ASCS Gulf South set for GTRP-HRP double
Published on -6/16/2009, 3:34 PM
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By LONNIE WHEATLEY
ASCS
TULSA, Okla. (June 15, 2009) - Aaron Reutzel has already matched an American Sprint Car Series Gulf South Region record. Now, he'll try to establish a new mark with the series' second of four Golden Triangle Raceway Park - Houston Raceway Park weekend doubles this Friday and Saturday.
Since a twelfth place finish in the season opener at Beaumont's Golden Triangle Raceway Park, the 19-year-old from Clute, TX, has reeled off nine consecutive top-ten feature finishes to stretch out a 73-point edge over Ray Allen Kulhanek in the ASCS Gulf South championship points chase.
That run of nine top-tens in a row matches the marks previously established by Kelly Angelette, Greg Rilat and Brandon Berryman. Angelette posted his nine in a row over the final eight evnst of 2003 and then the 2004 season opener, Rilat ran off nine in a row in 2006 while Berryman's run came last year in his charge to a second straight title.
None of those three were successfully able to make it ten in a row, however. Reutzel will have that chance on Friday night atop Beaumont's Golden Triangle Raceway Park before moving on to the high-banked, º-mile Houston Raceway Park in Baytown on Saturday night.
While Reutzel's lead at the one-third mark is a healthy one at 73 markers, only 19 points separate the four drivers ranked from second to fifth including Kulhanek (Magnolia, TX), Tommy Bryant (Conroe, TX), Berryman (Missouri City, TX) and Channin Tankersley (Highlands, TX).
The balance of the current top ten in Gulf South points includes Scottie McDonald (New Caney, TX), Jimmy Brooks (College Station, TX), Kent Lewis, Jr. (Willis, TX), Greg Rilat (Texas City, TX) and Gary Watson (Beaumont, TX).
Gary Wright has topped two of the three Gulf South features contested at Golden Triangle this year with Tommy Bryant also taking a Beaumont win. Eric Baldaccini snared his first career ASCS win in the series' stop at Houston Raceway Park last month.
Friday's card offers up $2,000 to win, with Saturday's feature winner collecting $3,000.
Friday's card at Golden Triangle Raceway Park is slated to get under way at 7:45 p.m., with Saturday's action at Houston Raceway Park set to go green at 7:00 p.m.
Golden Triangle Raceway Park is located 9.5 miles west of I-10 on US 90 near Beaumont, TX. For more information, contact the track at 409-752-7200.
Houston Raceway Park is located east of Houston on I-10 to Exit 798, then three miles south on State Road 146, then 0.8 miles southeast on FM 1405, then 1.5 miles northeast on FM 565. For more information, contact the track at 281-383-7223.
The ASCS Gulf South Region is set for 27 nights of racing action at eleven different tracks throughout Texas in 2009.
The American Sprint Car Series, in its 18th year of sanctioning Sprint Car racing events, brings the best of Sprint Car racing to nearly 100 different tracks throughout 25 states and Canada in 2009. Anchored by the Lucas Oil ASCS Sprint Car Dirt Series presented by K&N Filters, ASCS also consists of a dozen different Regions throughout the nation.
Past ASCS Gulf South Region Feature Winners at Golden Triangle Raceway Park:
5/16/09 - Gary Wright
5/16/09 - Tommy Bryant (4/24 Makeup Feature)
3/6/09 - Gary Wright
8/15/08 - Channin Tankersley
7/18/08 - Gary Watson
5/9/08 - Channin Tankersley
2/29/08 - Jason Johnson
9/28/07 - Jason Johnson
6/22/07 - Michael Dupuy
5/18/07 - Brandon Berryman
4/6/07 - Jason Johnson
9/29/06 - Kevin Ramey
8/18/06 - Jason Johnson
6/23/06 - Gary Watson
8/19/05 - Ray Allen Kulhanek
6/17/05 - Ray Allen Kulhanek
4/15/05 - Travis Rilat
9/18/04 - Kelly Angelette
7/9/04 - Stephen Chevallier
* 9/28/02 - Michael Dupuy
* 9/27/02 - Tim Crawley
7/5/02 - Buddy Bodden
5/24/02 - Jason Johnson
* 4/5/02 - Zach Chappell
Past ASCS Gulf South Region Feature Winners at Houston Raceway Park:
5/16/09 - Eric Baldaccini
9/27/08 - Jason Johnson
6/21/08 - Michael Dupuy
5/10/08 - Brandon Berryman
3/1/08 - Jack Dover
9/29/07 - Brandon Berryman
8/18/07 - Travis Rilat
5/19/07 - Johnny Miller
9/30/06 - Ray Allen Kulhanek
8/19/06 - Brad Best
6/24/06 - Ray Allen Kulhanek
4/8/06 - Travis Rilat
8/20/05 - Lane Whittington
6/18/05 - Ray Allen Kulhanek
7/10/04 - Kevin Ramey
* - Indicates events held in conjunction with ASCS National Tour.
Additional information regarding the American Sprint Car Series is available at www.ascsracing.com.









