9/14/2014
ASCS
ASCS Frontier: Brink, Hickle and Ramaker celebrate at Billings
Andrew Kunas / Bryan Hulbert - SHEPHERD, Mont. (September 13, 2014) Three drivers were celebrating on Saturday night at Billings Motorsports Park. D.J. Brink was celebrating after scoring his first main event victory with the ASCS Frontier Region in dominating fashion. J.J. Hickle was celebrating being the overall winner of the Dan Laber Memorial. And then there was Joe Ramaker; celebrating an ASCS Frontier Region Championship.
The 30-lap A-Feature event was never in doubt as D.J. Brink of Sturgis, S.D. dominated. Taking the lead from Joe Perry on Lap 6 Brink led by as much as two-thirds of a lap ahead aboard the Hopkins & Wurl No. 90.
It was also a perfect ending for Myron Hopkins and Jim Wurl, who are calling it quits as car owners. Brink was hired for the weekend to race in the Dan Laber Memorial, which Hopkins and Wurl won as car owners in 2013. After a rough Friday night, Brink sent Hopkins and Wurl out on top on Saturday night.
"It was a rocket-ship from the time we unloaded today. We hit all the nails on the head," a happy Brink said after the races. "I didn't know that I was so far ahead until they told me in the pit area. I wasn't going to lift in traffic since I was sure there was someone not too far behind me. Myron and Jim put together the car just this week, and it was a great car. I'm happy to send them out like this."
Ramaker actually finished second after a very spirited multi-car battle with Perry, Hickle, David Hoiness and Phil Dietz that kept the crowd entertained while Brink ran away with the victory. Ramaker, however, was disqualified in post-race inspection when it was discovered that his muffler had fallen off during the race. Ramaker's misfortune cost him the overall Dan Laber Memorial title but Ramaker had already clinched the 2014 season championship.
Hoiness started tenth and came across the line third but was ultimately credited with second place. Perry finished third after leading the first five laps.
Friday night winner J.J. Hickle of Quilcene, Wash. was credited with fourth and after Ramaker's misfortune garnered the most points over the two nights, to claim the Dan Laber Memorial in the Peterson Racing No. 23n. Though driving a Great Falls, Montana-based car, Hickle is the third driver from Washington to win the event, joining Steve Beitler and Marc Huson.
"This is awesome. It's great to be included with (Beitler and Huson) on that list, representing my home state," Hickle said, "I've got to hand it to Richie and Nubby (Peterson) from here in Montana. They've got first rate equipment and we're really fast. It's been a joy driving that car. It'll be awesome to have my name on the trophy in Knoxville."
Hickle's name will join all the previous winners of the event on the permanent Dan Laber Memorial trophy that is on display at the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum in Knoxville, Iowa.
Trever Kirkland of Helena, Mont. finished fifth aboard the Kirkland Racing No. 37 Gillette-powered Triple X. Phil Dietz finished sixth, one position ahead of Kelly Miller. Miller edged out Dietz by just one point to finish second in the point standings. Miller's effort came after he had to start sixteenth, due to his motor expiring on the final lap of his heat race.
Jerry Brey finished eighth, followed by three-time Dan Laber Memorial winner Bill Boyce and Clint Anderson.
Despite a lost muffler costing him the Dan Laber title, Joe Ramaker was all smiles still in the pit area, receiving congratulations from fellow competitors on his 2014 ASCS Frontier Region title. Ramaker won six races during the season. It is Ramaker's third championship in Montana as he also won titles with the Big Sky Sprint Tour in 2008 and 2009.
"I feel great. I'm honored to win the championship out here," said Ramaker. "When I started racing we had ten or twelve cars every night out here. Now, look at this. We got guys traveling here to compete. We had guys coming out from Knoxville and North and South Dakota for races. We're having some really competitive racing here, so I'm really honored to be the champion."
Damon McCune won the night's 12-lap B-Feature. Heat races earlier in the evening were won by Ramaker, Jeremy McCune, Paxton Lambrect and Brink.
The Frontier Region of the American Sprint Car Series, presented in part by Speedmart Inc. is a winged 360 dirt sprint car tour racing around the state of Montana and beyond. More information on the ASCS Frontier Region can be found online at frontier.ascsracing.com or you can also follow the series on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ascsfrontier. The national website of the Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour presented by MAVTV American Real is www.ascsracing.com.
ASCS Frontier Region
Billings Motorsports Park - Billings, Mont.
Saturday, September 13, 2014
Car Count: 27
Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 98-Joe Ramaker; 2. 23N-J.J. Hickle; 3. 12-Jerry Brey; 4. 27DD-David Hoiness; 5. 44-Damon McCune; 6. X-Steve Nelson; 7. 15-James Sires
Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 0J-Jeremy McCune; 2. 37-Trever Kirkland; 3. 9A-Clint Anderson; 4. 4S-Adam Speckman; 5. 77-Mark Sweet; 6. 24-Leroy Brush; 7. 4-Cliff Nelson Jr.
Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. 7X-Paxton Lambrecht; 2. 28-Joe Perry; 3. 35-Charles (Chip) Roe; 4. 99-Lany Reber; 5. 4N-John Nelson; 6. (DNF) 11-Cliff Nelson; 7. (DNF) 00-Roger Cummings
Heat 4 (8 Laps): 1. 90-D.J. Brink; 2. 44K-Kelly Miller; 3. 72-Phil Dietz; 4. 1-Bill Boyce; 5. 77X-Nate Maxwell; 6. 2-Shad Peterson
B Feature 1 (12 Laps): 1. 44-Damon McCune[3]; 2. X-Steve Nelson[8]; 3. 77X-Nate Maxwell[4]; 4. 15-James Sires[11]; 5. 00-Roger Cummings[10]; 6. 2-Shad Peterson[7]; 7. 24-Leroy Brush[6]; 8. 77-Mark Sweet[5]; 9. 4-Cliff Nelson Jr.[9]; 10. 4N-John Nelson[1]; 11. 11-Cliff Nelson[2]
A Feature (25 Laps): 1. 90-D.J. Brink[3]; 2. 27DD-David Hoiness[12]; 3. 28-Joe Perry[2]; 4. 23N-J.J. Hickle[9]; 5. 37-Trever Kirkland[8]; 6. 72-Phil Dietz[4]; 7. 44K-Kelly Miller[10]; 8. 12-Jerry Brey[5]; 9. 9A-Clint Anderson[11]; 10. 1-Bill Boyce[16]; 11. 7X-Paxton Lambrecht[6]; 12. 0J-Jeremy McCune[7]; 13. 15-James Sires[20]; 14. 44-Damon McCune[17]; 15. 77X-Nate Maxwell[19]; 16. 35-Charles (Chip) Roe[13]; 17. 4S-Adam Speckman[14]; 18. 99-Lany Reber[15]; 19. X-Steve Nelson[18]; 20. 98-Joe Ramaker[1]
Submitted By: Bryan Hulbert
