Lonnie Wheatley, OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. (May 9, 2008) – Yet another new face graced O'Reilly American Sprint Cars on Tour National series victory lane on Friday night, as Nebraska's Jack Dover wired the field to top the opening leg of the Red River Shootout at State Fair Speedway.
The 18-year-old gunned into the lead at the outset and led all 25 laps en route to his first career ASCS National Tour triumph aboard Mark and Lori Dover's Eckley-powered 3D Auto Transport No. 53 Eagle, in the process becoming the tenth different ASCoT National winner in a dozen events thus far in 2008.
"There's that feature win we've been looking for," Dover commented after snaring the elusive win to back up the series' best sixth heat race win of the season that he posted earlier in the evening.
Originally slated to start the feature inside the second row, Dover's first big break came when scheduled polesitter Eric Baldaccini was forced to the work area with driveline issues before the field ever aligned. Baldaccini, the leading Brodix Rookie of the Year contender, rejoined the field at the tail after quick repairs and ultimately worked his way back up to 12th by race's end.
Starting alongside past ASCS Sooner Region champion Andy Shouse, Dover gunned into the lead at the drop of the green flag and never looked back. On several occasions, Shouse and third-runner Jason Johnson closed in on Dover as lapped traffic began to play a factor, only to have a caution flag fly.
After the race's final interruption set up an eight-lap dash to the checkered flag, Dover cruised to the checkered flag unabated to deliver the perfect birthday gift to crew chief Wayne Priddy as well as an early graduation present to himself.
Set for his high school graduation on Sunday, Dover took the checkered flag a half dozen car-lengths ahead of Shouse, with Johnson taking the show position in Lanny Row's Wesmar-powered The Shop Motorsports No. 41 Eagle.
Zach Chappell snared the fourth position in David Chappell's McCarver-powered Legend's Bar-B-Que No. 50z Maxim, with Garry Lee Maier rounding out the top five in Scott Brown's ASI-powered Lubbock Wrecker Service/Max Jantz Excavating No. 11x Maxim.
Wayne Johnson gained a half dozen positions to finish sixth in front of Danny Jennings and Travis Rilat, while Kevin Ramey raced from 18th to ninth. Gary Wright held on to his series points lead by completing the top ten.
The feature was interrupted several times, the first of which was for a lap two flip in turn two by Chris Lloyd. After Jason Sides stopped in turn four after seven laps, the red flag appeared another seven laps later when Aaron Berryhill stopped at the end of the frontstretch with a throbbing foot resulting from driveline failure. Chris Tarrant stopped on the backstretch a lap later, with the final red flag flying after 17 laps when Kathryne Minter tumbled off the turn one embankment. There were no injuries.
Dover, Chappell and Jason Johnson topped heat race action, with Jason Sides taking "B" Main honors after apparent victor Kathryne Minter was disqualified for use of an illegal right rear tire.
O’Reilly ASCoT Red River Shootout Results from State Fair Speedway:
Heat Races (Top 16 in passing points to “A” Main; Balance to "B" Main)
Brodix Heat One (8 Laps): 1. 53-Jack Dover, 2. b4-Eric Baldaccini, 3. 71-Chris Tarrant, 4. 29-Travis Rilat, 5. 91-Donnie Ray Crawford, 6. 5*-Gary Taylor, 7. 7s-Jason Sides, 8. 15s-Nick Smith, 9. 03-Joe Wood, Jr.
Wesmar-Shaver Heat Two (8 Laps): 1. 50z-Zach Chappell, 2. 61J-Danny Jennings, 3. 27-Andy Shouse, 4. 22-Koby Barksdale, 5. 97-Aaron Berryhill, 6. 13-Kathryne Minter, 7. 2-Kenneth Walker, 8. 3r-Michael Beckerman, 9. 28-Chris Lloyd.
Brodix Heat Three (8 Laps): 1. 41-Jason Johnson, 2. 9-Gary Wright, 3. 11x-Garry Lee Maier, 4. 94-Wayne Johnson, 5. 51-Mike Peters, 6. 7m-Kevin Ramey, 7. 15k-Kerry McAlister, 8. 95-Matt Covington.
"B" Main – Top 6 Advance to “A” Main
"B" Feature (10 Laps): 1. 7s-Jason Sides, 2. 7m-Kevin Ramey, 3. 2-Kenneth Walker, 4. 28-Chris Lloyd, 5. 15s-Nick Smith, 6. 03-Joe Wood, Jr., 7. 95-Matt Covington, 8. 3r-Michael Beckerman, 9. 13-Kathryne Minter (Disqualified: Illegal right rear tire after finishing first). DNS: 15k-Kerry McAlister.
O’Reilly ASCoT "A" Main Event:
“A” Feature (25 Laps): 1. 53-Jack Dover, 2. 27-Andy Shouse, 3. 41-Jason Johnson, 4. 50z-Zach Chappell, 5. 11x-Garry Lee Maier, 6. 94-Wayne Johnson, 7. 61J-Danny Jennings, 8. 29-Travis Rilat, 9. 7m-Kevin Ramey, 10. 9-Gary Wright, 11. 51-Mike Peters, 12. b4-Eric Baldaccini, 13. 5*-Gary Taylor, 14. 22-Koby Barksdale, 15. 91-Donnie Ray Crawford, 16. 2-Kenneth Walker, 17. 15s-Nick Smith, 18. 7s-Jason Sides, 19. 71-Chris Tarrant, 20. 13-Kathryne Minter, 21. 97-Aaron Berryhill, 22. 03-Joe Wood, Jr., 23. 28-Chris Lloyd.
Lap Leaders: Jack Dover 1-25.
Note: Kathryne Minter utilized an O'Reilly ASCoT provisional to start the "A" Main.
O’Reilly ASCoT Points (Top Fifteen): 1. Gary Wright 1,407, 2. Jason Johnson 1,361, 3. Wayne Johnson 1,359, 4. Zach Chappell 1,273, 5. Travis Rilat 1,218, 6. Garry Lee Maier 1,212, 7. Eric Baldaccini 1,106, 8. Nick Smith 1,064, 9. Kenneth Walker 1,022, 10. Jason Sides 1,002, 11. Jack Dover 901, 12. Don Droud, Jr., 827, 13. (tie) Kathryne Minter and Gary Taylor 823, 15. Chris Tarrant 753.
The 18-year-old gunned into the lead at the outset and led all 25 laps en route to his first career ASCS National Tour triumph aboard Mark and Lori Dover's Eckley-powered 3D Auto Transport No. 53 Eagle, in the process becoming the tenth different ASCoT National winner in a dozen events thus far in 2008.
"There's that feature win we've been looking for," Dover commented after snaring the elusive win to back up the series' best sixth heat race win of the season that he posted earlier in the evening.
Originally slated to start the feature inside the second row, Dover's first big break came when scheduled polesitter Eric Baldaccini was forced to the work area with driveline issues before the field ever aligned. Baldaccini, the leading Brodix Rookie of the Year contender, rejoined the field at the tail after quick repairs and ultimately worked his way back up to 12th by race's end.
Starting alongside past ASCS Sooner Region champion Andy Shouse, Dover gunned into the lead at the drop of the green flag and never looked back. On several occasions, Shouse and third-runner Jason Johnson closed in on Dover as lapped traffic began to play a factor, only to have a caution flag fly.
After the race's final interruption set up an eight-lap dash to the checkered flag, Dover cruised to the checkered flag unabated to deliver the perfect birthday gift to crew chief Wayne Priddy as well as an early graduation present to himself.
Set for his high school graduation on Sunday, Dover took the checkered flag a half dozen car-lengths ahead of Shouse, with Johnson taking the show position in Lanny Row's Wesmar-powered The Shop Motorsports No. 41 Eagle.
Zach Chappell snared the fourth position in David Chappell's McCarver-powered Legend's Bar-B-Que No. 50z Maxim, with Garry Lee Maier rounding out the top five in Scott Brown's ASI-powered Lubbock Wrecker Service/Max Jantz Excavating No. 11x Maxim.
Wayne Johnson gained a half dozen positions to finish sixth in front of Danny Jennings and Travis Rilat, while Kevin Ramey raced from 18th to ninth. Gary Wright held on to his series points lead by completing the top ten.
The feature was interrupted several times, the first of which was for a lap two flip in turn two by Chris Lloyd. After Jason Sides stopped in turn four after seven laps, the red flag appeared another seven laps later when Aaron Berryhill stopped at the end of the frontstretch with a throbbing foot resulting from driveline failure. Chris Tarrant stopped on the backstretch a lap later, with the final red flag flying after 17 laps when Kathryne Minter tumbled off the turn one embankment. There were no injuries.
Dover, Chappell and Jason Johnson topped heat race action, with Jason Sides taking "B" Main honors after apparent victor Kathryne Minter was disqualified for use of an illegal right rear tire.
O’Reilly ASCoT Red River Shootout Results from State Fair Speedway:
Heat Races (Top 16 in passing points to “A” Main; Balance to "B" Main)
Brodix Heat One (8 Laps): 1. 53-Jack Dover, 2. b4-Eric Baldaccini, 3. 71-Chris Tarrant, 4. 29-Travis Rilat, 5. 91-Donnie Ray Crawford, 6. 5*-Gary Taylor, 7. 7s-Jason Sides, 8. 15s-Nick Smith, 9. 03-Joe Wood, Jr.
Wesmar-Shaver Heat Two (8 Laps): 1. 50z-Zach Chappell, 2. 61J-Danny Jennings, 3. 27-Andy Shouse, 4. 22-Koby Barksdale, 5. 97-Aaron Berryhill, 6. 13-Kathryne Minter, 7. 2-Kenneth Walker, 8. 3r-Michael Beckerman, 9. 28-Chris Lloyd.
Brodix Heat Three (8 Laps): 1. 41-Jason Johnson, 2. 9-Gary Wright, 3. 11x-Garry Lee Maier, 4. 94-Wayne Johnson, 5. 51-Mike Peters, 6. 7m-Kevin Ramey, 7. 15k-Kerry McAlister, 8. 95-Matt Covington.
"B" Main – Top 6 Advance to “A” Main
"B" Feature (10 Laps): 1. 7s-Jason Sides, 2. 7m-Kevin Ramey, 3. 2-Kenneth Walker, 4. 28-Chris Lloyd, 5. 15s-Nick Smith, 6. 03-Joe Wood, Jr., 7. 95-Matt Covington, 8. 3r-Michael Beckerman, 9. 13-Kathryne Minter (Disqualified: Illegal right rear tire after finishing first). DNS: 15k-Kerry McAlister.
O’Reilly ASCoT "A" Main Event:
“A” Feature (25 Laps): 1. 53-Jack Dover, 2. 27-Andy Shouse, 3. 41-Jason Johnson, 4. 50z-Zach Chappell, 5. 11x-Garry Lee Maier, 6. 94-Wayne Johnson, 7. 61J-Danny Jennings, 8. 29-Travis Rilat, 9. 7m-Kevin Ramey, 10. 9-Gary Wright, 11. 51-Mike Peters, 12. b4-Eric Baldaccini, 13. 5*-Gary Taylor, 14. 22-Koby Barksdale, 15. 91-Donnie Ray Crawford, 16. 2-Kenneth Walker, 17. 15s-Nick Smith, 18. 7s-Jason Sides, 19. 71-Chris Tarrant, 20. 13-Kathryne Minter, 21. 97-Aaron Berryhill, 22. 03-Joe Wood, Jr., 23. 28-Chris Lloyd.
Lap Leaders: Jack Dover 1-25.
Note: Kathryne Minter utilized an O'Reilly ASCoT provisional to start the "A" Main.
O’Reilly ASCoT Points (Top Fifteen): 1. Gary Wright 1,407, 2. Jason Johnson 1,361, 3. Wayne Johnson 1,359, 4. Zach Chappell 1,273, 5. Travis Rilat 1,218, 6. Garry Lee Maier 1,212, 7. Eric Baldaccini 1,106, 8. Nick Smith 1,064, 9. Kenneth Walker 1,022, 10. Jason Sides 1,002, 11. Jack Dover 901, 12. Don Droud, Jr., 827, 13. (tie) Kathryne Minter and Gary Taylor 823, 15. Chris Tarrant 753.
