(Photo by Vince Vellella Photos)
Inside Line Promotions – BYRAM, Miss. (April 11, 2016) – Ray Allen Kulhanek captured a pair of top-10 finishes last weekend at Jackson Motor Speedway, where the ASCS Gulf South Region and ASCS Southern Outlaw Sprints co-sanctioned the doubleheader.
“We made it through the weekend without killing a car and we passed a few cars so I can’t really complain,” he said. “It wasn’t near the finishes I wanted or expected, but we moved forward every time we hit the track. I wasn’t super comfortable on the race track. I drove both nights like the days I was running modifieds. I drove it straight and made sure I was in a good position to shoot off the corners.”
The action began last Friday with Kulhanek surviving and rallying from last to finish fourth in a heat race. That locked him into the 14th starting position for the main event.
“We drew the biggest number in the bucket to start the night,” he said. “We took the green flag and the guys on the front row went to beating and banging. Once they started piling up it was too late. I couldn’t avoid it and got a little involved. However, we got to finish the heat race and made the main.
“I had a good car in the feature. I dropped a couple of spots on the start, but got into a good rhythm running on the bottom. I had a lot of forward bite coming off the corners. It was really coming in at the later part of the race. When we went across to take the checkers third, fourth, fifth and myself were right there. I had a good shot at getting in the top three. We just ran out of laps.”
Kulhanek maneuvered from 14th to post a sixth-place result.
The weekend concluded on Saturday when Kulhanek drove from third to win a heat race and lock himself into the feature redraw. However, he pulled the highest number – eight – to start the main event on the outside of the fourth row.
“I really couldn’t go anywhere,” he said. “I fell back on the initial start to 11th or 12th and I worked my way back up. I wasn’t a big fan of the track. It seemed like it was the Dustbowl 500. It was really hard to pass. For what kind of cushion was there it was really fine dirt that built up on the wall. They were killing right rear wheels and tires by getting up in the wall. I stayed down on the tires and picked off what I could. We were decent, but we definitely weren’t great.”
Kulhanek ended with a seventh-place finish. That ranks him third in the ASCS Gulf South Region championship standings – only eight points from the lead.
He will take this weekend off before racing April 22-23 at Devil’s Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, Texas, for the Texas Outlaw Nationals with the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series.
QUICK RESULTS –
April 8 – Jackson Motor Speedway in Byram, Miss. – Heat race: 4 (7); Feature: 6 (14).
April 9 – Jackson Motor Speedway in Byram, Miss – Heat race: 1 (3); Feature: 7 (8).
SEASON STATS –
8 races, 0 wins, 0 top fives, 4 top 10s, 5 top 15s, 6 top 20s
UP NEXT –
April 22-23 at Devil’s Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, Texas, for the Texas Outlaw Nationals with the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series
MEDIA LINKS –
Website: http://www.RayAllenKulhanek.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Kulhanek_Ray
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RayAllenKulhanek/?fref=ts
APPAREL –
Kulhanek will have apparel available for sale at his race trailer throughout the season. For a list of his scheduled events, visit http://www.RayAllenKulhanek.com.
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT – J&J Auto Racing
Located in McKenzie, Tenn., J&J Auto Racing has manufactured sprint car chassis and racing parts for more than 40 years. For more information, visit http://www.JandJAutoRacing.com.
“Everyone at J&J Auto Racing are probably some of the nicest people in racing,” Kulhanek said. “I talk to them quite frequently. They are always quick to answer phone calls and will get stuff shipped out to you the same day. And they are definitely the safest cars on the market.”
Kulhanek would also like to thank Texas Rotating Equipment, Big Bass Tour, Alcon Construction, GoPro, Miller’s RV Park, ASI Racing Engines, Frazier & Son, ButlerBuilt Professional Seat Systems, Smiley’s Racing Products, 41 Shocks, Engler Machine & Tool, Outlaw Wings, Hoosier Racing Tire Southwest, Penske Racing Shocks, C4 Graphics, Simpson Race Products and Marvin and Peggy Pearson for their support.
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 Apr 11, 2016
- Article Date: 4/11/2016 by Inside Line Promotions