3/6/2012
ASCS
Lucas Oil ASCS Heads to Cocopah
Bryan Hulbert - Yuma, AZ (March 6, 2012) - With the 2012 season opening weekend in the books, the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by MavTV now moves to the Yuma/Somerton area for a pair of nights at the Cocopah Speedway.
Seated on the Cocopah Indian Reservation, the 3/8 mile clay oval will feature the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by MavTV for the first time on Friday March 9th and Saturday March 10th. Pre-race festivities will begin on Thursday March 8th with a free meet and greet Sprint Car Show at the Cocopah Wild River Family Entertainment Center
Cocopah Speedway will be the 119th track to have hosted the Lucas Oil ASCS presented by MavTV since the series begin in 1992.
Coming into this weekend’s races, Brady Bacon has established himself as the early point’s leader with a pair of runner up finishes at the Copper Classic. During post-race interviews, Bacon was pleased with the start of his season; reflecting back several times to the 2011 season and the difference in how they began for the Fatheadz Eyewear 99.
Tony Bruce Jr. currently holds the runner up spot after taking the first checkered flag of the 2012 season, his sixth career win with the Lucas Oil ASCS. Bruce followed up his win with a fourth place finish on Saturday. The driver of The Oil Medics 18 shared similar sentiments of improvement in post-race interviews; referring to 2011 as one of the worst year he’s had as a driver.
With engine problems plaguing Jason Johnson during his heat on night one of the Copper Classic, the driver of the AccuDoc Solutions 41 rebounded in a big way by coming out the B-Main to charge from twenty-first to seventh. In his second performance of the weekend the “Ragin’ Cajun” had every cylinder firing in perfect time as Johnson raced from ninth to win after several close battles with Brodix Rookie of the Year contender Brad Loyet and current point’s leader Brady Bacon. The Copper Classic victory became Johnson’s fifty-fifth career win.
Wayne Johnson has returned to the Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour full time with a strong start to the 2012 season. Coming out of Peoria sitting fourth in points, the Oklahoma City veteran showed great patience while fighting a loose car on night one in order to hold onto a third place finish. Night two saw the City Vending 77 in several battles before ending up fifth.
Rounding out the top five is Tony Stewart but with Stewart only running a his Sprint Car when his schedule with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series allows, current Brodix Rookie of the Year leader Brad Loyet has the door sitting wide open to step into the top five in points. Loyet earned his first top five with the Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour the opening night of the Copper Classic and looked to be on his way to victory on Saturday but a spin on lap 18 would see the Sunset Hills, Missouri racer have to fight back to claim a thirteenth place finish. Terry McCarl currently sits seventh in points with Roger Crockett, Dustin Morgan, and Gary Wright rounding out the top ten.
Quick Notes
Pre-Race Festivities: March 8, 2012 - Cocopah Wild River Family Entertainment Center starting at 6pm.
Track: Cocopah Speedway
Dates: March 9-10, 2012
Times: Pit Gates: 2pm; Main Gate opens 5pm; Races 7pm.
Location: The Cocopah Speedway is located at the intersection of Highway 95 and County 15th Street in Somerton, Ariz. Directly across from the Cocopah Resort and Conference Center, Cocopah Wild River Family Entertainment Center.
Track Contact/Information: www.cocopahspeedway.com - Phone: 928-344-1563
Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by MavTV - A Look Ahead:
March 23-24 Devil’s Bowl Speedway (Mesquite, TX) – 39th Annual Devil’s Bowl Spring Nationals
April 13 Golden Triangle Raceway Park (Beaumont, TX)
April 14 Battleground Speedway (Highlands, TX)
April 27 Salina Highbanks (Salina, OK)
April 28 Riverside International Speedway (West Memphis, AR) – Rock ‘N Roll 50
2012 ASCS National Points (top 20): 1. Brady Bacon 284; 2. Tony Bruce Jr. 280; 3. Jason Johnson 269; 4. Wayne Johnson 260; 5. Tony Stewart 243; 6. Brad Loyet 243; 7. Terry McCarl 234; 8. Roger Crockett 233; 9. Dustin Morgan 226; 10. Gary Wright 225; 11. Aaron Reutzel 222; 12. Brian Brown 219; 13. Johnny Herrera 206; 14. Seth Bergman 206; 15. Joshua Hodges 199; 16. Dalten Gabbard 196; 17. Danny Wood 187; 18. Matt Covington 182; 19. Lance Norick 181 ; 20. Zach Chappell 176;
Lucas Oil ASCS on the Web:
All Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series national events are broadcast live on www.racinboys.com for anyone who is unable to attend the races live.
Official results, points, and race notes are posted at www.ascsracing.com. The Lucas Oil ASCS presented by MavTV can also be found on Facebook.
Lucas Oil ASCS on TV:
A full schedule of tape-delayed races for the 2012 season is pending.
The Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by MavTV is scheduled to compete 64 times in 16 states throughout the United States with divers competing for their share of a $250,000 points fund.
The 2012 season marks the 21st year of sanctioning Sprint Car racing for the American Sprint Car Series, which brings the best of Sprint Car racing to dozens of different tracks throughout the nation and into Canada. Anchored by the Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series, ASCS also consists of ten different Regions throughout the nation.
Additional information regarding the American Sprint Car Series is available at www.ascsracing.com.
Photo Credit: TKA Photography
Article Credit: Bryan Hulbert
Submitted By: Bryan Hulbert
