Bryan Hulbert - SOMERTON, Ariz. (March 2, 2013) For the second time in as many nights, Jason Johnson found himself in victory lane at the Cocopah Speedway with the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by MAVTV American Real, only this time the check was worth $10,000 to bring his weekend winnings to $13,000 in the first two rounds of the Cocopah Cup Challenge.
Improvising with a “Harlem Shake” in victory lane, Johnson commented on the final laps of the night’s feature, which saw Lucas Wolfe battling with the MVT No. 41 before slower traffic allowed Johnson some breathing room, “Well you know with 13 to go, my guys told me he [Lucas Wolfe] was all over me.”
“I didn’t have no gap so they signaled go as hard as you can. You’ve got to hit your marks and not slip up. They kept telling me they thought I was a little faster in three and four, but I was just scared to run the top like that and open the bottom up for him to put a big slide job.”
Drawing the pacers position in the night’s 30 lap feature event, Johnson immediately took off into the race lead with Logan Forler holding the runner up spot before surrendering the spot to Lucas Wolfe on Lap 2.
Caution lights blinked on around the Cocopah Speedway on Lap 6 as the No. 57x of Dalten Gabbard rolled to a stop in turn two, eliminating a 2.618 second advantage held by Johnson over Lucas Wolfe.
Returning to speed, Tony Stewart began working on Logan Forler for the fourth spot. After nearly ending upside down on the start after hopping a right rear tire, the Chevrolet Performance No. 14 had fought back from being as far back as eighth on the start.
Mingling with the back of the field on lap thirteen, racing would again be slowed as the Pettit Oil Company No. 27 of Mitch Olson spun while running eighth on Lap 17.
On the restart, Lucas Wolfe assumed the role of predator, stalking the MVT No. 41 back into slower traffic. Working the cushion through turns three and four, the Buffalo Wild Wings No. 82 of Lucas Wolfe ran any line not occupied by Johnson; picking up the most ground through turns one and two but unable to complete the pass at the opposite ends of the Cocopah Speedway despite pulling nearly even with Johnson on several occasions.
With slower traffic playing to his advantage, Johnson raced to victory ahead of Lucas Wolfe and Brady Bacon, who held off the final lap charge of Tony Stewart, to take the final step on the podium by a mere 0.016 seconds at the checkered flag. Seth Bergman climbed from eleventh to round out the top five.
Danny Lasoski, who earned the nineteenth starting spot following a third in the night’s The Joie of Seating B-Feature came up to finish sixth with B-Feature winner Brian Brown earning seventh. Logan Forler, after running in the top five for the first 16 laps, slipped to eighth followed by Wayne Johnson and Roger Crockett as the drivers in the top ten.
Earlier Hear Race wins went to Cole Wood in Ti22 Heat one followed by Roger Crockett in the second Heat presented by BMRS. Wesmar Heat three belonged to Logan Forler with Lance Norick taking Rod End Supply Heat four. The Joie of Seating B-Feature was won by Brian Brown.
The Hawk Performance Products Fastest Lap of the Feature went to race winner Jason Johnson.
The Lucas Oil ASCS presented by MAVTV American Real takes time off with the schedule resuming at the Devil’s Bowl Speedway on March 22 and 23 for the Spring Nationals and Matt Clevenger Memorial.
Lucas Oil ASCS presented by MAVTV American Real
Cocopah Speedway - Somerton, Ariz.
Cocopah Cup Challenge
Saturday, March 2, 2013
Event Car Count: 31
Ti22 Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 17W-Cole Wood[2]; 2. 5H-Justyn Cox[1]; 3. 0-Dain Naida[6]; 4. 23-Seth Bergman[7]; 5. 18-Tony Bruce Jr[5]; 6. 8AZ-Jordan Stetson[4]; 7. 01-Kaylene Verville[3]
BMRS Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 11-Roger Crockett[1]; 2. 41C-Billy Chester III[2]; 3. 29-Brandon Hahn[3]; 4. 77X-Wayne Johnson[7]; 5. 81-Danny Wood[6]; 6. 57X-Dalten Gabbard[4]; 7. 99-Shawn Petersen[5]
Wesmar Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. 2L-Logan Forler[3]; 2. 33V-Henry VanDam[1]; 3. 45X-Johnny Herrera[4]; 4. 21-Brian Brown[6]; 5. 93-Dustin Morgan[5]; 6. 41W-Joshua Williams[2]
Rod End Supply Heat 4 (8 Laps): 1. 90-Lance Norick[1]; 2. 4X-Brady Bacon[4]; 3. 94-Jeff Swindell[3]; 4. 33-Danny Lasoski[5]; 5. 05-Brad Loyet[2]; 6. 20Z-Rick Ziehl[6]
The Joie of Seating B Feature (12 Laps): 1. 21-Brian Brown[1]; 2. 29-Brandon Hahn[2]; 3. 33-Danny Lasoski[4]; 4. 18-Tony Bruce Jr[6]; 5. 94-Jeff Swindell[3]; 6. 20Z-Rick Ziehl[9]; 7. 81-Danny Wood[5]; 8. 57X-Dalten Gabbard[11]; 9. 93-Dustin Morgan[7]; 10. 05-Brad Loyet[8]; 11. 99-Shawn Petersen[13]; 12. 01-Kaylene Verville[14]; 13. 41W-Joshua Williams[12]; DNF 8AZ-Jordan Stetson[10]
Cocopah Casino / Protect the Harvest A Feature (30 Laps): 1. 41-Jason Johnson[1]; 2. 82-Lucas Wolfe[3]; 3. 4X-Brady Bacon[7]; 4. 14-Tony Stewart[5]; 5. 23-Seth Bergman[11]; 6. 33-Danny Lasoski[19]; 7. 21-Brian Brown[17]; 8. 2L-Logan Forler[2]; 9. 77X-Wayne Johnson[12]; 10. 11-Roger Crockett[9]; 11. 45X-Johnny Herrera[16]; 12. 33V-Henry VanDam[15]; 13. 18-Tony Bruce Jr[20]; 14. 05-Brad Loyet[23]; 15. 0-Dain Naida[8]; 16. 93-Dustin Morgan[24]; 17. 17W-Cole Wood[4]; 18. 5H-Justyn Cox[14]; 19. 20Z-Rick Ziehl[22]; 20. 41C-Billy Chester III[13]; 21. 27-Mitch Olson[6]; 22. 29-Brandon Hahn[18]; 23. 94-Jeff Swindell[21]; DNF 57X-Dalten Gabbard[25]; DNF 99-Shawn Petersen[26]; DNF 90-Lance Norick[10]
Lap Leaders: Jason Johnson (1-30)
PitstopUSA.com Hard Charger: Danny Lasoski +13
FSR High Points of the Night: Logan Forler
Provisionals: Brad Loyet (Partial Point), Dustin Morgan (Partial Point), Shawn Petersen (Promoter), Dalten Gabbard (Promoter)
2013 “A” Feature Winners: Jason Johnson-2, Brian Brown-1, Roger Crockett-1
Lucas Oil ASCS Driver Points (Top 10): 1. Brian Brown 536; 2. Jason Johnson 524; 3. Roger Crockett 499; 4. Lucas Wolfe 492; 5. Johnny Herrera 478; 6. Wayne Johnson 467; 7. Tony Bruce, Jr. 451; 8. Seth Bergman 446; Jeff Swindell 438; 10. Logan Forler 408
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 and into Canada. 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, 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.
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.
Photo Credit: Tim Aylwin