[b 42nd Annual Western World Championships Worth Even More!]
[i Lonnie Wheatley, TULSA, Okla. (September 3, 2009)]
The American Sprint Car Series was already set to close out the 2009 season on a high note, with both the Lucas Oil Sprint Cars presented by K&N Filters and the Discount Tire Co. ASCS Canyon Region taking to Tucson's USA Raceway on November 19-21 for the 42nd Annual Western World Championships.
Now, the stakes for that season-ending twinbill featuring the best of both winged and wingless Sprint Car racing are even higher.
It was revealed today that the winner of the Lucas Oil Sprint Car portion of the Western World Championships will pocket a hefty $15,000, while the victor in the wingless Canyon Region ranks will collect $5,000.
That is up from the previously announced amounts of $10,000 and $3,000, respectively.
With the purse increases, the 42nd edition of the Western World Championships will now pay out nearly $100,000 in "A" Main events alone over the three-day event.
After already completing three $10,000-to-win events this season, it will mark the second consecutive $15,000-to-win event to close out the season for the Lucas Oil Sprint Cars presented by K&N Filters. A $15,000 winner's share is also up for grabs in I-30 Speedway's 22nd Annual Short Track Nationals in Little Rock, AR, on October 29-31.
Upon the weekend's completion, the Lucas Oil Sprint Car $60,000 champion will be crowned. Defending series champion Jason Johnson of Eunice, LA, currently holds a 26-point edge over Bixby, Oklahoma's Shane Stewart and a 64-point cushion over Hooks, TX, ace Gary Wright with only a September 26 event at Missouri's Lucas Oil Speedway and then the Devil's Bowl Speedway Winter Nationals on October 16-17 remaining before the Short Track Nationals and Western World Championships.
The $250,000 point fund for the top 15 in final Lucas Oil Sprint Car points will be distributed on Sunday, November 22, at the series' banquet in Tucson, with details to be announced soon.
The Western World Championships will also put the wraps on the ASCS Southwest Region season. Ben Gregg is currently just six points ahead of defending series champion Rick Ziehl in the ASCS Southwest title chase.
The wingless forces get a healthy slice of the Western World pie as well, with the $5,000 winner's share the biggest in the history of the Discount Tire Co. ASCS Canyon Region.
Charles Davis, Jr., is trying to put the finishing touches on his first ASCS title with just this weekend's Hank Arnold Memorial and then an October 10 event at USA Raceway remaining prior to the Western World Championships.
Ticket pricing, seating charts and purchasing information can be found online at www.usaraceway.net/Uploads/WesternWorldTickets.pdf or by calling the USA Raceway office at 520-574-8515.
Hotel Information can be found at www.usaraceway.net/lodging.php or by calling the Tucson Airport Courtyard by Marriott at 520-573-0000.
The American Sprint Car Series, in its 18th year of sanctioning Sprint Car racing events, brings the best of Sprint Car racing to nearly 100 different tracks throughout 25 states and Canada in 2009. Anchored by the Lucas Oil ASCS Sprint Car Dirt Series presented by K&N Filters, ASCS also consists of a dozen different Regions throughout the nation.
Additional information regarding the American Sprint Car Series is available at www.ascsracing.com.
- Lonnie Wheatley on Sep 08, 2009
- Article Date: 9/8/2009