(Photo Credit: Serena Dalhamer)
YUMA, Ariz. (November 10, 2014) - The final run towards the 2014 Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series National Championship began this past weekend in the borderland of El Paso, Texas and Las Cruces, N.M.
The El Paso Speedway Park hosted the series on Friday, November 7 with the Southern New Mexico Speedway seeing action the following night. Overall the weekend saw 34 drivers from a 26 municipalities across a dozen states and two countries. To date, 160 nights of racing have been contested for 197 ASCS sanctioned events across the ASCS Nation with 72 winners across ASCS 360cid and 305cid competition.
The Winners:
Friday, November 7, 2014:
• Logan Forler (National / Southwest) - Returning to the site of his first Lucas Oil ASCS National triumph in 2012, Logan Forler picked up his second El Paso Speedway Park victory, and fourth ASCS National win.
Saturday, November 8, 2014:
• Aaron Reutzel (National / Southwest) - On a high note over the past month, Aaron Reutzel added his fourth Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour victory of the season to his resume at the Southern New Mexico Speedway.
News and Notes:
• Ups and Downs - Brad Loyet's run on Friday night was just what the doctor ordered, but even the best medications have side effects as the championship hangs in the balance for the 26-year old Loyet, after contact in his Heat, then in the B-Feature sent the Vacuworx No. 05 flipping. Never giving up, Loyet was still able to make the call in the A-Feature via provisional.
• Sportsmanship - True racers never want to win by default. That's way Jeff Swindell jumped in and assisted the Loyet team in getting back on track Saturday night. Loyet's closest competition in the championship chase, the pair enter the weekend 34 points apart.
• Consistency - That is the theme for Aaron Reutzel since the Devil's Bowl Winter Nationals, as the Clute, Texas driver has not finished outside the top-five in his last seven starts. In fact, Reutzel has placed on the podium in six consecutive starts with two of those visits in Victory Lane.
• Passing - The El Paso Speedway Park saw Jason Johnson charge like a scalded Ape from twenty-second to fifth. It was the first time in 2014 that Johnson was the KSE Hard Charger of the Night and matches the 17 spot gain put down by Tim Crawley at Lucas Oil Speedway during the 2014 ASCS Speedweek. The night's average passing rate was 7.3 per driver, making the night the second highest of the season.
• Royal Jones - The promoter of the El Paso Speedway Park and Southern New Mexico Speedway had a banner weekend, making his first Lucas Oil ASCS feature event on Friday night with a fourth place finish, followed by his first podium at the Southern New Mexico Speedway on Saturday night. His weekend also included leading 9 laps on Friday night.
• A Last Lap Almost - Logan Forler picked up the win on Friday night, but it was almost an Reutzel upset as the No. 87 pulled nearly even with Forler in the final turn.
• Charity - During intermission on Saturday night, a collector's edition Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Die-Cast was auctioned for charity. Between 2014 West Texas ASCS 305 Champion, Cesar Fuentes, SNMS Track Manager, Rue Stone, and Casey Minks the car brought $2,000 for Cowboys for Cancer Research.
Up Next:
It all comes down to this, the final two nights of the 2014 season. Races at the Cocopah Speedway are scheduled for Friday, November 14 and Saturday, November 15. Races will be preceded by a Fanfest on Thursday, November 13 at the Wild River Family Entertainment Center located across the street from the Cocopah Speedway. Fanfest is free to the public.
Tickets for the two night affair can be purchased on http://www.cocopahspeedway.com.
For a complete listing of ASCS events in 2014, log onto http://www.ascsracing.com.
The 2014 season marks the twenty-third 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. 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. 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, KSE Racing Products, SpeedMart, Competition Suspension, Engler Machine and Tool, FSR Radiator and Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, Driverwebsites.com, Weld Wheels, Saldana Racing Products, Maxwell Industries, Print Place, Simpson, The Joie of Seating, Wesmar Racing Engines, Hinchman Indy Racewear, 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.
- Bryan Hulbert on Nov 10, 2014
- Article Date: 11/10/2014