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LITTLE ROCK, AR (September 30, 2010) – Fact is, that ¼-mile oval of black, gumbo clay just a stone’s throw or two away from the mighty Mississippi River on the Arkansas side of Memphis has seen its share of Sprint Car racing history and then some over the last 60 or so years. And that unique little place known as Riverside International Speedway will see plenty more in the years to come, beginning in grand style with this weekend’s Second Annual Rock ‘N Roll 50, a TBJ Promotions event featuring the Lucas Oil ASCS presented by K&N Filters National series. Biggest question is, exactly what form will that history take? Could Tim Crawley, who comes off a pair of series wins at Little Rock’s I-30 Speedway (August 28) and then Missouri’s Lucas Oil Speedway, take a second customized Gibson Guitar trophy after sweeping through both nights of the inaugural Rock ‘N Roll 50 last year? Or, will either Jason Johnson, Brady Bacon or Shane Stewart step up and take firm command of the series $60,000 championship points chase, something that seems unlikely as all signs indicate that chase will come down to the series final checkered flag of 2010 that will fly in the series debut at Las Vegas Motor Speedway over the weekend of November 27-28. Perhaps Jack Dover will get the win that a faulty dzus button in his dash denied him of less than a week ago in Missouri. Or, maybe Zach Chappell, who begins his march towards 400 career National feature starts and perhaps 500 some day after becoming just the fifth driver in series history to reach the 300 mark last Saturday at Lucas Oil Speedway, will add a third win on the 2010 campaign. Four-time series champion Gary Wright could become the first in series history to start 400 career ASCS National features if he makes the feature cut both nights. Saturday’s feature will be the 594th in ASCS National history by the way, for those keeping score. Perhaps either Kyle Hirst, Dustin Morgan or Channin Tankersley will become the second Brodix Rookie of the Year contender to win a Lucas Oil ASCS main event in 2010. Rookie shoe Matt Covington picked off a Lone Star Speedway win in April. Hirst, currently leading the Rookie run, comes off a short night at Lucas Oil Speedway that ended with a broken frame in a crash that happened as the green flag flew on his heat race. With Hall of Famer Kenny Woodruff spinning wrenches, Morgan has come on strong with finishes of eleventh or better in five of his last six features while Riverside will resemble many of the bullrings that 19-year-old Tankersley cut his teeth on while graduating from the ASCS Gulf South ranks. Maybe event promoter Tony Bruce, Jr., will decide to put it on the large field of competitors and keep Saturday’s $6,000 winner’s share and Gibson Guitar for himself. Danny Wood won a TBJ-promoted Eagle Nationals prelim and may decide to add a TBJ-finale to the score card. Maybe Ohio’s Darren Long will add his first win to four recent top tens, or possibly Ricky Logan could take his first ASCS National win since August of 1999 just a couple hours from his native Little Rock home. Or maybe Missouri master Josh Fisher will make the most of short-term duty aboard the Van Dyke-owned Lucas Oil No. 5h. Missouri’s Jerrod Hull knocked off the Lucas Oil ASCS invading forces at Pontoon Beach’s Tri-City Speedway just over a month ago and Brian Brown posted an ASCS Knoxville Nationals preliminary win, so it’s no stretch to suggest a Riverside Speedway regular could post the win. After all, nobody has topped more ASCS National events at “The Ditch” than Eddie Gallagher with six triumphs, while both of West Memphis native A.G. Rains’ wins have come at Riverside. Some other notable Riverside regulars you ask? How about Jeff Swindell, Dalton Davis, Ernie Ainsworth and Marshall Skinner among others. Don’t forget Little Rock’s I-30 Speedway contingent either. After all, past I-30 champ Justin Sturch led much of the way in last year’s Rock ‘N Roll 50 finale before Crawley had his way. Regardless, this weekend’s Rock ‘N Roll 50, which kicks off two, final intense months of 2010 competition on the nation’s most competitive touring Sprint Car series, is on that short list of can’t miss events. Race fans can save $10 on weekend admission by purchasing a weekend pass in advance for just $30 at http://www.tbjpromotions.com/events/?i=1112. Or, it can be done the old fashioned way at the gate on both race days.
The Series: Lucas Oil ASCS Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters
When & Where: Friday night, October 1 at 7:30 p.m. – Riverside International Speedway Saturday night, October 2 at 7:30 p.m. – Riverside International Speedway
Track Information: Riverside Speedway (West Memphis, AR) - 1/4-mile semi-banked gumbo clay oval located west of Memphis, TN, on I-55 to Exit 4 in Arkansas, then 0.3 miles south, then 0.2 miles east on Broadway, then south on Legion Road. Event information including advance ticket sales is available at www.tbjpromotions.com or by calling 541-778-8630.
Lucas Oil ASCS Riverside International Speedway History: After taking to the ¼-mile gumbo clay oval on 24 occasions from 1995 to 2005, the Lucas Oil ASCS Sprint Car Dirt Series returned to West Memphis for the first time in nearly five years with Tim Crawley sweeping both nights of the Inaugural Rock ‘N Roll 50 last July. Riverside International Speedway ASCS National winners include: Eddie Gallagher 6, Tim Crawley 3, Terry Gray 3, Gary Wright 3, A.G. Rains 2, Pete Braswell 1, Pete Butler 1, Kenny Coke 1, Chad Jones 1, Travis Rilat 1, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. 1, Darren Stewart 1, Brooke Tatnell 1, Mike Ward 1. Riverside International Speedway Lucas Oil ASCS Race-by-Race Winners: Terry Gray (7/8/95), Eddie Gallagher (7/20/96), Pete Braswell (9/14/96), Gary Wright (6/21/97), Brooke Tatnell (9/13/97), Mike Ward (6/20/98), Terry Gray (9/19/98), Chad Jones (6/19/99), Pete Butler (7/24/99), Terry Gray (9/18/99), Kenny Coke (6/24/00), Travis Rilat (7/15/00), Gary Wright (9/16/00), Eddie Gallagher (6/9/01), A.G. Rains (7/14/01), Tim Crawley (9/15/01), Eddie Gallagher (6/1/02), Eddie Gallagher (9/14/02), Eddie Gallagher (5/31/03), Gary Wright (7/19/03), Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. (7/17/04), Eddie Gallagher (9/11/04), Darren Stewart (6/4/05), A.G. Rains (9/10/05), Tim Crawley (7/3/09), Tim Crawley (7/4/09).
Current Lucas Oil ASCS presented by K&N Filters National Points: Top Twenty: 1. Jason Johnson (Eunice, LA) 2,406, 2. Brady Bacon (Broken Arrow, OK) 2,344, 3. Shane Stewart (Bixby, OK) 2,333, 4. Tim Crawley (Benton, AR) 2,199, 5. Jack Dover (Springfield, NE) 2,143, 6. Zach Chappell (Talala, OK) 2,136, 7. Tony Bruce, Jr. (Liberal, KS) 2,121, 8. Danny Wood (Norman, OK) 1,991, 9. Kyle Hirst (Loomis, CA) 1,989, 10. Ricky Logan (Little Rock, AR) 1,965, 11. Matt Covington (Glenpool, OK) 1,879, 12. Dustin Morgan (Tulsa, OK) 1,757, 13. Darren Long (Elida, OH) 1,752, 14. Channin Tankersley (Highlands, TX) 1,635, 15. Justyn Cox (Clarksburg, CA) 1,513, 16. Gary Wright (Hooks, TX) 1,387, 17. Austen Wheatley (Lake Stevens, WA) 1,344, 18. Travis Rilat (Forney, TX) 1,152, 19. Brian Brown (Grain Valley, MO), 850, 20. Andrew Marshala (Shawnee, OK) 823. Brodix Rookie of the Year Points: 1. Kyle Hirst (Loomis, CA) 1,989, 2. Matt Covington (Glenpool, OK) 1,879, 3. Dustin Morgan (Tulsa, OK) 1,757, 4. Channin Tankersley (Highlands, TX) 1,635, 5. Justyn Cox (Clarksburg, CA) 1,513, 6. Austen Wheatley (Lake Stevens, WA) 1,344.
2010 Lucas Oil ASCS National Feature Winners:
Brady Bacon 4, Shane Stewart 4, Jason Johnson 4, Zach Chappell 2, Tim Crawley 2, Brian Brown 1, Matt Covington 1, Jerrod Hull 1, Sammy Swindell 1, Danny Wood 1.
Lucas Oil ASCS presented by K&N Filters – A Look Ahead:
October 15 – Devil’s Bowl Speedway (Mesquite, TX) October 16 – Devi’s Bowl Speedway (Mesquite, TX) October 28 – I-30 Speedway (Little Rock, AR) October 29 – I-30 Speedway (Little Rock, AR) October 30 – I-30 Speedway (Little Rock, AR) - $15,000 to win November 12 – Southern New Mexico Speedway (Las Cruces, NM) November 13 – Southern New Mexico Speedway (Las Cruces, NM) November 18 – USA Raceway (Tucson, AZ) November 19 – USA Raceway (Tucson, AZ) November 20 – USA Raceway (Tucson, AZ) - $15,000 to win November 26 – Las Vegas Motor Speedway (Las Vegas, NV) November 27 – Las Vegas Motor Speedway (Las Vegas, NV) -
Lucas Oil ASCS on the Web:
Those unable to catch all the action in person can listen to every Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters live at www.racinboys.com.
Also, the Lucas Oil ASCS Show airs on www.racinboys.com each Tuesday night at 8:00 p.m. ET, recapping the previous week's events while also previewing upcoming action.
Official results, championship point updates, photos and race notes will be available at www.ascsracing.com.
Lucas Oil ASCS on TV:
The Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters will be featured in ten one-hour shows broadcast on a tape-delayed basis on the VERSUS Network and MavTV.
Events to be aired on VERSUS and MavTV include the following:
Event Date – Track
(Location) – VERSUS Air Date & Time (All Times Eastern & Subject to Change):
June 12 – Eagle Raceway (Eagle, NE) – 10/3/10 @ 5:00 p.m. September 25 – Lucas Oil Speedway (Wheatland, MO) – 11/21/10 @ 6:00 p.m.
October 1 –
Riverside Speedway (W. Memphis, AR) – 11/28/10 @ 6:00 p.m. October 28 - I-30 Speedway (Little Rock, AR) – 12/5/10 @ 6:00 p.m. October 29 – I-30 Speedway (Little Rock, AR) – 12/11/10 @ 6:00 p.m. October 30 – I-30 Speedway (Little Rock, AR) – 12/12/10 @ 6:00 p.m.
The Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters is currently slated for 35 nights of racing action at 17 different tracks throughout the nation, with the country's top Sprint Car drivers set to battle it out for their share of the $250,000 points fund.
In its 19th
year of sanctioning Sprint Car racing, the American Sprint Car Series brings
the best of Sprint Car racing to approximately 100 different tracks
throughout 30 states and 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.
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