(Image Credit: Mike Spivey)
TULSA, Okla. (June 8, 2015) The start of the 23rd ASCS Sizzlin’ Summer Speedweek and Bob Westphal Memorial Cup is just days away as the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by MAVTV American Real sets course to the Devil’s Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, Texas on Saturday, June 13.
The 42nd Devil’s Bowl Summer Nationals marks the 17th time the Mesquite, Texas oval has been a part of Speedweek. Seth Bergman captured the Speedweek victory in 2014, becoming the first Washington native to win an ASCS National Tour event at the Devil’s Bowl Speedway.
Asked how he feels about returning to the half-mile oval, Bergman replied, “I feel good. You know last year we won there to open up Speedweek and I’m looking forward to doing it again. It’s going to be a challenge, but the Devil’s Bowl’s always been good to me.”
Looking to rebound from an engine failure at the Salina Highbanks, the driver of the Oil Field Equipment and Manufacturing No. 23 is also looking at the bigger picture.
“We ended up breaking a rod in that engine, so it was pretty catastrophic,” said Bergman. “It sucked because it looked like it was going to be a really good point’s night for us with a chance to win. Being right there and not be able to finish was really disappointing.”
Looking beyond the Devil’s Bowl, the goal of Speedweek Champion is definitely on the mind of Bergman, ‘It’s something me and Tyler have been talking about a lot and we really want to win this, and of course the points championship. We’ve been working really hard towards that and with Speedweek plus all the races out west it’s going to have a big impact on our season. Things can go really good, or really bad at all these races but I fell like if we show up ready, we could get the points lead out of these races.”
Currently holding third in Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour standings, Seth trails leader, Aaron Reutzel, by 96 markers. With two wins on the season in Lucas Oil ASCS competition, three of the next five tracks on the schedule have served Seth well with wins at the Devil’s Bowl, Creek County Speedway, and Salina Speedway.
Finding his night nearly cut short while trying to avoid a slower car at the Salina Highbanks Speedway, Aaron Reutzel has placed on the podium twice in National Tour competition at the Devil’s Bowl Speedway; finishing third in both instances.
While still taking a load of momentum into the Devil’s Bowl, both drivers will have to contend with Johnny Herrera.
Currently second in National Tour standings, at 49 points removed from the lead, it is not outside the realm of possibility for Herrera to snag the lead in a single shot. With four podium appearances, including two wins at the Devil’s Bowl, Herrera has been on a wave of momentum since the start of the 2015 season.
Tenth in tour standing just four races ago, Wayne Johnson has made strides through the standings to fourth. Runner up at the Salina Highbanks Speedway, Johnson has a history at the Devil’s Bowl that includes 18 podium finishes since 1996, including six victories.
Currently rounding out the top-five, Jeff Swindell has battled the Devil’s Bowl since the early days of the Outlaws. Two wins at the Devil’s Bowl in National Tour competition puts Swindell as a definite threat to win.
Tony Bruce, Jr. currently rides sixth with the National Tour and looks to add a fourth Devil’s Bowl triumph to his resume’.
2014 Winter National Champion, Matt Covington currently holds seventh with Salina Highbanks winner, Blake Hahn in eighth.
The site of Kyle Bellm’s first National Tour win in 2013, the Missouri native has been rolling steady in the tour last few outings. Coming off a career best sixth place finish with the Lucas Oil ASCS, Tennessee’s Bandon Hanks currently completes the top-ten.
In the overall history of the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by MAVTV American Real at the Devil’s Bowl, this coming Saturday looks to be the 81st National Tour visit to the half-mile. Dating back to 1994, in 80 visits 29 drivers have parked in Devil’s Bowl Victory Lane with the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series.
Saturday, June 13 will see races getting underway at 8:30 P.M. (CT) and will include USRA Modifieds and USA Limited Modifieds. Tickets are on sale by calling (972)222-2421 or at the track the day of the race. For more information on the Devil’s Bowl Speedway, log onto http://www.devilsbowl.com.
For continued updates on the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by MAVTV American Real, log onto http://www.ascsracing.com.
Need to Know Info:
When: Saturday, June 13, 2015
Where: Devil’s Bowl Speedway – Mesquite, Texas
Times: Gates Open at 6:00 P.M. / Racing at 8:30 P.M. (CT)
What: Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour / ASCS Red River Region
Tickets: Tickets are sold the day of the race or by calling (972) 222-2421.
Location: 1711 Lawson Rd. Mesquite, Texas 75181
Website: http://www.devilsbowl.com
Phone: (972) 222-2421
Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/DevilsBowl and https://twitter.com/dbspeedway
Lucas Oil ASCS History: Devil’s Bowl Speedway
Gary Wright (Hooks, TX) 20, Jason Johnson (Eunice, LA.) 10, Wayne Johnson (Oklahoma City, OK.) 6, Kevin Ramey (Ft. Worth, TX.) 4, Danny Jennings (Norman, OK.) 3, Sammy Swindell (Germantown, TN.) 3, Brian Brown (Grain Valley, MO.) 2, Garry Lee Maier (Cimarron, KS.) 2, Jeff Swindell (Bartlett, TN) 2, Johnny Herrera (Albuquerque, N.M.) 2, Mike Peters (Wichita, KS.) 2, Shane Stewart (Bixby, OK.) 2, Terry Gray (Bartlett, TN.) 2, Tony Bruce, Jr. (Liberal, KS.) 2, Travis Rilat (Forney, TX.) 2, Shane Carson (Oklahoma City, OK.), Alan Payne (Dallas, TX.), Danny Lasoski (Dover, MO.), Edd French (El Paso, TX.), Jack Dover (Springfield, NE.), Jake Peters (Sioux Falls, S.D.), Kyle Bellm (Nixa, MO.), Larry Neighbors (Oklahoma City, OK.), Mike Ward (Memphis, TN.), Patrick Stasa (Ft. Worth, TX.), Sam Hafertepe, Jr. (Sunnyvale, TX.), Seth Bergman (Snohomish, WA.), Shane Carson (Oklahoma City, OK.), Tim Crawley (Bryant, AR.), Matt Covington (Glenpool, OK.)
Season So Far:
2015 Lucas Oil ASCS Winners: Aaron Reutzel 2; Seth Bergman 2; Jason Sides 1; Mark Smith 1; Brian Brown 1; Blake Hahn 1;
Lucas Oil ASCS Driver Points (Top 10): 1. Aaron Reutzel 1,031; 2. Johnny Herrera 982; 3. Seth Bergman 935; 4. Wayne Johnson 911; 5. Jeff Swindell 884; 6. Tony Bruce, Jr. 853; 7. Matt Covington 822; 8. Blake Hahn 784; 9. Kyle Bellm 754; 10. Brandon Hanks 611
The 2015 season will mark the 24th year of sanctioning Sprint Car racing for the American Sprint Car Series, which brings the best of Sprint Car racing to dozens of different tracks throughout the nation in both National and Regional competition.
Lucas Oil Products is the title sponsor of the American Sprint Car Series. More information can be found on Lucas Oil Products at www.lucasoil.com. MAVTV is the presenting sponsor of the American Sprint Car Series. Log onto www.mavtv.com for information regarding availability and listings in your area.
ASCS Online:
American Sprint Car Series - http://www.ascsracing.com
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/lucasoilascs
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/lucasoilascs (@lucasoilascs)
Audio Broadcast - http://www.racinboys.com
Live Scoring (Where Applicable) - http://www.ascsracing.com/live and the Race Monitor App
ASCS National Drivers Online:
Kyle Bellm - http://www.kylebellm.com
Seth Bergman - http://www.sethbergmanracing.com
Tony Bruce, Jr. - http://www.tonybrucejr.com
Matt Covington - http://www.mattcovingtonracing.com
Blake Hahn - http://www.blakehahnracing.com
Sam Hafertepe, Jr. - http://www.sam15.com
Johnny Herrera - http://www.johnnyherreraracing.com
Wayne Johnson - https://www.facebook.com/WayneJohnsonRacing?fref=ts
Aaron Reutzel - http://www.aaronreutzelracing.com
Jeff Swindell - http://www.jeffswindell.com
Jordan Weaver - https://www.facebook.com/JordanWeaverRacing92
Associate sponsors for the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by MAVTV include: Hoosier Racing Tire and Brodix.
Team Lucas Sponsors for the American Sprint Car Series consist of Protect the Harvest, iON Camera, Smokey Mountain Moonshine, C&R Radiator, Hawk Performance Products, Geico, E3 Spark Plugs, and General Tire.
Communications for the American Sprint Car Series is provided by Racing Electronics. All events are broadcast online at http://www.racinboys.com.
Product and Contingency Sponsorship provided by: K&N Filters, KSE Racing Products, Fuel Safe, DMI Rear Ends, BMRS, SpeedMart, Competition Suspension, Engler Machine and Tool, FSR Radiator and Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, Driverwebsites.com, Weld Wheels, Maxwell Industries, Print Place, Simpson, The Joie of Seating, Wesmar Racing Engines, Hinchman Indy Racewear, Rod End Supply, Smiley's Racing Products, Speedway Motors, and Hilborn Injection.