3/19/2023
Oil Capital Racing Series
Mattox ends drought with OCRS victory at Tulsa Speedway
(Richard Bales photo) John Rittenoure - TULSA, Okla. (March 18, 2023) - It has been a long time since Fred Mattox visited the winners circle with the Oil Capital Racing Series. In fact, it was 2014.
But the drought ended Saturday at Tulsa Speedway with Mattox picking up his second career AmeriFlex Hose & Accessories OCRS Sprint Car victory on a cold night with temperatures in the mid 30’s and fans wrapped in heavy blankets,
“I think the last one was at Caney. It has been a long time,” recalled Mattox of his last OCRS win. “We’ve had a lot of 2-barrel, ASCS and NCRA wins since. It is good to be back in the seat of an OCRS car again.”
Mattox moved from third to second on lap 11 and chased after early leader Terry Easum. On lap 16 lap traffic came into play for the leaders. Mattox tried to make a move inside of Easum and there was contact. Easum spun to the infield and the yellow flag came out.
Mattox restarted the race with the lead while Easum was placed on the rear. It was a controversial incident.
“From my point of view the leader left the bottom open trying to go around a lapped car,” Mattox said of his attempt to pass Easum. “Tulsa is not the best place to drive around cars. You have to get underneath them coming off the corner and out drag race them to the other end.
“I feel like he (Easum) got into the back of the lapped car (Elizabeth Phillips) and turned her across in front of me. I made contact with her and I feel sorry for her. I know their situation and am going to make it right this week.”
Mattox recalled another unfortunate incident with Easum that resulted in a suspension.
“With that said this is not the first time me and him had issues,” Mattox said. “I got suspended way back when for the same kind of deal. (This time) In (turns) three and four we were wheel-to-wheel behind the lapped car, he left the bottom open and I filled it.”
On the restart Johnny Kent took over second but could not close on Mattox and finished 0.525 seconds behind him. Lane Goodman advanced from 4th to 3rd, Ryker Pace was fourth and 2021 champion Joe Bob Lee rounded out the top five.
Easum was not happy with the incident that took him out of the lead 15 laps into the race.
“It was just some lapped cars and it was pretty one lane and you have some guys who have raced for 20 years that want to race like it is there first night,” Easum said. “That is just part of it. He got underneath us and was still part way on the throttle when he hit me.”
Corey McGehee outran veteran Danny Wood to win the B-Main. Wood started 16th in the A-Main and climbed to 7th. Fifth B-Main finisher Rees Moran started 19th in the A-Main and advanced 11 spots to 8th earning him the Hard Charger award.
The next AmeriFlex Hose & Accessories OCRS Sprint Car event will be Friday at Thunderbird Speedway in Muskogee followed by a Saturday visit to Lawton Speedway.
AmeriFlex Hose & Accessories OCRS Sprint Car Results
Tulsa Speedway - Tulsa, Oklahoma
March 18, 2023
AmeriFlex Hose and Accessories A-Main (25 Laps): 1. 26M-Fred Mattox[2]; 2. 55-Johnny Kent[5]; 3. 29-Lane Goodman[4]; 4. 8R-Ryker Pace[3]; 5. 5-Joe Bob Lee[7]; 6. 31-Casey Wills[11]; 7. 55W-Danny Wood[16]; 8. 22M-Rees Moran[19]; 9. 38-Jimmy Forrester[6]; 10. 20S-Sheldon Barksdale[20]; 11. 7T-Landon Thompson[10]; 12. 88-Terry Easum[1]; 13. 22T-Frank Taft[17]; 14. 39-Kimberly Tyre[13]; 15. (DNF) 938-Bradley Fezard[9]; 16. (DNF) 55M-Corey McGehee[15]; 17. (DNF) 22C-Alex DeCamp[12]; 18. (DNF) 50Z-Zach Chappell[8]; 19. (DNF) 08E-Elizabeth Phillips[14]; 20. (DNF) 22RL-Gage Laney[18]
Smileys Racing Products B-Main 1 (12 Laps): 1. 55M-Corey McGehee[1]; 2. 55W-Danny Wood[10]; 3. 22T-Frank Taft[2]; 4. 22RL-Gage Laney[3]; 5. 22M-Rees Moran[9]; 6. 20S-Sheldon Barksdale[14]; 7. 30X-Larry Bratti[4]; 8. 69-Greg York[11]; 9. 1T-Joshua Tyre[5]; 10. 2L-Brandon Leland[13]; 11. 12M-Mitchell Barros[7]; 12. (DNF) 21H-Jared Higgins[8]; 13. (DNF) 9K-Kody Jenkins[6]; 14. (DNF) 17-Jeremy Allen[15]; 15. (DNF) 9-Emilio Hoover[12]
Schure Built Suspension Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 5-Joe Bob Lee[1]; 2. 29-Lane Goodman[4]; 3. 08E-Elizabeth Phillips[2]; 4. 55M-Corey McGehee[5]; 5. 39-Kimberly Tyre[8]; 6. (DNF) 22M-Rees Moran[7]; 7. (DNF) 69-Greg York[6]; 8. (DNF) 20S-Sheldon Barksdale[3]
Lightning Wings and Powder Coating Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 38-Jimmy Forrester[1]; 2. 7T-Landon Thompson[3]; 3. 8R-Ryker Pace[7]; 4. 22T-Frank Taft[5]; 5. 9K-Kody Jenkins[2]; 6. (DNF) 55W-Danny Wood[4]; 7. (DNS) 17-Jeremy Allen
Smith Titanium Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. 938-Bradley Fezard[1]; 2. 50Z-Zach Chappell[4]; 3. 26M-Fred Mattox[6]; 4. 22RL-Gage Laney[5]; 5. 1T-Joshua Tyre[3]; 6. 30X-Larry Bratti[7]; 7. (DNF) 2L-Brandon Leland[2]
Dyno Services of Oklahoma Heat 4 (8 Laps): 1. 88-Terry Easum[2]; 2. 31-Casey Wills[3]; 3. 55-Johnny Kent[6]; 4. 22C-Alex DeCamp[7]; 5. 12M-Mitchell Barros[1]; 6. 21H-Jared Higgins[5]; 7. (DNF) 9-Emilio Hoover[4]
Lap Leaders: Terry Easum 1-15, Fred Mattox 16-25.
Margin of Victory: 0.525.
Hard Charger: Rees Moran + 11
2023 Winners
03/11 - Red Dirt Raceway, Tanner Conn.
03/18 - Tulsa Speedway, Fred Mattox.
2023 Top Ten: 1. Johnny Kent 220; 2. Danny Wood 208; 3. Joe Bob Lee 188; 4. Terry Easum 187; 5. Rees Moran 182; 6. Fred Mattox, Bradley Frezard 169; 8. Landon Thompson 166; 9. Alex DeCamp 160; 10. Ryker Pace 157.
About the AmeriFlex / OCRS Series -
Established in 2002, the Tulsa OK based AmeriFlex / Oil Capital Racing Series sanctions dirt track sprint car racing in the southern region of the central plains. Fan appeal and quality race teams, combined with our solid core of supporting sponsors are the nucleus of the series. Thrilling competition providing the ultimate quality family entertainment is the essence of what the AmeriFlex / OCRS series is all about.
?Website: www.ocrsracing.net
Facebook: www.facebook.com/oil.series
About AmeriFlex Hose & Accessories -?Located in Tulsa OK, AmeriFlex Hose & Accessories is a family owned and operated company. From food grade hose to hoses for the petroleum industry, AmeriFlex will strive to fill your needs. AmeriFlex can build a hose to your specifications or we will assist you in creating what you have designed while you wait. AmeriFlex has several hard to find items that some vendors can’t get or find. Product can be shipped quickly and efficiently. If we do not have what you are looking for, we will direct you on where to find it. Give us a try, after all…………..AmeriFlex Has The Stuff That Keeps You Going!
Website: www.AmeriFlexHose.com
AmeriFlex / OCRS IMCA Contingency Sponsors?AmeriFlex Hose & Accessories, Hoosier Racing Tires, Smileys Racing Products, Schoenfeld, Brodix, Lucas Oil, RacinDirt.TV, Schure Built Suspension, Lightning Wings & Powder Coating, Smith Titanium, MyRacePass.
Article Credit: John Rittenoure
