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ASCS Speedweek Resumes Thursday at Devil's Bowl
TULSA, Okla. (July 17, 2007) – With Gary Wright chasing down an unprecedented sixth ASCS Sizzlin' Summer Speedweek championship, the five-race set resumes Thursday night at Devil's Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, TX.
After a win in the Speedweek opener for the O'Reilly American Sprint Cars on Tour National series on Saturday night followed up by a runner-up finish Monday night at Creek County Speedway in Sapulpa, OK, Wright holds 12-point lead over Eunice, Louisiana's Jason Johnson, the defending ASCS Speedweek champion.
Following ASCS Speedweek Round Three at Devil's Bowl on Thursday night, Round Four takes place at Oklahoma City's State Fair Speedway on Friday night. The ASCS Speedweek finale then takes place at Lawton Speedway in Lawton, OK, on Saturday night.
While Wright holds the ASCS Speedweek points lead, perhaps more importantly the Hooks, TX, has moved back atop the O'Reilly ASCoT National series $50,000 championship points race.
Wright currently holds a 15-point lead over Jason Johnson in the season-long points chase, while Oklahoma City native Wayne Johnson has fallen 38 points behind Wright after getting collected by a lapped car while leading Monday night's feature.
Travis Rilat, the 2003 ASCS National champion, is currently fourth in season points, with leading Brodix Rookie of the Year contender Foster Landon of Collinsville, OK, rounding out the current top five.
While Wright and Jason Johnson hold the early advantage in ASCS Speedweek points, American Bank of Oklahoma ASCS Sooner Region contender Brian McClelland of Tulsa, OK, is just 18 points out of the lead after finishes of fifth and sixth in the opening two events.
Bixby, Oklahoma's Darren Stewart, the 2005 ASCS Speedweek champion, has climbed to fourth in Speedweek points after a Monday night win at Creek County Speedway, with three-time ASCS National champion Tim Crawley of Benton, AR, rounding out the current top five.
Tied for sixth in ASCS Speedweek points are Sapulpa, Oklahoma's Kenneth Walker following a pair of tenth-place finishes and 13-year-old Coleman Gulick of Binghamton, NY. Wayne Johnson slipped back to eighth, with Cody Gardner of Mayflower, AR, and Eric Baldaccini of Keller, TX, rounding out the current top ten.
Twenty different drivers have taken in both of the opening two rounds of Speedweek, with 54 drivers taking in at least one of the first two events.
Those drivers will face plenty of stout competition in the final three legs of ASCS Speedweek at Devil's Bowl, State Fair Speedway and Lawton, with 2001 ASCS Speedweek champion Kevin Ramey, past ASCS Sooner Region champion Danny Jennings and Johnny Miller of Burleson, TX, among those expected to take in all three rounds.
The Series:
O’Reilly American Sprint Cars on Tour (ASCoT)
When & Where:
15th Annual ASCS Sizzlin' Summer Speedweek:
Round 3 – Thursday night, July 19 at 8:00 p.m. – Devil's Bowl Speedway (Mesquite, TX)
Round 4 – Friday night, July 20 at 7:30 p.m. – State Fair Speedway (Oklahoma City, OK)
Round 5- Saturday night, July 21 at 8:00 p.m. – Lawton Speedway (Lawton, OK)
Track Information:
Devil’s Bowl Speedway (Mesquite, TX) – ½-mile high-banked clay oval located six miles east of Dallas’ Loop I-635 on US 80, then three miles south on Lawson Road. Track phone: 972-222-2421.
State Fair Speedway (Oklahoma City, OK) – 3/8-mile semi-banked clay oval located on the Oklahoma State Fair Grounds near the intersection of N.W. 10th and May Avenue. Track phone: 405-948-6796.
Lawton Speedway (Lawton, OK) – ¼-mile semi-banked clay oval located off I-44 Exit 36, then 2.5 miles west on Lee Boulevard, then 1.4 miles south on Sheridan Road. For more information, contact the track at 580-355-6417.
O’Reilly ASCoT Devil’s Bowl History:
Devil’s Bowl Speedway has been hosting the O’Reilly ASCS National Tour since 1994, with 19 different drivers scoring at least one victory in 47 feature events. Gary Wright has claimed 15 of his 114 career ASCS National wins at Devil’s Bowl. Four of his 22 career ASCS Speedweek wins have come at Devil's Bowl, including triumphs in 1998, 2000, 2001 and 2006.
Wayne Johnson claimed this year's Spring Nationals preliminary feature win to run his ASCS National win total at "Da Bowl" to four, next on the charts after Wright's 15 wins. With three wins apiece are Danny Jennings, who reeled off his wins in '05, and Kevin Ramey, who doubled up with Spring and Summer Nationals wins last year.
This year marks the 12th time for Devil's Bowl Speedway to host ASCS Speedweek.
Devil’s Bowl ASCS National winners include: Gary Wright 15, Wayne Johnson 4, Danny Jennings 3, Kevin Ramey 3, Shane Carson 2, Terry Gray 2, Jason Johnson 2, Garry Lee Maier 2, Mike Peters 2, Travis Rilat 2, Sammy Swindell 2, Tim Crawley 1, Edd French 1, Johnny Herrera 1, Larry Neighbors 1, Alan Payne 1, Jake Peters 1, Shane Stewart 1, Mike Ward 1.
Past Speedweek Winners at Devil's Bowl Speedway: Shane Carson (1994), Mike Ward (1995), Wayne Johnson (1996), Wayne Johnson (1997), Gary Wright (1998), Garry Lee Maier (1999), Gary Wright (2000), Gary Wright (2001), Jason Johnson (2002), Danny Jennings (2005), Gary Wright (2006).
Devil’s Bowl O’Reilly ASCoT Race-by-race Winners: Shane Carson (6/21/94), Alan Payne (5/12/95), Mike Ward (7/23/95), Mike Peters (9/1/95), Sammy Swindell (9/2/95), Sammy Swindell (9/3/95), Wayne Johnson (6/18/96), Terry Gray (7/6/96), Terry Gray (11/1/96), Johnny Herrera (11/2/96), Shane Carson (4/5/97), Wayne Johnson (6/18/97), Edd French (10/31/97), Mike Peters (11/1/97), Gary Wright (6/19/98), Gary Wright (10/3/98), Garry Lee Maier (10/4/98), Gary Wright (7/8/99), Garry Lee Maier (7/30/99), Gary Wright (10/1/99), Gary Wright (10/2/99), Gary Wright (7/21/00), Gary Wright (10/6/00), Larry Neighbors (4/20/01), Gary Wright (7/20/01), Gary Wright (10/6/01), Travis Rilat (4/19/02), Jason Johnson (6/7/02), Wayne Johnson (10/4/02), Gary Wright (10/5/02), Kevin Ramey (4/18/03), Tim Crawley (10/17/03), Gary Wright (10/18/03), Shane Stewart (10/23/04), Danny Jennings (3/18/05), Danny Jennings (3/19/05), Danny Jennings (6/9/05), Gary Wright (10/21/05), Gary Wright (10/22/05), Kevin Ramey (6/24/06 – Spring Nationals makeup feature), Kevin Ramey (6/24/06 – Summer Nationals), Gary Wright (7/13/06), Jason Johnson (10/13/06), Travis Rilat (10/14/06), Wayne Johnson (3/16/07), Jake Peters (3/17/07), Gary Wright (5/12/07).
O’Reilly ASCoT State Fair Speedway History:
State Fair Speedway has hosted 23 ASCS National Tour events since 1994, with 19 events in Oklahoma City since the track was reconfigured prior to the 2002 season. Gary Wright has won eight of 19 feature events since the reconfiguration, including the opening night of this year's Spring Nationals (denying Natalie Sather's bid to become the first female feature winner in ASCS history) and then another victory on May 11. Wright came from 14th and 10th starting positions in those two victory drives.
The last time Gary Wright missed an ASCS National Tour feature event, it was at State Fair Speedway on May 9, 2003, when an accident while en route forced his absence. Since that time, Wright has racked up three series titles and has competed in 154 consecutive ASCS National Tour events as he closes in on Toby Brown's record of 212 consecutive events.
This year marks the fourth time for State Fair Speedway to host ASCS Speedweek.
State Fair Speedway ASCS National winners include: Gary Wright 10, Jason Johnson 3, Kevin Ramey 2, Zach Chappell 1, Tommie Estes, Jr. 1, Wayne Johnson 1, Wayne Pennington 1, Travis Rilat 1, Darren Stewart 1, Shane Stewart 1, Danny Wood 1.
Past Speedweek Winners at State Fair Speedway: Zach Chappell (2001), Shane Stewart (2003), Jason Johnson (2006).
State Fair Speedway O’Reilly ASCoT Race-by-race Winners: Gary Wright (10/13/94), Tommie Estes, Jr. (5/26/96), Gary Wright (8/11/96), Zach Chappell (7/21/01), Wayne Pennington (5/17/02), Kevin Ramey (6/28/02), Gary Wright (8/23/02), Travis Rilat (5/9/03), Shane Stewart (6/1/03), Gary Wright (6/27/03), Gary Wright (8/1/03), Danny Wood (6/25/04), Gary Wright (7/30/04), Kevin Ramey (5/20/05), Darren Stewart (6/24/05), Gary Wright (7/29/05), Jason Johnson (3/24/06), Jason Johnson (3/25/06), Gary Wright (6/23/06), Jason Johnson (7/14/06), Gary Wright (3/23/07), Wayne Johnson (3/24/07), Gary Wright (5/11/07).
O’Reilly ASCoT Lawton Speedway History:
A regular stop on the American Bank of Oklahoma ASCS Sooner Regional trial, Lawton Speedway hosts the ASCS Speedweek finale for the fourth time in the last six years.
Gary Wright has topped two of three previous ASCS Speedweek events at Lawton Speedway, but it was two-time ASCS Sooner Region champion Kevin Ramey adding a Lawton Speedweek win last year to four previous ASCS Sooner Region wins in Lawton.
Lawton Speedway ASCS National winners include: Gary Wright 3, Danny Jennings 1, Daryn Pittman 1, Kevin Ramey 1, Paul White 1.
Past Speedweek Winners at Lawton Speedway: Gary Wright (2002), Gary Wright (2003), Kevin Ramey (2006).
Lawton Speedway O’Reilly ASCoT Race-by-race Winners: Daryn Pittman (9/12/98), Paul White (9/11/99), Gary Wright (8/5/00), Danny Jennings (8/4/01), Gary Wright (6/8/02), Gary Wright (6/7/03), Kevin Ramey (7/15/06).
Current O’Reilly ASCoT Points (After 25 Nights):
Top Twenty: 1. Gary Wright (Hooks, TX) 3,240, 2. Jason Johnson (Eunice, LA) 3,225, 3. Wayne Johnson (Oklahoma City, OK) 3,202, 4. Travis Rilat (Forney, TX) 3,030, 5. Foster Landon (Collinsville, OK) 2,707, 6. Darren Stewart (Bixby, OK) 2,053, 7. Andy Shouse (Oklahoma City, OK) 1,559, 8. Nick Smith (Broken Arrow, OK) 1,346, 9. Chris Schmelzle (Victoria, BC) 1,318, 10. Eric Baldaccini (Keller, TX) 1,272, 11. Chuck Swenson (Watertown, SD) 1,152, 12. Johnny Miller (Burleson, TX) 1,047, 13. Kenneth Walker (Sapulpa, OK) 1,018, 14. Natalie Sather (Fargo, ND) 933, 15. Aaron Berryhill (Broken Arrow, OK) 892, 16. Kevin Ramey (Fort Worth, TX) 851, 17. Garry Lee Maier (Cimarron, KS) 766, 18. Danny Jennings (Norman, OK) 756, 19. Jake Peters (Sioux Falls, SD) 702, 20. Coleman Gulick (Binghamton, NY) 682.
Current ASCS Speedweek Points (After Two of Five Rounds):
Top Twenty: 1. Gary Wright (Hooks, TX) 296, 2. Jason Johnson (Eunice, LA) 284, 3. Brian McClelland (Tulsa, OK) 278, 4. Darren Stewart (Bixby, OK) 272, 5. Tim Crawley (Benton, AR) 266, 6. (tie) Kenneth Walker (Sapulpa, OK) and Coleman Gulick (Binghamton, NY) 260, 8. Wayne Johnson (Oklahoma City, OK) 258, 9. Cody Gardner (Little Rock, AR) 242, 10. Eric Baldaccini (Keller, TX) 240, 11. Nick Smith (Broken Arrow, OK) 232, 12. Travis Rilat (Forney, TX) 219, 13. Matt Covington (Glenpool, OK) 211, 14. Forrest Sutherland (Cherryvale, KS) 201, 15. Claud Estes (Godley, TX) 191, 16. (tie) Foster Landon (Collinsville, OK) and John Hunt (Tulsa, OK) 181, 18. (tie) Rob Hartman (Ozark, MO), Joe Young (Little Rock, AR) and Dave Speer (Benton, AR) 150.
2007 O’Reilly ASCoT Feature Winners:
Gary Wright 9, Jason Johnson 7, Wayne Johnson 3, Travis Rilat 2, Chuck Hebing 1, Terry McCarl 1, Jake Peters 1, Darren Stewart 1.
ASCoT – A Look Ahead:
August 2-4 – 17th Annual ASCS Knoxville Nationals ($10,000 to win)
August 5 – Brodix Tournament of Champions (Knoxville, IA)
The O'Reilly American Sprint Cars on Tour National series is currently slated for approximately 40 nights of racing action at 22 different tracks throughout 15 different states, with more than $1,000,000 in purse money and point fund to be distributed during the 2007 season.
The 2007 season marks the 16th year of sanctioning Sprint Car racing for the American Sprint Car Series. With 13 different Regions in addition to the O'Reilly American Sprint Cars on Tour National series, ASCS will sanction approximately 240 nights of racing at more than 100 different race tracks throughout at least 30 different states and Canada.
Additional information regarding the American Sprint Car Series is available at www.ascsracing.com.
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