National series La Monte preview

Lucas Oil ASCS Sprint Cars Make Debut at LA Raceway!

TULSA, Okla. (July 26, 2010) -- Following on the heels of a successful North by Northwest Tour, the Lucas Oil ASCS presented by K&N Filters National series invades La Monte, Missouri's LA Raceway for the first time in series history this Friday night.

And, just when it looked as though defending series champion Shane Stewart and 2008 kingpin Jason Johnson were poised to break away into a two-way battle for the $60,000 Lucas Oil Sprint Car championship, Brady Bacon served notice in the Cottage Grove Nationals finale that he intends to be in that title mix as well.

The 20-year-old from Broken Arrow, OK, matched Eunice, Louisiana's Johnson in the 2010 win column with Saturday night's $6,000 score that brought an end to Johnson's three-race win streak through Washington and Oregon.

Bacon's fourth win came at an opportune time as well, as both Stewart and Johnson finished outside the top twenty in Saturday's main event at Cottage Grove.

As a result, Bacon jumped to second in points, just 53 points behind "The Ragin' Cajun", with Bixby, OK, native Stewart another 22 points back in fourth.

Twenty-year-old Springfield, NE, shoe Jack Dover, who ranks as the only driver other than Johnson among the top ten in points to not yet use a provisional, is fourth in points, 135 markers off Johnson's lead pace.

Three-time series champion Tim Crawley of Benton, AR, holds the fifth position by just one point over 2001 champion Zach Chappell of Talala, OK, with Liberal, KS, ace Tony Bruce, Jr., just eleven points behind Crawley in seventh. Veteran shoe Danny Wood of Norman, OK, is another 18 points back in eighth.

Kyle Hirst of Loomis, CA, is the leading Brodix Rookie of the Year contender in ninth, with Little Rock native Ricky Logan rounding out the current top ten in points.

Rookie shoe Matt Covington of Glenpool, OK, is just outside the top ten, with other Lucas Oil ASCS contenders including Ohio's Darren Long and the remaining rookie crop of 19-year-old Channin Tankersley (Highlands, TX), 21-year-old Dustin Morgan (Tulsa, OK), 17-year-old Austen Wheatley (Lake Stevens, WA) and 16-year-old Justyn Cox (Clarksburg, CA).

Friday's card atop the 3/8-mile LA Raceway clay oval marks the second of three stops during the 2010 season for the Lucas Oil National Sprint Cars in the Show-Me State. Oklahoma's Zach Chappell cracked victory lane at Eldon, Missouri's Lake Ozark Speedway last month, with Wheatland's Lucas Oil Speedway hosting the series in September.

As is always the case, the Lucas Oil ASCS contenders will face a variety of top challengers in Missouri with the Winged Outlaw Warriors trying to knock off the National invaders. Eric Todd of Falcon, MO, is the current WOW points leader, with Tyler Blank, J. Kinder, Jonathan Cornell and Jon Corbin rounding out the current top five.

Friday's card marks the final Lucas Oil ASCS event before the $10,000-to-win 20th Annual ASCS Knoxville Nationals in Knoxville, IA, on August 5-7.

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

When & Where: Friday night, July 30 at 7:30 p.m. -- LA Raceway

Track Information:

LA Raceway (La Monte, MO) -- 3/8-mile, slightly banked clay oval located 3.5 miles west of SR 127 on Hwy Y. For more information, contact the track at 660-563-9878 or check http://www.laraceway.com/.

Lucas Oil ASCS LA Raceway History:

Friday's card at LA Raceway marks the inaugural event for the Lucas Oil Sprint Cars atop the 3/8-mile clay oval.

-source: ascs