Lonnie Wheatley, CLUTE, Texas (October 23, 2015) – The year’s primary goal for Aaron Reutzel and the Shark-powered BC Fundz/Basic One Services No. 87 Triple X Sprint Car team has all but been accomplished.
Now, another big goal awaits next weekend; the top step of the podium at I-30 Speedway’s Short Track Nationals.
But first, that primary goal for the Wren Motorsports/Momentum Racing Suspensions team; the $60,000 Lucas Oil ASCS National championship.
That goal was finally reached in all reality with a pair of top-ten finishes at last weekend’s Devil’s Bowl Speedway Winter Nationals in Mesquite, TX.
Finishes of eighth and sixth wouldn’t typically elicit need for much celebration for the Dissolvealloy Frac Ball Revolution team. But, when it puts the clamps on a $60,000 title, a quick celebration could be in order.
“All we have to do is take a green flag in hot laps at Short Track Nationals and nobody can catch us,” the relieved Clute, TX driver explains. “We get to go there and race all out. I’m looking forward to it, I’m tired of thinking about points.”
Reutzel knew going into Devil’s Bowl that a pair of strong runs could essentially lock up the title for the Danny Sander Construction/ButlerBuilt machine.
“It wasn’t the greatest weekend,” Reutzel said. “The track was locked down the first night and then took rubber the second night.”
Despite a tough draw on Friday night, Reutzel won the “B” Main to race into the feature event and then climbed from 18th to finish in a solid eighth position.
A better draw on Saturday resulted in a heat race win and a spot in the redraw.
“We figured we had to run sixth or better to lock up the championship,” Reutzel explained. “So I just rode around in sixth and made sure to take care of the tire.”
Sixth is what the driver of the Lone Star Hydro Maintenance/Wright Way Logistics machine needed in the Winter Nationals finale and sixth is what he got. Just enough to secure the $60,000 crown.
And now he can focus on racing all out in the $15,000-to-win 28th Annual Short Track Nationals at Little Rock’s I-30 Speedway, an event he finished second in last year.
“I feel like we could win it this year,” Reutzel says of the prestigious event.
And for good reason. I-30 Speedway is the track where he won his first ASCS National event early in 2014 before finishing off the year second in the STN finale after opening the week with a win in the STN Open. And without points to worry about, the driver of the No. 87 is free to chase down another win or two to finish off his ASCS championship campaign.
He opened last year’s STN festivities in victory lane. Now he’ll try to finish off the week of STN action in victory lane.
2015 Quick Stats: 65 races, 11 wins, 30 top-fives, 42 top-tens.
Up Next: 28th Annual COMP Cams Short Track Nationals presented by Hoosier Tires at Little Rock’s I-30 Speedway next Wednesday through Saturday, October 28-31.
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.
- Lonnie Wheatley on Oct 23, 2015
- Article Date: 10/23/2015 by Lonnie Wheatley