Lonnie Wheatley, CLUTE, Texas (July 30, 2014) – Aaron Reutzel is in the midst of what could ultimately rank as the best year yet of his young Sprint Car racing career.
And little would validate that more than a strong outing in this weekend’s 24th Annual Arnold Motor Supply Knoxville 360 Nationals atop Iowa’s storied ½-mile Knoxville Raceway clay oval at the Marion County Fairgrounds.
Riding a season-long wave of momentum that continues to build including six feature wins among 21 top-fives and 30 top-tens in 40 starts, the Clute, TX, racer rides into Knoxville with new horsepower and a new sponsor on the familiar No. 87 Triple-X Sprint Car.
Following an idle weekend, Reutzel will plug a fresh Scott Baylor Racing Engines of Fort Worth, TX, bullet into the BC Fundz/Wren Motorsports machine for this weekend’s Knoxville 360 Nationals.
With Scott Baylor Racing Engines now providing the ASCS National Tour contender with fresh horsepower, Reutzel also welcomes Basic One Services as a new sponsor.
“I’m proud of the way this team has come together and performed this year, teaming with Baylor Racing Engines and partnering with Basic One Services is just one more piece to make this a legitimate championship-caliber team,” Reutzel commented. “It just bolsters the support that Bob and Christie Miller and all of our marketing partners have given us thus far to make it an even stronger team.”
Ranked fifth on the Lucas Oil ASCS National trail with 12 top-tens in the last 13 series events including seven top-fives, strengthening a team that is already building momentum doesn’t bode well for the competition.
Set for qualifying action aboard the Momentum Racing Suspensions/Danny Sander Construction/ButlerBuilt machine during the Thursday portion of the Knoxville 360 Nationals that has attracted approximately 100 entries, Reutzel is in the best position yet to successfully take on the ½-mile oval that he has seen limited action on.
“I’ve been to the 360 Nationals twice before and neither time the engine would run right,” Reutzel commented. “That won’t be an issue this time.”
Reutzel points to time-trial qualifying as a key component of a successful Knoxville 360 Nationals. “Those two laps can make or break your entire weekend,” he says. “The last time I qualified was the last time I was here in 2012, so I just have to lay down a good lap and go from there.”
With the Lone Star Hydro Maintenance/Wright Way Logistics machine performing extremely well in previous big-track starts this season, Reutzel and crew member Ryan Beechler like their chances going into this weekend.
“Our goal is to at the very least be in the top ten,” Reutzel says. “And if we have the car working really well and we’re in that top five range, we really have a good shot to win this thing.”
A $10,000 triumph it would be. And it would be the first Knoxville 360 Nationals trophy to go back to Texas since Hall-of-Famer Gary Wright took it back to the Lone Star State way back in 1998.
2014 Quick Stats: 40 races, 6 “A” Main wins, 21 top-fives, 30 top-tens.
Up Next: Knoxville 360 Nationals qualifying action on Thursday followed up by championship feature events on Saturday.
Keep Track: Keep track of Aaron Reutzel’s on-track action including schedule and results at http://www.aaronreutzelracing.com/, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Aaron-Reutzel-Racing/117666254913127 or on Twitter at @AaronReutzel. You can also e-mail Aaron at aaronreutzel@yahoo.com.
If you would like Aaron Reutzel Racing press releases e-mailed directly to you, send your e-mail address to Lonnie Wheatley at lonniewheatley@gmail.com.
Penning the recurring series of “The Wheatley Chronicles” articles on racinboys.com, Lonnie Wheatley provides media, public relations and more for select tracks, drivers and events. For more information, Wheatley may be contacted at lonniewheatley@gmail.com.
- Lonnie Wheatley on Jul 30, 2014
- Article Date: 7/30/2014 by Lonnie Wheatley