(Photo by Jay Hallas)
Inside Line Promotions – MESQUITE, Texas (April 25, 2016) – Ray Allen Kulhanek posted his career-best World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series result twice last weekend during the Texas Outlaw Nationals at Devil’s Bowl Speedway.
Kulhanek had identical results throughout qualifying, heat race and main event competition each night at the half-mile oval. He qualified 17th quickest, finished where he started – sixth – in a heat race and advanced from 17th to 16th in the main event.
“I’m still learning in the 410 and I was awful on Friday,” he said. “I wasn’t comfortable and the car was all over the race track on Friday. I didn’t feel like I had good control of the car. We kept adjusting all night until we finally got the car decent for the main. I was just too gun shy with how everything was going so I didn’t start moving around on the track. It took me a while to get comfortable and trust the car.”
The comfort level improved for Saturday’s finale.
“I made a mistake in time trials and that cost me there,” he said. “I entered too low and double set the car. I killed my lap doing that. I feel I could have gained probably three tenths had I not made the mistake. That could have played a bigger difference in the outcome of the night.
“Then in the heat race I kept pace with (Brad) Sweet, who finished right in front of me. I got really, really loose the longer we were running. The right rear bleeder wasn’t working so I grew two and a quarter inches of stagger in the heat race. I felt like we had speed. That led to a little more confidence for the main.”
Kulhanek was closing in on the top 10 late in the main event when he was involved in a crash.
“We passed cars and were moving up,” he said. “I was up as far as 11th at one point. I’m not exactly sure what happened. Someone got into (Paul) McMahan and he was coming down the track and I was a sitting duck. How I saved it and didn’t flip I don’t know. I ended up breaking the torque tube. I ran about a half a lap after the restart and just pulled off.”
The two 16th-place results provide Kulhanek something to build on as he continues to learn the ropes in 410 competition.
“I’m learning everything as I go and learning how to drive the 410,” he said. “I made some leaps and bounds this weekend on figuring things out on the car. I was really pleased on that end of it.”
Kulhanek will take this weekend off before resuming ASCS Gulf South Region competition May 6 at Heart O’ Texas Speedway in Waco, Texas, and May 7 at Golden Triangle Raceway Park in Beaumont, Texas.
QUICK RESULTS –
April 22 – Devil’s Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, Texas – Qualifying: 17; Heat race: 6 (6); Feature: 16 (17).
April 23 – Devil’s Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, Texas – Qualifying: 17; Heat race: 6 (6); Feature: 16 (17).
SEASON STATS –
10 races, 0 wins, 0 top fives, 4 top 10s, 5 top 15s, 8 top 20s
UP NEXT –
May 6 at Heart O’ Texas Speedway in Waco, Texas, and May 7 at Golden Triangle Raceway Park in Beaumont, Texas, with the ASCS Gulf South Region
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 – ButlerBuilt Professional Seat Systems
Based in Concord, N.C., ButlerBuilt Professional Seat Systems manufactures custom seats and distributes a variety of racing accessories, including seat mounts, padding, belts and restraints, steering wheels and helmets. For additional information, visit http://www.ButlerBuilt.net.
“ButlerBuilt Professional Seat Systems are definitely the safest seats on the market,” Kulhanek said. “I’ve had a couple of bad crashes and I definitely didn’t move because the seat did its job.”
Kulhanek would also like to thank Texas Rotating Equipment, Big Bass Tour, Alcon Construction, GoPro, Miller’s RV Park, J&J Auto Racing, ASI Racing Engines, Frazier & Son, 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 25, 2016
- Article Date: 4/25/2016 by Inside Line Promotions