Bell is Turkey Night Champion; Snowflake this Weekend

Lonnie Wheatley, NORMAN, Okla. (December 3, 2014) – Christopher Bell just keeps on racking up the landmark wins.

Last Thursday, the 19-year-old from Norman, OK, became the 50^th different winner of the Turkey Night Grand Prix in the 74^th running of the prestigious Midget racing event.

His 16^th triumph of the season in the Keith Kunz Motorsports No. 71 Toyota-powered Midget marked his 27^th overall win of the year in a variety of disciplines including Midgets, winged Sprint Cars, non-wing Sprint Cars and asphalt Late Models.

Bell shifts back to asphalt this weekend with Saturday’s running of the Snowflake 100 aboard the Kyle Busch Motorsports No. 52 late model at Pensacola, Florida’s Five Flags Speedway.

Bell was apprehensive going into Turkey Night.  After all, the ½-mile clay oval at Perris Auto Speedway hadn’t always been kind to Bell in his previous efforts.  But, this time, things got off to a good start when Bell timed in second-quick.  And it went on from there.

“It worked out about perfect, it slicked off to a cushion which is exactly what I like,” Bell says.  “Basically, we rode around and pounded the wall for 98 laps in a row.”

Which is exactly how it worked out for Bell, who got to kiss the coveted Aggie trophy in post-race traditional ceremonies.

Bell stalked teammate Tanner Thorson much of the way in the early portion of the race before taking command on the 29^th lap and setting an authoritative pace the rest of the way.

While Thorson jumped out front early on the low side, Bell had no worries.  “I figured the bottom would go away, I was confident the top would be good so I wasn’t too concerned even when we dropped back a little bit early on.”

Once Bell raced his way out front, there was little stopping the talented Oklahoma shoe.  Though there was actual cause for concern during a late red flag with just over 20 laps to go.

“The left rear tire was blistered pretty bad, the right rear was still good but that left rear had me a little worried,” Bell explained.  “I knew we just had to be patient and try not to get the car too sideways and avoid abusing the tire over those last laps.”

Mission accomplished, as Bell cruised to the checkered flag virtually unchallenged over the final circuits for his USAC National Midget series’ leading seventh win of the year, bringing him to within just 10 points of teammate Rico Abreu in the final championship points rundown.

“We did everything we could do and Rico had a good race too, he earned it,” Bell commented.

Bell is back on asphalt this week with the Kyle Busch Motorsports No. 52 for Saturday night’s Snowflake 100, an event with more than 80 names already on the entry list.

Bell has already tasted success in the asphalt late model ranks, bagging his first win on November 1 after less than a handful of starts and then following that up with a pair of runner-up finishes in recent weeks.

Bell will be gunning for his 28^th overall win of the year when Saturday’s Snowflake 100 goes green.

2014 Quick Stats:  106 races, 27 wins, 58 top-fives, 72 top-tens.

Next Up:

Saturday, Five Flags Speedway (Pensacola, FL) Snowflake 100 – Kyle Busch Motorsports No. 52 asphalt late model

Keep Track:  Keep track of Christopher Bell’s on-track action including schedule and results at http://www.christopherbellracing.com/.

If you would like to keep up with all of Christopher Bell’s racing action by having press releases e-mailed directly to you, simply 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.

Reutzel Takes another Win into a Short Off-Season

Lonnie Wheatley, CLUTE, Texas (December 3, 2014) – Aaron Reutzel put an exclamation point on a successful 2014 season with his ninth overall win of the year during Friday night’s Thanksgiving Bash opener at Southern New Mexico Speedway.

And he nearly finished off the season in truly spectacular fashion, falling just a handful of laps short of the $10,000 winner’s share in Saturday night’s 2014 finale.

“It started out good at least,” Reutzel said of his final weekend of 2014 competition aboard the BC Fundz/Wren Motorsports No. 87 Triple X Sprint Car.

Very good indeed, with the Clute, TX, driver capturing his first career non-wing, 360-ci Sprint Car feature win in Friday’s Las Cruces action.  It was also Reutzel’s second win of the month at Southern New Mexico Speedway after topping the ASCS National event atop the 3/8-mile clay oval.

After winning his heat race, Reutzel started the Friday feature from the front row outside.  But, the start didn’t go quite as planned.

“I kinda got run over getting into turn one and we fell back to third,” Reutzel explains.  He didn’t stay back there long, though.

“I jumped to the top and it took us three or four laps to get it worked in,” Reutzel says.  Once he got the top side worked in, there was no stopping Reutzel in the Momentum Racing Suspensions/Danny Sander Construction/ButlerBuilt machine as he raced to his first wingless win.

With the big Thanksgiving Bash $10,000 winner’s share on the line on Saturday night, Reutzel won his heat race from fourth to earn high point honors for the night.  Which, in this case, results in a sixth starting position for the main event with the invert.

“We knew it would take rubber, we just didn’t know exactly when,” Reutzel said of the Thanksgiving Bash 30-lapper.

With rubber imminent, Reutzel wasted little time getting the Basic One Services/Lone Star Hydro Maintenance/Wright Way Logistics machine to the front.

“I went all out right off the bat, I knew we had to get to the front in a hurry,” Reutzel explains.  “We got by R.J. (Johnson) and (Ryan) Bernal while they were battling for the lead, we were out front in six or seven laps.”
From there, it was just a matter of getting to the finish line.

“I really wasn’t worried about tires, I was taking care of it and making sure not to abuse the tires,” Reutzel says.

This one wasn’t to be though, as his right rear gave way with five laps to go.  It was one of at least a half-dozen right rears among leading contenders to fall short of the 30-lap distance ultimately topped by Dave Darland.

“That was a heartbreaker,” Reutzel laments.  “We had it wrapped up, I was more worried about making weight.  I was taking it easy and it still blew with five to go.”

Still, the Friday night win followed up by a strong performance on Saturday has Reutzel and crew going into the ‘off-season’ on a positive note.

“It was great to run that well against that caliber of guys,” Reutzel says.  “It sure would have been nice to have that $10,000 win though.”

With cars already being sent to the powder coaters and engines being refreshed, the off-season will fly by in the blink of an eye.

After all, the first race of 2015 for Reutzel and the familiar No. 87 Sprint Car team is just 30 days away.
2014 Quick Stats:  66 races, 9 “A” Main wins, 33 top-fives, 43 top-tens.

Up Next: “Winter Heat” Winged 410-ci Sprint Car action at Cocopah Speedway near Yuma, AZ, on January 2-3, 6, 9-10.

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.