The Tradition Continues – Western World Championships One Week Away
Lucas Oil Sprint Car Champion Among Titles to be Determined
Lonnie Wheatley, TULSA, Okla. (November 13, 2009) – Tony Bruce, Jr., snared a $15,000 gem by besting a 101-car field in last weekend's 22nd Annual Short Track Nationals at Little Rock's I-30 Speedway.
Now, one more $15,000 victory prize awaits the Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters, as the series wraps up a highly-competitive 2009 campaign with next weekend's 42nd Annual Kronik Energy Western World Championships presented by Old Tucson Studios at Tucson's USA Raceway on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, November 19-21.
While just one weekend remains between Shane Stewart and the $60,000 Lucas Oil Sprint Car title, the ASCS Southwest championship will also be determined as will the non-wing Discount Tire Co. ASCS Canyon Region title. The Canyon Region regulars will take on a host of invading forces in the $5,000-to-win non-wing portion of the Western World.
Hailing from Bixby, OK, Stewart carries a 24-point lead over 2008 series champ Jason Johnson of Eunice, LA, into next weekend's $15,000-to-win tilt atop the 3/8-mile USA Raceway.
Stewart and Johnson lead a stellar group of 16 full-time Lucas Oil Sprint Car travelers that will divvy up the record $250,000 points fund in the Sunday, November 22, ASCS Awards Banquet presented by Brodix at Old Tucson Studios.
Along with Stewart and Johnson, other Lucas Oil Sprint Car contenders include Gary Wright (Hooks, TX), Travis Rilat (Forney, TX), Paul McMahan (Hendersonville, TN), Tim Crawley (Benton, AR), Danny Wood (Norman, OK), Tony Bruce, Jr. (Liberal, KS), Jack Dover (Springfield, NE), Jesse Hockett (Warsaw, MO), Sean McClelland (Tulsa, OK), Kenneth Walker (Sapulpa, OK), Darren Long (Elida, OH), Chad Corken (Highlands Ranch, CO) and Seth Bergman (Snohomish, WA).
Snohomish, WA, native Gary Taylor will try to hold on to the 15th position in points or possibly gain a position by finishing out the season aboard Brian Parker's No. 9 entry, while car owner Bobby Sparks will try to maintain a top fifteen car owner ranking with Jonathan Allard at the wheel.
The Lucas Oil contenders along with semi-regulars Brady Bacon, Dustin Morgan, Matt Covington and Ricky Logan will face a variety of strong contenders including five-time Chili Bowl champ Sammy Swindell, ASCS Northwest champ Roger Crockett, ASCS Rocky Mountain champion Jake Ossenfort, Civil War Sprint Car champion Sean Becker, Eric Baldaccini, Brian Brown, Sam Hafertepe, Jr., Johnny Herrera, Danny Lasoski, Joey Saldana and Lucas Wolfe among others.
With the ASCS Southwest title also hanging in the balance in the winged portion of the event, Rick Ziehl of Las Cruces, NM, holds a 12-point advantage over Ben Gregg in his quest for a second consecutive series title. Other top ASCS Southwest forces include Joshua Hodges, John Gaston, Ronnie Clark, Mike Martin, Charles Davis, Jr., John Van Horn, Jessica Van Dyke and Cody Cambensy.
On the wingless side, Charles Davis, Jr., tries to put the finishing touches on the Discount Tire Co. ASCS Canyon Region championship as he carries a 40-point lead over R.J. Johnson into the weekend.
The top Canyon Region forces will face a variety of invaders including Jesse Hockett, who swept last year's ASCS Canyon Region portion of the Western World. Other top invaders include the likes of Jon Stanbrough, Robert Ballou, Jerry Coons, Jr., Dave Darland and Brady Bacon among others.
Next weekend's 42nd Annual Kronik Energy Western World Championships presented by Old Tucson Studios marks the first time for the event to be held at Tucson's USA Raceway, with the event shifting to Tucson after Manzanita Speedway's closure earlier this year.
A total of 117 entries have been submitted thus far, including 68 in the winged Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series ranks and 49 wingless Discount Tire Co. ASCS Canyon Region competitors, with more expected by the time action commences next week.
The Series:
Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters ($15,000-to-win winged portion)
Discount Tire Co. ASCS Canyon Region ($5,000-to-win non-wing portion)
When & Where – USA Raceway's Western World Championships:
Wednesday, November 18, 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. – Practice at USA Raceway
Thursday, November 19 at 7:00 p.m. – 42nd Annual Western World Championships Old Tucson Studios Qualifying Night
Friday, November 20 at 7:00 p.m. – 42nd Annual Western World Championships Kronik Energy Qualifying Night
Saturday, November 21 at 7:00 p.m. – 42nd Annual Kronik Energy Western World Championships presented by Old Tucson Studios championship features
Sunday, November 22 at 12:00 p.m. – 18th Annual ASCS Awards Banquet presented by Brodix at Old Tucson Studios
Event Format:
Split fields for Thursday and Friday preliminary events (half the winged cars on Thursday, second half on Friday / half the non-wing cars on Thursday and other half of Friday), run under standard ASCS format of heat races with passing/finishing points to determine feature lineups.
Thursday and Friday "A" and "B" Feature finishes determine Saturday night Western World Championships feature lineups.
The 2009 WWC Entries:
There are currently 68 Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series entries for the $15,000-to-win winged portion and 49 Discount Tire Co. ASCS Canyon Region entries for the $5,000-to-win wingless portion, with more expected over the next week to battle it out for the overall purse that is well in excess of $100,000.
Lucas Oil Sprint Cars presented by K&N Filters Entries:
Thursday:
1 Sean McClelland (Tulsa, OK)
1p Curtis Evans (Norburne, MO)
2m Mike Melwicks (Richmond, BC, CAN)
3d Paul McMahan (Hendersonville, TN)
3s John Carney II (El Paso, TX)
5az John Van Horn (Tucson, AZ)
6 Ronnie Clark (Tucson, AZ)
7 Darren Long (Elida, OH)
9 Gary Taylor (Snohomish, WA)
9x Gary Wright (Hooks, TX)
10 Sammy Swindell (Germantown, TN)
10a Ricky Logan (Little Rock, AR)
13 Jesse Hockett (Warsaw, MO)
15h Sam Hafertepe, Jr. (Sunnyvale, TX)
20ks Kyle Sager (Alto, NM)
22 Jesse Baker (Grants, NM)
22b Ben Gregg (Phoenix, AZ)
22j John Gaston (Phoenix, AZ)
23 Seth Bergman (Snohomish, WA)
41w Joshua Williams (Glendale, AZ)
44k Koty McGullam (Marana, AZ)
45 Martin Edwards (Mesquite, TX)
45x Johnny Herrera (Albuquerque, NM)
53 Jack Dover (Springfield, NE)
57 Shane Stewart (Bixby, OK)
57x Lucas Wolfe (Lemogne, PA)
66 Jessica Van Dyke (Tucson, AZ)
71 Bob Schaeffer (New Castle, CO)
77m Billy Chester III (Chino Valley, AZ)
93 Dustin Morgan (Collinsville, OK)
93k Brent Kronfuss (Bozeman, MT)
94 Danny Wood (Norman, OK)
99 Brady Bacon (Broken Arrow, OK)
99j Jake Ossenfort (Rapid City, SD)
Friday:
01 Kaylene Verville (Avondale, AZ)
1x J.T. Imperial (Mesa, AZ)
2 Kenneth Walker (Sapulpa, OK)
2sb Sean Becker (Carmichael, CA)
4 Eric Baldaccini (Keller, TX)
5a Thomas Ogle (Waddell, AZ)
7d William Riley (Sierra Vista, AZ)
11 Chad Corken (Highlands Ranch, CO)
11c Roger Crockett (Medford, OR)
11T Steve Lohn (Tucson, AZ)
17 Bruce Griffith, Jr. (Highlands, TX)
18 Tony Bruce, Jr. (Liberal, KS)
20az Steve Martin (Phoenix, AZ)
20L Andrew Reinbold (Gilbert, AZ)
20z Rick Ziehl (Las Cruces, NM)
21 Brian Brown (Grain Valley, MO)
23n Stephen Allard (Chico, CA)
25c Chad Groves (Bend, OR)
26b Bobby McMahan (Sacramento, CA)
29 Travis Rilat (Forney, TX)
32 Jerry Coons, Jr. (Tucson, AZ)
33 Danny Lasoski (Higginsville, MO)
34 Calvin Landis (Knoxville, IA)
35a Joey Saldana (Brownsburg, IN)
41 Jason Johnson (Eunice, LA)
42 Rick Boughan (Lima, OH)
55 TBA
71 Channin Tankersley (Highlands, TX)
74x Joshua Hodges (Tijeras, NM)
77 Colt Treharn (Los Lunas, NM)
77e William Eggiman (San Ysidro, CA)
88 Tim Crawley (Benton, AR)
94j Charles Davis, Jr. (Buckeye, AZ)
95 Matt Covington (Glenpool, OK)
Discount Tire Co. ASCS Canyon Region Non-Wing Entries:
Thursday:
1 Jon Stanbrough (Brownsburg, IN)
5d Jerry Johnston (Albuquerque, NM)
6c Rex Calderwood (Phoenix, AZ)
7k Bruce St. James (Phoenix, AZ)
8 Daniel Hutto (Tucson, AZ)
8az Jordan Stetson (Tucson, AZ)
11 Seainn Hendricsen (Glendale, AZ)
12 Nathan High (Goodyear, AZ)
16b Robert Ballou (Rocklin, CA)
17 Steve Spiak (Albuquerque, NM)
19 Andrew Reinbold (Gilbert, AZ)
27n Nick Aiuto (Camp Verde, AZ)
29 Travis Rilat (Forney, TX)
32 Jerry Coons, Jr. (Tucson, AZ)
41 Rick Ziehl (Las Cruces, NM)
48T Thomas Ogle (Waddell, AZ)
50 Charles Davis, Jr. (Buckeye, AZ)
51 Cody Cambensy (Tucson, AZ)
52 TBA
52 Stevie Sussex (Waddell, AZ)
74x Joshua Hodges (Tijeras, NM)
77 Dalton Gabbard (Peoria, AZ)
77m R.J. Johnson (Phoenix, AZ)
78 Chris Bonneau (Peoria, AZ)
97 Casey Shuman (Tempe, AZ)
Friday:
2az Jesse Hockett (Warsaw, MO)
3 Harris Brooks (Phoenix, AZ)
3x Jimmy Crawford (Newberry Park, CA)
5m Brian O'Donnell (Glendale, AZ)
6 Ronnie Clark (Tucson, AZ)
6s Bryan Swinehart (Prescott Valley, AZ)
7 Mike Leslie (Litchfield Park, AZ)
7az Brian Hosford (Gilbert, AZ)
9 Brandon Lane (Gilbert, AZ)
16 Mike Martin (Yuma, AZ)
21 Johnathon Henry (Stockton, CA)
26az Bobby Taylor (Oro Valley, AZ)
27h Jeremy Huebner (Tucson, AZ)
36 Dave Darland (Lincoln, IN)
37 David Bezio (El Cajon, CA)
44 Jeremy Sherman (Surprise, AZ)
45x Johnny Herrera (Albuquerque, NM)
55 Tony Everhart (El Cajon, CA)
61x Bo Baker (Grants, NM)
77s Brian Schuler (El Cajon, CA)
82 Sean Teeters (Tucson, AZ)
93 Dustin Morgan (Collinsville, OK)
99 Brady Bacon (Broken Arrow, OK)
XXX Zach Sawyers (Gilbert, AZ)
