Lonnie Wheatley, TULSA, Okla. (June 21, 2010) – Jason Johnson has enjoyed his fair share of success, if not more, in the initial three editions of the Daniel McMillin Memorial.
This time he rides a wave of Lucas Oil ASCS presented by K&N Filters momentum into Saturday night’s Daniel McMillin / Jesse Hockett Memorial event atop the semi-banked, 1/3-mile Lake Ozark Speedway dirt oval near Eldon, MO.
Prior to the June 11-12 Lucas Oil ASCS event at Eagle Raceway’s Eagle Nationals in Nebraska, “The Ragin’ Cajun” was 63 points behind Broken Arrow, Oklahoma’s Brady Bacon in the series $60,000 championship points chase.
But, with the 20-year-old Bacon unable to extend his win streak to four or more with Nebraska finishes of ninth and eleventh coupled with Johnson’s runs of fourth and first, Bacon’s advantage in the title chase dwindled to a mere four points over Johnson.
Fresh off his first Lucas Oil ASCS National win of 2010 in the Eagle Nationals finale and another pair of ASCS Regional wins this past weekend, Johnson is three-for-three in previous editions of the Daniel McMillin Memorial, an event that honors McMillin’s cousin, Jesse Hockett, this year as well.
Johnson won the inaugural McMillin Memorial at Double X Raceway in 2007, before capturing the top spot on “The Wrench” podium each of the past two years at Lake Ozark Speedway.
While Johnson and Bacon, the only driver to capture more than one Lucas Oil ASCS National feature win thus far in 2010, are positioned to battle it out for the top spot in points, a number of other drivers will try to gain some ground before the series moves on north to South Dakota and then Northwest to Washington and Oregon in July.
Reigning series champion Shane Stewart of Bixby, OK, enters the weekend third in points, 75 markers off Bacon’s lead pace and just one point ahead of fourth-ranked Tony Bruce, Jr., of Liberal, KS, with Eagle Nationals preliminary winner Danny Wood of Norman, OK, rounding out the current top five.
Arkansas ace Tim Crawley is currently sixth after a pair of Eagle flips, with 20-year-old Nebraska shoe Jack Dover, 2001 ASCS National champ Zach Chappell, California’s Kyle Hirst and 20-year-old Okie Matt Covington rounding out the current top ten in points.
Past series champ Travis Rilat of Forney, TX, and four-time ASCS National champ Gary Wright of Hooks, TX, are just outside the top ten in points, with other Lucas Oil National contenders trying to crack the top ten including Arkansas’ Ricky Logan, Ohio’s Darren Long, Oklahoma’s Dustin Morgan, Washington’s Austen Wheatley, California’s Justyn Cox, Texas’ Channin Tankersley and Oklahoma’s Andrew Marshala.
Hirst, the 22-year-old out of Loomis, CA, holds the early edge in the Brodix Rookie of the Year chase with a 34-point edge over Covington. Others among the stout rookie crop include Morgan, Wheatley, Cox, Tankersley and Marshala.
Saturday’s Daniel McMillin / Jesse Hockett Memorial racing action at Lake Ozark Speedway gets under way at 7:00 p.m.
The Series:
Lucas Oil ASCS Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters
When & Where:
Saturday night, June 26 at 7:00 p.m. – Lake Ozark Speedway
Track Information:
Lake Ozark Speedway (Eldon, MO) – 1/3-mile semi-banked dirt oval located south of Eldon on US 54 to SR 52, then 0.1 miles east on SR 52, then 0.5 miles north on Twiggy Lane (frontage road). For more information, contact the track at 573-392-9977 or check www.lakeozarkspeedway.com.
Lucas Oil ASCS Lake Ozark Speedway History:
After Shane Stewart and Jesse Hockett swept early editions of the Lake Ozark Speedway Nationals in 2004 and 2005, the Lucas Oil Sprint Cars returned in 2008 with Aaron Berryhill making a last-lap pass of Jason Johnson to win the May event. Johnson got some Lake Ozark redemption in July with a win in the Second Annual McMillin, then outlasted upstart Tommy Bryant to win the Third McMillin last year.
Lake Ozark Speedway ASCS National winners include: Jesse Hockett 2, Jason Johnson 2, Shane Stewart 2, Aaron Berryhill 1.
Lake Ozark Speedway Lucas Oil ASCS Race-by-Race Winners: Shane Stewart (9/4/04), Shane Stewart (9/5/04), Jesse Hockett (9/3/05), Jesse Hockett (9/4/05), Aaron Berryhill (5/3/08), Jason Johnson (7/5/08), Jason Johnson (6/27/09).
Current Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters Points:
Top Twenty: 1. Brady Bacon (Broken Arrow, OK) 1,013, 2. Jason Johnson (Eunice, LA) 1,009, 3. Shane Stewart (Bixby, OK) 938, 4. Tony Bruce, Jr. (Liberal, KS) 937, 5. Danny Wood (Norman, OK) 914, 6. Tim Crawley (Benton, AR) 906, 7. Jack Dover (Springfield, NE), 900, 8. Zach Chappell (Talala, OK) 886, 9. Kyle Hirst (Loomis, CA) 860, 10. Matt Covington (Glenpool, OK) 826, 11. Travis Rilat (Forney, TX) 814, 12. Gary Wright (Hooks, TX) 789, 13. Ricky Logan (Little Rock, AR) 764, 14. Darren Long (Elida, OH) 708, 15. Dustin Morgan (Tulsa, OK) 687, 16. Austen Wheatley (Lake Stevens, WA) 681, 17. Justyn Cox (Clarksburg, CA) 667, 18. Channin Tankersley (Highlands, TX) 654, 19. Andrew Marshala (Shawnee, OK) 563, 20. Johnny Herrera (Albuquerque, NM) 501.
Brodix Rookie of the Year Points: 1. Kyle Hirst (Loomis, CA) 860, 2. Matt Covington (Glenpool, OK) 826, 3. Dustin Morgan (Tulsa, OK) 687, 4. Austen Wheatley (Lake Stevens, WA) 681, 5. Justyn Cox (Clarksburg, CA) 667, 6. Channin Tankersley (Highlands, TX) 654, 7. Andrew Marshala (Shawnee, OK) 563.
2010 Lucas Oil Sprint Car Feature Winners:
Brady Bacon 3, Zach Chappell 1, Matt Covington 1, Jason Johnson 1, Sammy Swindell 1, Danny Wood 1.
Lucas Oil Sprint Cars presented by K&N Filters – A Look Ahead:
July 10 – I-90 Speedway (Hartford, SD)
July 16/17 – Grays Harbor Raceway (Elma, WA)
July 23/24 – Cottage Grove Speedway (Cottage Grove, OR)
July 30 – LA Raceway (La Monte, MO)
Lucas Oil Sprint Cars on the Web:
Those unable to catch all the action in person can listen to every Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters live at www.racinboys.com.
Also, the Lucas Oil ASCS Show airs on www.racinboys.com each Tuesday night at 8:00 p.m. ET, recapping the previous week's events while also previewing upcoming action.
Official results, championship point updates, photos and race notes will be available at www.ascsracing.com.
Lucas Oil Sprint Cars on TV:
The Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters will be featured in ten one-hour shows broadcast on a tape-delayed basis on the VERSUS Network and MavTV.
Events to be aired on VERSUS and MavTV include the following:
Event Date – Track (Location) – VERSUS Air Date & Time (All Times Eastern & Subject to Change):
March 19 – Devil's Bowl Speedway (Mesquite, TX) – 6/6/10 @ 6:00 p.m.
March 20 – Devil's Bowl Speedway (Mesquite, TX) – Rained Out
June 11 – Eagle Raceway (Eagle, NE) – 11/21/10 @ 4:00 p.m.
June 12 – Eagle Raceway (Eagle, NE) – 11/21/10 @ 5:00 p.m.
September 25 – Lucas Oil Speedway (Wheatland, MO) – 11/28/10 @ 6:00 p.m.
October 1 – Riverside Speedway (W. Memphis, AR) – TBD
October 2 – Riverside Speedway (W. Memphis, AR) – TBD
October 28 - I-30 Speedway (Little Rock, AR) – 12/5/10 @ 5:00 p.m.
October 29 – I-30 Speedway (Little Rock, AR) – 12/5/10 @ 6:00 p.m.
October 30 – I-30 Speedway (Little Rock, AR) – 12/19/10 @ 4:00 p.m.
The Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters is currently slated for 36 nights of racing action at 18 different tracks throughout the nation, with the country's top Sprint Car drivers set to battle it out for their share of the $250,000 points fund.
In its 19th year of sanctioning Sprint Car racing, the American Sprint Car Series brings the best of Sprint Car racing to approximately 100 different tracks throughout 30 states and Canada. Anchored by the Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters, ASCS also consists of ten different Regions throughout the nation.
Additional information regarding the American Sprint Car Series is available at www.ascsracing.com.
- Lonnie Wheatley on Jun 21, 2010
- Article Date: 6/21/2010