Ramey Takes ASCS Win at Devil's Bowl

Racing Saturday night, April 26 will be Super Sprints, USA Modifieds, Late Models and Street Stocks

Mesquite, TX (Apr 18) – Kevin Ramey led every lap on his way to victory in Friday night’s ASCS feature at Devil’s Bowl Speedway. Randy Kirkland survived a couple encounters with lapped cars on his way to winning the USA Modified main.

A field of 38 ASCS O’Reilly Outlaw Sprint Cars were on hand for their first visit to Devil’s Bowl this season. Lining up in five heat races, it was Gary Wright in the Southwest Express Nr 9 winning the opener ahead of Zach Chappell in the 50Z. Kevin Ramey in the Harvill Industries 7M topped the second heat with Claude Estes in the Pennzoil / Wells Racing Engines Nr. 74E right behind. The Nr 91 Sparks Construction / Ostrick Engines of Darren Stewart won the third heat, followed by the Nr 6 of Rick Ziehl. Brian Harvill in the Harvill Industries / Graphic Wonders Nr. 31B led Blake Mallory in the Mallory Screen Printing Nr. 6M across the line to win the fourth heat and George White won the final heat in his Builders Electric / Swofford Electric Supply Nr 10X ahead of Edd French in the Smiley’s Racing Products / Speed Specialties Racing Engines Nr 7S

With 14 cars qualified for the feature on the passing points system, there were two B mains to determine the final six cars in the feature. Travis Rilat in the Nr 29 Haulmark Trailers / F&J Construction sprinter jumped out to lead the first B from flag to flag. Even when he caught lapped traffic late in the race, Rilat was not slowed on his way to winning the B. Paul White in the Builders Electric / Sowfford Electric Supply Nr 1 was second with Rich Behrndt third in the Nr 12. Moments later the second B took the green flag and Greg Rilat, Travis’ father, took the lead going into turn one in his TSR Motorsports Truck & Trailers Sales Nr 35. Toby Brown in the ABF Truck Rebuilders / ABF Graphix & Designs Nr 61A came from seventh on the opening lap to take second in the final circuit with Sam Hafertepe finishing third in the G-H Plumbing Nr 15.

The 25-lap feature got underway with Zach Chappell and Ramey on the front row. At the drop of the green flag, Ramey got the jump and pulled ahead as they raced down the front straight. While Darren Stewart came from the outside of the second row to battle Chappell, Ramey pulled away. Stewart took the runner-up position on the second lap, but Ramey had pulled away to a 10 car length advantage.

Stewart was fast but could only cut a few car lengths off Ramey’s advantage until the sixth lap when Ramey started to lap the back of the field. As they worked to get past the slower cars, it was evident that the Harvill Industries Nr. 7M of Ramey was handling better across the entire track. Stewart was unable to work past the slower cars as easily as Ramey. Though the two were only a couple car lengths apart at times, it was Ramey who slipped past the slower cars easily.

The only caution flag of the race flew on the 11^th lap when George White got sideways and hit the inside wall in turn four. He was running fifth, battling with Gary Wright and Claude Estes, when the crash put him on the trailer for the night.

The restart had Ramey out front, with one lapped car between himself and Stewart. Ramey took off as the green flew again, with Gary Wright making the pass from fourth to third past Chappell as the race resumed. Travis Rilat was seventh, after starting 15^th on the restart and quickly moved up to take fourth from Chappell on the 15^th lap. Despite catching lapped traffic again on the 20^th lap, Ramey had no trouble taking the victory, with Stewart second. Wright was third, with Rilat fourth and Chappell rounding out the top five.

TPassing points put Kirkland on the pole for the USA modifed 15-lapper. Taking the lead from the start, Kirkland soon had a battle on his hands as Rowdy Starnes moved up to challenge for the lead. By the fourth lap Ronnie Carty had made the race for the lead a three wide battle. The top cars raced inches apart for several lap, often side by side. The yellow flew on the 13^th lap. Carty had an advantage on the restart to take second from Starnes, but could not get past Kirkland who took his first win of the year in the Reliable Plumbing / American Locksmith Nr. 77. Behind Carty’s Southwest Engines/ Hanson & Sons Chassis Shop Nr. 71 was Starnes in the Starnes Trucking / Big G Automotive Nr. 50X. Fourth was Tom Lorenz in the Smiley’s Racing Nr. 84 with Rick McCommas in the Jimmy Allard Racing Engines / B& H Painting Nr. 39. Kirkland, Starnes and Mike Goodson in the Troy’s Used Cars / Smiley’s Racing Products Nr 66 won the heat races and Steve Sickels in the Troy’s Used Cars / S&S Fabrication won the B main. Sickels also won the Timber Wolf Hard Charger Award, climbing from 17^th on the start to finish 10^th.

Story by Reggie Fields, Photos by Linda Fields

Devil’s Bowl Speedway – Race Results – Fri, April 18, 2003

ASCS O’REILLY OUTLAW SPRINTS - Heat 1: 1. #9, Gary Wright, Hooks; 2. #50Z, Zach Chappell, Talala, Okla.; 3. #65, Skip Wilson, Garland; 4. #1, Paul White, Temple; 5. #15, Sam Hafertepe, Jr., Sunnyvale; 6. #11, Cody Pearson, Sulphur, La.; 7. #28, David Forbis, Bossier City, La.; 8. #85B, Jerry Bell, Rowlett.

Heat 2: 1. #7M, Kevin Ramey, Fort Worth; 2. #74E, Claud Estes, Godley; 3. #29, Travis Rilat, Texas City; 4. #39, Marvin Lough, Fort Worth; 5. #28L, Larry Long, Dallas; 6. #93, Chris Sweeney, Huffman; 7. #61A, Toby Brown, Carthage, Mo.; 8. #5, Rod Craddock, Alvin

Heat 3: 1. #91, Darren Stewart, Bixby, Okla.; 2. #6, Rick Ziehl, Las Cruces, N.M.; 3. #94, Cody Branchcomb, Sapulpa, Okla.; 4. #49, Todd Johnson, Eunice, La.; 5. #12A, Mike Przyborski, Round Top; 6. #31X, Brandon Berryman, Missouri City; 7. #31, Matt Clevenger, Flower Mound

Heat 4: 1. #31B, Brian Harvill, Irving; 2. #6M, Blake Mallory, Joshua; 3. #85, Bob Ewell, Forney; 4. #02, Tina Creswell, New Braunfels; 5. #19, Kelly Angelette, Thibodaux, La.; 6. #8H Rawdy Hull, Kennedale; 7. #23, Jimmy Taylor, Oklahoma City, Okla..

Heat 5: 1. #10X, George White, Fort Worth; 2. #7S, Edd French, Keller; 3. #35, Greg Rilat, Texas City; 4. #12, Rick Behrndt, Houston; 5. #94C, Stephen Chevallier, Downsville, La.; 6. #51, Jimmy Brooks, College Station

First B Main: 1. #29, Travis Rilat, Texas City; 2. #1, Paul White, Temple; 3. #12, Rick Behrndt, Houston; 4. #39, Marvin Lough, Fort Worth; 5. #93, Chris Sweeney, Huffman; 6. #8H, Rawdy Hull, Kennedale; 7. #11, Cody Pearson, Sulphur, La.; 8. #28, David Forbis, Bossier City, La.; 9. #12A, Mike Przyborski, Round Top; 10. #31, Matt Clevenger, Flower Mound; 11. #69, Larry Howery, Hearne; DNS - #85B, Jerry Bell, Rowlett

Second B Main: 1. #35, Greg Rilat, Texas City; 2. #61A, Toby Brown, Carthage, Mo.; 3. #15, Sam Hafertepe, Jr., Sunnyvale; 4. #19, Kelly Angelette, Thibodaux, La.; 5. #02, Tina Creswell, New Braunfels; 6. #94C, Stephen Chevallier, Downsville, La.; 7. #51, Jimmy Brooks, College Station; 8. #5, Rod Craddock, Alvin; 9. #23, Jimmy Taylor, Oklahoma City, Okla.; 10. #28L, Larry Long, Dallas; 11. #02Y, Harry Yarrington, Bryan; DNS - #31X, Brandon Berryman, Missouri City

A FEATURE: 1. #7M, Kevin Ramey, Fort Worth; 2. #91, Darren Stewart, Bixby, Okla.; 3. #9, Gary Wright, Hooks; 4. #29, Travis Rilat, Texas City; 5. #50Z, Zach Chappell, Talala, Okla.; 6. #74E, Claud Estes, Godley; 7. #65, Skip Wilson, Garland; 8. #6, Rick Ziehl, Las Cruces, N.M.; 9. #94, Cody Branchcomb, Sapulpa, Okla.; 10. #49, Todd Johnson, Eunice, La.; 11. #7S, Edd French, Keller; 12. #61A, Toby Brown, Carthage, Mo.; 13. #12, Rick Behrndt, Houston; 14. #15, Sam Hafertepe, Jr., Sunnyvale; 15. #31B, Brian Harvill, Irving; 16. #6M, Blake Mallory, Joshua; 17. #35, Greg Rilat, Texas City; 18. #85, Bob Ewell, Forney; 19. #10X, George White, Fort Worth; 20. #1, Paul White, Temple

USA MODIFIEDS - Heat 1: 1. #66, Mike Goodson, Ardmore, Okla.; 2. #6P, Jerry Cowart, Mesquite; 3. #34, Jay Miller, Terrell; 4. #1X, Richard Miller, Terrell; 5. #4, Tracy Adams, Rowlett; 6. #23, Gary Lowe, Red Oak; 7. #17X, Aaron Morey, Dallas; 8. #18, Frank Rose, Mesquite

Heat 2: 1. #50X, Rowdy Starnes, McKinney; 2. #71, Ronnie Carty, DeSoto; 3. #39, Rick McCommas, Balch Springs; 4. #84, Tom Lorenz, Balch Springs; 5. #88, Clyde Dunn, Jr., Sunnyvale; 6. #5, Billy Fronterhouse, Wylie; 7. #50, Steve Sickels, Rowlett; 8. #15, Chris Locke, Mesquite

Heat 3: 1. #77, Randy Kirkland, Mesquite; 2. #27, Tony Batt, Princeton; 3. #99, Johnny Dunn, Jr., Sunnyvale; 4. #90, Johnny Hitt, Kaufman; 5. #K2, Kevin DeLashaw, Hendrix, Okla.; 6. #50D, David Gailley, Mesquite; 7. #12C, Chuck Hooks, Mesquite; 8. #17, Charles Lasater, Garland; 9. #2X, Jimmy Goodwin, Garland

B Main: 1. #50, Steve Sickels, Rowlett; 2. #2X, Jimmy Goodwin, Garland; 3. #17X, Aaron Morey, Dallas; 4. #17, Charles Lasater, Garland; 5. #5, Billy Fronterhouse, Wylie; 6. #18, Frank Rose, Mesquite; 7. #50D, David Gailley, Mesquite; 8. #15, Chris Locke, Mesquite; 9. #12C, Chuck Hooks, Mesquite

A FEATURE: 1. #77, Randy Kirkland, Mesquite; 2. #71, Ronnie Carty, DeSoto; 3. #50X, Rowdy Starnes, McKinney; 4. #84, Tom Lorenz, Balch Springs; 5. #39, Rick McCommas, Balch Springs; 6. #6P, Jerry Cowart, Mesquite; 7. #34, Jay Miller, Terrell; 8. #K2, Kevin DeLashaw, Hendrix, Okla.; 9. #1X, Richard Miller, Terrell; 10. #50, Steve Sickels, Rowlett; 11. #90, Johnny Hitt, Kaufman; 12. #88, Clyde Dunn, Jr., Sunnyvale; 13. #17X, Aaron Morey, Dallas; 14. #23, Gary Lowe, Red Oak; 15. #4, Tracy Adams, Rowlett; 16. #17, Charles Lasater, Garland; 17. #2X, Jimmy Goodwin, Garland; 18. #99, Johnny Dunn, Jr., Sunnyvale; 19. #66, Mike Goodson, Ardmore, Okla.; 20. #27, Tony Batt, Princeton

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ASCS 2001 National Champion Zach Chappell held the flag for the National Anthem - an honor ASCS reserves for the winner of the previous feature race. Chappell won at Southwest Arkansas Speedway in Murfreesboro  on Saturday, April 12

Kevin Ramey was a proud new poppa Friday night, introducing his son Dillon to the Devil's Bowl fans and racers.

Randy Kirkland's victory was his first in the Nr. 77 since Thomas Daniels bought the car. A.C. Gunnels, the former owner of the 77, is still very ill.

The only sprint crash of the night was when George White got into the turn four wall.

The folks from Rector Crane Equipment Company were on hand to watch David Gailley's modified #50D Friday night. Rector is David's sponsor, along with Stanley Commission Company / Smiley's Racing Chassis and Gailley Motorsports.  

The next ASCS race at Devil's Bowl will be Friday, June 6 as part of their annual Speedweek.

Devil's Bowl will also host a Sooner Region vs Gulf South Region ASCS event on Saturday, July 12