4/2/2011
Aaron Reutzel
Aaron Reutzel rules ASCS Gulf South at Heart O’ Texas
Leading Brodix Rookie of the Year contender Aaron Reutzel took full advantage of an idle weekend for the Lucas Oil ASCS National series by racing to victory lane in Friday night’s 30-lap Smiley’s Racing Products ASCS Gulf South Region main event at Heart O’ Texas Speedway.
The 20-year-old from Clute, TX, made a late-race move around Brandon Berryman for the lead to claim his second career ASCS Gulf South triumph aboard Kenny Reutzel’s Simpson Race Products No. 87 Triple-X, this one worth $3,000.
While 2009 Gulf South champ Reutzel took the green flag from the sixth starting position, it was two-time series champ Brandon Berryman leading most of the way after starting from the pole. Berryman briefly surrendered the lead on the seventh lap to Jason Johnson, who then jumped the cushion and spun to a stop.
As the laps wound down, Reutzel and Channin Tankersley battled past Berryman on the 22nd circuit only to have Tankersley tangle with a lapped car and get upside down.
With Berryman back up front on the restart, Reutzel kept the pressure on until taking command with just three rounds to go. Reutzel raced on to the checkered flag in front of Berryman, with George White racing into the show position after starting 12th.
Reigning Lucas Oil ASCS National champion Jason Johnson rebounded from his early miscue to salvage fourth, with defending ASCS Gulf South champion Ray Allen Kulhanek rounding out the top five. Claud Estes was sixth, with Martin Edwards, Chris Coker, Gary Watson and Tommy Bryant completing the top ten.
Johnson, Tankersley, Ryan Hall, Berryman and Watson topped heat race action for the 37-car field, with Evan Pardo and Bryant winning the “B” Mains.
After turning over in heat race action, Travis Rilat fell one spot short of a transfer in “B” Main action.
Smiley’s Racing Products ASCS Gulf South Results from Heart O’ Texas Speedway:
First Heat (8 Laps): 1. 41-Jason Johnson, 2. 28-James Cooper, 3. 40-Junior Jenkins, 4. 76-John Ricketts, 5. 54-Evan Pardo, 6. 2s-Steve Hubbard, 7. 17-Bruce Griffith, Jr. DNS: 17c-Greg Coleman.
Second Heat (8 Laps): 1. 71-Channin Tankersley, 2. 5c-Chris Coker, 3. 15T-Travis Elliott, 4. 74e-Claud Estes, 5. 9-Brian Parker, 6. 93-Chris Sweeney, 7. 11x-Justin Melton, 8. 8-Bruce Crockett.
Third Heat (8 Laps): 1. 79-Ryan Hall, 2. 87-Aaron Reutzel, 3. 2-Wes Miller, 4. 19-Klint Angelette, 5. 64j-Johnny Miller, 6. 69-Larry Howery, 7. 14b-Robert Byrom.
Fourth Heat (8 Laps): 1. 31-Brandon Berryman, 2. 10-George White, 3. 25m-Michael McNeil, 4. 51-Beau Smith, 5. 35-Greg Rilat, 6. 11-Jeffrey Newell, 7. 29-Travis Rilat.
Fifth Heat (8 Laps): 1. 3-Gary Watson, 2. 45-Martin Edwards, 3. 21T-Ray Allen Kulhanek, 4. 14e-Tommy Bryant, 5. 12b-Logan Bledsoe, 6. 7w-Dustin Welch, 7. 52-Roger Oakes.
First “B” Main (12 Laps): 1. 54-Evan Pardo, 2. 2-Wes Miller, 3. 35-Greg Rilat, 4. 51-Beau Smith, 5. 12b-Logan Bledsoe, 6. 69-Larry Howery, 7. 17-Bruce Griffith, Jr., 8. 52-Roger Oakes, 9. 11-Jeffrey Newell, 10. 2s-Steve Hubbard. DNS: 25m-Michael McNeil, 17c-Greg Coleman.
Second “B” Main (12 Laps): 1. 14e-Tommy Bryant, 2. 64j-Johnny Miller, 3. 76-John Ricketts, 4. 29-Travis Rilat, 5. 11x-Justin Melton, 6. 19-Klint Angelette, 7. 93-Chris Sweeney, 8. 14b-Robert Byrom, 9. 9-Brian Parker, 10. 7w-Dustin Welch. DNS: 8-Bruce Crockett.
“A” Feature (30 Laps): 1. 87-Aaron Reutzel, 2. 31-Brandon Berryman, 3. 10-George White, 4. 41-Jason Johnson, 5. 21T-Ray Allen Kulhanek, 6. 74e-Claud Estes, 7. 45-Martin Edwards, 8. 5c-Chris Coker, 9. 3-Gary Watson, 10. 14e-Tommy Bryant, 11. 15T-Travis Elliott, 12. 64j-Johnny Miller, 13. 54-Evan Pardo, 14. 40-Junior Jenkins, 15. 35-Greg Rilat, 16. 79-Ryan Hall, 17. 71-Channin Tankersley, 18. 2-Wes Miller, 19. 28-James Cooper, 20. 76-John Ricketts.
Smiley’s Racing Products ASCS Gulf South Region Points (Top Ten): 1. Aaron Reutzel 263, 2. George White 254, 3. Brandon Berryman 238, 4. Tommy Bryant 216, 5. Greg Rilat 208, 6. Wes Miller 198, 7. Ray Allen Kulhanek 190, 8. Channin Tankersley 186, 9. (tie) Michael McNeil and Chris Coker 181.
Story by Lonnie Wheatley
Article Credit: Lonnie Wheatley
Submitted By: Admin Account