ASCS at Devils Bowl last night

Lucky161 · 3/20/10, 11:02 AM

It was supposed to be a two day show, but weather interfered. Weather last night was almost perfect, but earlier in the day it was cloudy, cool and very windy. By race time, the wind was gone and temps mild. I took my insulated coveralls but left them in the car. I also took a heavy coat, but didn't put it on until the races were almost over.
Before the races got started they announced that the saturday race was already declared a rainout due to the new forecast. Good call on their part. It's now been raining for hours and it's cold with a 17mph NW wind.
Cars from WA to PA showed up. 62 of them and 50 of the were fast. 30 of them were really fast. How fast? 4 time champion Gary Wright and defending champion Shane Stewart couldn't qualify for the A main in their heats and B mains. They were added as provisionals. While perhaps not Wrights best night, he was running good and didn't break. He just didn't have any luck in starting positions and the competion was really strong. Stewart did better and went from 23rd to 6th.
Sean McClelland one of my favorites from OK drew the pole after dominating his heat and lead for about 10 laps. Sammy Swindell started on the second row and ran 3rd for several laps before getting 2nd. On a restart he powered by McClelland and took off. He was never challenged. 2008 champion Jason Johnson won his B main, but started near the back of the A and made a little progress. His back up car was being driven by Wayne Johnson (no relation) who was in the top 5 most of the race battling with Danny Wood who now drives the car that Johnson used to run.
Basically the top 10 was filled with guys you would expect to do well, but so was the back 5 with the middle being made up of competent but not superstars. In addition to Wright and Johnson struggling in or near the back was former national champion Tim Crawley and former WoO rookie of the year Johnny Herrera. When those guys are running in the back, you know the competion is tough.

petey · 3/20/10, 2:41 PM

Thanks for the report. I'm going to head down to The Ditch to see these guys race for 50 laps instead of going to Haubstadt for the outlaws on April 24th. Hoping it can be as exciting as the last time I went down there (Swindell/Stenhouse fight).

petey · 3/22/10, 1:16 PM

Here's a pretty good vid of Fri. night's feature.

http://www.mudslingervideo.com/media/ascs_3-19-10.wmv

3/20/10, 2:41 PM	#2 Re: ASCS at Devils Bowl last night
petey Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 925	Thanks for the report. I'm going to head down to The Ditch to see these guys race for 50 laps instead of going to Haubstadt for the outlaws on April 24th. Hoping it can be as exciting as the last time I went down there (Swindell/Stenhouse fight).