BELGRADE, Mont. – A month ago, a weekend of misery and motor issues cost Logan Forler the points lead in the ASCS Frontier Region sprint car tour, knocking him down to third place in the standings. Friday night, Forler continued his comeback as he picked up his second win of the season at Gallatin Speedway.
The Boise, Idaho driver led all 25 laps and was almost never seriously challenged the entire race aboard the Steve Forler No. 2L Fischer-powered Maxim. With the $1,500 victory, Forler was able to move past Kory Wermling for second place in the point standings and is now 47 tallies behind point leader Tyler Driever, who finished fourth in Friday’s event. It was Forler’s third consecutive podium finish since that disastrous late July weekend, the win following a pair of runner-up finishes at Sweetwater Speedway in Wyoming two weeks ago.
Forler also became the second driver to win multiple features with the ASCS Frontier Region this season, joining Driever who has also won twice.
Trever Kirkland of Helena, Montana ran second for much of the event, twice attempting to throw a slider at Forler in Turns 1 and 2 on restarts, but was unable to get by him for the lead. Phil Dietz of Laurel, Montana eventually challenged his friend for the second position and outmuscled Kirkland for it, finishing in the runner-up spot in the Dietz Racing No. 72 Maxim. Kirkland settled for third place in the Kirkland Racing No. 37 Shark-powered Maxim. It was Kirkland’s fifth podium finish in the last six races and moved him into fifth place in the standings, just 15 points back of fourth place Michael Bingham.
Wermling, who won the ASCS Frontier Region season opener at Gallatin Speedway in June, finished fifth behind Driever and is now third in the points, sitting 11 tallies behind Forler.
Shad Petersen, Bryan Brown, Joey Price, Bingham and Mike Manwill rounded out the Top 10. Joey Price, who has raced modifieds extensively, got a Top 10 finish in his sprint car debut.
Heat races earlier in the evening were won by Dietz and Forler.
The series continues its season Saturday night with the Harvey Ostermiller Memorial at Big Sky Speedway. Driever won the last ASCS Frontier Region main event at the Billings, Montana dirt oval in July, picking up his first career sprint car victory at the time and taking the points lead that same night. Friday’s show at Gallatin Speedway was the first of eight races in a busy three week stretch that will close out the season.
More information on the Frontier Region of the American Sprint Car Series, as well as the Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour and other ASCS regional series, can be found online at www.ascsracing.com. Stagg Motorsports, the promoting company of the ASCS Frontier Region, can be found at www.staggmotorsports.com.
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American Sprint Car Series – Frontier Region
Gallatin Speedway
Belgrade, MT
August 27, 2021
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS
13 cars
Heat 1 (8 laps): 1. 72 Phil Dietz, 2. 9k Kory Wermling, 3. 38b Bryan Brown, 4. 33t Tyler Driever, 5. 01 Richard Bailey, 6. 31 Shane Moore, 7. 2x Mike Manwill.
Heat 2 (8 laps): 1. 2L Logan Forler, 2. 37 Trever Kirkland, 3. 00b Michael Bingham, 4. 2 Shad Petersen, 5. 20 Joey Price, 6. 81 Darren Smith.
Feature (25 laps): 1. 2L Logan Forler, 2. 72 Phil Dietz, 3. 37 Trever Kirkland, 4. 33t Tyler Driever, 5. 9k Kory Wermling, 6. 2 Shad Petersen, 7. 38b Bryan Brown, 8. 20 Joey Price, 9. 00b Michael Bingham, 10. 2x Mike Manwill, 11. 31 Shane Moore, 12. 81 Darren Smith, 13. 01 Richard Bailey.
