It's a Kolt 45 Night in

ASCS Gulf South Go at Cowtown!

Lonnie Wheatley, KENNEDALE, Texas (August 23, 2008) – West Texas shoe Kolt Walker corralled his first career American Sprint Car Series feature win by wiring the field in Saturday night's 25-lap ASCS Gulf South Region main event at Cowtown Speedway.

The ASCS Sooner Region title contender became the 12th different winner of the season in ASCS Gulf South Region competition as the series completed its 17th event of the season with a first-time stop atop the high-banked, ¼-mile Cowtown Speedway clay oval.  "I was getting tired of all the second's and third's and getting on my head, we've done that a lot lately so this is nice," the 25-year-old Walker commented afterward.  "That car was working great and it seemed like the harder I drove it the better it worked." After earning a heat race win, Walker drew the pole position for the feature event.  He took full advantage by pacing all 25 circuits aboard the ASI-powered Texas Moon No. 45k Maxim.   The biggest threat to deny Walker his first win appeared to be past ASCS National champion Travis Rilat, who was on the charge from 11th starting position.  Rilat had climbed five positions by the fifth lap and was fourth by the tenth round.

Kolt Walker and crew enjoy American Sprint Car Series Gulf South Region victory lane on Saturday night at Cowtown Speedway in Kennedale, TX. TWC Photo

Rilat wrestled third away from Brandon Berryman at the midway point and was working on Eric Baldaccini for second when he clipped an infield tire exiting turn two on the 19^th lap.  A lap later, Rilat stopped with front end damage.  Rilat rejoined the chase after quick repairs, but the distance to make up was too great.

Walker raced to the checkered flag over the final six-lap charge unchallenged, with Baldaccini securing runner-up honors after taking the position from Michael McNeil four laps into the race.

Reigning ASCS Gulf South champion Brandon Berryman moved atop the point charts by claiming the show position, with Kevin Ramey and McNeil rounding out the top five.

Dalton Steed posted his top finish in ASCS action by crossing the stripe in sixth, while Claud Estes earned Hard Charger honors by racing from 18^th to seventh.  Gary Watson was eighth, Rilat rebounded for ninth and John Ricketts completed the top ten.

The initial attempt to start the feature was waved off when sixth-starter George White spun in turn one with Darrell Fletcher tumbling down the frontstretch in the ensuing scramble.

After starting eighth, Trey Robb blitzed to third by the completion of the second lap only to bring out the caution moments later when he slid too high in turn four and tagged the wall.

After winning Friday night's feature at Heart O' Texas Speedway, Greg Rilat surrendered the series points lead when he was caught up in a "B" Feature tangle in which both Chris Sweeney and Brian Parker got upside down.

Robb, Walker, White and McNeil topped heat race action for the 36-car field, with J.P. Bailey and Terry Monroe winning the twin 12-lap "B" Mains.

American Sprint Car Series Gulf South Region

Results from Cowtown Speedway:

Heat One (8 Laps):  1. 1s-Trey Robb, 2. 7m-Kevin Ramey, 3. 3-Gary Watson, 4. 20-Terry Monroe, 5. 29-Travis Rilat, 6. 1-Kent Lewis, Jr., 7. d20-David Noker, 8. 68-Andy Rea, 9. 61-Travis Knighton.

 

Heat Two (8 Laps):  1. 45k-Kolt Walker, 2. 31-Brandon Berryman, 3. 15T-Travis Elliott, 4. 26-Dalton Steed, 5. 9-Brian Parker, 6. 67-Rodney Henderson, 7. 87-Aaron Reutzel, 8. 04-Joshua Hemby. 

DNS: 11F-Darrell Fletcher.

 

Heat Three (8 Laps):  1. 10-George White, 2. 76-John Ricketts, 3. 66-Nick Clinkenbeard, 4. 45-J.P. Bailey, 5. 11-Justin Melton, 6. 35-Greg Rilat, 7. 72-Charlie Brown, 8. 8-Bruce Crockett, 9. 71-Channin Tankersley.

 

Heat Four (8 Laps):  1. 80-Michael McNeil, 2. b4-Eric Baldaccini, 3. 20x-Chad Wilson, 4. 93-Chris Sweeney, 5. 21T-Tommy Bryant, 6. 74e-Claud Estes, 7. 74-Brandon Corn, 8. 13-Kathryne Minter. 

DNS: 14-Michael Lang.

 

First "B" Feature (12 Laps):  1. 45-J.P. Bailey, 2. 74-Brandon Corn, 3. 11F-Darrell Fletcher, 4. 35-Greg Rilat, 5. 93-Chris Sweeney, 6. 9-Brian Parker, 7. 04-Joshua Hemby, 8. 8-Bruce Crockett, 9. 67-Rodney Henderson (Disqualified; failed to report to scales after finishing third). 

DNS: d20-David Noker, 61-Travis Knighton.

 

Second "B" Feature (12 Laps):  1. 20-Terry Monroe, 2. 74e-Claud Estes, 3. 11-Justin Melton, 4. 71-Channin Tankersley, 5. 1-Kent Lewis, Jr., 6. 21T-Tommy Bryant, 7. 87-Aaron Reutzel, 8. 13-Kathryne Minter, 9. 68-Andy Rea, 10. 72-Charlie Brown. 

DNS: 14-Michael Lang.

 

"A" Feature (25 Laps):  1. 45k-Kolt Walker, 2. b4-Eric Baldaccini, 3. 31-Brandon Berryman, 4. 7m-Kevin Ramey, 5. 80-Michael McNeil, 6. 26-Dalton Steed, 7. 74e-Claud Estes, 8. 3-Gary Watson, 9. 29-Travis Rilat, 10. 76-John Ricketts, 11. 20x-Chad Wilson, 12. 20-Terry Monroe, 13. 74-Brandon Corn, 14. 66-Nick Clinkenbeard, 15. 15T-Travis Elliott, 16. 10-George White, 17. 1s-Trey Robb, 18. 11-Justin Melton, 19. 45-J.P. Bailey, 20. 11F-Darrell Fletcher.

 

ASCS Gulf South Region Points

(Top Ten):  1. Brandon Berryman 2,276, 2. Gary Watson 2,250, 3. Greg Rilat 2,249, 4. Chris Sweeney 2,170, 5. Tommy Bryant 2,138, 6. Travis Elliott 2,089, 7. Channin Tankersley 1,969, 8. Travis Knighton 1,835, 9. Brandon Corn 1,784, 10. Michael McNeil 1,523.