Bryan Hulbert - Tulsa, Oklahoma (June 26, 2012) After Mother Nature cut short the 2012 season’s first visit to I-30 Speedway in May, the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by MAVTV is set to return to Little Rock, Arkansas this Friday June 29th and Saturday June 30th.
Representing rounds twenty-three and twenty-four in the $60,000 championship hunt, this weekend’s competition at I-30 Speedway also marks the fifty-seventh and fifty-eighth time since 1993 that the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by MAVTV has graced the Little Rock quarter mile.
Finishing outside the top ten for the first time this past Saturday at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Missouri, Lucas Oil ASCS point’s leader Wayne Johnson has precious little breathing room as the City Vending/Oil Medics No. 77x has only a twelve point advantage over Jason Johnson.
Finishing an average of three positions apart in almost every race contested this season, both drivers have exchange the points lead five times with Tony Bruce Jr. and Brady Bacon being the only other two drivers who have led the points so far.
Occupying the show position, Brady Bacon has had a roller coaster of a month. Even with four wins since the start of June, the Fatheadz Eyewear/XXX Chassis No. 99 has suffered setbacks with a DNF at the Salina Highbanks on June 22nd followed by a seventeenth place effort at the Lucas Oil Speedway the following night.
Slowly picking up steam since a rough start to his season is Johnny Herrera. Currently fourth in national standings, the MVT/Champion Brands No. 45x has not finished outside the top ten in the past fifteen races with six of those runs on the podium. Still in search of his first Lucas Oil ASCS victory in 2012, Herrera looked to be well on his way at the Salina Highbanks on Friday June 22nd until the engine let go in the closing laps; resulting in Herrera falling back to third.
Rounding out the top five in national standings, Brad Loyet has been close to victory several times in 2012. With three runner up finishes to his credit, Loyet, like Herrera, has had to bounce back from early season crashes, managing to string together seventeen top tens’ to go along with eleven top five finishes.
Tony Bruce Jr. holds sixth with a pair of wins to his credit to go along with seven top five’s and fourteen top tens’. Danny Wood currently finds himself seventh with Seth Bergman closing the gap in eighth after a runner up finish at Lawton Speedway. Dustin Morgan continues to ride ninth in the standings with Gary Wright slipping back to tenth after his hauler left the series veteran stranded on the side of the road; forcing the Hooks, Texas native to miss the Eagle Nationals.
Logan Forler recorded a season best finish of sixth at Lawton Speedway, moving into the top ten by four makers over Gary Wright. Slipping back into eleventh after races at the Salina Highbanks the young rookie has shown great speed behind the wheel of the Lucas Oil/K&N Filters No. 5H.
The Series:
Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by MAVTV
When and Where:
Friday June 29th - I-30 Speedway - Little Rock, AR - Pits open @ 5pm / Racing begins @ 7:30pm
Saturday June 30th - I-30 Speedway - Little Rock, AR - Pits open @ 5pm / Racing begins at 7:30pm
Track Information:
Directions (according to NSD) - I-30 Speedway - Located 7 miles southwest of Little Rock on I-30 to exit 126 (county line road), then south to frontage road, then east (SSR)
Address: 12297 Interstate 30, Little Rock, AR 72209
Phone #: 501-455-4567
Website: www.i-30speedway.com
ASCS I-30 History: For every journey there must be a beginning and the American Sprint Car Series National Tour that means I-30 Speedway. Founded in 1992 in Oklahoma, the first official National Tour event was held on May 15, 1993 at I-30 with Mike Ward taking the win. Since then the Lucas Oil ASCS presented by MAVTV has returned 56 times with 23 different winners.
I-30 Speedway Winners: Gary Wright (13), Garry Lee Maier (4), Jason Johnson (4), Tim Crawley (4), Mike Ward (4), Terry Gray (4), Tony Bruce Jr. (3), Wayne Johnson (3), Brad Sweet (3), Brady Bacon (2), Shane Stewart (2), Travis Rilat (2), Danny Lasoski (2), Eric Sandage (1), Jason Myers (1), Jeff Swindell (1), Nick Smith (1), Pete Butler (1), Ricky Logan (1), Sam Hafertepe Jr. (1), Sammy Swindell (1), Tim Schaffer (1), Zach Chappell (1)
Lucas Oil ASCS presented by MAVTV Driver Points (top 10): 1. Wayne Johnson 2,882 2. Jason Johnson 2,870; 3. Brady Bacon 2,763; 4. Johnny Herrera 2,660; 5. Brad Loyet 2,613; 6. Tony Bruce Jr. 2,518; 7. Danny Wood 2,376 8. Seth Bergman 2,336; 9. Dustin Morgan 2,206; 10. Gary Wright 2,163
2012 Feature Winners: Jason Johnson-5, Brady Bacon-4, Wayne Johnson-3, Tony Bruce Jr.-2, Brian Brown-1, Seth Bergman-1, Danny Lasoski-1, Jason Martin-1, Dustin Morgan-1, Danny Wood-1, Cody Baker-1
Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by MAVTV - A Look Ahead
July 3 - U.S. 36 Raceway - Cameron, MO (U.S. 36 Nationals)
July 6 - Rapid Speedway - Rock Rapids, IA
July 7 - I-90 Speedway - Hartford, SD
July 11 - Electric City Speedway - Great Falls, MT
July 13 - Willamette Speedway - Lebanon, OR
July 14 - Willamette Speedway - Lebanon, OR
Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by MAVTV on the web:
All Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series national events are broadcast live on www.racinboys.com for anyone who is unable to attend the races live. Official results, points, and race notes are posted at www.ascsracing.com. The Lucas Oil ASCS presented by MAVTV can also be found on Facebook and Twitter.
Lucas Oil ASCS on TV: A full schedule of tape-delayed races for the 2012 season can found at www.motorsportshour.com.
The Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by MAVTV is scheduled to compete 68 times throughout the United States with divers competing for their share of a $250,000 point’s fund.
The 2012 season marks the 21st 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 ten 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. For information regarding availability and listings in your area log onto www.mavtv.com.
Associate sponsors for the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by MavTV include: Hoosier Racing Tire, Brodix, Geico, E3 Spark Plugs, General Tire, K&N Filters, PitstopUSA.com, FSR Radiators, Schoenfeld Headers, Driverwebsites.com, Weld Wheels, Maxwell Industries, Print Place, Simpson, Wesmar Racing Engines, and Hilborn Injection Systems.
Additional information regarding the American Sprint Car Series is available at www.ascsracing.com.
- Bryan Hulbert on Jun 26, 2012
- Article Date: 6/26/2012