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The Gasman Slams Another Home Run In OCRS Round Number Twelve

John Lemon

OCRS Public Relations

Ardmore Oklahoma (July 30, 2011) – In baseball, to bat .300 is considered an act of success. To bat .500 would be nothing short of Hall of Fame status. To have a .500 winning percentage in sprint car racing is very remarkable as well. In round number twelve on the Oil Capital Racing Series schedule, Whit “The Gasman” Gastineau won his sixth OCRS main event in the twelfth start of the 2011 racing season at the newly named “Southern Oklahoma Speedway” (formerly Lake Country Speedway) in Ardmore Oklahoma.

Gastineau was one of several drivers who found passing on the 3/8 mile banked track a virtual hardship due to the summer’s blazing heat. The first attempt to start the A-Feature event went awry when Drumright’s Fred Mattox looped his AKL Oilfield Services / DJ Tank and Trucks machine entering turn one. The next attempt to start the feature event saw Chris Burns, who was driving the JD and Joanie Porter “Hogwagon” sponsored by James Lenhart / John Mahon / Tiffany’s Restaurant and Flash Race Car Bodies, take to the point going into turn one with defending OCRS champion Jamie Passmore right behind in his GAP Roofing / Schnee mount. Burns seemed up for the early challenge until lap two when he brought the car to a halt inside the backstretch where a yellow would unfurl. Burns was looking for a sweep after winning the night’s first heat race and the “Pole Dash”. He would restart at the tail end of the field as the action got back underway where he would ultimately finish in the 21^st position.

Passmore held the lead on the restart while The Gasman used his Exterior Specialties / Larry Allen Racing Engines / Shell Rapid Lube / Goodyear Eagle to keep the pressure applied. On the ninth lap, The Gasman made his move in turn two and took a lead he would never relinquish. Another yellow would halt action on lap twelve when David Lee Lambert, who had dropped in from Colorado, would spin in turn four. Gastineau would open up a lead on the restart that made being in front quite manageable. Another yellow would slow the pace when Lambert and Joe Wood Jr would stop together in turn two. Sean McClelland, who came into the night as the points leader, was in a battle of his own in his XXX chassis / Maxwell Oil sprinter with Rafe Essary and Danny Smith in hot pursuit as well. McClelland would win the fight for the final podium spot while Smith would over take Essary in the final laps for fourth.

Sixth through tenth went to: Gary Owens, Johnny Kent, Matt Sherrell, Danny Jennings and Andrew Deal. Deal was piloting the Kenneth Walker number two ride which arrived with Alex Sewell as the pilot after his regular ART chassis racer suffered mechanical woes in hot laps. Heat races for the 26 car field were won by Burns, Essary, and Smith.

OCRS and their racing partners extends their gratitude to promoters John and Nicky Webb for their willingness to pick up the date that was left open after the closing of Tri-State Speedway in Pocola, Oklahoma. In addition, OCRS recognizes the following sponsors of the OCRS 2011 sprint car tour:

Goodyear, Carter-Maxwell, Keizer Aluminum Wheels, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Shoenfeld Mufflers, Grand Prix Auto Center, John Boy Racing Components, Ameriflex Hose and Accessories and Same Day Auto Repair.

The next Oil Capital Racing Series sprint cat event will be on Friday August 5^th at the Outlaw Motor Speedway in Oktaha Oklahoma.

Southern Oklahoma Speedway (Formerly Lake Country Speedway)
Race date: July30, 2011 - Event 12

26 Cars

Excuse me but the GAS MANS name is richard griffin.

We need more sprint car racing at our home track.

As with many other instances, nicknames get attached to different people for different reasons. Sometimes this leads to nicknames being used on multiple people. The "Gasman" nick is just one example. Whit Gastineau's name was a good fit for the "Gasman" nick because he is talented and his name works well with it.

I have seen Griffin race many many times having lived on the west coast for many years. He deserves the name for his countless accomplishments in his career. One "Tom Sneva" was the first racer I remembered having the same nickname. Here is a piece from his Wikipedia profile:

Tom Sneva (born Thomas E. Sneva: June 1, 1948) is a former Indy Car driver who was named to the prestigious Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2005. Sneva is best remembered for winning the 1983 Indianapolis 500. Nicknamed "The Gas Man," Sneva was an outstanding qualifier, winning the pole position for the Indianapolis 500 three times (1977, 1978, 1984). He was also the fastest qualifier on a fourth occasion in 1981, but because of qualifying rules did not start the race from the pole position. Sneva's unique abilities to get the most out of his car also led to him winning two consecutive USAC National Championships for Indycars in 1977 and 1978.