Herrera Changing Things Up For 2015 Lucas Oil ASCS Campaign

TULSA, Okla. (February 11, 2015) For Johnny Herrera, the 2015 season with the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by MAVTV American Real will be one of change. For starters, the Albuquerque, New Mexico resident will base his team out of Oklahoma. Secondly, the coming season marks the first time that Herrera will operate as a team owner/driver.

"My team has always been a family thing. Even when I didn't race for my Mom and Dad, they still owned a car and raced. They've always been involved in my racing, and will still be involved this year but they're going to take more of a back seat," said Herrera about his move to being the primary owner of his Mesilla Valley Transportation / Smiley's Racing Products No. 45x Maxim.

Asked is the idea of being a full car owner, rather than partial, has changed is approach to racing, Herrera replied, "It's no different than when you drive for somebody, or have a sponsor that wants you to perform night in, and night out. Of course now I'll have to watch closer where I spend money, but I've always tried to take care of my equipment like it was my own, no matter who's paying the bill. We're looking forward to this year. We have two seconds and two fourths in the points, so maybe this year we can get that first."

Along with the Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour, Herrera has plans for other events as well, "With the National Tour scheduled, we're going to pick up a few other select shows. We'll do a few 410cid events like Devil's Bowl, Salina Highbanks, and of course Knoxville and we'll probably do a few shows with the ASCS Red River Region. Money permitting of course."

Stepping away from all black cars, Herrera's 2015 mount will combined red into the chassis with the body and wing panels remaining black. The wing bellies will be white, "I want a clean look on this year's car and it's a little old school for me. I've also gone back to my polished Weld Wheels with gold centers."

With cars in the final stages of production, Herrera 2015 season marks the 30th year the New Mexico racing veteran has been behind the wheel of a Sprint Car. Going into the coming season, Herrera gives special thanks to his sponsors: Mesilla Valley Transportation, Smiley's Racing Products, FK Rod Ends, CSI Shocks, Bevins Company, Semi-Crazy Truck Wash, Champion Brands, ButlerBuilt Seats, Schoenfeld Headers, Maxim Chassis, Outlaw Wings, and Weld Wheels.

Updates on Johnny Herrera can be found online at http://www.johnnyherreraracing.com as well as on Twitter.

The 2015 season for the Lucas Oil ASCS presented by MAVTV American Real begins at East Bay Raceway Park with the 14th annual Ronald Laney Memorial, happening February 19, 20, and 21. The following weekend will see the series make their first appearance at Bubba Raceway Park in Ocala, Fla.

The 2015 season will mark the 24th 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 in both National and Regional competition.

Lucas Oil Products is the title sponsor of the American Sprint Car Series. More information can be found on Lucas Oil Products at www.lucasoil.com. MAVTV is the presenting sponsor of the American Sprint Car Series. Log onto www.mavtv.com for information regarding availability and listings in your area.

Associate sponsors for the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by MAVTV include: Hoosier Racing Tire and Brodix.

Team Lucas Sponsors for the American Sprint Car Series consist of Protect the Harvest, iON Camera, Smokey Mountain Moonshine, C&R Radiator, Hawk Performance Products, Geico, E3 Spark Plugs, and General Tire.

Communications for the American Sprint Car Series is provided by Racing Electronics. All events are broadcast online at http://www.racinboys.com.

Product and Contingency Sponsorship provided by: K&N Filters, KSE Racing Products, Fuel Safe, DMI Rear Ends, BMRS, SpeedMart, Competition Suspension, Engler Machine and Tool, FSR Radiator and Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, Driverwebsites.com, Weld Wheels, Maxwell Industries, Print Place, Simpson, The Joie of Seating, Wesmar Racing Engines, Hinchman Indy Racewear, Rod End Supply, Smiley's Racing Products, Speedway Motors, and Hilborn Injection Systems.

Additional information regarding the American Sprint Car Series is available at www.ascsracing.com as well as Twitter (@LucasOilASCS) and Facebook. Anyone wanting to receive updates on the American Sprint Car Series can email info@ascsracing.com

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Bryan Hulbert
ASCS / Chili Bowl P.R.
O: 918-838-3777
C: 575-496-9348
announcer@ascsracing.com


Reutzel Impresses in All Star Opener at Ocala

Lonnie Wheatley, CLUTE, Texas (February 11, 2015) – Even if his weekend was cut short, they definitely knew he was there.

Aaron Reutzel continued to impress as the All Star Circuit of Champions kicked off the 2015 season at Ocala, Florida’s Bubba Raceway Park this past weekend.

Reutzel was within one lap of victory lane on Friday night aboard the Shark-powered BC Fundz/Basic One Services No. 87 Triple X Sprint Car before additional mechanical issues on Saturday forced the team to the sidelines for Sunday’s card.

“It’s kind of depressing, yet it’s really encouraging to know that we’re still fast, that we’re in the hunt,” Reutzel said after the weekend that opened with a runner-up finish in his All Star debut.

With another pair of 410-ci events in the books, it’s back to 360-ci action next week as Reutzel kicks off his pursuit of the $60,000 Lucas Oil ASCS National championship aboard the Wren Motorsports/Momentum Racing Suspensions machine at Tampa’s East Bay Raceway Park.

Originally scheduled to be a Thursday, Friday, Saturday triple header, last weekend’s action was pushed back a day by inclement weather.

And once Friday’s action got going, it looked as if Reutzel just might pick off his second consecutive 410-ci win after topping Cocopah Speedway’s Winter Heat finale in January.

After winning the Dash to earn the pole position for the feature, Reutzel had the Danny Sander Construction/ButlerBuilt entry out front and in command.  But then some of the same gremlins that haunted him during much of the Yuma events resurfaced.

About ten laps into the Friday feature with Reutzel in command, steam began to appear off the engine.

“We were leading, so I tried to stick it out,” Reutzel explained.  “I knew Bob (Miller) would kill me if I pulled in.”

Reutzel kept his chasers at a distance as he nimbly maneuvered through traffic in the Lone Star Hydro Maintenance/Wright Way Logistics machine.  But the situation wasn’t getting any better.

“Around lap 20 it really started to lay down on me,” Reutzel said.  “We were really getting through traffic pretty good though, so I thought we might hold them off.”

The yellow lights flickering on with three laps to go was the last thing the Clute, TX, racer wanted to see.

“That killed us, under the yellow I had a hard time even keeping it running,” Reutzel explained.  “I thought they might just drive around us at the cone on the restart.”

The mount ran well enough to keep Kerry Madsen at bay for two laps.  But not quite three, as Madsen powered by on the high side with Reutzel settling for second after leading for 28 laps in his All Star debut.

“Coming off turn four for the white flag, it was just barely going,” Reutzel said.  “I tried to shut it down as soon as I took the checkered and it seized up before I could even shut off the fuel.”

More problems persisted after an engine change before Saturday night action.

“It started rattling in the heat, so I pulled it in,” Reutzel says. 

But after going through the engine, it was more of the same in the feature.  “I had to pull in again in the feature, we looked and it broke the rear main cap.  That’s something you never hear of happening.”

Out of 410-ci bullets for the weekend, Reutzel and company were spectators for Sunday’s Ocala action.

Still, a runner-up finish and continued speed for the No. 87 team made for another successful weekend going into the opening pair of ASCS weekends at East Bay and then Ocala.

“It was good to go there and get a little practice,” Reutzel says of the laps at Bubba Raceway Park.  “It’s a different place, you can’t really even tell just by looking but it’s really different.  Getting some laps was definitely a good thing.”

2015 Quick Stats:  7 races, one win, two top-fives, four front-row feature starts.

Up Next: The Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour season opener at Tampa’s East Bay Raceway Park on February 19-21.

Keep Track:  Keep track of Aaron Reutzel’s on-track action including schedule and results at http://www.aaronreutzelracing.com/, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Aaron-Reutzel-Racing/117666254913127 or on Twitter at @AaronReutzel.  You can also e-mail Aaron at aaronreutzel@yahoo.com.

If you would like Aaron Reutzel Racing press releases e-mailed directly to you, send your e-mail address to Lonnie Wheatley at lonniewheatley@gmail.com.

Penning the recurring series of “The Wheatley Chronicles” articles on racinboys.com, Lonnie Wheatley provides media, public relations and more for select tracks, drivers and events.  For more information, Wheatley may be contacted at lonniewheatley@gmail.com.