7/29/2009
ASCS
Lucas Oil ASCS Patriots Invade Merrittville Sat...
[i Rich Vleck, TULSA, Okla. (July 28, 2009)]
A busy month of August for the Lucas Oil ASCS Patriots gets underway on the first day of the month with a trip to one of the Canada’s finest dirt track facilities.
This Saturday, Merrittville Speedway will play host to a Patriot event for the first time since 2006. The anticipation of this race is high for competitors that are both Patriot regulars along with the slew of locals that will run their first feature at Merrittville since at least 2007.
After rain knocked out the Patriot event at the 4/10-mile D-shaped oval last season, this special August event was put together to appease both fans and competitors. It looks it should work out as well.
In the only other Patriot event held in Thorold, Ontario, Bryan Howland found a new groove on the top of the track to work around Rick Wilson and pick up his fifth career win. Howland, of Auburn, NY, now has 11 career wins and is just eight points out of the lead in the 2009 standings.
Jared Zimbardi currently holds the point lead and knows Howland is going to be on his A-game Saturday. “The Juice” was fourth in the Patriot race there in 2006, since then he has went from average to exemplary so there is no reason he can’t do the same at Merrittville.
Blake Breen was third back in 2006 and perhaps had the quickest car on the track. Along with his brother, Bobby, they have always done well at the track just outside Niagara Falls.
Don Adamczyk, of Williamsville, NY, runs third in the standings right now and was a solid seventh back in 2006. Adamczyk continues to close in on his first career win and any time now the stars will align.
Bubba Broderick, of Brookfield, CT, has never run Merrittville but lack of experience didn’t bother him last week at Arcade International Raceway when he score his first career Lucas Oil ASCS Patriot A-Main in dominating fashion.
This race is the second leg of the King of the Golden Horseshoe Series. Tom Huppunen, of nearby Fenwick, Ontario, won the first race of the series at Ohsweken and thus is the point leader. Huppunen has eight career starts at Merrittville, with no finish better than 15th. In those races he was never the force he is entering this race.
Glenn Styres leads a great group of locals, which will include his teammates Keith Dempster and Ryan Hunsinger. Mikey Kruchka and Kevin Loveys also team together and should be a factor Saturday. Kevin Job is always strong but has never run Merrittville. Familiar faces to the Patriots like Devin Caron, Doug Bowman, Travis Cunningham, Stan Zanchin, Tim Zack, Jay Pietz and Dave Dykstra also plan on attending.
Racing gets underway at Merrittville at 7:00 p.m. For more information, visit www.ASCSpatriotsprints.com or www.ASCSracing.com.
[b Lucas Oil ASCS Patriot History at Merrittville:]
Races: 1
6/24/2009- Bryan Howland
Submitted By: Lonnie Wheatley
