From Lonnie Wheatley,
ASCS Staff

WACO, Texas (August 22, 2008) – A runner-up in final American Sprint Car Series Gulf South Region points on three occasions over the past five seasons, Greg Rilat is hungry for a first series championship. And entering Friday night's action at Heart O' Texas Speedway, Rilat held a tenuous points lead in the 2008 ASCS Gulf South championship points race.

The Texas City, TX, veteran shoe responded with his first series triumph in over three years by wiring the field in the 25-lap main event, collecting the $2,000 winner's share and extending his points lead to 42 markers in the process.

Rilat, the father of past ASCS National champion and current ASCoT National contender Travis Rilat, took full advantage of a late caution to fend off a furious bid for the win from defending series champion Brandon Berryman, who charged forward from eight rows deep.


"That (caution) helped for sure, they had the track blocked and I didn't know where to go," Rilat commented after his third career ASCS Gulf South Region feature win. "I didn’t want to take any chances being in the lead, I was hoping for a spin or something to bring out a yellow and not be a part of it."

After leading from the outset from the pole position, Rilat got his wish just as 17th-starter Berryman was poised to pounce for the lead when a three-car tangle involving Martin Edwards, Travis Knighton and Travis Elliott brought out the caution with 18 laps in the books.

While Rilat had outgunned fellow front row starter Chris Sweeney for the lead at the drop of the green flag, Berryman was on the charge in short order as he had picked off eleven positions to reach sixth by the time the red flag flew after five laps for Scott Reneau's turn one tumble that collected Brandon Corn.

Berryman was up to third soon after and then finally battled past Justin Melton for second upon the completion of the 18th lap, just as the lead trio bunched up behind a gaggle of lapped cars only to have the caution fly.

After one more quick caution two circuits later, Rilat held strong on the low side to secure the win in the CnB Mushroom Farms No. 35 Triple-X, with Berryman settling for runner-up honors.

Melton claimed the show position, with tenth-starter Eric Baldaccini and 16th-starter Kevin Ramey rounding out the top five. Sweeney was sixth, with John Ricketts, Tommy Bryant, Aaron Reutzel and Bruce Crockett completing the top ten.

Melton, Reutzel, Rilat and Bryant topped heat race action for the 30-car field, with Travis Elliott battling past Gary Watson in the early stages en route to winning the 12-lap "B" Main.

American Sprint Car Series Gulf South Region Results:

Heat One (8 Laps): 1. 11-Justin Melton, 2. 61-Travis Knighton, 3. b4-Eric Baldaccini, 4. 04-Joshua Hemby,
5. 3-Gary Watson, 6. 31-Brandon Berryman, 7. 74e-Claud Estes, 8. 1-Kent Lewis, Jr.

Heat Two (8 Laps): 1. 87-Aaron Reutzel, 2. 76-John Ricketts, 3. 74-Bradon Corn, 4. 67-Rodney Henderson, 5. 20x-Chad Wilson, 6. 20-Terry Monroe, 7. 13-Kathryne Minter. DNS: 85-Jerry Bell.

Heat Three (8 Laps): 1. 35-Greg Rilat, 2. 71-Channin Tankersley, 3. 1r-Scott Reneau, 4. 7m-Kevin Ramey,
5. 9-Brian Parker, 6. 14-Michael Lang. DNS: 55d-David Doyle.

Heat Four (8 Laps): 1. 21T-Tommy Bryant, 2. 93-Chris Sweeney, 3. 45-Martin Edwards, 4. 8-Bruce Crockett, 5. 15T-Travis Elliott, 6. 25-Sean Mayfield, 7. 14e-Todd Evans.

"B" Feature (12 Laps): 1. 15T-Travis Elliott, 2. 7m-Kevin Ramey, 3. 31-Brandon Berryman,
4. 3-Gary Watson, 5. 74e-Claud Estes, 6. 1-Kent Lewis, Jr., 7. 67-Rodney Henderson, 8. 20-Terry Monroe,
9. 20x-Chad Wilson, 10. 13-Kathryne Minter, 11. 55d-David Doyle, 12. 25-Sean Mayfield, 13. 9-Brian Parker, 14. 14e-Todd Evans, 15. 14-Michael Lang. DNS: 85-Jerry Bell.

"A" Feature (25 Laps): 1. 35-Greg Rilat, 2. 31-Brandon Berryman, 3. 11-Justin Melton, 4. b4-Eric Baldaccini, 5. 7m-Kevin Ramey, 6. 93-Chris Sweeney, 7. 76-John Ricketts, 8. 21T-Tommy Bryant, 9. 87-Aaron Reutzel, 10. 8-Bruce Crockett, 11. 71-Channin Tankersley, 12. 3-Gary Watson, 13. 04-Joshua Hemby, 14. 74e-Claude Estes, 15. 45-Martin Edwards, 16. 1-Kent Lewis, Jr., 17. 15T-Travis Elliott, 18. 61-Travis Knighton,
19. 1r-Scott Reneau, 20. 74-Brandon Corn.

ASCS Gulf South Region Points (Top Ten): 1. Greg Rilat 2,174, 2. Brandon Berryman 2,132, 3. Gary Watson 2,116, 4. Chris Sweeney 2,095, 5. Tommy Bryant 2,063, 6. Travis Elliott 1,969, 7. Channin
Tankersley 1,894, 8. Travis Knighton 1,760, 9. Brandon Corn 1,660, 10. Terry Monroe 1,388

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