Lonnie Wheatley, TULSA, Okla. (April 3, 2007) – With seven nights of racing in the books, the O'Reilly American Sprint Cars on Tour National series will tack on three more events over the final two weekends of April.
The stars of the O'Reilly American Sprint Cars on Tour will take to Magnolia Motor Speedway in Columbus, MS, for the first time in series history on Saturday night, April 21, before moving on to more familiar territory with 67 Texarkana Speedway and Little Rock's I-30 Speedway on the following weekend, April 27 and 28.
Through the series opening seven nights of racing this year, three-time and defending series champion Gary Wright of Hooks, TX, has bolted into the points lead on the strength of top-five finishes in each feature event, including three wins.
Wright's advantage is currently at 43 points over Oklahoma City native Wayne Johnson, who has rejoined the ASCS National Tour and will try to chase down the $50,000 championship to go along with his 2000 title. Johnson topped two of the four March feature events, including a triumph in Oklahoma City's State Fair Speedway Spring Nationals finale.
South Dakota's Chuck Swenson, the reigning ASCS Northern Plains Region champion, has climbed to third on the strength of three top-five feature runs in March, with 2005 ASCS National Tour runner-up Darren Stewart and 2003 ASCS National champion Travis Rilat rounding out the current top five.
A runner-up finisher in the Devil's Bowl Spring Nationals, Louisiana's Jason Johnson has climbed to sixth in points despite some turbulent luck along the way.
After posting top-five finishes on both nights of State Fair Speedway's Spring Nationals, Foster Landon of Collinsville, OK, is seventh in points and holds the early edge over Canada's Chris Schmelzle in the Brodix Rookie of the Year points race.
After missing the East Bay opener in January, Kansas shoe Garry Lee Maier has moved into eighth in points, with Oklahoma drivers Andy Shouse and Danny Jennings completing the current top ten.
The Series:
O’Reilly American Sprint Cars on Tour (ASCoT)
When & Where:
Saturday night, April 21 at 7:00 p.m. – Magnolia Motor Speedway
Friday night, April 27 at 7:30 p.m. – 67 Texarkana Speedway
Saturday night, April 28 at 7:30 p.m. – I-30 Speedway
Track Information:
Magnolia Motor Speedway (Columbus, MS) – 3/8-mile semi-banked clay oval located five miles west of Columbus, MS, on US 82, then 0.4 miles south on US 45, then east on SR 182. Track phone: 662-328-0376.
67 Texarkana Speedway (Texarkana, AR) – ¼-mile semi-banked clay oval located east of Texarkana off I-30 Exit 7, then 0.5 miles southeast on SR 108, then 2.6 miles northeast on US 67. Track phone: 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 (County Line Road), then south to frontage road, then east. For more information, contact the track at 501-455-4567.
O’Reilly ASCoT Magnolia Motor Speedway History:
After kicking off the 2007 season atop familiar territory (East Bay, Devil's Bowl and State Fair Speedway), it's time to take on some new venues. Magnolia Motor Speedway's Boll Weevil Rumble will be the first of eleven tracks that the ASCS National Tour will visit for the first time over the course of the 2007 season.
While it is the National Tour's first stop at Magnolia Motor Speedway, the track hosted a pair of Regional events in 2006. Last April, Byhalia, Mississippi's Dale Howard won the first Sprint Car feature in track history by beating younger brother Jan Howard to the line in the annual Boll Weevil Rumble. Dale Howard tried to double up during the Labor Day weekend event, only to have Darren Stewart snare the win with a late pass for the lead after starting deep in the grid.
Magnolia Motor Speedway O'Reilly ASCoT Race-by-Race Winners: None – first event.
O’Reilly ASCoT 67 Texarkana Speedway History:
The series returns to 67 Texarkana Speedway after a year's absence. The bullring has been an annual stop for the series from 1998 to 2005, with the exception of 1999. It marks the first of two ASCS National Tour stops in Texarkana this year, with a Speedweek date on the slate as well.
Residing just 20 miles or so down the road, Hooks, TX, native Gary Wright has reached victory lane in three of seven events at 67 Texarkana. But it was Little Rock-area driver Tim Crawley who won in the series first visit in 1998, then won in the series most recent stop in 2005 with a dramatic drive from 17th in the Speedweek event.
Last year, Jason Johnson took advantage of a late slip by Jason Sides to top an ASCS Regional event at 67 Texarkana.
67 Texarkana Speedway ASCS National winners include: Gary Wright 3, Tim Crawley 2, Travis Rilat 1, Shane Stewart 1.
67 Texarkana Speedway O’Reilly ASCoT Race-by-Race Winners: Tim Crawley (6/17/98), 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).
O’Reilly ASCoT I-30 Speedway History:
A staple of the ASCS National Tour, I-30 Speedway hosted the first official ASCS National Tour event on May 15, 1993, with Memphis shoe Mike Ward dropping in on victory lane. Since that time, a dozen different drivers have posted at least one ASCS National Tour feature win in the 31 events contested at I-30.
Gary Wright has enjoyed the most success at I-30 with nine triumphs, his most recent one coming in July of 2005. Last year, Jason Johnson's magical season included an I-30 triumph.
The April stop at I-30 will serve as an ideal tune-up for the second leg of the 15th Annual ASCS Sizzlin' Summer Speedweek on July and then the 20th Annual Short Track Nationals on October 25-27, worth $20,000 to win.
I-30 Speedway ASCS National winners include: Gary Wright 9, Garry Lee Maier 4, Tim Crawley 3, Terry Gray 3, Mike Ward 3, Wayne Johnson 2, Travis Rilat 2, Pete Butler 1, Jason Johnson 1, Ricky Logan 1, Eric Sandage 1, Shane Stewart 1.
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).
Current O’Reilly ASCoT Points (After 7 of 46 Nights):
Top Fifteen: 1. Gary Wright (Hooks, TX) 727, 2. Wayne Johnson (Oklahoma City, OK) 684, 3. Chuck Swenson (Watertown, SD) 654, 4. Darren Stewart (Bixby, OK) 641, 5. Travis Rilat (Forney, TX) 635, 6. Jason Johnson (Eunice, LA) 613, 7. Foster Landon (Collinsville, OK) 559, 8. Garry Lee Maier (Cimarron, KS) 520, 9. Andy Shouse (Oklahoma City, OK) 496, 10. Danny Jennings (Norman, OK) 492, 11. Johnny Miller (Burleson, TX) 480, 12. Nick Smith (Broken Arrow, OK) 466, 13. Kevin Ramey (Fort Worth, TX) 453, 14. Natalie Sather (Fargo, ND) 451, 15. Chris Schmelzle (Victoria, BC) 424.
Top Ten Owners Points: 1. Wright #9 727, 2. H&H Enterprises #94 684, 3. Swenson #X 654, 4. Sparks #91 641, 5. Rilat #29 635, 6. Row #41 613, 7. Landon Racing #11F 559, 8. Lubbock Wrecker Service #11x 520, 9. Shouse #27 496, 10. Jennings #61J 492.
2007 O’Reilly ASCoT Feature Winners:
Gary Wright 3, Wayne Johnson 2, Terry McCarl 1, Jake Peters 1.
ASCoT in May:
May 11 State Fair Speedway (Oklahoma City, OK)
May 12 Devil's Bowl Speedway (Mesquite, TX)
May 18 Black Rock Speedway (Dundee, NY)
May 19 Black Rock Speedway (Dundee, NY)
May 24 Susquehanna Speedway Park (Newberrytown, PA)
May 25 Virginia Motor Speedway (Saluda, VA)
May 26 Virginia Motor Speedway (Saluda, VA)
The O'Reilly American Sprint Cars on Tour National series is currently slated for 46 nights of racing action at 24 different tracks throughout 16 different states, with more than $1,000,000 in purse money and point fund to be distributed during the 2007 season.
The 2007 season marks the 16th year of sanctioning Sprint Car racing for the American Sprint Car Series. With 13 different Regions in addition to the O'Reilly American Sprint Cars on Tour National series, ASCS will sanction approximately 240 nights of racing at more than 100 different race tracks throughout at least 30 different states and Canada.
Additional information regarding the American Sprint Car Series is available at www.ascsracing.com.
The stars of the O'Reilly American Sprint Cars on Tour will take to Magnolia Motor Speedway in Columbus, MS, for the first time in series history on Saturday night, April 21, before moving on to more familiar territory with 67 Texarkana Speedway and Little Rock's I-30 Speedway on the following weekend, April 27 and 28.
Through the series opening seven nights of racing this year, three-time and defending series champion Gary Wright of Hooks, TX, has bolted into the points lead on the strength of top-five finishes in each feature event, including three wins.
Wright's advantage is currently at 43 points over Oklahoma City native Wayne Johnson, who has rejoined the ASCS National Tour and will try to chase down the $50,000 championship to go along with his 2000 title. Johnson topped two of the four March feature events, including a triumph in Oklahoma City's State Fair Speedway Spring Nationals finale.
South Dakota's Chuck Swenson, the reigning ASCS Northern Plains Region champion, has climbed to third on the strength of three top-five feature runs in March, with 2005 ASCS National Tour runner-up Darren Stewart and 2003 ASCS National champion Travis Rilat rounding out the current top five.
A runner-up finisher in the Devil's Bowl Spring Nationals, Louisiana's Jason Johnson has climbed to sixth in points despite some turbulent luck along the way.
After posting top-five finishes on both nights of State Fair Speedway's Spring Nationals, Foster Landon of Collinsville, OK, is seventh in points and holds the early edge over Canada's Chris Schmelzle in the Brodix Rookie of the Year points race.
After missing the East Bay opener in January, Kansas shoe Garry Lee Maier has moved into eighth in points, with Oklahoma drivers Andy Shouse and Danny Jennings completing the current top ten.
The Series:
O’Reilly American Sprint Cars on Tour (ASCoT)
When & Where:
Saturday night, April 21 at 7:00 p.m. – Magnolia Motor Speedway
Friday night, April 27 at 7:30 p.m. – 67 Texarkana Speedway
Saturday night, April 28 at 7:30 p.m. – I-30 Speedway
Track Information:
Magnolia Motor Speedway (Columbus, MS) – 3/8-mile semi-banked clay oval located five miles west of Columbus, MS, on US 82, then 0.4 miles south on US 45, then east on SR 182. Track phone: 662-328-0376.
67 Texarkana Speedway (Texarkana, AR) – ¼-mile semi-banked clay oval located east of Texarkana off I-30 Exit 7, then 0.5 miles southeast on SR 108, then 2.6 miles northeast on US 67. Track phone: 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 (County Line Road), then south to frontage road, then east. For more information, contact the track at 501-455-4567.
O’Reilly ASCoT Magnolia Motor Speedway History:
After kicking off the 2007 season atop familiar territory (East Bay, Devil's Bowl and State Fair Speedway), it's time to take on some new venues. Magnolia Motor Speedway's Boll Weevil Rumble will be the first of eleven tracks that the ASCS National Tour will visit for the first time over the course of the 2007 season.
While it is the National Tour's first stop at Magnolia Motor Speedway, the track hosted a pair of Regional events in 2006. Last April, Byhalia, Mississippi's Dale Howard won the first Sprint Car feature in track history by beating younger brother Jan Howard to the line in the annual Boll Weevil Rumble. Dale Howard tried to double up during the Labor Day weekend event, only to have Darren Stewart snare the win with a late pass for the lead after starting deep in the grid.
Magnolia Motor Speedway O'Reilly ASCoT Race-by-Race Winners: None – first event.
O’Reilly ASCoT 67 Texarkana Speedway History:
The series returns to 67 Texarkana Speedway after a year's absence. The bullring has been an annual stop for the series from 1998 to 2005, with the exception of 1999. It marks the first of two ASCS National Tour stops in Texarkana this year, with a Speedweek date on the slate as well.
Residing just 20 miles or so down the road, Hooks, TX, native Gary Wright has reached victory lane in three of seven events at 67 Texarkana. But it was Little Rock-area driver Tim Crawley who won in the series first visit in 1998, then won in the series most recent stop in 2005 with a dramatic drive from 17th in the Speedweek event.
Last year, Jason Johnson took advantage of a late slip by Jason Sides to top an ASCS Regional event at 67 Texarkana.
67 Texarkana Speedway ASCS National winners include: Gary Wright 3, Tim Crawley 2, Travis Rilat 1, Shane Stewart 1.
67 Texarkana Speedway O’Reilly ASCoT Race-by-Race Winners: Tim Crawley (6/17/98), 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).
O’Reilly ASCoT I-30 Speedway History:
A staple of the ASCS National Tour, I-30 Speedway hosted the first official ASCS National Tour event on May 15, 1993, with Memphis shoe Mike Ward dropping in on victory lane. Since that time, a dozen different drivers have posted at least one ASCS National Tour feature win in the 31 events contested at I-30.
Gary Wright has enjoyed the most success at I-30 with nine triumphs, his most recent one coming in July of 2005. Last year, Jason Johnson's magical season included an I-30 triumph.
The April stop at I-30 will serve as an ideal tune-up for the second leg of the 15th Annual ASCS Sizzlin' Summer Speedweek on July and then the 20th Annual Short Track Nationals on October 25-27, worth $20,000 to win.
I-30 Speedway ASCS National winners include: Gary Wright 9, Garry Lee Maier 4, Tim Crawley 3, Terry Gray 3, Mike Ward 3, Wayne Johnson 2, Travis Rilat 2, Pete Butler 1, Jason Johnson 1, Ricky Logan 1, Eric Sandage 1, Shane Stewart 1.
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).
Current O’Reilly ASCoT Points (After 7 of 46 Nights):
Top Fifteen: 1. Gary Wright (Hooks, TX) 727, 2. Wayne Johnson (Oklahoma City, OK) 684, 3. Chuck Swenson (Watertown, SD) 654, 4. Darren Stewart (Bixby, OK) 641, 5. Travis Rilat (Forney, TX) 635, 6. Jason Johnson (Eunice, LA) 613, 7. Foster Landon (Collinsville, OK) 559, 8. Garry Lee Maier (Cimarron, KS) 520, 9. Andy Shouse (Oklahoma City, OK) 496, 10. Danny Jennings (Norman, OK) 492, 11. Johnny Miller (Burleson, TX) 480, 12. Nick Smith (Broken Arrow, OK) 466, 13. Kevin Ramey (Fort Worth, TX) 453, 14. Natalie Sather (Fargo, ND) 451, 15. Chris Schmelzle (Victoria, BC) 424.
Top Ten Owners Points: 1. Wright #9 727, 2. H&H Enterprises #94 684, 3. Swenson #X 654, 4. Sparks #91 641, 5. Rilat #29 635, 6. Row #41 613, 7. Landon Racing #11F 559, 8. Lubbock Wrecker Service #11x 520, 9. Shouse #27 496, 10. Jennings #61J 492.
2007 O’Reilly ASCoT Feature Winners:
Gary Wright 3, Wayne Johnson 2, Terry McCarl 1, Jake Peters 1.
ASCoT in May:
May 11 State Fair Speedway (Oklahoma City, OK)
May 12 Devil's Bowl Speedway (Mesquite, TX)
May 18 Black Rock Speedway (Dundee, NY)
May 19 Black Rock Speedway (Dundee, NY)
May 24 Susquehanna Speedway Park (Newberrytown, PA)
May 25 Virginia Motor Speedway (Saluda, VA)
May 26 Virginia Motor Speedway (Saluda, VA)
The O'Reilly American Sprint Cars on Tour National series is currently slated for 46 nights of racing action at 24 different tracks throughout 16 different states, with more than $1,000,000 in purse money and point fund to be distributed during the 2007 season.
The 2007 season marks the 16th year of sanctioning Sprint Car racing for the American Sprint Car Series. With 13 different Regions in addition to the O'Reilly American Sprint Cars on Tour National series, ASCS will sanction approximately 240 nights of racing at more than 100 different race tracks throughout at least 30 different states and Canada.
Additional information regarding the American Sprint Car Series is available at www.ascsracing.com.
