By LONNIE WHEATLEY

ASCS

TULSA, Okla. (June 22, 2009) - The heat of summer has officially kicked in. And now the battle for the Lucas Oil ASCS Sprint Car Dirt Series presented by K&N Filters championship begins to heat up as well.

Saturday's Third Annual Daniel McMillin Memorial atop the 1/3-mile Lake Ozark Speedway in Eldon, MO, kicks off five consecutive weekends of competition for the Lucas Oil Sprint Cars.

And the battle for the top spot, worth a $60,000 slice of the hefty $250,000 points fund, couldn't be much tighter with just four points separating Shane Stewart, Gary Wright and Jason Johnson.

While Wright and Johnson have both earned past ASCS National championships, Bixby, OK, native Stewart is gunning for his first.

True, Stewart did capture the ASCS Speedweek championship in 2003 and then the winged Sprint Bandits title in 2004. He even picked off Southern Iowa Speedweek's Mister Sprint Car title on a pair of occasions. But, those accolades would pale in comparison to a championship on the 2009 Lucas Oil Sprint Car tour.

Teamed with California car owner and crew chief Paul Silva, Shane broke out of the gates quickly with a win in the Devil's Bowl Spring Nationals preliminary and then a runner-up finish the next night.

After weathering a string of rainouts along with the other 30 or so eager championship contenders, Stewart posted finishes of second and seventh at the Jetmore (KS) Motorplex over the Memorial Day weekend to escape with a two-point advantage over four-time series kingpin Gary Wright, who ranks as the only driver to finish among the top five in all four points-paying feature events.

Saturday night, Stewart returns to Lake Ozark Speedway, a site at which he swept two nights of ASCS National action in 2004.

"The Texan", Gary Wright, finally broke into Lake Ozark victory lane for the first time in eight tries by topping the Lake Ozark Nationals last August.

Reigning series champion, Jason Johnson of Eunice, LA, enters Saturday's action just four points off of Stewart's pace. The Devil's Bowl Spring Nationals champion posted his first Lake Ozark win in last year's edition of the Daniel McMillin Memorial. "The Ragin' Cajun" also topped the inaugural McMillin event held at Double X Speedway in 2007.

Veteran contender and three-time ASCS National points runner-up Danny Wood of Norman, OK, enters Saturday's action ranked fourth, with 2003 ASCS National champ Travis Rilat of Forney, TX, rounding out the current top five after earning a Lucas Oil win in preliminary Jetmore action.

Leading Brodix Rookie of the Year contender Paul McMahan and Lawton Speedweek winner Nick Smith are tied for sixth, with the balance of the top ten including Steve King Memorial winner Jack Dover, 2001 series champ Zach Chappell and 2009 ASCS Speedweek champion Tim Crawley.

A number of other top contenders will try to battle into the top ten this week as well, including the likes of Tony Bruce, Jr., Eric Baldaccini, Sean McClelland, Joe Wood, Jr., Trey Robb, Brady Bacon, Kenneth Walker, Jesse Hockett, Matt Covington, Gary Taylor, Aaron Berryhill, Seth Bergman, Gavin Punch, Ricky Logan, Darren Long, Chad Corken, Kathryne Minter, Michael Dupuy, Jerry Bell, Donnie Ray Crawford and Dustin Morgan among others.

The Lucas Oil ASCS forces will be bolstered by the Winged Outlaw Warriors, led by current point leader Josh Fisher and four-time WOW champion Randy Martin.

The Series:

Lucas Oil ASCS Sprint Car Dirt Series presented by K&N Filters

When & Where:

Saturday night, June 27 at 7:00 p.m. - Lake Ozark Speedway

Track Information:

Lake Ozark Speedway (Eldon, MO) - 1/3-mile semi-banked dirt oval located south of Eldon on US 54 to SR 52, then 0.1 miles east on SR 52, then 0.5 miles north on Twiggy Lane (frontage road). For more information, contact the track at 573-392-9977 or check www.lakeozarkspeedway.com.

Lucas Oil ASCS Lake Ozark Speedway History:

The Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series returned to Lake Ozark Speedway last year after a two-year absence with Aaron Berryhill making a last-lap pass of Jason Johnson for his first career series win in May. Johnson got some Lake Ozark redemption by winning the Second Annual Daniel McMillin Memorial in July.

Lake Ozark Speedway ASCS National winners include: Jesse Hockett 2, Shane Stewart 2, Aaron Berryhill 1, Jason Johnson 1.

Lake Ozark Speedway Lucas Oil ASCS Race-by-Race Winners: Shane Stewart (9/4/04), Shane Stewart (9/5/04), Jesse Hockett (9/3/05), Jesse Hockett (9/4/05), Aaron Berryhill (5/3/08), Jason Johnson (7/5/08).

Current Lucas Oil ASCS Sprint Car Dirt Series presented by K&N Filters Points:

Top Twenty: 1. Shane Stewart (Bixby, OK) 578, 2. Gary Wright (Hooks, TX) 576, 3. Jason Johnson (Eunice, LA) 574, 4. Danny Wood (Norman, OK) 520, 5. Travis Rilat (Forney, TX) 509, 6. (tie) Nick Smith (Broken Arrow, OK) and Paul McMahan (Hendersonville, TN) 506, 8. Jack Dover (Springfield, NE) 501, 9. Zach Chappell (Talala, OK) 469, 10. Tim Crawley (Benton, AR) 459, 11. Tony Bruce, Jr. (Liberal, KS) 447, 12. Eric Baldaccini (Keller, TX) 430, 13. Sean McClelland (Tulsa, OK) 427, 14. Joe Wood, Jr. (Oklahoma City, OK) 422, 15. Trey Robb (Newcastle, OK) 407, 16. Brady Bacon (Broken Arrow, OK) 398, 17. Brian Brown (Grain Valley, MO) 370, 18. Kenneth Walker (Sapulpa, OK) 368, 19. Jesse Hockett (Warsaw, MO) 365, 20. Matt Covington (Glenpool, OK) 357.

Brodix Rookie of the Year Points (Top Five): 1. Paul McMahan (Hendersonville, TN) 506, 2. Jack Dover (Springfield, NE) 501, 3. Joe Wood, Jr. (Oklahoma City, OK) 422, 4. Brady Bacon (Broken Arrow, OK) 398, 5. Matt Covington (Glenpool, OK) 357.

2009 Lucas Oil ASCS Feature Winners:

Jack Dover 1, Jason Johnson 1, Travis Rilat 1, Shane Stewart 1.

Lucas Oil ASCS presented by K&N Filters - A Look Ahead:

July 3/4 - Riverside International Speedway (West Memphis, AR)

July 11 - I-90 Speedway (Hartford, SD)

July 17/18 - Grays Harbor Raceway Park (Elma, WA)

July 24/25 - Cottage Grove Speedway (Cottage Grove, OR)