Inside Line Promotions - BEAUMONT, Texas (May 27, 2014) - Ray Allen Kulhanek recorded a trio of top 10s with the ASCS Gulf South Region last weekend.
"I'm kind of disappointed in the weekend, but at the same time there was progress throughout the weekend," he said. "I've been really struggling trying to get my car rolling around the track. We went forward every time we were on the track, but it wasn't as far forward as I think it should have been."
The tripleheader began last Friday at Cotton Bowl Speedway in Paige, Texas, where Kulhanek advanced from fifth to fourth place in his heat race to lock himself into the main event. After starting on the outside of the seventh row of the feature, he quickly rallied into the top five.
"I jumped all the way up to fifth and I got to racing back and forth with Kolt Walker," he said. "He threw a slide job at me and I hit the brakes to let it clear me, but he still got me in the front bumper. I got caught up with him and that ended up costing me several spots. I fell back to about ninth or 10 [sup]th[/sup]."
The contact midway through the main event dropped Kulhanek several positions, but he was able to rebound to post an eighth-place result.
On Saturday, the team ventured to Shady Oaks Speedway in Goliad, Texas, for the ASCS Gulf South Region debut. Kulhanek placed third in his heat race after starting on the pole. He earned enough points to start 14[sup]th[/sup] in the main event for the second straight night.
"We threw a couple of things at the car and changed the gear, bars and shocks," he said. "It helped the car as far as it was getting down into the track, but there at the end of the race I think the right rear tire was going down on me after the last caution. The car got super, super snug on me."
Despite the tire woes, Kulhanek was able to hang on to a 10[sup]th[/sup]-place finish.
The weekend concluded on Sunday at Golden Triangle Raceway Park, where Kulhanek maneuvered from sixth to fourth place in his heat race. That started him on the inside of the sixth row for the main event.
"We got shuffled back to 18[sup]th[/sup] on the start," he said. "A couple of cars right in front of me were beating and banging and I got hung up behind it."
However, a wing change prior to the race helped Kulhanek to rally for his fifth consecutive top 10.
"We made some changes and ended up changing the top wing and that made the biggest difference in the whole weekend," he said. "That got me rolling to how I was comfortable at. We were able to move all over the track, which is the biggest deal I was pleased with."
Kulhanek ended with a seventh-place finish.
He now ranks second in the ASCS Gulf South Region championship standings heading into the next weekend of action - June 6 at Heart O'Texas Speedway in Waco, Texas, and June 7 at Gator Motorplex in Willis, Texas.
QUICK RESULTS -
May 23 - Cotton Bowl Speedway in Paige, Texas - Heat race: 4 (5); Feature: 8 (14).
May 24 - Shady Oaks Speedway in Goliad, Texas - Heat race: 3 (1); Feature: 10 (14).
May 25 - Golden Triangle Raceway Park in Beaumont, Texas - Heat race: 4 (6); Feature: 7 (11).
SEASON STATS -
11 races, 0 wins, 2 top fives, 8 top 10s, 10 top 15s, 11 top 20s
UP NEXT -
June 6 at Heart O'Texas Speedway in Waco, Texas, and June 7 at Gator Motorplex in Willis, Texas, with the ASCS Gulf South Region
MEDIA LINKS -
Website: http://www.RayAllenKulhanek.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dork.racing.9?fref=ts
APPAREL -
Kulhanek will have apparel available for sale at his race trailer throughout the season. For a list of his scheduled events, visit http://www.RayAllenKulhanek.com.
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT - Miller's RV Park
Located in Grangerland, Texas, Miller's RV Park is a large space for travelers to park motorhomes for short visits or long stays.
"It's just a nice country setting for people to relax," Kulhanek said. "The RV park is actually where we have the race shop so it's cool to meet people from all over the country."
Kulhanek would also like to thank Oilfield Equipment & Manufacturing, Texas Rotating Equipment, ButlerBuilt Professional Seat Systems, J&J Auto Racing, Smiley's Racing Products, Engler Machine & Tool, Outlaw Wings, Hoosier Racing Tire Southwest, Penske Shocks, Don Ott Racing Engines, Snap Graphics, Frazier and Son Laser Cutting and Simpson Race Products for their support.
"I'm kind of disappointed in the weekend, but at the same time there was progress throughout the weekend," he said. "I've been really struggling trying to get my car rolling around the track. We went forward every time we were on the track, but it wasn't as far forward as I think it should have been."
The tripleheader began last Friday at Cotton Bowl Speedway in Paige, Texas, where Kulhanek advanced from fifth to fourth place in his heat race to lock himself into the main event. After starting on the outside of the seventh row of the feature, he quickly rallied into the top five.
"I jumped all the way up to fifth and I got to racing back and forth with Kolt Walker," he said. "He threw a slide job at me and I hit the brakes to let it clear me, but he still got me in the front bumper. I got caught up with him and that ended up costing me several spots. I fell back to about ninth or 10 [sup]th[/sup]."
The contact midway through the main event dropped Kulhanek several positions, but he was able to rebound to post an eighth-place result.
On Saturday, the team ventured to Shady Oaks Speedway in Goliad, Texas, for the ASCS Gulf South Region debut. Kulhanek placed third in his heat race after starting on the pole. He earned enough points to start 14[sup]th[/sup] in the main event for the second straight night.
"We threw a couple of things at the car and changed the gear, bars and shocks," he said. "It helped the car as far as it was getting down into the track, but there at the end of the race I think the right rear tire was going down on me after the last caution. The car got super, super snug on me."
Despite the tire woes, Kulhanek was able to hang on to a 10[sup]th[/sup]-place finish.
The weekend concluded on Sunday at Golden Triangle Raceway Park, where Kulhanek maneuvered from sixth to fourth place in his heat race. That started him on the inside of the sixth row for the main event.
"We got shuffled back to 18[sup]th[/sup] on the start," he said. "A couple of cars right in front of me were beating and banging and I got hung up behind it."
However, a wing change prior to the race helped Kulhanek to rally for his fifth consecutive top 10.
"We made some changes and ended up changing the top wing and that made the biggest difference in the whole weekend," he said. "That got me rolling to how I was comfortable at. We were able to move all over the track, which is the biggest deal I was pleased with."
Kulhanek ended with a seventh-place finish.
He now ranks second in the ASCS Gulf South Region championship standings heading into the next weekend of action - June 6 at Heart O'Texas Speedway in Waco, Texas, and June 7 at Gator Motorplex in Willis, Texas.
QUICK RESULTS -
May 23 - Cotton Bowl Speedway in Paige, Texas - Heat race: 4 (5); Feature: 8 (14).
May 24 - Shady Oaks Speedway in Goliad, Texas - Heat race: 3 (1); Feature: 10 (14).
May 25 - Golden Triangle Raceway Park in Beaumont, Texas - Heat race: 4 (6); Feature: 7 (11).
SEASON STATS -
11 races, 0 wins, 2 top fives, 8 top 10s, 10 top 15s, 11 top 20s
UP NEXT -
June 6 at Heart O'Texas Speedway in Waco, Texas, and June 7 at Gator Motorplex in Willis, Texas, with the ASCS Gulf South Region
MEDIA LINKS -
Website: http://www.RayAllenKulhanek.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dork.racing.9?fref=ts
APPAREL -
Kulhanek will have apparel available for sale at his race trailer throughout the season. For a list of his scheduled events, visit http://www.RayAllenKulhanek.com.
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT - Miller's RV Park
Located in Grangerland, Texas, Miller's RV Park is a large space for travelers to park motorhomes for short visits or long stays.
"It's just a nice country setting for people to relax," Kulhanek said. "The RV park is actually where we have the race shop so it's cool to meet people from all over the country."
Kulhanek would also like to thank Oilfield Equipment & Manufacturing, Texas Rotating Equipment, ButlerBuilt Professional Seat Systems, J&J Auto Racing, Smiley's Racing Products, Engler Machine & Tool, Outlaw Wings, Hoosier Racing Tire Southwest, Penske Shocks, Don Ott Racing Engines, Snap Graphics, Frazier and Son Laser Cutting and Simpson Race Products for their support.
