PRESS RELEASES
Thursday, July
10, 2008
10:30 am
Daryn Pittman and
Titan Racing, USA Announce A New Knoxville Nationals Paint Scheme
By Bob Jones
July 10, 2008
Daryn Pittman and Titan Racing, USA are pleased to announce an exciting new
look for the Titan 21 for the 48th Annual Knoxville Nationals.
In recent years on the World of Outlaws tour the Titan 21 is known for its
gloss black paint and neon Titan Carports & Garages logo, but Pittman and
car owner Reeve Kruck have decided it is time for something special.
“The Knoxville Nationals is the biggest event in sprint car racing and we
wanted to do something a little different this year. We had a fan poll on
our website to see if race fans wanted to see a special paint scheme and the
response was overwhelmingly in favor of us putting something together for a
Knoxville Nationals car. I think the fans will be shocked when they see
it because it is so different from what the Titan car is known for,” said
Pittman.
As part of the Knoxville Nationals tradition, the media members vote on the
best appearing car and crew. “We hope to be in the running for the
awards, but really this is something we did for the fans. It creates
excitement and people really respond to the new colors and designs. It
just adds to the “buzz” that surrounds the Nationals week,” said Pittman.
To commemorate the Knoxville Nationals car Pittman and Titan Racing are
releasing a limited number of Knoxville Nationals edition
1:18th scale die-cast cars. Along with the die-cast, there
will also be a limited number of crew shirts and t-shirts available. The
die-cast and apparel are available at www.darynpittman.com, where race fans can see just a peek
of the new Knoxville Nationals car! Be sure to check back in the coming
weeks for pictures of the new Knoxville Nationals edition crew shirts, t-shirts
and even Daryn’s
Representation For
Racers has entered into an
agreement to manage the promotional and marketing efforts of USAC/Western
States midget driver, Darrin Bolton from
"We met Darrin at
the P.R.I. show last December and instantly hit it off", said RaceFanRadio CEO Charlie Brown.
"He's a great young talent with a ton of desire and ambition and we are
looking forward to helping him to locate a full-time ride in national midget
and sprint cars."
"I am excited and
very optimistic to be working with Charlie and RFR”, says
RFR, a sister company of RaceFanRadio.com, was created
in 2007 by President and CEO Charlie Brown in an effort to advance the careers
of young drivers through media assistance, website development, interview
coaching, sponsorship packets and various other promotional activities.....
For full
details, go to http://www.racefanradio.com/drivers/darrinbolton.html
Silver Dollar Speedway date this Saturday
marks start of 3 weekends to go for Golden State Challenge Series
By Gary Thomas
Chico, CA – July 9, 2008…The start of the final three weekends of racing will
begin this Saturday night when the Golden State Challenge King of California
410 Series makes its way to the Silver Dollar Speedway for the second week in a
row.
This Saturday will also feature some extra goodies up for grabs courtesy Larry
Tinker and Fast Track Wings. The main event winner on Saturday will receive a
new HRP top wing, second place will receive a HRP front axle and the third
place finisher will get an HRP nose wing. In addition to that the fourth
through eighth place finishers will receive $100 each so it has the makings of
being a great night of competition as the Golden State Challenge 410 Winged
Sprint Car Series season goes down to the wire.
Coming off a second place finish last Saturday night current GSC point leader
Jonathan Allard has extended his advantage to 49 digits with just five races
remaining in the season. Although he has just one series victory on the year,
the
Los Angeles’ Tyler Walker continues to rank second in points and will look to
rebound on Saturday after a main event last weekend that saw him lead laps
early on, but fall to seventh by the finish. The driver of the NMI Industrial
Contractors No. 24 has three victories with the Golden State Challenge Series
this season, but is still looking for that first Silver Dollar Speedway
win.
A driver that’s been heating up the last couple weeks is definitely 13-time and
defending King of California Brent Kaeding. The Campbell driver won his first
main event of the GSC season a couple weeks ago in Tulare and backed it up with
a third place finish last Saturday at the Silver Dollar Speedway. “BK” got his
elbows up last weekend and raced neck and neck with Sweet and Allard at the end
of the race aboard his Al’s Roofing Supply No. 69.
Two-time and defending USAC Silver Crown champ Bud Kaeding also put on a show
last weekend in his Alviso Rock No. 29 as he rode the tip-top of the
quarter-mile clay oval to a fourth place finish during the main event. The 28
year-old ranks third in the GSC standings and is just
19 digits behind
Also making a return to Golden State Challenge Series competition will be
Oroville’s Destiney Hays who will be piloting a second Dan Simpson Racing
entry. The popular driver hasn’t raced a winged sprint car since 2006 and will
be a welcomed entry this weekend, as well as at the all the remaining GSC
events.
Other racers expected this Saturday will include 2004 King of California Jason
Statler of Los Gatos; ’05 King of California Sean Becker of Oroville; Chico’s
Brett Miller, Jason York & Brad Bumgarner; Princeton’s Mason Moore; Ripon’s
Brandon Carey; Gilroy’s Ken Fredenburg; Fremont’s Brent Bjork; Fresno’s Mark
Workentine; Rio Vista’s Dan Simpson and more.
The front gate will open at 5 pm on Saturday with adult tickets costing only
$16, juniors $11 and kids $5. Racing is expected to kick off sometime around 6:30
pm. The Silver Dollar Speedway is located at the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds in
Reminder- A reminder to all drivers and fans attending the races this weekend.
The Silver Dollar Fairgrounds is still being used as a home base for the fire
fighters. Once again we need everyone to come through the Costco side gate for
grandstand and pit entrance. The road to turn on is
Up next- The Golden State Challenge Series will make its final season stop to
the Ocean Speedway in
Promoters,
fans and drivers pay tribute to the man who said what he would do and did what
he said when it came to supporting the community, the county fair and local
auto racing.
The Forni family has a great history in
County and deep ties to the
ElDorado County Fairground and much of the land on which it sits. Much
like his forefathers, Mark Forni had a great passion for the county fair and
its attributes, especially the race track. From the time he was a young child
and the days when Placerville Speedway was known as “Old Hangtown Speedway,”
Mark was actively involved with the weekly auto races, always willing to
lend a helping hand to anyone in need involved with the sport he loved.
Later
in life, Mark
continued his contributions to local auto racing, sponsoring many race teams
with his business, Forni’s Trucking. He later became a member of the El Dorado
County Fair Board and focused on the issues regarding the future of the fair
and the speedway. Mark Forni believed in working relationships. He understood
the importance of race promoters, sponsorships and the one key element for
every event to be successful, the spectator. “Mark Forni was a guy that just
got things done for anyone,” said Placerville Speedway promoter, Alan Padjen.
“He would often come to me if we had a problem or an issue and would simply ask
me what it would take to get it resolved or repaired. Every time he got
involved it got done, even if he did it himself.”
In November of 2004, Mark was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma. During his final
months, Mark had the opportunity to say goodbye to friends and family and spend
some special moments with his wife and children, a bittersweet time for those
who knew and loved him so much. In the summer of 2005, Mark passed away at the
early age of 45 and it was friends and
family that put together a
memorial service that was a great tribute to Mark and met his wishes.
Combined efforts of the El Dorado County Fair,
Placerville Speedway and On Stage Productions
enabled the Forni family and the community to bid farewell to Mark at the one
place that meant so much to him, Placerville Speedway. With more than 500
people in the grandstands that afternoon for Mark’s “Celebration of Life,” the
community said farewell to Mark in a fashion best suited for him, surrounded by
his friends in the community, his very first dump truck that was fully restored
prior to the ceremony and with two sprint cars that he supported for so many
years.
For Mark Forni, sprint car racing and his local racetrack were a very special
part of his life. Therefore, it is only appropriate for Placerville Speedway
and the community to proudly present the annual “Mark
Forni Classic” race this Saturday night. Forni
was a man who didn’t like a great deal of attention and fanfare. This race, in
his honor, is designed in the style Mark Forni would request. Its not about drawing extra car counts with the lucrative
bounty. It’s not about packing the stands to increase revenue. Its about paying tribute to a man who always said what he
was going to do in the community and then did what he said.
“Mark was a quiet individual and behind that quiet personality was a man that
was always thinking of how he could help his community, especially when it came
to racing,” commented Bill Sullivan, Director of Communications for Placerville
Speedway. “I grew up in this town and everyone who was raised here
knew of the Forni
family and their legacy in this county. Mark was undoubtedly a great part of
that legacy. He was always their to listen to us as
race promoters, members of the community and most importantly, as friends. I
didn’t work as closely with him as Alan Padjen did but I think I speak for
everyone that who him that he is truly missed at this place and this Saturday,
the community has clearly spoken just how much he is missed.”
Saturday’s sprint car feature event will pay $5000 to the winner and additional
monies may be announced in the week to come. The fast qualifier for the night
will pick up an extra $100, courtesy of Dan Ramey of DSR Graphics and Signs.
The community sponsorship is a collaboration of area businesses that knew Mark
Forni personally and family friend Chuck Sept, a heavy equipment operator in El
Dorado County who is very passionate and dedicated to paying tribute to his
friend who passed away far to young.
“With the current economy, we weren’t really sure where this race was headed in
2008,” explained Sullivan. “And here we are again, with $5,000 to win and extra
money for our stock cars too. This is something I cannot take the credit for,
this race is the work
of Chuck Sept and
both Alan Padjen and I commend him for his efforts. We know how much he
misses Mark, he grew up with him and to go out there in the community and put
these investors together is a tribute that is second to none.”
Contributors to Saturday’s 3rd Annual Mark Forni Classic include
Doug Veerkamp Engineering Incorporated, Hunt and Sons, C&H Auto Parts, MRO
Industrial, Les Schwab Tires of Placerville, Pape’ Machinery, Armonds Giant
Tire Service, Sunrise Automotive Paint and Supplies and the Supply Broker. In
addition to the title sponsors, the
Saturday’s race will feature sprint cars, pro stocks, pure stocks and wingless
sprints cars. The grandstands open at 5 p.m. with qualifying starting at 6:30
followed by heat races. For further information log on to www.johnpadjenmotorsports.com
Lonnie Wheatley, TULSA, Okla. (July 8, 2008) – As if Jason Johnson
weren't already among the favorites to take the 16th Annual Toyota
Tundra ASCS Sizzlin' Summer Speedweek championship featuring the O'Reilly
American Sprint Cars on Tour National series, he added a little more fodder for
consideration on Tuesday night with a $6,000 victory in the Ollie's Challenge
at Ohio's Eldora Speedway.
Tuesday's triumph at Eldora makes "The Ragin' Cajun"
eligible for a $50,000 bonus if he can top the final leg of the Ollie's
Challenge in
Johnson's Eldora triumph follows on the heels of a recent spate of
O'Reilly ASCoT National victories at
He'll try to keep that momentum rolling through Toyota Tundra ASCS
Speedweek, which gets under way Friday night at 67 Texarkana Speedway before
moving up the Interstate to Little Rock's I-30 Speedway. Ensuing events
take place at Creek County Speedway near
On Saturday night, Johnson racked up his seventh ASCS National
Tour victory of the season at
Following his Saturday night score in
Johnson snared that first Eldora win tonight. But before he
can finish out the pursuit of that extra $50,000, he has plenty of business to
tend to over the next couple of weeks with the 16th Annual Toyota
Tundra ASCS Sizzlin' Summer Speedweek.
Johnson and four-time and reigning ASCS National champion Gary
Wright of Hooks, TX, are already engaged in a fierce battle for the $50,000
crown. And six nights of Speedweek action at six different tracks
throughout
Toss in another $5,000 in the form of Toyota Tundra ASCS Speedweek
point fund money that a record field of competitors is expected to vie for over
the course of the week and the action is certain to be intense. The
Toyota Tundra ASCS Speedweek champion will collect an extra $1,200 bonus, with
second in points receiving $1,100, third earning $1,000, fourth earning $900
and fifth awarded $800.
Johnson has experienced both ends of the Speedweek luck spectrum
in recent years. Two years ago, the Eunice, LA, racer topped five of six
feature events to capture his first ASCS Speedweek title. But last year,
Johnson missed the cut for the final feature event at Lawton Speedway, which
not only cost him any chance at a Speedweek crown but also proved costly in
National championship pursuit.
Johnson enters Friday night's Toyota Tundra ASCS Speedweek opener
at 67 Texarkana Speedway carrying a streak of 37 consecutive top-ten feature
finishes in ASCS National Tour action, just three short of Terry Gray's record
of 40 in a row established over a span of races nearly a decade ago from July
of 1997 to July of 1998.
Johnson will be just one of at least three past ASCS Speedweek
champions pursuing another Speedweek title, with five-time Speedweek king Gary
Wright aiming for number six and 2004 Speedweek champion Tim Crawley looking to
add a second crown.
A number of other top contenders will be vying for a first
Speedweek title, including Wayne Johnson (Oklahoma City, OK), Zach Chappell
(Talala, OK), Garry Lee Maier (Cimarron, KS), Eric Baldaccini (Keller, TX),
Kenneth Walker (Sapulpa, OK), Nick Smith (Broken Arrow, OK), Kathryne Minter
(Bedford, TX), Gary Taylor (Sapulpa, OK), Aaron Berryhill (Broken Arrow, OK),
Jack Dover (Springfield,NE), Matt Covington (Glenpool, OK), Jason Botsford
(Tracy, CA), J.J. Hickle (Quilcene, WA) and Brad Bowden (Hernando, MS) among
others.
The Series:
O’Reilly American Sprint Cars on Tour (
When & Where:
16th Annual
Round One - Friday night, July 11 – 67 Texarkana Speedway at 7:30
p.m.
Round Two - Saturday night, July 12 – I-30
Round Three – Monday night, July 14 – Creek County Speedway at
7:00 p.m.
Round Four – Thursday night, July 17 – Devil's Bowl Speedway at
8:00 p.m.
Round Five – Friday night, July 18 – State Fair
Round Six – Saturday night, July 19 – Lawton Speedway at 8:00 p.m.
Track Information:
67 Texarkana Speedway (Texarkana, AR) – ¼-mile semi-banked clay
oval located east of Texarkana on I-30 to Exit 7, then 0.5 miles southeast on
State Road 108, then 2.6 miles northeast on U.S. 67. For more
information, contact the track at 870-773-0029.
I-30 Speedway (Little Rock, AR) – ¼-mile high-banked clay oval
located seven miles southwest of Little Rock off I-30 Exit 126 (Alexander Rd.),
then south to frontage road, then east. For more information, contact the
track at 501-455-4567.
Creek County Speedway (Sapulpa, OK) – ¼-mile semi-banked dirt oval
located southwest of Tulsa, OK, off I-44 Exit 211, then 0.3 miles south on
State Road 33, then one mile west on State Road 66, then south. For more
information, contact the track at 918-247-6675.
Devil’s Bowl Speedway (Mesquite, TX) –
½-mile high-banked clay oval located six miles east of Dallas’ Loop I-635 on US
80, then three miles south on Lawson Road. Track phone: 972-222-2421.
State Fair Speedway (
O’Reilly ASCoT 67
Just up the road from Gary Wright's Hooks, TX, home, "The
Texan" topped the first three ASCS events at 67
Jason Johnson topped last year's
I-30 Speedway ASCS National winners include: Gary Wright 3,
Tim Crawley 1, Jason Johnson 1, Travis Rilat 1, Shane
Stewart 1.
Past Speedweek Winners at 67
67 Texarkana Speedway O’Reilly ASCoT Race-by-Race Winners: Gary
Wright (7/22/00), Gary Wright (5/19/01), Gary Wright (4/12/02), Shane Stewart
(5/2/03), Travis Rilat (4/30/04), Tim Crawley (6/10/05), Jason Johnson
(4/27/07).
O’Reilly ASCoT I-30
A staple of the ASCS National Tour, I-30 Speedway hosted the first
official ASCS National Tour event on May 15, 1993, with
Gary Wright has enjoyed the most success at I-30 with ten
triumphs, his most recent one coming during the 2006 edition of ASCS
Speedweek.
Saturday's card at I-30 Speedway will likely mark the 100th
event in ASCS Speedweek history, provided that Friday night's card at Texarkana
is completed.
I-30 Speedway ASCS National winners include: Gary Wright 10,
Garry Lee Maier 4, Tim Crawley 3, Terry Gray 3, Mike Ward 3, Jason Johnson 2,
Wayne Johnson 2, Travis Rilat 2, Nick Smith 1, Shane Stewart 2, Pete Butler 1,
Ricky Logan 1, Jason Meyers 1, Eric Sandage 1, Tim
Shaffer 1.
Past Speedweek Winners at I-30 Speedway: Tim Crawley (1993), Garry
Lee Maier (1994), Gary Wright (1995), Garry Lee Maier (1996), Gary Wright (1997),
Terry Gray (1998), Travis Rilat (2004), Tim Crawley (2005), Gary Wright (2007).
I-30 Speedway O’Reilly ASCoT Race-by-Race Winners: Mike Ward
(5/15/93), Tim Crawley (6/24/93), Terry Gray (7/17/93), Garry Lee Maier
(6/18/94), Garry Lee Maier (8/13/94), Terry Gray (5/20/95), Ricky Logan
(6/24/95), Gary Wright (7/15/95), Mike Ward (5/18/96), Garry Lee Maier
(6/15/96), Garry Lee Maier (8/3/96), Mike Ward (5/17/97), Gary Wright
(6/14/97), Wayne Johnson (9/26/97), Wayne Johnson (9/27/97), Gary Wright (5/16/98),
Terry Gray (6/13/98), Eric Sandage (8/25/01), Pete Butler (6/22/02), Gary
Wright (7/13/02), Gary Wright (9/21/02), Gary Wright (6/21/03), Tim Crawley
(7/12/03), Shane Stewart (9/6/03), Gary Wright (6/5/04), Travis Rilat
(7/10/04), Gary Wright (8/28/04), Tim Crawley (6/11/05), Gary Wright (7/9/05),
Travis Rilat (10/1/05), Jason Johnson (7/29/06), Jason Johnson (4/28/07), Gary
Wright (7/14/07), Shane Stewart (10/25/07), Tim Shaffer (10/26/07), Jason
Meyers (10/27/07), Nick Smith (4/26/08).
O’Reilly
The American Sprint Car Series started out with Creek County
Speedway as its home track way back in 1992.
The site of the first ever Speedweek event in 1993, it marks the
third consecutive year at Creek County Speedway after returning to the
Speedweek slate in 2006 and eleventh overall Speedweek event. The two
most recent Speedweek cards at
An ASCS Sooner Region stop at Creek County Speedway several weeks
ago had Sean McClelland charging from nine rows deep to take the win away from
Nick Smith in the final corner.
Creek County Speedway ASCS National winners include: Tim
Crawley 3, Gary Wright 3, Pete Butler 1, Phil Gressman 1, John Hunt 1, Jason
Johnson 1, Wayne Johnson 1, Garry Lee Maier 1, Darren Stewart 1, Mike Ward 1, Danny Wood 1.
Past Speedweek Winners at Creek County Speedway: Mike Ward
(1993), John Hunt (1993), Garry Lee Maier (1994), Gary Wright (1995), Wayne
Johnson (1996), Phil Gressman (1998), Tim Crawley (1999), Tim Crawley (2000),
Jason Johnson (2006), Darren Stewart (2007).
Creek County Speedway O’Reilly ASCoT Race-by-Race Winners: Mike
Ward (6/20/93), John Hunt (6/25/93), Garry Lee Maier (6/25/94), Gary Wright
(10/14/94), Gary Wright (7/16/95), Danny Wood (10/8/95), Wayne Johnson
(6/16/96), Gary Wright (7/31/97), Pete Butler (8/31/97), Phil Gressman
(6/16/98), Tim Crawley (5/30/99), Tim Crawley (7/25/99), Tim Crawley (7/18/00),
Jason Johnson (7/9/06), Darren (7/16/07).
O’Reilly ASCoT Devil's Bowl
Devil’s Bowl
Speedway has been hosting the O’Reilly ASCS National Tour since 1994, with 20
different drivers scoring at least one victory in 53 feature events. Gary
Wright has claimed 17 of his 120 career ASCS National wins at Devil’s Bowl,
including a pair of triumphs in 2007 and a dramatic last corner pass to win
this year's edition of the Devil's Bowl Spring Nationals.
Wright also won last year's Devil's Bowl leg of ASCS Speedweek.
Jason Johnson, who swept last October's Winter Nationals, topped
the most recent ASCS event at Devil's Bowl with a triumph in the second leg of
May's Red River Shootout.
Devil’s Bowl
ASCS National winners include: Gary Wright 17, Jason Johnson 5, Wayne Johnson
4, Danny Jennings 3, Kevin Ramey 3, Shane Carson 2, Terry Gray 2, Garry Lee
Maier 2, Mike Peters 2, Travis Rilat 2, Sammy Swindell 2, Tony Bruce, Jr. 1,
Tim Crawley 1, Edd French 1, Johnny Herrera 1, Larry Neighbors 1, Alan Payne 1,
Jake Peters 1, Shane Stewart 1, Mike Ward 1.
Past Speedweek Winners at Devil's Bowl Speedway: Shane
Carson (1994), Mike Ward (1995), Wayne Johnson (1996), Wayne Johnson (1997),
Gary Wright (1998), Garry Lee Maier (1999), Gary Wright (2000), Gary Wright
(2001), Jason Johnson (2002), Danny Jennings (2005), Gary Wright (2006), Gary
Wright (2007).
Devil’s Bowl O’Reilly ASCoT Race-by-race Winners: Shane
Carson (6/21/94), Alan Payne (5/12/95), Mike Ward (7/23/95), Mike Peters
(9/1/95), Sammy Swindell (9/2/95), Sammy Swindell (9/3/95), Wayne Johnson
(6/18/96), Terry Gray (7/6/96), Terry Gray (11/1/96), Johnny Herrera (11/2/96),
Shane Carson (4/5/97), Wayne Johnson (6/18/97), Edd French (10/31/97), Mike Peters
(11/1/97), Gary Wright (6/19/98), Gary Wright (10/3/98), Garry Lee Maier
(10/4/98), Gary Wright (7/8/99), Garry Lee Maier (7/30/99), Gary Wright
(10/1/99), Gary Wright (10/2/99), Gary Wright (7/21/00), Gary Wright (10/6/00),
Larry Neighbors (4/20/01), Gary Wright (7/20/01), Gary Wright (10/6/01), Travis
Rilat (4/19/02), Jason Johnson (6/7/02), Wayne Johnson (10/4/02), Gary Wright
(10/5/02), Kevin Ramey (4/18/03), Tim Crawley (10/17/03), Gary Wright
(10/18/03), Shane Stewart (10/23/04), Danny Jennings (3/18/05), Danny Jennings
(3/19/05), Danny Jennings (6/9/05), Gary Wright (10/21/05), Gary Wright
(10/22/05), Kevin Ramey (6/24/06 – Spring Nationals makeup feature), Kevin
Ramey (6/24/06 – Summer Nationals), Gary Wright (7/13/06), Jason Johnson
(10/13/06), Travis Rilat (10/14/06), Wayne Johnson (3/16/07), Jake Peters
(3/17/07), Gary Wright (5/12/07), Gary Wright (7/19/07), Jason Johnson
(10/12/07), Jason Johnson (10/13/07), Tony Bruce, Jr. (3/14/08), Gary Wright
(3/15/08), Jason Johnson (5/10/08).
O’Reilly ASCoT State Fair
State Fair Speedway has hosted 27 ASCS National Tour events since
1994, with 23 events in
The last time Gary Wright missed an ASCS National Tour event, it
was at State Fair Speedway on May 9, 2003, when an accident while en route
forced his absence. Since that time, Wright has racked up four series
titles and has competed in 184 consecutive ASCS National Tour events.
Wright topped three of four ASCS National Tour features at State
Fair Speedway in 2007, including the OKC leg of Speedweek.
Jason Johnson topped
State Fair Speedway ASCS National winners include: Gary
Wright 11, Jason Johnson 4, Kevin Ramey 2, Zach Chappell 1, Jack Dover 1,
Tommie Estes, Jr. 1, Wayne Johnson 1, Danny Lasoski 1, Wayne Pennington 1,
Travis Rilat 1, Darren Stewart 1, Shane Stewart 1, Danny
Wood 1.
Past Speedweek Winners at State Fair
State Fair Speedway O’Reilly ASCoT Race-by-race Winners:
Gary Wright (10/13/94), Tommie Estes, Jr. (5/26/96), Gary Wright (8/11/96),
Zach Chappell (7/21/01), Wayne Pennington (5/17/02), Kevin Ramey (6/28/02),
Gary Wright (8/23/02), Travis Rilat (5/9/03), Shane Stewart (6/1/03), Gary
Wright (6/27/03), Gary Wright (8/1/03), Danny Wood (6/25/04), Gary Wright
(7/30/04), Kevin Ramey (5/20/05), Darren Stewart (6/24/05), Gary Wright
(7/29/05), Jason Johnson (3/24/06), Jason Johnson (3/25/06), Gary Wright
(6/23/06), Jason Johnson (7/14/06), Gary Wright (3/23/07), Wayne Johnson (3/24/07),
Gary Wright (5/11/07), Gary Wright (7/20/07), Danny Lasoski (3/21/08), Jason
Johnson (3/22/08), Jack Dover (5/10/08).
O’Reilly ASCoT
A regular stop on the American Bank of Oklahoma ASCS Sooner
Regional trail, Lawton Speedway hosts the ASCS Speedweek finale for the fifth
time in the last seven years.
Gary Wright has topped three of the four ASCS Speedweek events at
Lawton Speedway, including last year's stop. Two-time ASCS Sooner Region
champion Kevin Ramey took the 2006 Speedweek win at
Lawton Speedway ASCS National winners include: Gary Wright
4, Danny Jennings 1, Daryn Pittman 1, Kevin Ramey 1, Paul
White 1.
Past Speedweek Winners at
Lawton Speedway O’Reilly ASCoT Race-by-race Winners: Daryn
Pittman (9/12/98), Paul White (9/11/99), Gary Wright (8/5/00), Danny Jennings
(8/4/01), Gary Wright (6/8/02), Gary Wright (6/7/03), Kevin Ramey (7/15/06),
Gary Wright (7/21/07).
Current O’Reilly
Drivers:
Top Fifteen: 1. Gary Wright (Hooks, TX) 2,249, 2. Jason Johnson (
Owners:
Top Fifteen: 1. Wright-Cooper Motorsports 9 / 01 – 2,249, 2. Lanny Row 41 –
2,241, 3. Mike Hammers 94 – 2,177, 4. David Chappell 50z – 2,107, 5. Scott
Brown 11x – 1,968, 6. Harry Baldaccini B4 1,829, 7. Kip Smith 15s – 1,713, 8.
Lori Dover 53 – 1,648, 9. Sandra Walker 2 – 1,615, 10. Travis
Rilat 29 - 1,364, 11. Tracy Minter 13 – 1,341, 12.
Bobby Sparks 91 – 1,282, 13. Mike Eubanks 5* - 1,263, 14.
Aaron Berryhill 97 – 1,249, 15. Sides Motorsports 7s –
1,130.
2008 O’Reilly
Jason Johnson 7, Tony Bruce, Jr., 2, Kenny Adams 1, Aaron
Berryhill 1, Jack Dover 1, Wayne Johnson 1, Danny Lasoski 1, Terry McCarl 1,
Nick Smith 1, Skip Wilson 1, Gary Wright 1.
O'Reilly
July 31 18th Annual
August 1 18th Annual
August 2 18th Annual Knoxville ASCS Nationals (
The O'Reilly American Sprint Cars on
Tour National series is currently slated for approximately 40 nights of racing
action at nearly 20 different tracks throughout a dozen different states, with
more than $1,000,000 in purse money and point fund to be distributed during the
2008 season.
The nation's most prominent Sprint Car sanctioning body with a
dozen different Regions throughout the
Additional information regarding the American Sprint Car Series is
available at www.ascsracing.com.
World of Outlaws
Fast Talkers: 25th Anniversary Kings Royal at Eldora Speedway
Rossburg, OH— July 8, 2008—With
the 25th Anniversary Kings Royal at the famed Eldora Speedway just
around the corner on Saturday, July 12, the 17 drivers competing full-time with
the Advance Auto Parts World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series recently shared their
thoughts on the event. There have been six current World of Outlaws drivers
that have won the prestigious event, led by 20-time series champion Steve
Kinser, who has six wins in the Kings Royal. He is the only driver that has
started each of the previous 24 Kings Royals. Jac Haudenschild has won the race
three times and along with Kinser is the only driver that has won it more than
two times. Joey Saldana has two Kings Royal triumphs in career, in 2002 and
again in 2006. Current Advance Auto Parts World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series
drivers that have won the race once include two-time defending series champion
Donny Schatz who won it last season and Jason Sides who was victorious in 2004.
Tony Bruce Jr., Driver of the No. 18 Best Well Services
Maxim
“It’s a big event and there is a lot of prestige. In my
eyes, $50,000 is what makes it so big. It’s a good event for us to have and
hopefully we can be up front and take some of that money… Eldora is Eldora and
you basically have to get up on the fence and that is what you have to do
there. As many laps as you can get at that place is good. Just seeing that
place and getting comfortable being up by the fence there is a good thing… The
event has been around longer than I have been alive, so it’s a little hard to
put in perspective in terms of my memories of it. It’s obviously a big race and
a fixture in sprint car racing. To win any race at Eldora would be a special
win, whether it’s the Kings Royal or any race.”
Craig Dollansky, Driver of the No. 2 Auto Value Parts
Stores Maxim
“It’s always an event that we enjoy going to. You hope that
your team is ready for it and your equipment is strong. It’s definitely an
event that everybody wants to win. To have your name on that trophy is
something everyone shoots for… The 25th Anniversary definitely adds
more prestige to it and it would be a very big deal to win… We won there
earlier this year and had some troubles the second time and I feel pretty good
about our team going in there. Hopefully we can have a little luck on our side
and have a good weekend.
Sam Hafertepe Jr., Driver of the No. 15H G.H. Plumbing
J&J
“We’re pretty pumped up about it. It’s an awesome race track
to go to and a great event for everybody…It’s one of the main places that we
race at and there are a lot of legends that have won at that place and that
come out of that place. We just want to add our name to that list… It
definitely helps having laps there this year. There are some guys that come in
from the outside and we have raced there a couple times this year and that
should give us an upper hand on them.”
Jac Haudenschild, Driver of the No. R19 Owens-Corning
Fiberglass Maxim
“We’re looking forward to it this year. The (No.) R19 car
has been going pretty good this year. We’re hoping to have a good run there and
are really looking forward to it… The Kings Royal has been around for a long
time and it has always paid $50,000- to win. Everybody always enjoys going
there and it’s always good racing… Everybody wants to win the Kings Royal and
the big races… We’ve been there a few times this year and the track has been
different each time we have been there. Hopefully we have a good track and it
will be a lot of fun.”
“It’s always a very special event for everybody. It’s also a
big paying event. It’s a great place to race, with it being wide open. They
always get a good crowd and a good car count and it’s exciting to go back
there… Every time you go back to places you learn from your mistakes the time
before. We’ve been kind of hit and miss there this year. We qualified well
there last time and had a problem in the feature. We’re hoping that the Kings Royal
goes well for us.”
“I always enjoy the Kings Royal and racing at Eldora. We
have run very strong there and have come close to winning the Kings Royal a
couple of times. Hopefully this year we can get the job done… There are a lot
of people from back home who come to the race there, along with family members.
I don’t care if Eldora is in the middle of nowhere,
it’s a place of its own. I love racing there… Knowing some of the guys that
have won the race, you just want to be one of them that has won it. It’s kind
of like the Knoxville Nationals. You grow up your whole live watching them and
wanting to win them. We’ve been close to winning both of them and now need to
win one of them, if not both… It’s always good to get laps at Eldora. Any lap
there is a good lap. Hopefully we can be competitive over there this week.”
Kraig Kinser, Driver of the No. 20 Bass Pro Shops Maxim
“It’s a big race and you always want to do good when you get
to the big races. We haven’t had real good luck this year, and hopefully our
luck changes at Eldora… The big races are always ones that you look forward to.
Growing up around them, you always want to win them. It’s always big to go to
races like that. We just have to focus on the job at-hand and that is running
strong there.”
Steve Kinser, Driver of the No. 11 Q Oil Maxim
“It’s still one of the biggest races there is. It was one of
the first big paying events to come out. Earl Baltes was always first to do
things. I remember the first $10,000-to win race there, and then the first
$50,000-to win and I think he (Baltes) had the first $100,000- to win race.
Anytime you race at a place like Eldora it’s a big race. Along with
Kerry Madsen, Driver of the No. 55 TK Concrete Maxim
“We’re looking forward to it. We ran good last year and blew
a tire halfway through. Hopefully we can put ourselves in a good position and
battle for it…. Eldora is a very cool place and had a lot of prestige to it,
and it’s pretty special to win there. If you win a race there, you have done
something right. We are looking to put our best foot forward there and have a
real good run… You learn things every time you race there. I feel like we get
better and better each time we are there. Hopefully we can have a run at the 50
big ones.”
Terry McCarl, Driver of the No. 24 Big Game Treestands
Eagle
“I’m really looking forward to it. Eldora has turned into
one of my favorite race tracks. We have been fast there, but haven’t been able
to get that first win. We’re pretty excited. Last year, I think we were the
fastest car over the two days. We ran second the first night and third in the
Royal. Hopefully we can get a good starting position and have a shot at
winning. I really wanted to win it last year, because I would have been King
24. You are lucky to win any Kings Royal, it doesn’t matter the number. When I
first went to Eldora, I really didn’t like the place because we weren’t doing
very good. Now we have the set-up down and I really
enjoy racing there. It’s a blast to go to events like that because of the aura
in the pits and the people there. It’s definitely an event.”
Paul McMahan, Driver of the No. 6 Casey’s General Stores
Maxim
“It’s always good to go to Eldora, especially when they are
paying $50,000 to win. I won a race there last year and hopefully we can get a
few wins there this week… The Kings Royal is the Kings Royal, it doesn’t matter
if it’s the first one or the last one, and it’s just one that everyone wants to
win… We don’t do this for the money. We do it for the pride of winning racing.
Anytime you can win a race like the Kings Royal is special. It doesn’t matter
if it paid $1,000 or $50,000.”
Jason Meyers, Driver of the No. 14 GLR Investments KPC
“For us, we are going over there hopefully with an opportunity
to win. We have been really good both times at Eldora this year and
unfortunately have had flat tires both times. We ran second last year at the
Kings Royal and it’s a race we have not been able to put down as a win in our
record books. These guys are working hard and hopefully we can be sitting on
top of the throne at the end of the night… The big money races are where you
want to win the money, but I think that is one where the prestige does come
over the money. It is such a big event and they do it up and it has a special
meaning to it. The money does take a back seat and hopefully it’s one we can
win.”
Daryn Pittman, Driver of the No. 21 Titan Garages Maxim
“It’s a big race and everyone always get up for that. I am
looking forward to it. Believe it or not, I am excited to head over. I have not
looked forward to that many Kings Royals the last few years, because we had
struggled at Eldora and not run that well. As much as we have struggled this
year, we have been good at Eldora. In the last four or five times that we have
been there, we have been in the Top-Five every night. I think we have a good
shot at running well, and a good shot at winning it. I am optimistic about that
race as much as any race this year. That is definitely a race everyone wants to
win during their career… The money is good, especially when you are struggling.
The money is second-hand though, but it is also what makes it such a big race.
The history that goes behind it and this year they will honor all the guys that
have won it. For whoever wins it this year, they will be in front of a lot of
guys that have not been to Eldora for a number of years. There is definitely a
lot of history and prestige in that one, and the money is always good.”