Lonnie Wheatley, CLUTE, Texas (March 18, 2015) – Mother Nature has played havoc with racing schedules over the past two weeks.
“It’s a tough time to be a racer,” Aaron Reutzel, driver of the Shark-powered BC Fundz/Basic One Services No. 87 Triple X, commented yesterday as he awaited the weekend’s fate.
A complete washout of the previous weekend’s ASCS Gulf South events at Beaumont and Battleground was still fresh in mind. And the outlook for this weekend’s resumption of Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour action at the Devil’s Bowl Speedway Spring National looked bleak at best.
That outlook proved accurate, with the Spring Nationals’ plug pulled early Wednesday morning due to excessive North Texas rains.
The driver of the Wren Motorsports/Momentum Racing Suspensions machine had a backup plan at the ready though. “We’re gonna go out to Tucson for two nights of ASCS Southwest racing at the Copper on Dirt.”
Plan B in effect now, Reutzel and the Danny Sander Construction/ButlerBuilt team are westbound towards Tucson’s USA Raceway for Friday and Saturday action with the ASCS Southwest forces.
“I’ve always liked that track, it widens out and is a racy place,” Reutzel said.
Reutzel has found past success atop the 3/8-mile USA Raceway clay oval.
In fact, USA Raceway is the track where the Clute, TX, racer landed his first ASCS National Tour podium finish with a third-place run on February 19 of 2011, a strong start to his successful Rookie of the Year effort.
While Reutzel tries to add another pair of notches to the win column this weekend, he comes off his fourth overall win of the year aboard the Lone Star Hydro Maintenance/Wright Way Logistics entry in his most recent start at Bronco Raceway Park in Cleveland, TX, on March 7.
“I didn’t even know anything about it until the night before,” Reutzel explained. “It was a perfect time to bring down the new car and try it out, it was a great test session.”
A well-paid test session with the $1,000 triumph more than covering costs for the evening.
While Reutzel is anxious to get back to Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour action where he currently leads the $60,000 championship points chase, he’ll be satisfied to try to chase down another win or two at this weekend’s prestigious Copper on Dirt double at USA Raceway.
Action on the Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour is now set to resume at Volunteer Speedway in Bulls Gap, TN, on April 17-18 pending any rescheduled events in the interim.
2015 Quick Stats: 12 races, four wins, seven top-fives, seven top-tens.
Up Next: ASCS Southwest competition at USA Raceway’s Copper on Dirt event in Tucson, AZ, this weekend, March 20-21
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 www.sprintcarmania.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.
(Photo courtesy of Manvel Motorsports)
- Lonnie Wheatley on Mar 18, 2015
- Article Date: 3/18/2015 by Lonnie Wheatley