Forler dominates Ostermiller opener at Big Sky for ASCS Frontier
Andrew Kunas, Stagg Motor Sports PR
Victory lane crew/family photo credit – Andrew Kunas
BILLINGS, Mont. – Logan Forler is three for three in Montana this season, picking up the opening night victory in the Harvey Ostermiller Memorial Friday at Big Sky Speedway for the ASCS Frontier Region sprint car series.
The Boise, Idaho driver won the series championship in 2021 but had been racing 410 and 360 sprint cars on the west coast all season. Forler decided to come back to Montana to race a couple of times now, and so far has won every main event he’s started. That was no different on Friday night, when he charged from the fourth starting position and made the pass for the lead just a few laps into the main event and never looked back.
It was a dominant performance by Forler, who was never threatened for the lead once he was out front in his family’s No. 2L Fisher-powered Maxim. With a long green flag run to end the race, Forler’s margin of victory was 7.881 seconds.
All three of Forler’s wins with the series this year have come at Big Sky Speedway. Forler swept July’s Big Sky 360 Nationals at the Billings facility. He now looks to win the Harvey Ostermiller Memorial for the second straight year on Saturday night.
After leading the opening laps, Tony Bruce Jr. of Liberal, Kansas finished second aboard the Jerry Brey No. 12h Kannady-powered Maxim. While never able to challenge Forler for the lead, Bruce still finished comfortably in the runner-up position while Laurel, Montana’s Phil Dietz finished third aboard the Dietz Racing No. 72 Panella-powered Maxim.
Tyler Driever of Meridian, Idaho made a last lap pass around Coaldale, Alberta’s Kelly Miller to finish fourth and pick up the hard charger nod and some extra cash to go with it. Miller finished fifth, the last car on the lead lap.
Points leader Trever Kirkland had an eventful race, spinning out early on and making contact with another car. While second place points man Kory Wermling was towed off the track, Kirkland was able to refire and tag the back of the field. The Helena, Montana driver drove back up to finish sixth and maintain his points lead. Blayne Brink, Jeremy McCune, Jonny Herrera and Jordan Milne rounded out the Top 10.
Ian Myers picked up a $112 bonus for finishing 12th, that cash coming from a group of fans in tribute to Harvey Ostermiller, whose car owner as a driver and an owner was 12.
Heat races earlier in the evening were won by Bruce, Forler and Dietz. Bruce ended up on the pole for the main event after winning the four-car pole shuffle, defeating Dietz in the final round. Dietz had beaten Forler and McCune in the opening rounds before falling short of the sweep in the final.
Racing for Night 2 of the Harvey Ostermiller Memorial, run in memory of the Montana sprint car pioneer, is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Mountain Time Saturday at the track located north of town on U.S. Hwy 87 on the way to Roundup. The ASCS Frontier Region sprint cars will be joined by WISSOTA midwest modifieds and street stocks, and IMCA modifieds on Saturday. Tickets are $20 with seniors getting in for $15. As is tradition at Big Sky Speedway, kids under 60 inches tall are in for free.
More information on the Brodix Frontier Region of the American Sprint Car Series, along with news and info on the Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour and other ASCS regional tours, can be found online at www.ascsracing.com Stagg Motor Sports, the promoting company of the ASCS Frontier Region, can be found at www.staggmotorsports.com
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Brodix ASCS Frontier Region
Harvey Ostermiller Memorial – Night 1
Big Sky Speedway
Billings, MT
August 19, 2022
Heat 1 (8 laps): 1. 12h Tony Bruce Jr, 2. 33t Tyler Driever, 3. 17 Johnny Herrera, 4. 37 Trever Kirkland, 5. 31 Shane Moore, DNS – 28 Joe Perry.
Heat 2 (8 laps): 1. 2L Logan Forler, 2. 0J Jeremy McCune, 3. 21 Blayne Brink, 4. 24m Ian Myers, 5. 12 Josh Ostermiller, 6. 63 Chris Williams.
Heat 3 (8 laps): 1. 72 Phil Dietz, 2. 9k Kory Wermling, 3. 2jr Kelly Miller, 4. 69r Damon McCune, 5. 3 Jordan Milne.
Pole Shuffle: 72 Phil Dietz d. 2L Logan Forler in first round. 72 Phil Dietz d. 0J Jeremy McCune in second round. 12h Tony Bruce Jr. d. 72 Phil Dietz in final round.
Feature (25 laps): 1. 2L Logan Forler, 2. 12h Tony Bruce Jr, 3. 72 Phil Dietz, 4. 33t Tyler Driever, 5. 2jr Kelly Miller, 6. 37 Trever Kirkland, 7. 21 Blayne Brink, 8. 0J Jeremy McCune, 9. 17 Johnny Herrera, 10. 3 Jordan Milne, 11. 69r Damon McCune, 12. 24m Ian Myers, 13. 31 Shane Moore, 14. 12 Josh Ostermiller, 15. 63 Chris Williams, 16. 9k Kory Wermling.
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Upcoming ASCS Frontier Region events
August 20
Harvey Ostermiller Memorial finale
Big Sky Speedway – Billings, MT
September 2, 3 & 4
Montana Roundup
Electric City Speedway – Great Falls, MT
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2022 ASCS Frontier Region feature winners
May 20 – Canceled at Desert Thunder Raceway (tire shortage)
May 21 – Canceled at Desert Thunder Raceway (tire shortage)
May 27 – Trever Kirkland at Electric City Speedway
May 28 – James Setters at Electric City Speedway
June 10 – Colby Thornhill at Gallatin Speedway
June 11 – Colby Thornhill at Big Sky Speedway
July 1 – Phil Dietz at Gallatin Speedway
July 3 – Canceled at Electric City Speedway (rained out)
July 4 – Canceled at Electric City Speedway (rained out)
July 15 – Logan Forler at Big Sky Speedway
July 16 – Logan Forler at Big Sky Speedway
July 29 – Kory Wermling at Gallatin Speedway
July 30 – Trever Kirkland at Big Sky Speedway
August 12 – Nick Haygood at Sweetwater Speedway
August 13 – Trever Kirkland at Sweetwater Speedway
August 20 – Logan Forler at Big Sky Speedway
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ASCS Racing
www.ascsracing.com
Stagg Motor Sports
www.staggmotorsports.com
Contact:
Josh Stagg, ASCS Frontier Region coordinator & promoter – josh@staggmotorsports.com
Andrew Kunas, public relations & announcer – andrew@staggmotorsports.com
