4/14/2016
Aaron Reutzel
Another Weekend Nets Another Win for Reutzel
Lonnie Wheatley, CLUTE, Texas (April 14, 2016) – It took a little longer to get that first win of 2016 than reigning Lucas Oil ASCS National champion Aaron Reutzel might have liked.
But, after getting his first win at the Gator Motorplex on April 2, Reutzel waited just six more nights to capture his second win of the year in the Shark-powered Dissolvalloy Downhole Revolution/BC Fundz No. 87 Triple-X Sprint Car at last Friday’s ASCS Gulf South/ASCS Southern Outlaw Sprints showdown at Mississippi’s Jackson Motor Speedway.
And the Clute, TX, racer nearly made it a weekend sweep the next night in the Wren Motorsports/Momentum Racing Suspensions machine before settling for fifth after an all-or-nothing slider for the lead in the closing laps.
“It was a lot of fun, the track was just phenomenal both nights,” Reutzel says. “It was a really technical track, that’s reflected in the top five finishers on both nights.”
Friday started out in promising fashion with Reutzel racing from the tail of his heat to claim second. “We drew a good heat and got through it,” Reutzel explained.
After starting the Friday night feature in fifth, Reutzel raced into the lead early aboard the Danny Sander Construction/ButlerBuilt entry and never looked back en route to his second win in a row.
“On the first lap, everyone jumped to the bottom,” Reutzel recalls. “The top was really just dirt piled up against the wall. I tried it and showed that you could make it work up there. We took the lead on the fourth lap and that was pretty much it.”
With $2,000 in the bank after Friday’s win, a $3,000 share was on the line Saturday night with another $1,000 bonus for the weekend sweep.
Starting third, Reutzel tried his preferred high line early on, but the going was tricky.
“It was similar to the night before, but there was less dirt on the wall,” Reutzel explains. “It was pretty sketchy. I tried to run it for a couple of laps and then fell back in on the bottom.”
The bottom proved not to be a long-term solution though.
“The bottom wore out, so we went back to the top,” Reutzel says. “It was sketchy up there, it took a couple of laps to get it cleaned off.”
And when the top side was cleaned off, the Wright Way Logistics/Walker Performance Filtration machine was on the move.
“We got going real good and got up front,” Reutzel relates. “I thought I was leading for a little bit, then I saw (Andy) McElhannon way out front.”
The chase was on as Reutzel tried to reel in McElhannon for the top spot.
“I ran him down and got right behind him, then the caution comes out,” Reutzel says.
The caution proved costly, with Reutzel relaying that, “We’re rolling around under caution and it got the top dirty. Then it took another four or five laps to get the top going again.”
At this point, running the top side is not without significant risks. “It’s almost pure wall at this point, it’s getting real sketchy,” Reutzel relates.
Sketchy or not, Reutzel is making it work to his advantage. “We got to him and we’re passing for the lead between him and the wall and another caution comes out!”
Into the final handful of laps and with little time to get the top side going again, Reutzel had a choice to make; go for the win or ride for second.
Going for the win and the bonus money was the only real option.
“I tried a Hail Mary on the top, hit the fence and almost turned it over,” Reutzel comments. “We took the chance and ended up coming across in fifth.”
With an exciting weekend of action in Mississippi in the books, Reutzel and crew will take a week off before taking on the World of Outlaws at the famed Devil’s Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, TX, on March 22-23.
The WoO double at Devil’s Bowl Speedway will mark the first of six consecutive scheduled Outlaw events until Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour action resumes on Thursday night, May 5, at Kansas City’s Lakeside Speedway.
2016 Quick Stats: 22 races, 2 wins, 6 top-fives, 10 top-tens.
Up Next: World of Outlaws Sprint Cars at Devil’s Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, TX, on April 22-23.
Keep Track: Keep track of Aaron Reutzel’s on-track action including schedule and results at http://www.aaronreutzelracing.com/, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Aaron-Reutzel-Racing/117666254913127 or on Twitter at @AaronReutzel. You can also e-mail Aaron at aaronreutzel@yahoo.com.
If you would like Aaron Reutzel Racing press releases e-mailed directly to you, send your e-mail address to Lonnie Wheatley at lonniewheatley@gmail.com.
Penning the recurring series of “The Wheatley Chronicles” articles on www.sprintcarmania.com, Lonnie Wheatley provides media, public relations and more for select tracks, drivers and events. For more information, Wheatley may be contacted at lonniewheatley@gmail.com.
Article Credit: Lonnie Wheatley