old Tucson Studios.
Bixby, OK, native Shane Stewart and California car owner Paul Silva reeled in the lion's share of the awards, collecting $60,000 for his first Lucas Oil Sprint Car title, becoming the first Oklahoma native to capture the ASCS National crown since Zach Chappell accomplished the feat in 2001.
In addition to the 16 Lucas Oil Sprint Car honorees, the top ten from both the winged ASCS Southwest Region and wingless Discount Tire Co. ASCS Canyon Region were honored during Sunday's ceremonies, with Rick Ziehl (Southwest) and Charles Davis, Jr. (Canyon) taking top honors.
Picking off three Lucas Oil Sprint Car feature wins over the course of the season and finishing outside the top ten just once aboard Silva's Wesmar-powered ProBilt Construction/Palmero Properties No. 57 A.R.T., Stewart took the title by a slim 25-point margin over 2008 series champion Jason Johnson.
"This is amazing, there's so many people to thank it's unreal," Stewart commented from the podium. "My wife, Kimberly, she's my backbone, Paul (Silva) is a best friend…" Stewart continued on while overwhelmed with emotion.
Joining Stewart as Lucas Oil Sprint Car honorees were runner-up Jason Johnson (Eunice, LA), Gary Wright (Hooks, TX), fourth-ranked Travis Rilat (Forney, TX), fifth-ranked Paul McMahan (Hendersonville, TN), sixth-ranked Tim Crawley (Benton, AR), seventh-ranked Danny Wood (Norman, OK), eighth-ranked Tony Bruce, Jr. (Liberal, KS), ninth-ranked Jack Dover (Springfield, NE), tenth-ranked Jesse Hockett (Warsaw, MO), 11th-ranked Sean McClelland (Tulsa, OK), 12th-ranked Kenneth Walker (Sapulpa, OK), 13th-ranked Darren Long (Elida, OH), 14th-ranked Chad Corken (Highlands Ranch, CO), 15th-ranked Gary Taylor (Snohomish, WA) and 16th-ranked Seth Bergman (Snohomish, WA).
Thirteen drivers received awards for Perfect Attendance including Stewart, Johnson, Wright, Rilat, McMahan, Crawley, Wood, Bruce, Dover, Hockett, McClelland, Walker and Corken.
Stewart's car owner and crew chief, Paul Silva, picked up the Brodix Lee Maier Crew Chief of the Year award.
Stewart also earned the Ronald Laney Hard Charger Award by accumulating the most passing points during the 2009 season.
Paul McMahan got the nod in the Brodix Rookie of the Year battle, worth a set of Brodix heads, by besting fellow rookie contenders Dover, Long, Corken, Bergman, Brady Bacon and Ricky Logan.
Tony Bruce, Jr., who promoted events at the Jetmore Motorplex and Riverside Speedway, was presented with the Sportsmanship Award for his efforts in furthering the sport of Sprint Car racing and the Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series.
Nineteen-year-old Jack Dover was presented with the Horizon Award, which is annually awarded to a driver who displays promise of glory in future seasons with ASCS.
Twenty-year-old Colorado shoe Chad Corken was presented the 2009 Young Lion award, which is annually presented to a promising driver under 21 years of age for their support of the American Sprint Car Series.
Ohio's Darren Long picked up the Hard Luck Award, worth a set of Brodix cylinder heads.
Danny Wood was presented with the Lowest Average Draw award, with Kenneth Walker at the other end of the spectrum with the Highest Average Draw award.
While the top 15 in driver and owner points all received cash prices totaling $250,000, 16th-ranked Seth Bergman was presented with a complete set of Brodix cylinder heads and other prizes worth approximately $3,500.
After recently celebrating his 20th birthday, Glenpool, OK, shoe Matt Covington was presented with the Newcomer of the Year award, worth $1,000 in cash.
Rick Ziehl picked up ASCS Southwest championship honors for the second year in a row, with other Southwest honorees including Ben Gregg, Joshua Hodges, John Gaston, Ronnie Clark, Charles Davis, Jr., John Van Horn, Mike Martin, Jessica Van Dyke and Joshua Williams.
Charles Davis, Jr., captured the Discount Tire Co. ASCS Canyon Region championship, delivering car owner Jim Massey his first series title. Joining Davis and Massey among Canyon Region honorees were R.J. Johnson, Nathan High, Stevie Sussex, Johnathon Henry, Ronnie Clark, Andrew Reinbold, Mike Martin, Jeremy Sherman and Bruce St. James.
Fourteen-year-old Joshua Hodges of Tijeras, NM, who earlier in the season became the youngest feature winner in ASCS history by posting a Rocky Mountain Region triumph, picked up Rookie of the Year honors with a ranking of third in ASCS Southwest points, while Johnathon Henry made the most of the frequent 12-hour one-way trek from his Stockton, CA, home to Arizona by collecting Rookie of the Year honors with the ASCS Canyon Region.
Stevie Sussex collected Most Improved honors with the ASCS Canyon Region, with Ronnie Clark earning Most Improved with the ASCS Southwest Region.
A number of dignitaries were on hand for the day's festivities at Old Tucson Studios including representatives from Lucas Oil, Brodix Cylinder Heads and Hoosier Tires.
Additional information regarding the American Sprint Car Series is available at www.ascsracing.com. |
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| Shane Stewart - 2009 Lucas Oil Sprint Car Champ! |
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