Dassow takes ASALMS Challene - Colt James 19th

[NickHolt]

New Points Leader, Travis Dassow leads all 200 laps in Cedar Rapids, Iowa to win his second consecutive ASALMS Challenge Division Feature!

By ASA Late Model Series

 

Cedar Rapids, Iowa (05/13/2007): The Fourth Race of the Fifth Anniversary 2007 Season in the ASA Late Model Series Presented by GM Performance Parts Challenge Division is now complete. The historic Hawkeye Downs (IA) Speedway in Cedar Rapids, Iowa served as hosts for the Barron Motor Supply/Crate Motor Classic 200 Presented by Cassill Motors.

 

"America's Premiere Short Track Series" has completed the first of two straight weekends in the state of Iowa as next Weekend the cars and stars of the ASALMS Challenge Division will stick around the Hawkeye State and travel an hour and change South and then West to the Iowa (IA) Speedway, located East of Des Moines in Newton, Iowa for the Make-A-Wish 150 Presented by TMC Transportation and Northland Oil on Friday and Saturday May 18-19, 2007.

 

In the Barron Motor Supply/Crate Motor Classic 200 Presented by Cassill Motors, West Bend, Wisconsin driver, Travis Dassow started on the pole and would go on and lead all 200 laps to score his second consecutive ASALMS Challenge Division Feature Win in his Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters/Nestle USA/Willy Wonka Candy/Chevrolet Monte Carlo.

 

It was far easy as the 20-year-old had to fight off the advances of Columbus, Ohio veteran, Robbie Pyle and ARP Bodies/Aluminum Racing Products Fast Qualifier, Derek Thorn to score the Feature Victory.

 

Dassow's second win came on the heels of his first career checkered flag just three weeks ago on April 21, 2007 when he won the Glass Breaker 200 at the Toledo (OH) Speedway in Toledo, Ohio. With the win, Dassow takes over the ASALMS Challenge Division Points Lead heading into Newton, Iowa this upcoming weekend!

 

Dassow and fellow Wisconsin pilot, Jim Duchow led a loaded 30-car field to Chief Starter, Tim Goodlet's green flag to begin the Barron Motor Supply/Crate Motor Classic 200 Presented by Cassill Motors. After a complete restart, Dassow would beat Duchow to the first corner to take the lead he would never relinquish.

 

Several cautions plagued the deuce century grind as the majority of the 16 cautions thrown were for spins and the majority of those occurred in Turns Three and Four which played havoc with the teams all race long.

 

One of those cautions flew on Lap 40 when Indianapolis, Indiana veteran, Peter Cozzolino's Ford Fusion caught on fire coming out of Turn Two. Cozzolino got his mount stopped on the front stretch and the Hoosier State veteran scrambled out of the car unscathed. ASALMS Officials were right on the scene and were able to extinguish the fire and after repairs, Cozzolino was actually able to continue, but lost several laps in the pits.

 

Several more harmless spins slowed the action but all the while, Dassow continued to set a torrid pace around the 0.500 Mile Semi-Banked Paved Oval and would lead the field into the Lap 100 10-Minute Break. Trent Snyder was second at the break and was followed by Kris Stump, Robbie Pyle, and Derek Thorn.

 

The green came back out to start the second half and immediately Columbus, Ohio veteran, Robbie Pyle began working on Kris Stump for the third spot and soon got by the fellow Buckeye State competitor. Soon afterwards, Stump's 5K Motorsports teammate and ARP Bodies/Aluminum Racing Products Fast Qualifier, Derek Thorn also worked his way by Stump and followed Pyle as the duo set their sights on second place Trent Snyder.

 

After getting by Snyder on Lap 144, both Pyle and Thorn began to reel in Dassow. Soon the trio were running nose to tail with Pyle looking high and low trying to figure out a way around the race long leader.

 

The most serious incident of the night occurred on Lap 175 when hometown favorite Griffin McGrath slammed the Turn One Foam protecting the outside retaining wall, sending the exploding white foam particles all over the corner, forcing action to halt momentarily.

 

One more caution for a Danny Ouderkirk spin on Lap 192 set up an eight lap shootout to the finish. Pyle briefly pulled up along-side Dassow in an effort to take over the lead, but Dassow was up to the challenge and would pull away from the crafty veteran to go on and lead all 200 laps to score his second consecutive ASALMS Challenge Division Feature Win!

 

Pyle settled for second in his first appearance of the 2007 season while Thorn, the Current Pat Bourdow Memorial Rookie of the Year Points Leader grabbed third. Stump recovered to finish a season high fourth while current ASALMS Northern Division Points Leader, Brian Campbell rounded out the Top Five.

 

Pat Bourdow Memorial Rookie of the Year title contender, Michael Simko finished a season high sixth while Eddie Hoffman, who came from the rear of the field after pitting early in the second half finished seventh. Snyder slipped to eighth and two more Rookies Andy Hanson and Sean Murphy completed the Top 10.

 

Earlier in the evening in ARP Bodies/Aluminum Racing Products Qualifying, Derek Thorn picked up his first career ARP Bodies Fast Qualifier Award as the Lakeport, California freshman shattered the ASALMS Challenge Division Track Record with an 18.606 which measures out to 96.743 MPH.

 

The track record for the ASALMS Challenge Division, which runs on the Hoosier Radial Tires, was an 18.915 set by Kris Stump back on September 2, 2005 while the overall ASALMS track record stands as it was set on September 1, 2006 when Dudley Fleck turned an 18.562 during an ASALMS Northern Division event which races on Hoosier Bias-Ply (Slicks) Tires.

 

ASALMS Co-Founders/Presidents, Ron and Sandy Varney decided that since there were 31 cars on the grounds, the went ahead and scrapped the GM Performance Parts Shootout and started all 31 cars for the 200-lap Feature. 30 machines took the green flag.

 

There's no rest for "America's Premiere Short Track Series" as the ASALMS Challenge Division sticks around the Hawkeye State for the Fifth Race of the 2007 Season in the ASA Late Model Series Challenge Division; The Make-A-Wish 150 Presented by TMC Transportation and Northland Oil. Race Number Five for the ASALMS Challenge Division is set for Friday and Saturday May 18-19, 2007 at the immaculate 0.875 Mile Progressively Banked Paved Oval of the Iowa (IA) Speedway, located East of Des Moines in Newton, Iowa.

 

Joining the ASALMS Challenge Division for the weekend at the Rusty Wallace Signature Series track will be the combined NASCAR Grand National Series East and West Divisions as well as the United States Super Trucks Series.

 

Finally to begin the month of June, the cars and stars of the ASALMS Southern Division will visit the great state of Georgia for the second straight event, this time on Saturday June 2, 2007 at the beautiful South Georgia (GA) Motorsports Park, located 30 minutes North of the Florida/Georgia state line in Cecil, Georgia for the running of the South Georgia 100.

 

The third race of the 2007 season for the ASALMS Southern Division. Joining the ASALMS Southern Division will be two of the tracks bi-weekly divisions of Super Stocks and Pure Stocks. <b>The Entry Form for the South Georgia 100 will be available by Wednesday May 16, 2007.</b> .

 

For more information about the 2007 seasons within all three divisions of the ASALMS, You can call the ASALMS home offices during normal business hours Monday through Friday (9am-5pm) (EST) at: 1 (800) 385-2503.

 

You can also log onto any of the three websites for more information concerning the 2007 season. For the Challenge Division, go to: <b><a href="http://www.asalatemodels.com"> ASALMS Challenge Division</a></b> For the Northern Division, log in at: <b><a href="http://www.asalatemodelsnorth.com"> ASALMS Northern Division</a></b> and finally for the Southern Division click on: <b><a href="http://www.asalatemodelssouth.com"> ASALMS Southern Division</a></b>

 

Barron Motor Supply/Crate Motor Classic 200 Presented by Cassill Motors UNOFFICIAL Results

Pos--Start-Car #/Driver----------Laps---Status

1-----1----89 Travis Dassow-------200----Running

2-----9----21 Robbie Pyle----------200----Running

3-----10---5 Derek Thorn-R-------200----Running

4-----6----15 Kris Stump-----------200----Running

5-----21---77 Brian Campbell-----200----Running

6-----5----45 Michael Simko-R----200----Running

7-----15---8 Eddie Hoffman--------200----Running

8-----4----88 Trent Snyder----------200----Running

9-----16---08 Andy Hanson-R------200----Running

10----8----32 Sean Murphy-R------200----Running

11----25---35 Keeton Hanks-------200----Running

12----13---13 Charlie Menard------200----Running

13----11---81 Jesse Smith----------200----Running

14----23---00 Brad Osborn-R------200----Running

15----7----12 Michael Annett-------200----Running

16----16---09 John Wes Townley-200----Running

17----12---115 Kyle Hinrichs-------200----Running

18----18---54 Alison Quick---------200----Running

19----24---015 Colt James---------200----Running

20----14---82 J. Herbst-R----------200----Running

21----15---01 Alec Carll-R---------200----Running

22----22---4 Thor Anderson-R----200----Running

23----30---61 Chris Archer-R------200----Running

24----27---36 Ryan Durst-R--------198----Running

25----28---24 Bryant Goldsmith-R-193----Running

26----29---71 Danny Ouderkirk-----191----Mechanical

27----19---64 Griffin McGrath-R----176----Accident

28----2----66 Jim Duchow-R---------176----Mechanical

29----3----11 Peter Cozzolino-------147----Mechanical

30----26---14 Brent Seeley-R-------70-----Accident

DID NOT START: 39 Ryan Carlson

 

Lap Leaders: 89 Travis Dassow Pole-200.

Cautions: 16 for 75 Laps

Time of Race: 2 Hours, 02 Minutes, 36.297 Seconds.