7/28/2016
Aaron Reutzel
Reutzel Gaining Momentum - Busy Weekend Ahead
Lonnie Wheatley, CLUTE, Texas (July 28, 2016) – Aaron Reutzel is finding his rhythm.
And it’s a good time for it with Knoxville’s $15,000-to-win Knoxville Nationals just one week away.
Reutzel and the Shark-powered Dissolvalloy Downhole Revolution/BC Fundz No. 87 Triple-X Sprint Car team come off a weekend of Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour competition at Black Hills Speedway in Rapid City, SD, that included podium finishes of second and third.
“I feel like we we’re about back to where we were when we were running so well last year,” the reigning Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour champion commented after the Black Hills double. A $10,000 score at Billings, MT, preceded that the previous weekend.
Reutzel and the Wren Motorsports/Momentum Racing Suspensions team can further build that momentum with a pair of Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour events in South Dakota bookending a $20,000-to-win NSL card at Minnesota’s Jackson Motorplex on Friday night and then Knoxville Raceway competition on Saturday night.
The four-night set of action begins tonight with ASCS action at Park Jefferson International Speedway in Jefferson, SD, before wrapping up Sunday night at Badlands Motor Speedway near Sioux Falls.
Reutzel was strong aboard the Danny Sander Construction/ButlerBuilt machine from the outset during last weekend’s “Rushmore Rumble” at Black Hill Speedway.
Gridding Friday’s feature fourth, Reutzel railed the top side of turns and one and two on the opening lap to charge into the lead, only to have the move negated by a caution.
“On the second start, those guys moved up and it took me two or three laps to get to the lead,” Reutzel explains.
Being out front wasn’t necessarily the place to be with the rapidly changing Rapid City track conditions.
“Johnny (Herrera) was behind us and he was able to search around and found the little bit of rubber at the bottom of three and four,” Reutzel says.
Herrera slipped by but Reutzel made one more run for it in the Wright Way Logistics/Walker Performance Filtration machine.
“The rubber was right on the bottom, you had to have your left front right up next to the wall to hit it right,” Reutzel explains. “I dove in and missed it by maybe half a car length and slid up the track. It was pretty much over then, we raced single file the rest of the way.”
Locked into Saturday’s feature, Reutzel was fast in hot laps. “We were a half-second faster than anyone else,” Reutzel says.
The redraw wasn’t kind with Reutzel pulling the ‘4’ to start second row outside. And track conditions weren’t any kinder.
“It was one of those that you needed to draw the front row to have a chance,” Reutzel says. “It rubbered up almost immediately.”
Reutzel rode in third throughout to finish off a strong weekend.
Now, beginning with tonight, only four more nights of action remain before going after the $15,000 winner’s share at Knoxville next weekend.
2016 Quick Stats: 56 races, 4 wins, 17 top-fives, 27 top-tens.
Up Next:
Thursday – Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour at Park Jefferson International Speedway (Jefferson, SD)
Friday – NSL 410-ci Sprint Cars at Jackson (MN) Motorplex
Saturday – Knoxville (IA) Raceway
Sunday – Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour at Badlands Motor Speedway (Brandon, SD)
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
