6/29/2015
Inside Line Promotions
Herrera Charges to Top Five at Dirt Cup During First Race at Skagit in 20-Plus Years
(Photo by Malcolm White Photography)
Inside Line Promotions – ALGER, Wash. (June 29, 2015) – Although it had been more than 20 years since Johnny Herrera competed at Skagit Speedway, the veteran maneuvered to a top five during Saturday’s 44th annual Jim Raper Memorial Dirt Cup.
Herrera, who last raced at the high-banked track in 1994 with the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series, charged from 15th to post a fourth-place result on Saturday during the inaugural Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour event.
“It was good for us,” he said. “We worked hard on Thursday and Friday to get in that position. I figured a top five was doable and at one point during the race I thought possibly a podium finish wasn’t out of the question.”
The weekend began last Thursday as Herrera advanced from seventh to fifth place during a heat race on the narrow track. That relegated him to a B Main, where he finished fifth to miss a transfer by only two positions.
“Thursday night was kind of an off night,” he said. “I hadn’t been there in many years. It just wasn’t good enough. We kept making some improvements. I was good enough to hold my own if I started in the first row or two, but starting in the back I wasn’t good enough to drive by guys.”
Things improved on Friday as Herrera maneuvered from fifth to third place during a heat race. That locked him into the 11th starting position for the main event.
“We got our car rolling and got ourselves up to eighth in the feature,” he said. “I thought we had a better car, but that’s what we settled for. I thought that’d still put us in a B Main on Saturday, but it was enough to lock us into the main event.”
Once preliminary points were tabulated Herrera ranked 15th overall, which lined him up on the inside of the eighth row for Saturday’s 40-lap, $15,000-to-win feature.
“The track from Friday to Saturday wasn’t a whole lot different,” he said. “We left the car identical and just raced it. Plus, 40 laps helped. The longer the races I seem to go better.”
Herrera powered from his 15th starting position to earn a fourth-place result, which marked his 11th top five of the season.
Prior to the trip to the Northwest Herrera wrapped up the Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour’s Sizzlin’ Summer Speedweek with a seventh-place finish in the standings.
Herrera was battling for a top five on June 19 at Salina Speedway in Salina, Kan., but another competitor collided with him. The impact knocked the front end out of Herrera’s car and he was credited with a 19th-place place.
A miss on the setup the ensuing night at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo., ended with Herrera finishing 11th in the main event.
“It was just racing,” he said. “We had a little misfortune on the race track at Salina and some bad choices by the driver/crew chief at Lucas Oil Speedway.”
Herrera, who ranks third in the championship standings, will compete this Friday and Saturday at Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma, Wash., for the Fred Brownfield Classic with the Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour.
QUICK RESULTS –
June 19 – Salina Speedway in Salina, Kan. – Heat race: 3 (3); Feature: 17 (9).
June 20 – Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo. – Heat race: 3 (3); Feature: 11 (14).
June 25 – Skagit Speedway in Alger, Wash. – Heat race: 5 (7); B Main: 5 (5).
June 26 – Skagit Speedway in Alger, Wash. – Heat race: 3 (5); Feature: 8 (11).
June 27 – Skagit Speedway in Alger, Wash. – Feature: 4 (15).
SEASON STATS –
23 races, 2 wins, 11 top fives, 17 top 10s, 20 top 15s, 21 top 20s
UP NEXT –
Friday and Saturday at Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma, Wash., for the Fred Brownfield Classic with the Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour
MEDIA LINKS –
Website: http://www.JohnnyHerreraRacing.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JohnnyHerrera2
LIVE COVERAGE –
To keep up to speed with Herrera at every Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour event, visit http://www.RacinBoys.com for free, live audio. Additionally, RacinBoys will provide live Pay-Per-View video at select races.
APPAREL –
Herrera has t-shirts available for sale at his race trailer and at http://www.johnnyherreraracing.com/shopping.
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT – ButlerBuilt Professional Seat Systems
Based in Concord, N.C., ButlerBuilt Professional Seat Systems manufactures custom seats and distributes a variety of racing accessories, including seat mounts, padding, belts and restraints, steering wheels and helmets. For additional information, visit http://www.ButlerBuilt.net.
“I highly recommend everyone to use ButlerBuilt Professional Seat Systems,” Herrera said. “Not only are they extremely safe, but also are very comfortable.”
Herrera would also like to thank Mesilla Valley Transportation, Champion Brands, Print Place, Competition Suspension Inc., FK Rod Ends, Hoosier Racing Tire, Schoenfeld Headers, Maxim Chassis, Schroeder Torsion Bars, Simpson Race Products, Outlaw Wings, Bevins, Weld Wheels, Finish Line Coatings, Semi-Crazy Truck Wash and Smiley’s Racing Products for their continued support.
INSIDE LINE PROMOTIONS –
Inside Line Promotions specializes in affordable public relations and media management for motor sports drivers, teams, sponsors, tracks, series, events, organizations and manufacturers. ILP Founder Shawn Miller leverages professional journalism with new media technologies and social networking to improve your exposure and the return on investment for your sponsors.
To meet the media relations needs of your program by joining Team ILP, contact Shawn at 541-510-3663 or Shawn@InsideLinePromotions.com. For more information on Inside Line Promotions, visit http://www.InsideLinePromotions.com.
Article Credit: Inside Line Promotions
Submitted By: Shawn Miller
