(Photo by Malcolm White)
Inside Line Promotions – LAS CRUCES, N.M. (Nov. 4, 2013) – The season is slated to end this weekend for Cole Wood, who will invade Cocopah Speedway with the Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour.
The 3/8-mile track in Somerton, Ariz., hosts Rounds 3 and 4 of the Cocopah Cup Challenge on Friday and Saturday, which is capped by a $20,000-to-win feature. Wood has already wrapped up the Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour Rookie of the Year title and ninth place in the championship standings, but he is eager to end the season at a track where he has performed well.
Wood claimed his first-ever Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour heat race win and picked up a pair of top 20s at Cocopah Speedway during the first weekend in March.
“I’m excited about Cocopah,” he said. “I really like that place. It always has a top and a bottom. The last time we were there I think we ran pretty good.”
Wood is coming off a solid weekend with the premier 360 sprint car series.
After finishing where he started – third – in his heat race on Friday at the ultra-fast El Paso Speedway Park in El Paso, Texas, Wood was caught up in an opening-lap incident during the main event.
“Travis Rilat hit the fence and it waded up about four cars,” he said. “It bent my left front wheel. I went to the work area and went back out and passed as many cars as I could.”
After starting 14th and then being forced to restart at the back of the field for going to the work area, Wood rallied to end 14th on the challenging track.
“It wasn’t necessarily heavy,” he said. “It was just one lane. Everybody was running the top. You had to slide somebody or bump them out of the way.”
Wood’s heat race the following day at Southern New Mexico Speedway got off to an unusual start for the California driver, who started on the outside of the front row.
“The start of the race was kinda weird,” he said. “I drove it in there and I guess the guy who started below me really wanted to run the top. He entered on the top and I entered on the flat part. It spun me out and everybody missed me except Jason Johnson. Right before that happened Tony Bruce Jr. spun out so I got my spot back.”
Wood capitalized on the fresh start and took the lead on the restart. He powered to his 13th heat race victory of the season, which would have given him enough points into the feature redraw.
“I won my heat race and the track has their own set of scales that are ridiculous,” he said. “They have lights around them and everything. I pulled off the track and the scales official weighed me and then told me, ‘Oh, wait, you’re supposed to be at the other scales.’ That guy pushed me by himself to the other one.”
After being weighed at both scales, Wood was told at his trailer that he was disqualified for going to the wrong scales.
“That’s the first time I’ve ever been disqualified in my life,” he said. “I couldn’t believe it.”
Wood was scheduled to start last in the B Main, which only transferred the top six. With the track being one lane, the team decided to call it a night.
QUICK RESULTS –
Nov. 1 – El Paso Speedway Park in El Paso, Texas – Heat race: 3 (3); Feature: 14 (14).
Nov. 2 – Southern New Mexico Speedway in Las Cruces, N.M. – Heat race: DQ (2); B Main: DNS (16).
SEASON STATS –
67 races, 0 wins, 8 top fives, 16 top 10s, 34 top 15s, 51 top 20s
UP NEXT –
Friday and Saturday at Cocopah Speedway in Somerton, Ariz., with the Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour for Rounds 3 and 4 of the Cocopah Cup Challenge
MEDIA LINKS –
Website: http://www.ColeWoodRacing.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/wood17w
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cole-Wood-Racing/246046125428603?fref=ts
APPAREL –
Wood has t-shirts and hats available at his race car trailer at every race. For a schedule of events, visit http://www.ColeWoodRacing.com.
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT – Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center at Elk Grove Ford
Located at Elk Grove Ford in Elk Grove, Calif., Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center is one of more than 650 branches of efficient vehicle servicing companies. For more information, visit http://www.ElkGroveFord.dealerconnection.com/QuickLane.
“The guys in the Quick Lane department of Elk Grove Ford are extremely helpful with the CWR team,” Wood said. “For anyone who needs an oil change, tire inspection or most anything else involved in servicing a car, check out Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center at Elk Grove Ford.”
Wood would also like to thank Elk Grove Ford, A.R.T. Speed Equipment, Roush Yates Racing Engines, Wion’s Body Shop, Keizer Aluminum Wheels, Awesome Racewear, ButlerBuilt Professional Seat Systems, CSI Shocks, NorCal Boxer Rescue and The Joie of Seating for their continued support.
INSIDE LINE PROMOTIONS –
Inside Line Promotions specializes in affordable public relations, media management and merchandising services for sprint car teams. ILP Founder Shawn Miller leverages professional journalism with new media technologies and social networking to improve your exposure and your sponsors’ return on investment.
To meet the media relations needs of your team, contact Shawn at 541-510-3663 or sprintcarreporter@yahoo.com. For more information on Inside Line Promotions, visit http://www.insidelinepromotions.com.
- Shawn Miller on Nov 11, 2013
- Article Date: 11/4/2013 by Inside Line Promotions