(Photo by Ron Skinner Photos)
Inside Line Promotions – HIGHLANDS, Texas (July 20, 2015) – Travis Rilat scored a runner-up result last weekend with the ASCS Gulf South Region.
Unfortunately, bad luck hindered a shot at a victory on Friday and a top five on Saturday during the 14th annual Summer Nationals doubleheader.
“I should have won a couple more races than I have this year and Friday was one of those,” he said.
Rilat kicked off the weekend by claiming a heat race after starting on the outside of the front row at Golden Triangle Raceway Park in Beaumont, Texas. That locked him into the feature redraw.
“I sent my 5-year-old to the redraw and she drew the No. 1 so we started on the pole for the main event,” he said. “(Michael) McNeil got me the first couple of laps then I was able to get by him maybe a half dozen laps into it. We had a red with seven or eight laps to go. A lap after that restart I lost a cylinder and that dropped me to second.”
Rilat’s bid for his third win of the season ended because of the mechanical woes, which relegated him to the second-place finish.
He tackled Battleground Speedway the ensuing night, which began with Rilat finishing where he started – fifth – in a heat race. That lined him up on the outside of the seventh row for the main event.
Rilat maneuvered into the top 10 and was closing on a spot inside the top five when another driver made contact with him in the closing laps.
“He was up in the marbles in turn four,” Rilat said. “He came out of it and clipped my rear bumper. It sent me into the wall. The nose hit the wall and then the car spun around about three times. It junked the car.”
Rilat was unable to finish following the violent crash and was credited with a 16th-place finish.
He will return to Richard Saumure’s No. 39c this Friday and Saturday at Skagit Speedway in Alger, Wash., for the Bob’s Burgers & Brew Summer Nationals. The duo has recorded a win and three top-five finishes in their last four races, including two fifth-place results at Skagit Speedway.
“They have a great field of cars,” he said. “It’s going to be tough, but we’ve consistently ran well at that track. A win would be nice. It always seems like we’ve been in the top five most of the time there. If we can continue that I think the win is on the way.”
QUICK RESULTS –
July 17 – Golden Triangle Raceway Park in Beaumont, Texas – Heat race: 1 (2); Feature: 2 (1).
July 18 – Battleground Speedway in Highlands, Texas – Heat race: 5 (5); Feature: 16 (14).
SEASON STATS –
19 races, 2 wins, 11 top fives, 12 top 10s, 12 top 15s, 15 top 20s
UP NEXT –
Friday and Saturday at Skagit Speedway in Alger, Wash., for the Bob’s Burgers & Brew Summer Nationals
MEDIA LINKS –
Website: http://www.TravisRilat.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/TravisRilat29
VIDEO –
Here is a link to watch highlights of Rilat’s victory at the Tyson Perez Memorial in Australia on Feb. 7: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPYKg2nfSNw
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT – Shop the BOSS
Located in Dallas, Shop the BOSS offers a large selection of hardwood flooring products below closeout prices for retail customers. For more information, visit http://www.ShoptheBOSS.com.
“Shop the BOSS was created by Richard Bell, who has been a really good friend,” Rilat said. “He’s got a pretty unique deal going on. As his business has grown and expanded, he’s been able to do a lot more with the team. I really appreciate his support.”
Rilat would also like to thank Triple X Race Components, Shark Racing Engines, MDS Boring & Drilling, Weld Wheels, KSE Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, Simpson Race Products, Hoosier Racing Tire, HRP Wings, Goodrich, Penske Racing Shocks, All Star Auto Reconditioning, and everyone who has partnered with his No. 29 Triple X.
INSIDE LINE PROMOTIONS –
Inside Line Promotions specializes in affordable public relations and media management for motor sports drivers, teams, sponsors, tracks, series, events, organizations and manufacturers. ILP Founder Shawn Miller leverages professional journalism with new media technologies and social networking to improve your exposure and the return on investment for your sponsors.
To meet the media relations needs of your program by joining Team ILP, contact Shawn at 541-510-3663 or Shawn@InsideLinePromotions.com. For more information on Inside Line Promotions, visit http://www.InsideLinePromotions.com.
- Shawn Miller on Jul 20, 2015
- Article Date: 7/20/2015 by Inside Line Promotions