ASCS 2008 – Reaching New Heights
 

Lonnie Wheatley, TULSA, Okla. (November 24, 2008) – The American Sprint Car Series staggering growth and popularity continued as the sanctioning body set new marks over the course of 2008, its 17th year of activity.

 

With a dozen Regional series in addition to the O'Reilly ASCoT National Tour, the ASCS logged a record total of 205 nights of competition into the books in 2008 with an additional 37 nights lost to inclement weather.

 

A total of 963 different drivers, another record setting mark, competed in at least one ASCS event in 2008 as the series contested events at 88 tracks throughout 26 different states as well as the Canadian province of Ontario.

 

Reeling in the lion's share of victory loot and headlines was Louisiana's Jason Johnson, who picked off eleven National Tour wins en route to his first $50,000 ASCS National championship.

 

"The Ragin' Cajun" picked off a half dozen ASCS Gulf South feature wins as well to run his overall ASCS win total for 2008 to 17, matching the win total he posted in both 2006 and 2007, extending his number of ASCS wins over the past three seasons to 51 triumphs.

 

In addition to his 17 ASCS scores, Johnson also won Knoxville Raceway's Brodix Tournament of Champions as well as two of the three $6,000-to-win legs of the Ollie's Challenge.  After topping the Eldora portion of the Ollie's Challenge, a Williams Grove score in the third and final leg netted a $50,000 bonus.

 

After dethroning four-time ASCS National champion Gary Wright, Johnson is set to defend his crown aboard Lanny Row's The Shop Motorsports No. 41 with a $250,000 point fund and a dozen or so televised events on the VERSUS Network among the highlights of the much-anticipated 2009 season for the Lucas Oil ASCS Sprint Car Dirt Series presented by K&N Filters.

 

Johnson topped a list of 87 different overall feature winners in 2008, with a dozen drivers joining him among the ranks of ASCS champions for the season.

 

Four drivers repeated as Regional champions this year including Jeremy Sherman (Canyon), Brandon Berryman (Gulf South), Lee Grosz (Northern Plains) and Brian McClelland (Sooner).

 

Another half dozen drivers captured their first ASCS Regional titles including Don Young (Coastal), Jack Dover (Midwest), Bryan Howland (Patriots), Kenny Adams (Rebel) Derrik Ortega (Rocky Mountain) and Brett Mann (Sprints on Dirt), while Jayme Barnes (Northwest) and Rick Ziehl (Southwest) claimed inaugural Regional championships.

 

 

O'Reilly American Sprint Cars on Tour National Series

 

Gary Wright opened the season looking for an unprecedented fifth consecutive ASCS National championship.

 

But, after consecutive runner-up points finishes in 2006 and 2007, Jason Johnson had other ideas.  "The Ragin' Cajun" kicked off the season with a $10,000 score at East Bay Raceway Park's Winter Nationals, only to spot his rivals an advantage when he missed the feature cut on the opening night of the Devil's Bowl Spring Nationals.

 

Johnson clawed back into contention and broke open a tight battle with Wright and Wayne Johnson with a strong Speedweek performance.  Not only was the performance strong enough to launch Johnson to his second Speedweek title, it ultimately propelled him to the $50,000 series crown.

 

O'Reilly American Sprint Cars on Tour National Feature Winners (15 winners in 34 features):  Jason Johnson 11, Gary Wright 5, Tony Bruce Jr. 3, Wayne Johnson 3, Gary Taylor 2, Kenny Adams 1, Aaron Berryhill 1, Brian Brown 1, Tim Crawley 1, Jack Dover 1, Danny Lasoski 1, Terry McCarl 1, Gavin Punch 1, Nick Smith 1, Skip Wilson 1.

 

O'Reilly American Sprint Cars on Tour National Points (Top Fifteen):  1. Jason Johnson (Eunice, LA) 3,943, 2. Gary Wright (Hooks, TX) 3,876, 3. Wayne Johnson (Oklahoma City, OK) 3,765, 4. Zach Chappell (Talala, OK) 3,656, 5. Garry Lee Maier (Cimarron, KS) 3,431, 6. Eric Baldaccini (Keller, TX) 3,285, 7. Nick Smith (Broken Arrow, OK) 3,165, 8. Kenneth Walker (Sapulpa, OK) 2,958, 9. Travis Rilat (Forney, TX) 2,897, 10. Gary Taylor (Sapulpa, OK) 2,715, 11. Kathryne Minter (Bedford, TX) 2,410, 12. Jack Dover (Springfield, NE) 2,389, 13. Matt Covington (Glenpool, OK) 1,829, 14. Brian Brown (Grain Valley, MO) 1,721, 15. Kevin Ramey (Fort Worth, TX) 1,609.

 

 

Discount Tire Co. ASCS Canyon Region

 

It's hard enough to beat a guy in a points race when he reaches victory lane 14 times in 27 attempts.  And it's about impossible when that guy never finishes any worse than ninth over the course of the year.  Which is exactly what Jeremy Sherman did in wingless ASCS action in Arizona, racking up 14 wins, 24 top-fives and 27 top-tens en route to his second consecutive Discount Tire Co. ASCS Canyon Region championship.

 

Sherman outdistanced "Chargin'" Charles Davis, Jr., a winner of five feature events, by 212 markers for the crown, while Missouri invader Jesse Hockett swept all three nights of the season-ending Western World Championships at Manzanita.

 

ASCS Canyon Region Feature Winners (7 winners in 27 features):  Jeremy Sherman 14, Charles Davis Jr. 5, Jesse Hockett 3, Casey Shuman 2, R.J. Johnson 1, Bob Ream, Jr. 1, Andrew Reinbold 1.

 

ASCS Canyon Region Points (Top Ten):  1. Jeremy Sherman (Surprise, AZ) 3,950, 2. Charles Davis, Jr. (Buckeye, AZ) 3,738, 3. Nathan High (Goodyear, AZ) 3,642, 4. Mike Martin (Yuma, AZ) 3,577, 5. R.J. Johnson (Phoenix, AZ) 3,561, 6. Andrew Reinbold (Chandler, AZ) 3,531, 7. Mike Leslie (Litchfield Park, AZ) 3,494, 8. Josh Pelkey (Peoria, AZ) 3,050, 9. Jeremy Reagles (Mesa, AZ) 2,793, 10. Thomas Ogle (Goodyear, AZ) 2,666.

 

 

ASCS Coastal Region

 

Memphis-area racer Don Young, who celebrated his 20th birthday last week, captured an abbreviated Coastal crown with a win versus Rebel competition in Baker, FL, along the way.

 

ASCS Coastal Region Feature Winners * (4 winners in 5 features):  Kenny Adams 2, Brad Bowden 1, Channin Tankersley 1, Don Young 1.

 

* - Includes 3 events co-sanctioned with ASCS Rebel Region and 1 event co-sanctioned with ASCS Gulf South Region.

 

ASCS Coastal Region Points (Top Ten):  1. Don Young (Bartlett, TN) 696, 2. Lane Whittington (Denham Springs, LA) 662, 3. Kenny Adams (Malabar, FL) 572, 4. Matt Tiffany (Daytona Beach, FL) 568, 5. Bryn Gohn (Malabar, FL) 540, 6. Klint Angelette (Thibodaux, LA) 447, 7. Red Stauffer (Winter Park, FL) 416, 8. Samantha Taylor (Bonney Lake, WA) 398, 9. Michael Miller (Ocean Springs, MS) 384, 10. Gavin Thomas (Jacksonville, FL) 382.

 

 

ASCS Gulf South Region

 

A blown engine in hot laps on the third night of the season nearly wiped out Brandon Berryman's hopes of a second straight Gulf South title.  But the 28-year-old from Missouri City, TX, battled back, picking off feature wins at Houston Raceway Park and 105 Speedway along the way, and snared the championship by just nine points over Greg Rilat with Gary Watson another nine points back.

 

The nine-point margin, closest in Gulf South history, marked the fifth time in six years that the Gulf South title has been decided by 32 points or less.  And Greg Rilat, who has competed in an ASCS Regional record 104 consecutive Gulf South events, finished in the runner-up position in Gulf South points for the fourth time.

 

ASCS Gulf South Region Feature Winners * (12 winners in 20 features):  Jason Johnson 6, Channin Tankersley 3, Brandon Berryman 2, Tommy Bryant 1, Jack Dover 1, Michael Dupuy 1, Bryn Gohn 1, Ryan Hall 1, Greg Rilat 1, Chris Sweeney 1, Kolt Walker 1, Gary Watson 1.

 

* - Includes 1 event co-sanctioned with Coastal Region (won by Channin Tankersley).

 

ASCS Gulf South Region Points (Top Ten):  1. Brandon Berryman (Missouri City, TX) 2,668, 2. Greg Rilat (Texas City, TX) 2,659, 3. Gary Watson (Beaumont, TX) 2,650, 4. Tommy Bryant (Conroe, TX) 2,552, 5. Travis Elliott (Alvin, TX) 2,477, 6. Channin Tankersley (Highlands, TX) 2,369, 7. (tie) Brandon Corn (Hearne, TX) and Chris Sweeney (Channelview, TX) 2,170, 9. Travis Knighton (Danbury, TX) 1,910, 10. Michael McNeil (Alvin, TX) 1,761.

 

 

ASCS Midwest Region

 

Eighteen-year-old Jack Dover decimated the Midwest Region, stretching out an advantage of 120 points in just seven events.  Dover didn't confine his mastery to the Midwest however, also adding wins in Northern Plains, Gulf South and Rocky Mountain action along with a National score in Oklahoma.

 

ASCS Midwest Region Feature Winners * (4 winners in 7 features):  Jack Dover 4, Brian Brown 1, Jason Johnson 1, Wayne Johnson 1.

 

* - Includes 2 events co-sanctioned with ASCoT National series (won by Jason Johnson and Wayne Johnson) and 2 events co-sanctioned with Northern Plains Region (both won by Jack Dover)

 

ASCS Midwest Region Points (Top Ten):  1. Jack Dover (Springfield, NE) 1,026, 2. Mike Boston (Crete, NE) 906, 3. Bobby Becker (Denton, NE) 845, 4. Billy Alley (Lincoln, NE) 814, 5. Natalie Sather (Fargo, ND) 808, 6. Brian Brown (Grain Valley, MO) 712, 7. Jay Russell (Elwood, KS) 613, 8. Don Droud, Jr. (Lincoln, NE) 548, 9. Ryan Anderson (Charter Oak, IA) 483, 10. Lee Grosz (Harwood, ND) 432.

 

 

ASCS Northern Plains Region

 

Twenty-year-old Lee Grosz added his second Northern Plains title by outdueling Eric Lutz for the crown.  Grosz and car owner/grandfather Doug Howells have missed just one Northern Plains event in three seasons, falling one short of Northern Plains Iron Man Eric Lutz, who has competed in all 45 series events since 2006.

 

ASCS Northern Plains Region Feature Winners * (8 winners in 10 features):  Jack Dover 3, Tony Bruce, Jr. 1, Lee Grosz 1, Jason Johnson 1, Joseph Kouba 1, Eric Lutz 1, Wade Nygaard 1, Jake Peters 1.

 

* - Includes 2 events co-sanctioned with ASCoT National series (won by Tony Bruce, Jr., and Jason Johnson) and 2 events co-sanctioned with Midwest Region (both won by Jack Dover).

 

ASCS Northern Plains Region Points (Top Ten):  1. Lee Grosz (Harwood, ND) 1,406, 2. Eric Lutz (Sioux Falls, SD) 1,378, 3. Dave Glennon (Casselton, ND) 831, 4. Jody Rosenboom (Rock Rapids, IA) 627, 5. Jack Dover (Springfield, NE) 596, 6. Clint Garner (Sioux Falls, SD) 564, 7. Sye Anderson (Brainerd, MN) 514, 8. Jason Tostenson (Gaylord, MN) 510, 9. Jake Peters (Sioux Falls, SD) 430, 10. Curt Lund (Redwood Falls, MN) 422.

 

 

ASCS Northwest Region

 

Jayme Barnes emerged atop a torrid battle for the inaugural ASCS Northwest crown, edging out Jared Ridge by 30 markers for the top position.  Barnes and Ridge ranked as the only two drivers to earn starting berths in all 13 events over the course of a rugged campaign, with a pair of podium finishes by Barnes during a championship weekend double in Yakima enough to seal the deal.

 

In a hole from the outset, Roger Crockett battled back into title contention on the strength of five wins and the ASCS Northwest Speedweek title along the way before settling for third in points after a Yakima skirmish.

 

ASCS Northwest Region Feature Winners (8 winners in 13 features):  Roger Crockett 5, Shane Stewart 2, Jonathan Allard 1, Jayme Barnes 1, Seth Bergman 1, Danny Lasoski 1, Brock Lemley 1, Jason Solwold 1.

 

ASCS Northwest Region Points (Top Ten):  1. Jayme Barnes (Marysville, WA) 1,754, 2. Jared Ridge (Snohomish, WA) 1,724, 3. Roger Crockett (Medford, OR) 1,710, 4. Jay Cole (Shelton, WA) 1,620, 5. Seth Bergman (Snohomish, WA) 1,612, 6. Brock Lemley (Bellingham, WA) 1,608, 7. Jared Peterson (Stanwood, WA) 1,499, 8. Henry VanDam (Enumclaw, WA) 1,476, 9. Chad Groves (Bend, OR) 1,422, 10. Rob Held (Sutherlin, OR) 1,249.

 

 

ASCS Patriot Region

 

After a hit-and-miss schedule in 2007, "Flyin" Bryan Howland returned to the Patriot scene full-time in 2008.  And, he came away with the series title, his first under the ASCS banner and second overall Patriot championship after taking the top spot in 2005.

 

Howland outlasted Jared Zimbardi for the crown, with Zimbardi settling for runner-up honors for the second year in a row as 17 feature wins were spread amongst a dozen drivers in the most competitive Patriot season to date.

 

Don Adamczyk's stretch of never missing an ASCS Patriots points race ended at 102 when a July 4 crash at Ohsweken's ASCS Northern Nationals forced the Williamsville racer to the sidelines for several events.

 

ASCS Patriots Feature Winners* (12 winners in 17 features):  Bryan Howland 3, Chuck Hebing 3, Gordy Button 2, Justin Barger 1, Jason Barney 1, Blake Breen 1, Bobby Breen 1, Wayne Johnson 1, Trevor Lewis 1, Donny Schatz 1, John Schuyler 1, George Suprick 1.

 

* - Includes 3 events co-sanctioned with ASCS Sprints on Dirt and the Sharon Speedway leg of the Ollie's Challenge.

 

ASCS Patriots Points (Top Ten):  1. Bryan Howland (Auburn, NY) 2,412, 2. Jared Zimbardi (Salamanca, NY) 2,318, 3. Chris Muhleisen (Arkport, NY) 2,114, 4. Scott Kreutter (Alden, NY) 1,891, 5. Blake Breen (Savannah, NY) 1,851, 6. (tie) Bubba Broderick (Brookfield, CT) and Bobby Breen (Savannah, NY) 1,837, 8. Kyle Moffit (South Dayton, NY) 1,787, 9. Don Adamczyk (Williamsville, NY) 1,536, 10. Jared Fink (Germantown, NY) 1,466.

 

 

ASCS Rebel Region

 

"The Malabar Missile", Kenny Adams, picked off his first ASCS championship by reeling off six Rebel wins and never finishing outside the top ten in 16 events.  In fact, a pair of sixth-place finishes were Adams' only forays outside of the top five as he outdistanced Daytona shoe Matt Tiffany, stepson Bryn Gohn and Washington-native Samantha Taylor for the title.  Red Stauffer called it a career after finishing out the season sixth in points.

 

ASCS Rebel Region Feature Winners * (9 winners in 16 features):  Kenny Adams 6, Danny Martin, Jr. 2, Matt Tiffany 2, Sport Allen 1, Tyler Godwin1, Bryn Gohn 1, Matt Linder 1, Michael Miller 1, Don Young 1.

 

* - Includes 3 events co-sanctioned with Coastal Region (2 wins by Kenny Adams and 1 win by Don Young).

 

ASCS Rebel Region Points (Top Ten):  1. Kenny Adams (Malabar, FL) 2,328, 2. Matt Tiffany (Daytona Beach, FL) 2,258, 3. Bryn Gohn (Malabar, FL) 2,139, 4. Samantha Taylor (Bonney Lake, WA) 2,126, 5. Gavin Thomas (Jacksonville, FL) 2,008, 6. Red Stauffer (Winter Park, FL) 1,785, 7. Tyler Godwin (Lutz, FL) 1,588, 8. Michael Miller (Ocean Springs, MS) 1,492, 9. Danny Martin, Jr. (Sarasota, FL) 1,150, 10. Matt Kurtz (Jacksonville, FL) 1,115.

 

 

ASCS Rocky Mountain Region

 

The Rocky Mountain Region had plenty of Albuquerque influence in 2008.  While Johnny Herrera won seven times in seven series stops in New Mexico, denying Aztec bounty hunters in the process, fellow Albuquerque shoe Derrik Ortega earned the series crown by 290 points, the most lopsided ASCS title chase of the year.

 

Ortega picked up three wins of his own and posted 15 top-tens in 15 features en route to becoming the youngest champion in ASCS history at just 17 years of age, leading a Rocky Mountain youth movement that included five teenaged drivers among the top ten (Ortega, Colt Treharn, Chad Corken, Danielle Ossenfort and Jake Ossenfort).

 

ASCS Rocky Mountain Region Feature Winners (7 winners in 15 features):  Johnny Herrera 7, Derrik Ortega 3, Patrick Bourke 1, Jack Dover 1, Joe Ramaker 1, Keith Rauch 1, Bob Schaeffer 1.

 

ASCS Rocky Mountain Region Points (Top Ten):  1. Derrik Ortega (Albuquerque, NM) 2,150, 2. Jeremy McCune (Billings, MT) 1,860, 3. Colt Treharn (Los Lunas, NM) 1,854, 4. Chad Corken (Highlands Ranch, CO) 1,853, 5. Bob Schaeffer (New Castle, CO) 1,844, 6. Danielle Ossenfort (Rapid City, SD) 1,761, 7. Jake Ossenfort (Rapid City, SD) 1,752, 8. Dustin Hall (West Valley City, UT) 1,622, 9. Justin Wolf Medlock (Colorado Springs, CO) 1,375, 10. Mark Sweet (Rock Springs, WY) 1,357.

 

 

American Bank of Oklahoma ASCS Sooner Region

 

Brian McClelland emerged atop the tightest ASCS championship battle of 2008, edging out Kermit, TX, native Kolt Walker for the Sooner crown by just seven markers for his second consecutive title.

 

The younger of the McClelland brothers, Brian battled back from an early-season crash at Lawton and then held off Walker as the pair diced for position, and the championship, in the season finale at Cowtown.

 

Joe Wood, Jr., finished just 77 points out of the lead in third after spotting his rivals a full night by missing the season opener.

 

American Bank of Oklahoma ASCS Sooner Region Feature Winners (9 winners in 17 features):  Gary Taylor 4, Joe Wood, Jr. 3, Brian McClelland 2, Sean McClelland 2, Nick Smith 2, Travis Rilat 1, Robert Sellers 1, Justin Spoerl 1, Brad Welborn 1.

 

American Bank of Oklahoma ASCS Sooner Region Points (Top Ten):  1. Brian McClelland (Tulsa, OK) 2,527, 2. Kolt Walker (Graham, TX) 2,520, 3. Joe Wood, Jr. (Oklahoma City, OK) 2,450, 4. Matt Covington (Glenpool, OK) 2,402, 5. Justin Melton (Flower Mound, TX) 2,100, 6. Michael Brown (Lawton, OK) 2,058, 7. Gary Taylor (Sapulpa, OK) 2,038, 8. Eric Baldaccini (Keller, TX) 1,657, 9. Sherman Davis (Sand Springs, OK) 1,543, 10. Zach Chappell (Talala, OK) 1,372.

 

 

ASCS Southwest Region

 

A Ben Gregg disqualification in September opened the door for Rick Ziehl, who edged Shawn Sander for the inaugural ASCS Southwest Region championship.  Ziehl scored one series win along the way, as he added more championship hardware to a mantel that already included USA Race Park honors in 2007 among others.

 

Tucson teen Cody Cambensy, who finished third in points, was the only driver to finish among the top ten in all 13 feature events.

 

ASCS Southwest Region Feature Winners (5 winners in 13 features):  Ben Gregg 8, Johnny Herrera 2, Don Grable 1, Shawn Sander 1, Rick Ziehl 1.

 

ASCS Southwest Region Points (Top Ten):  1. Rick Ziehl (Las Cruces, NM) 1,842, 2. Shawn Sander (El Paso, TX) 1,820, 3. Cody Cambensy (Tucson, AZ) 1,760, 4. Ben Gregg (Glendale, AZ) 1,742, 5. Ronnie Clark (Tucson, AZ) 1,722, 6. Joshua Williams (Glendale, AZ) 1,716, 7. Jessica Van Dyke (Tucson, AZ) 1,661, 8. Mike Rux, Jr. (Mesa, AZ) 1,660, 9. John Gaston (Peoria, AZ), 10. Steve Lohn (Tucson, AZ) 1,441.

 

 

Engine Pro ASCS Sprints on Dirt presented by Victor Reinz

 

Brett Mann added his name to the lengthy list of Sprints on Dirt series champions by outlasting Ben Rutan for top honors.  Mann turned up the heat when it counted, picking off two of his three wins on the season over the series final four races including a King of Michigan triumph at Hartford.

 

Dustin Daggett continued his climb toward the top of the career SOD win charts with eight victories in 15 starts, running his career total to 54.  Daggett is now third overall behind Hank Lower (71) and Gary Fedewa (68).

 

ASCS Sprints on Dirt Feature Winners * (9 winners in 20 features):  Dustin Daggett 8, Brett Mann 3, Darren Long 2, Ben Rutan 2, Gregg Dalman 1, Bryan Howland 1, Wayne Johnson 1, Ryan Grubaugh 1, Tim Norman 1.

 

* - Includes 3 events co-sanctioned with ASCS Patriots.

 

ASCS Sprints on Dirt Points (Top Ten):  1. Brett Mann (Goshen, IN) 2,754, 2. Ben Rutan (Jerome, MI) 2,716, 3. Dain Naida (Belleville, MI) 2,656, 4. Tim Norman (Warsaw, IN) 2,586, 5. Ryan Grubaugh (St. Johns, MI) 2,579, 6. Gregg Dalman (Grand Ledge, MI) 2,316, 7. Joe Bares (Traverse City, MI) 2,289, 8. Louie Carufel (Port Huron, MI) 2,164, 9. Dustin Daggett (Portland, MI) 2,094, 10. Gary Fast (Kalkaska, MI) 1,915.

 

 

 

 

Overall 2008 ASCS Feature Wins:

17 - Jason Johnson

 

14 - Jeremy Sherman

 

9 - Johnny Herrera

 

8 - Dustin Daggett, Jack Dover and Ben Gregg

 

7 - Kenny Adams

 

6 - Gary Taylor

 

5 - Roger Crockett, Charles Davis, Jr., and Gary Wright

 

4 - Wayne Johnson 4

 

3 - Tony Bruce, Jr., Chuck Hebing, Jesse Hockett, Bryan Howland, Brett Mann, Derrik Ortega, Nick Smith, Channin Tankersley, and Joe Wood, Jr.

 

2 - Brandon Berryman, Brian Brown, Gordy Button, Bryn Gohn, Danny Lasoski, Darren Long, Danny Martin, Jr., Brian McClelland, Sean McClelland, Ben Rutan, Casey Shuman, Shane Stewart and Matt Tiffany

 

1 - Jonathan Allard, Sport Allen, Justin Barger, Jayme Barnes, Jason Barney, Seth Bergman, Aaron Berryhill, Patrick Bourke, Brad Bowden, Blake Breen, Bobby Breen, Tommy Bryant, Tim Crawley, Gregg Dalman, Michael Dupuy, Tyler Godwin, Don Grable, Lee Grosz, Ryan Grubaugh, Ryan Hall, R.J. Johnson, Joseph Kouba, Brock Lemley, Trevor Lewis, Matt Linder, Eric Lutz, Terry McCarl, Michael Miller, Tim Norman, Wade Nygaard, Jake Peters, Gavin Punch, Joe Ramaker, Keith Rauch, Bob Ream, Jr., Andrew Reinbold, Greg Rilat, Travis Rilat, Shawn Sander, Bob Schaeffer, Donny Schatz, John Schuyler, Robert Sellers, Jason Solwold, Justin Spoerl, George Suprick, Chris Sweeney, Kolt Walker, Gary Watson, Brad Welborn, Skip Wilson, Don Young and Rick Ziehl