Lonnie Wheatley, CLUTE, Texas (May 19, 2016) – It was just a matter of time until reigning Lucas Oil ASCS National champion Aaron Reutzel broke through for his first series win of 2016.
Reutzel finally got that first series win of the year out of the way by racing to victory lane in last Saturday night’s Texas World Dirt Track Championship finale at Fort Worth’s Texas Motor Speedway aboard the Shark-powered Dissolvalloy Downhole Revolution/BC Fundz No. 87 Triple-X Sprint Car.
Reutzel’s win in the seventh round of Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour competition this season ran his overall total to three victories after collecting earlier Regional wins at Willis, TX, and Jackson, MS.
“It was definitely a much-needed win,” Reutzel said after the triumph in the Wren Motorsports/Momentum Racing Suspensions entry.
Reutzel hopes to carry that momentum into this weekend as he jumps back into Shane Liebig’s No. 55 Triple-X entry for a trio of events beginning with Friday’s $10,000-to-win NSL card at Minnesota’s Jackson Motorplex followed by Saturday’s $100,000 Silver Shootout at Badlands Speedway near Sioux Falls, SD, and then a Sunday night 360-ci card at Badlands as well.
“There’s a lot of money on the line this weekend, hopefully we can get a good chunk of it,” Reutzel said.
Before capturing the win in Saturday’s Texas World Dirt Track Championship finale, Reutzel raced to a sixth-place finish in Friday’s opener aboard the Danny Sander Construction/ButlerBuilt machine.
Clauson earned Friday’s sixth-place run after starting in 12th on a narrow track.
“There was really just one lane, we just had to go straight to the bottom,” Reutzel said. “We got a couple at the start and on the restarts.”
Starting seventh in Saturday’s feature aboard the Wright Way Logistics/Walker Performance Filtration entry, Reutzel wasn’t sure of his chances of victory.
“I really didn’t think it was possible starting back in seventh,” Reutzel recalls.
A strong start to the race paved the way to victory lane though.
“We got to third in about two laps and then got around Sam (Hafertepe, Jr.) for second,” Reutzel relates.
There was still the issue of chasing down race leader Johnny Herrera.
“We wouldn’t have caught Johnny, but we caught a caution,” Reutzel says. “I got a good run on the restart, got one lane above him and got by in three and four, then just rolled the bottom the rest of the way.”
With the triumph, Reutzel became the seventh different winner in as many ASCS National Tour events thus far in 2016 and climbed one position to sixth in points, less than 90 points off the lead pace as he vies for a second championship in a row.
With the ASCS National Tour idle this weekend, Reutzel bolts in the 410-ci powerplant in the hunt for NSL loot at in Minnesota on Friday night and then hopes to get a big chunk of Silver on the first of two Badlands nights on Saturday before a 360-ci tilt on Sunday night.
2016 Quick Stats: 32 races, 3 wins, 10 top-fives, 17 top-tens.
Up Next:
Friday – NSL 410-ci Sprint Cars at Minnesota’s Jackson Motorplex.
Saturday - $100,000 Silver Shootout for 410-ci Sprint Cars at Badlands Motor Speedway in Brandon, SD.
Sunday – 360-ci Sprint Cars at Badlands Motor Speedway in Brandon, SD.
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.
- administrator on May 19, 2016
- Article Date: 5/19/2016 by Lonnie Wheatley