Bryan Hulbert - MESQUITE, Texas (October 19, 2013) Taking his second career Lucas Oil ASCS feature win at the Devil’s Bowl Speedway in the 40th annual Winter Nationals was icing on the cake, so to speak, for Brian Brown who capped his Birthday with a $4,000 check courtesy of Lanny Edwards.
His fourth triumph of the season against the Lucas Oil ASCS presented by MAVTV American Real, Brian Brown gridded the Casey’s General Store No. 21 eighth; charging forward with vigor from the word go. Grabbing fourth in the opening corners, Brown’s charge wasn’t done there as the Missouri veteran raced the high side to second before the first lap could be completed.
Trailing pole sitter Wayne Johnson, the caution displayed on Lap 2, setting up for Brown’s attempt at the lead.
Timing the Oil Medics No. 77x off the turn four restart, Brown rolled to the center of turn-one. Pulling even with Johnson exiting turn-two, the pair drag raced for the inside groove of turn-three with Brown edging Johnson for the top spot.
Asked how much of a gamble it was to vacate the stronger inside line, Brown replied, “I talked to my Crew Chief, Chad, before the race there and thought, you know, what about just giving something a shot? I’ve seen guys do it in the past and make something happen. We got a really good start and was able to get a good run there. I knew starting eighth it was going to be tough.”
At speed following a caution on Lap 6, Brian Brown began slowly pulling away from the field. Advancing into slower traffic on Lap 14, timing was everything as Wayne Johnson began closing the gap.
As the race for the lead began taking shape, it all broke loose on Lap 16 as slower cars nearly made contact in front of the leaders, ultimately squeezing the No. 29 of Brandon Hahn to the infield berm which sent the rookie driver spinning mid-way down the back straight-a-way. Leaving Brown with only inches to maneuver, the FVP No. 21 was spared with minimal consequence. Joshua Hodges and Wayne Johnson were not so lucky. Plowing into the back of Hahn with nowhere to go, the No. 74x of Hodges went skyward, slamming the door on Wayne Johnson’s escape route with contact between the pair sheering the top wing from the Oil Medics No. 77x. All drivers were uninjured.
“I almost got clobbered there on the back stretch. I actually had a rock come up and hit me upside the head and knock me a little loopy” commented Brown who later chuckled, “I don’t know, it may have straightened me out a bit.”
The final revolutions yielded no challenge for Brian Brown, crossing a comfortable 1.637 seconds ahead of Tony Bruce, Jr.
“We’re just happy to be on the front straight-a-way at the end of the night” said Tony Bruce, Jr. of his runner up finish. “We’ve got the entire Oil Medics crew out here so we’re happy to run good for them, plus my Dad is here tonight. This whole thing is a big family effort out here. Unfortunately we came up one spot short. Brian had nothing to lose and everything to gain starting that far back and going to the top.”
Aaron Reutzel crossed third, more than pleased with the outcome of his evening, “this is a great run for us. If you would have asked me how I was going to do after the draw tonight, I would have told you we weren’t even going to make the show so to run third, we’re pumped.”
Seth Bergman ended up fourth with Jack Dover completing the top five.
Jeff Swindell patiently pushed from ninth to sixth with Channin Tankersley shaking down his Short Track Nationals ride to a seventh place showing. Jason Johnson came from thirteenth to eighth with Logan Forler clawing his way through the field from twenty-first to ninth. The top ten wrapped up with Travis Rilat.
Checking in 50 drivers from a dozen states, Heat Races filled out to six with Jeff Swindell, Brady Bacon, Travis Rilat, Wayne Johnson, Tony Bruce, Jr., and Seth Bergman garnering victories. Twin B-Features were captured by Christopher Bell and C.J. Johnson.
Paired with the Smiley’s Racing Products Lone Star Region, Matt Covington picked up his second consecutive Regional Championship by 172 markers over Patrick Stasa.
The Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by MAVTV American Real drivers turn their attention next to the I-30 Speedway in Little Rock, Ark. for the 26th annual COMP Cams Short Track Nationals presented by Hoosier Tire, happening Wednesday, October 23 through Saturday, October 26. For additional information, log onto http://www.i-30speedway.com.
Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by MAVTV American Real
40th annual Winter Nationals
Devil’s Bowl Speedway - Mesquite, Texas
Saturday, October 19, 2013
Car Count: 50
Wesmar Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 94-Jeff Swindell[1]; 2. 05-Brad Loyet[3]; 3. 0-Channin Tankersley[8]; 4. 22X-Marvin Lough[6]; 5. 4J-John James[7]; 6. 69-Larry Howery[9]; 7. 111-Morgan Montgomery[2]; 8. (DNF) 45-Martin Edwards[4]; 9. (DNF) 95-Matt Covington[5]
Ti22 Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 14X-Brady Bacon[3]; 2. 31B-Christopher Bell[2]; 3. 12-James Mosher[1]; 4. 27-Andy Shouse[8]; 5. 82-Bryan Clauson[4]; 6. 17-Blake Hahn[7]; 7. 12M-Kolt Walker[9]; 8. 4AM-Mike Goodman[5]; 9. 19-Patrick Stasa[6]
Rod End Supply Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. 39C-Travis Rilat[1]; 2. 93-Dustin Morgan[3]; 3. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr[4]; 4. 2L-Logan Forler[5]; 5. 4X-Shawn Petersen[2]; 6. 29-Brandon Hahn[8]; 7. 7M-Kevin Ramey[6]; 8. 6-Ryan Beechler[7]
Saldana Heat 4 (8 Laps): 1. 77X-Wayne Johnson[3]; 2. E85-C.J. Johnson[1]; 3. 21-Brian Brown[6]; 4. 74B-John Carney II[8]; 5. 12W-Dale Wester[7]; 6. 14-Michael Lang[5]; 7. 22-Koby Barksdale[2]; 8. (DNF) 3-Raven Culp[4]
BMRS Heat 5 (8 Laps): 1. 18-Tony Bruce Jr[4]; 2. 53-Jack Dover[5]; 3. 87-Aaron Reutzel[6]; 4. 41-Jason Johnson[8]; 5. 11-Justin Melton[2]; 6. 45X-Johnny Herrera[7]; 7. 21T-Ray Allen Kulhanek[1]; 8. 82-Bryan Clauson
SBI Fuel Bladders Heat 6 (8 Laps): 1. 23-Seth Bergman[2]; 2. 17H-Harli White[1]; 3. 1-Danny Jennings[4]; 4. 74X-Joshua Hodges[7]; 5. (DNF) 17W-Cole Wood[5]; 6. (DNF) 10-George White[6]; 7. (DNF) 74E-Claud Estes III[3]; DNS 91-Justin Henderson
DMI B Feature 1 (12 Laps): 1. 31B-Christopher Bell[1]; 2. 17H-Harli White[2]; 3. 2L-Logan Forler[4]; 4. 1-Danny Jennings[3]; 5. 12M-Kolt Walker[9]; 6. 4J-John James[5]; 7. 17-Blake Hahn[8]; 8. 69-Larry Howery[6]; 9. 95-Matt Covington[17]; 10. 29-Brandon Hahn[7]; 11. 17W-Cole Wood[12]; 12. 11-Justin Melton[10]; 13. 52-Wes Miller[16]; 14. (DNF) 22-Koby Barksdale[13]; 15. (DNF) 74E-Claud Estes III[11]; DNS 21T-Ray Allen Kulhanek; DNS 45-Martin Edwards
Joie of Seating B Feature 2 (12 Laps): 1. E85-C.J. Johnson[1]; 2. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr[2]; 3. 45X-Johnny Herrera[8]; 4. 10-George White[6]; 5. 12-James Mosher[4]; 6. 7M-Kevin Ramey[11]; 7. 4AM-Mike Goodman[14]; 8. 82-Bryan Clauson[7]; 9. 12W-Dale Wester[5]; 10. 4X-Shawn Petersen[9]; 11. 111-Morgan Montgomery[12]; 12. (DNF) 3-Raven Culp[15]; 13. (DNF) 6-Ryan Beechler[13]; 14. (DNF) 22X-Marvin Lough[3]; 15. (DNF) 19-Patrick Stasa[16]; DNS 14-Michael Lang; DNS 91-Justin Henderson
Protect the Harvest A Feature (30 Laps): 1. 21-Brian Brown[8]; 2. 18-Tony Bruce Jr[2]; 3. 87-Aaron Reutzel[4]; 4. 23-Seth Bergman[3]; 5. 53-Jack Dover[7]; 6. 94-Jeff Swindell[9]; 7. 0-Channin Tankersley[6]; 8. 41-Jason Johnson[13]; 9. 2L-Logan Forler[21]; 10. 39C-Travis Rilat[10]; 11. 05-Brad Loyet[14]; 12. 14X-Brady Bacon[5]; 13. 31B-Christopher Bell[17]; 14. 45X-Johnny Herrera[22]; 15. 93-Dustin Morgan[15]; 16. (DNF) E85-C.J. Johnson[18]; 17. (DNF) 74B-John Carney II[12]; 18. (DNF) 77X-Wayne Johnson[1]; 19. (DNF) 29-Brandon Hahn[23]; 20. (DNF) 74X-Joshua Hodges[16]; 21. (DNF) 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr[20]; 22. (DNF) 27-Andy Shouse[11]; 23. (DNF) 17H-Harli White[19]
Lap Leader(s): Wayne Johnson (1-2), Brian Brown (3-25)
PitstopUSA.com Hard Charger: Logan Forler+12
FSR High Points of the Night: Tony Bruce, Jr.
Hawk Performance Products Fastest Lap of the Night: Tony Bruce, Jr. - 17.004
Provisionals: Brandon Hahn (BP2)
2013 “A” Feature Winners: Jason Johnson-8, Jeff Swindell-5, Johnny Herrera-4, Roger Crockett-3, Brian Brown-4, Logan Forler-2, Brad Loyet-2, Danny Lasoski-2, Tony Bruce, Jr.-2, Kyle Bellm, Jack Dover, Seth Bergman, Jonathan Cornell, Travis Rilat, Justin Henderson, Shane Stewart, Tim Crawley
Lucas Oil ASCS Driver Standings (Top 10): 1. Jason Johnson 4,828; 2. Johnny Herrera 4,762; 3. Jeff Swindell 4,585; 4. Brad Loyet 4,562; 5. Tony Bruce, Jr. 4,518; 6. Logan Forler 4,381; 7. Seth Bergman 4,264; 8. Dustin Morgan 4,053; 9. Cole Wood 3,818; 10. Brandon Hahn 3,145;
The 2013 season marks the twenty-second 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 nine 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. Log onto www.mavtv.com for information regarding availability and listings in your area.
Associate sponsors for the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by MAVTV include: Hoosier Racing Tire and Brodix
Team Lucas Sponsors for the American Sprint Car Series consist of Protect the Harvest, iON Camera, Smokey Mountain Moonshine, C&R Radiator, Hawk Performance Products, Geico, E3 Spark Plugs, and General Tire.
Product and Contingency Sponsorship provided by: K&N Filters, PitstopUSA.com, Engler Machine and Tool, Roush Yates Racing Engines, FSR Radiator and Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, Driverwebsites.com, Weld Wheels, Fuel Safe, Saldana Racing Products, SBI Fuel Bladders, Maxwell Industries, Print Place, Xtreme Accu-Tach, Simpson, LeJoie Seating, Ti 22 Performance, Wesmar Racing Engines, Hinchman Indy Racewear, Brown and Miller Racing Solutions, DMI Rear Ends, Rod End Supply, Smiley’s Racing Products, Speedway Motors, and Hilborn Injection Systems.
Additional information regarding the American Sprint Car Series is available at www.ascsracing.com as well as Twitter (@LucasOilASCS) and Facebook. News and information can also be sent to you with the ASCS E-News by texting ASCS to 22828 with any mobile device.
Photo Credit: Rob Kocak
- Bryan Hulbert on Oct 20, 2013
- Article Date: 10/20/2013