Lonnie Wheatley, TULSA, Okla. (March 28, 2011) – After kicking off the 2011 season in conjunction with the Lucas Oil ASCS presented by K&N Filters National series with February’s Copper on Dirt classic, the Sunoco Fuel ASCS Southwest Region fires back to life with this Saturday night’s tilt atop Tucson’s 3/8-mile USA Raceway.
Saturday’s card marks the first of three consecutive USA Raceway outings for the winged Sprint Cars of the Sunoco Fuel ASCS Southwest Region, with another handful of USA stops along the way to the season-ending 44th Annual Western World Championships in November.
Out to the early lead in ASCS Southwest points after a pair of 14th-place finishes versus the Lucas Oil ASCS National forces at USA Raceway in February is Joshua Hodges. The 16-year-old from Tijeras, NM, voted the 2009 National Rookie of the Year by the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum’s annual poll, is out to a 12-point advantage over three-time and defending series champion Rick Ziehl.
Hodges, who ranks as the youngest winner in ASCS history after winning a Rocky Mountain event in Wyoming at just 14 years of age, was fourth in last year’s ASCS Southwest points despite missing an event along the way.
Las Cruces’ Ziehl, who has claimed three consecutive titles by the narrow margins of 22, 7 and 26 points respectively, enters Saturday’s action just 12 points back with El Paso’s John Carney II, Scottsdale’s Lance Norick and Farmington, New Mexico’s Josh Grady the balance of the current top five in points.
The balance of the current top ten includes Kyle McCutcheon, Joshua Williams, 2010 series runner-up Calvin Landis, Jordan Stetson and Dalten Gabbard.
Saturday's ASCS Southwest Region action at USA Raceway is slated to go green at 6:45 p.m.
The 3/8-mile USA Raceway clay oval is located east of Tucson off I-10 Exit 268, then 1.6 mile south on Craycroft Road, which turns into Los Reales. For more information, contact the track at 520-574-8515.
The ASCS Southwest Region is currently slated for 20 overall nights of competition in 2011.
The 2011 season marks the 20th year of sanctioning Sprint Car racing for the American Sprint Car Series, with approximately 200 nights of competition at tracks throughout the nation and into 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 Mar 29, 2011
- Article Date: 3/29/2011