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Wood Tied for Fourth in Sizzlin’ Summer Speedweek Standings at Midpoint

Inside Line Promotions – VIVIAN, La. (June 17, 2013) – For a young sprint car driver, a Speedweek offers a great opportunity to learn and quickly put those lessons to use.

That’s exactly the scenario for Cole Wood, who is halfway through the Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour Sizzlin’ Summer Speedweek – a six-race, nine-day event throughout Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Missouri.

“We’re still trying to knock off our first win,” he said. “Speedweek is an opportunity to get a bunch of racing and learn a lot in a short period of time.”

Wood has done just that with a podium finish and a top 15 in each of the three Speedweek events to rank tied for fourth in the standings midway through the event.

“Without equipment failures I think we’d be getting top fives,” he said. “Gary and Kyle have been giving me great cars.”

Wood opened the Speedweek on Friday with his first-ever visit to Kennedale Speedway Park in Kennedale, Texas. He finished second in his heat race on a narrow track to advance to the feature, which he started 11th.

“I think I was one of the first cars to find the top,” he said. “I got by a couple of cars on the start when they bunched up on the bottom. Really I made most of my passes on the top.

“I think Gary and Kyle gave me a car I could win with. We just started too far back. Jeff Swindell and Jason Johnson were really good up top. I think we about had the same car. I don’t know if we had the car to pass them, but we were definitely running with them.”

Wood’s third-place finish tied a career best with the Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour.

The series shifted to Devil’s Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, Texas, for the 40th annual Summer Nationals on Saturday.

Wood led all eight laps to earn his seventh heat race victory of the season, which moved him into the feature redraw. After pulling the No. 6, Wood started the main event on the outside of the third row. However, on the second lap of the feature he slid off the track and lost nearly a dozen positions.

“I pushed off in turns one and two,” he said. “It felt like it was really getting on the right side – the right rear and right front. Normally on a fast track like that it should wing over on the left.”

Wood gained a few positions and rallied to finish 13th.

The weekend concluded on Sunday with his first appearance at Ark-La-Tex Speedway, where a fourth-place finish in the heat race started Wood 12th in the feature.

“I passed up to seventh or eighth and the steering box went out and I almost spun out,” he said. “I went to the infield on the frontstretch, got myself gathered back up, fell to probably 15th and then kept going.”

Wood again picked up a couple of positions in the closing laps to finish 12th.

The Speedweek wraps up with a trio of events this week, beginning Wednesday at Lawton Speedway in Lawton, Okla. On Thursday, Creek County Speedway in Sapulpa, Okla., hosts a race before Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo., concludes the Speedweek on Saturday.

It will be the first time Wood has competed at all of the tracks.

QUICK RESULTS –

June 14 – Kennedale Speedway Park in Kennedale, Texas – Heat race: 2 (2); Feature: 3 (11).

June 15 – Devil’s Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, Texas – Heat race: 1 (2); Feature: 13 (6).

June 16 – Ark-La-Tex Speedway in Vivian, La. – Heat race: 4 (3); Feature: 12 (12).

SEASON STATS –

27 races, 0 wins, 5 top fives, 9 top 10s, 16 top 15s, 24 top 20s

UP NEXT –

Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour Sizzlin’ Summer Speedweek: Wednesday at Lawton Speedway in Lawton, Okla., Thursday at Creek County Speedway in Sapulpa, Okla., and Saturday at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo.

MEDIA LINKS –

Website: www.ColeWoodRacing.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/wood17w

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cole-Wood-Racing/246046125428603?fref=ts

APPAREL –

Wood has t-shirts and hats available at his race car trailer at every race. For a schedule of events, visit ColeWoodRacing.com.

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT – A.R.T. Speed Equipment

Established in 1976, A.R.T. Speed Equipment is a parts and fabrication shop with a huge inventory of sprint car and mini sprint parts. A.R.T. also builds top-notch chassis. For more information, visit ARTspeedequip.com.

“Everybody at Cole Wood Racing is very thankful for everything that Art and Glen do at A.R.T.,” Wood said. “They help us out with the best of equipment.”

Wood would also like to thank Elk Grove Ford, Roush Yates Racing Engines, Keizer Aluminum Wheels, Wion’s Body Shop, Awesome Racewear, ButlerBuilt Professional Seat Systems and The Joie of Seating for their continued support.

INSIDE LINE PROMOTIONS –

Inside Line Promotions specializes in affordable public relations, media management and merchandising services for sprint car teams. ILP Founder Shawn Miller leverages professional journalism with new media technologies and social networking to improve your exposure and your sponsors’ return on investment.

To meet the media relations needs of your team, contact Shawn at 541-510-3663 or sprintcarreporter@yahoo.com. For more information on Inside Line Promotions, visit www.insidelinepromotions.com.

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