A crucial weekend of competition looms for the American Sprint Car Series Gulf South Region with three feature events to be contested over two nights of racing action.
And, with 19-year-old Aaron Reutzel of Clute, TX, atop a tightly-bunched championship points chase, it’s a pair of familiar ovals the Gulf South forces will invade in the form of Golden Triangle Raceway Park and Houston Raceway Park.
On Friday night, twin features are on the docket at Beaumont’s Golden Triangle Raceway Park. The evening kicks off with the makeup of the feature event from April 24, when rain halted racing action just before the main event could hit the track. Terry Monroe and Brandon Corn will lead the way to the green flag from the front row in the makeup feature event.
After that main event, a full racing card of heats and features follows with the Sixth Annual John Bankston Memorial. Both features offer up $2,000 to win. While the makeup feature lineup is set, the balance of the night is open to all comers.
Then, on Saturday night, the series makes its first stop of the season at Baytown’s Houston Raceway Park for the $3,000 to win Seventh Annual Ronald Laney Memorial.
Reutzel, who celebrated his 19th birthday last Friday, is out to the early lead in ASCS Gulf South points on the strength of three consecutive top-ten feature runs including a third-place finish at the Gator Motorplex on March 28.
That lead is a slim one however, with just seven points between himself and Jason Johnson (who missed the April 24 feature cut after a “B” Main crash) and eight points between himself and 18-year-old gasser Channin Tankersley of Highlands, TX. Reutzel will start Friday night’s makeup feature from the fourth row outside, one row directly behind Tankersley.
New Caney’s Scottie McDonald and Willis’ Kent Lewis, Jr., are both right in the mix as well within 14 points of the leader, with other top title contenders including two-time and reigning series champion Brandon Berryman (Missouri City), Jimmy Brooks (College Station), Tommy Bryant (Conroe), Brandon Corn (Gause), Ray Allen Kulhanek (Magnolia), Chris Sweeney (Channelview) and Greg Rilat (Texas City) among others.
Tankersley doubled up with a pair of wins at Golden Triangle Raceway Park last year with Gary Watson and Jason Johnson also posting GTRP victories. Gary Wright topped the series season opener at GTRP in March.
The series featured four different winners at Houston Raceway Park in 2008 including Jack Dover, Brandon Berryman, Michael Dupuy and Jason Johnson.
Several Lucas Oil ASCS National invaders will likely join the ASCS Gulf South forces as well for the weekend.
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