Lonnie Wheatley, EDNA, Texas (July 3, 2009) – The American Sprint Car Series Gulf South Region kicked off a two-night Fourth of July weekend spectacular at Texana Raceway Park with George White capturing his first career series win in Friday night's 25-lap feature event.
White became the race's fourth different leader on the 17th round en route to victory lane, taking the checkered flag in front of 11th-starter Scottie McDonald and Tommy Bryant, who set the pace for a dozen laps along the way.
After pole starter Kent Lewis, Jr., paced led the opening three rounds, Bryant set the pace for the next ten rounds before Skip Wilson surged into the lead. Wilson was out front for just a lap before engine woes ended his run.
Bryant took back over the point and led two more rounds before White raced into the lead. Lewis, Jr., crossed the stripe behind the lead trio, with Aaron Reutzel padding his points lead by racing from 16th to round out the top five for his 12th consecutive top-ten run.
Channin Tankersley was sixth, with Eric Baldaccini, Greg Rilat, Larry Howery and Gary Watson completing the top ten.
Wilson, Watson, Ray Allen Kulhanek and Lewis, Jr., topped heat race action, with Darryl Wills and Reutzel winning the "B" Mains.
The night came to an early end for both Terry Monroe and two-time series champion Brandon Berryman who tangled and crashed in heat race action.
ASCS Gulf South Region Results from Texana Raceway Park:
Heat One (8 Laps): 1. 65-Skip Wilson, 2. 14e-Eric Baldaccini, 3. 21T-Tommy Bryant, 4. 87-Aaron Reutzel, 5. 30-Scottie McDonald, 6. 15T-Travis Elliott, 7. 19-Klint Angelette, 8. 70-Anthony Reaves.
Heat Two (8 Laps): 1. 3-Gary Watson, 2. 40-Junior Jenkins, 3. 96-Rod Craddock, 4. 17-Bruce Griffith, Jr., 5. 5-Jack Spencer, 6. 12s-Steve Hubbard, 7. 20-Terry Monroe, 8. 31-Brandon Berryman.
Heat Three (8 Laps): 1. 17c-Ray Allen Kulhanek, 2. 71-Channin Tankersley, 3. 21-Blake Roberts, 4. 51-Jimmy Brooks, 5. 35-Greg Rilat, 6. 61-Travis Knighton, 7. 23-Darryl Wills, 8. 13-Matt Brooks.
Heat Four (8 Laps): 1. 1b-Kent Lewis, Jr., 2. 10-George White, 3. 12-Kent Lewis, Sr., 4. 69-Larry Howery, 5. 30x-Bean Elliott, 6. 5m-Glenn Martin, 7. 88-Bubba McDonald.
First "B" Feature (10 Laps): 1. 23-Darryl Wills, 2. 21-Blake Roberts, 3. 30x-Bean Elliott, 4. 70-Anthony Reaves, 5. 5m-Glenn Martin, 6. 17-Bruce Griffith, Jr., 7. 12s-Steve Hubbard. DNS: 31-Brandon Berryman, 20-Terry Monroe.
Second "B" Feature (10 Laps): 1. 87-Aaron Reutzel, 2. 35-Greg Rilat, 3. 61-Travis Knighton, 4. 15T-Travis Elliott, 5. 12-Kent Lewis, Sr., 6. 19-Klint Angelette, 7. 13-Matt Brooks, 8. 88-Bubba McDonald.
"A" Feature (25 Laps): 1. 10-George White, 2. 30-Scottie McDonald, 3. 21t-Tommy Bryant, 4. 1b-Kent Lewis, Jr., 5. 87-Aaron Reutzel, 6. 71-Channin Tankersley, 7. 14e-Eric Baldaccini, 8. 35-Greg Rilat, 9. 69-Larry Howery, 10. 3-Gary Watson, 11. 23-Darryl Wills, 12. 17c-Ray Allen Kulhanek, 13. 40-Junior Jenkins, 14. 51-Jimmy Brooks, 15. 65-Skip Wilson, 16. 61-Travis Knighton, 17. 21-Blake Roberts, 18. 5-Jack Spencer, 19. 96-Rod Craddock, 20. 30x-Bean Elliott.
ASCS Gulf South Region Points (Top Ten): 1. Aaron Reutzel 1,802, 2. Tommy Bryant 1,724, 3. Ray Allen Kulhanek 1,719, 4. Channin Tankersley 1,690, 5. Scottie McDonald 1,626, 6. Brandon Berryman 1,619, 7. Kent Lewis, Jr. 1,582, 8. Greg Rilat 1,533, 9. Jimmy Brooks 1,484, 10. Gary Watson 1,468.