OneDirt

Wayne Johnson Celebrates his Big Payday (Photo Source: ASCS)

The Second Annual ASCS Lone Star Sprint Car Nationals at Kilgore’s Lone Star Speedway featured a very interesting start that changed the outcome of the entire race.  The first attempt to start the feature event saw pole-sitter Shane Stewart hook a rut that would send his sprint car violently flipping into the fence while collecting both Travis Rilat and Justin Henderson.  On the second attempt for a green flag start Sam Hafertepe Jr. would make contact with the wall after getting caught up with another competitor.  The steering would break on Hafertepe’s machine which sent him across the track where he collected Tony Bruce Jr., Matt Covington, John Carney, and Mark Huddleston.  The early carnage would not end there as Brady Bacon, Terry McCarl, and Blake Hahn would all be forced to the tail of the field after making repairs to their race cars as well.  The third attempt for a green flag start saw Wayne Johnson, who originally started in seventh position, lead the field to green flanked by Jeff Swindell on the outside pole.  The third time would indeed be the charm as Johnson jumped into the lead followed by Swindell. 

Wayne Johnson's #77x Sprint Car (Photo Source: Up to Speed Photography)

A great battle for the third spot would ensue between Seth Bergman, Kevin Swindell, and Johnny Herrera with Herrera finally securing the spot and setting his sights on Jeff Swindell for second.  Herrera would complete the pass on Jeff Swindell on the 28th lap with Swindell battling back before the two drivers made contact which would send Swindell spinning and Herrera would suffer a flat tire.  Wayne Johnson would continue his stranglehold on the lead over the remaining laps as he would take home the big win in his #77x Oil Medics sprint car for the $13,000 payday.  It would be Johnson’s biggest win of the year and a great belated birthday present for his wife Erin as he said, “It was my wife’s Birthday on Friday and I told her I’d bring her home a big check.”  Jason Johnson would finish in the runner-up spot and was followed by Kevin Swindell in third, Seth Bergman in fourth, while Blake Hahn rounded out the top-five.  The ASCS Sprint Car Series will return to action October 19-20 for the 39th Annual Winter Nationals at Devil’s Bowl Speedway in Texas.  For more information on the ASCS fans can visit www.ascsracing.com.