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D’Ambrose; Running The First Three ASALMS Challenge Division Events
February 2nd, 2006
By ASA Late Model Series Staff
Lexington, Michigan (02/02/2006): The ASA Late Model Series Presented by GM
Performance Parts is proud of its’ diversity of the drivers and teams that
compete during the season. Drivers from all walks of life have, or plan on
taking part in the fastest growing short track traveling series in the
country.
In recent seasons, the state of Illinois has produced some top notch talent
that run in the ASALMS or plan on it in 2006. Ryan Carlson comes to mind as he
was one of just two Pat Bourdow Memorial Rookie of the year contenders to win
a feature in 2005. 2006 ASALMS Challenge Division title contender, Eddie
Hoffman is another Prairie State driver with a resume that speaks for itself.
Tony D’Ambrose hopes to add his name to that list as the Tinley Park,
Illinois driver is looking ahead to the 2006 season and if all goes well, the
31-year-old hopes to be challenging week in and week out in the ASALMS
Challenge and Northern Divisions in 2006.
“We’re on a tight budget and will go from race to race but our plans are
to run the first three ASALMS Challenge Divisions shows and go from there!”
Offered D’Ambrose. “We want to make the shows and finish races first.
After those first three shows, we’ll then reevaluate the rest of the season.
Finishes are our number one priority those first three races though.” Stated
D’Ambrose.
D’Ambrose’s familiar Black #80 made three appearances during the 2005
season with three different drivers. Hank Miller, the son of Michigan
Motorsports Hall of Famer, Butch Miller, steered D’Ambrose’s Tech One Race
Cars Chevrolet Monte Carlo at the Kalamazoo 100 Presented by Tough Coat Powder
Coatings at the Kalamazoo (MI) Speedway on July 1, 2005.
Miller would surprise many on lookers by taking the Motive Gear Fast Qualifier
Award over a strong 40-car field! Miller would then go on to back that up with
a strong ninth place finish in the 100-lap feature won by Jack Smith.
D’Ambrose himself climbed behind the wheel at the Illiana (IN) Motor
Speedway for the Gibson Chevrolet 100 on Jule 23, 2005. In front of his home
town fans, the Tinley Park, Illinois pilot would qualify an impressive third
quick out of 37 machines on hand! Mechanical problems plagued D’Ambrose
during the feature and he would be shown 22nd in the final run down.
Midwestern star, Eddie Hoffman would pilot D’Ambrose’s machine during the
Coca-Cola/Oktoberfest 100 at the LaCrosse (WI) Fairgrounds Speedway on October
7, 2005. Like Miller at Kalamazoo, Hoffman would also win the Motive Gear Fast
Qualifier Award! The Wheaton, Illinois veteran would go on to finish fourth in
the 100-lap feature won by home town favorite, Charlie Menard.
“I know the car is good, we proved that last season in qualifying with Hank
(Miller) and Eddie (Hoffman), and myself! Plus we got Top 10s in the features
with Eddie and Hank too!” Continued D’Ambrose. “I know we can do well in
the ASALMS, it’s just a matter of getting to the events for us. It’s just
me and a couple of buddies who volunteer their time and can get time off of
work. But we’ll be at Nashville, you can count on that!” D’Ambrose
ended.
D’Ambrose started racing in 1987 at 13 years old in Go-Karts. The
31-year-old recorded two championships in Karts. D’Ambrose began full bodied
stock car racing in 1993, and has raced everything from Dwarf Cars to
Mid-American Stock Cars and Late Models. Tony won one rookie of the year title
and has had many top ten finishes throughout his racing career. Most of his
time has been spent at Grundy County (IL) Speedway and Illiana (IN) Motor
Speedway.
For the 2006 season, D'Ambrose will be piloting his Tech One Race Cars
Chevrolet Monte Carlo in at least the first three ASALMS Challenge Division
events. With more backing, D’Ambrose plans on running the full season in the
Challenge Division as well as most of the season in the ASALMS Northern
Division with a couple hours driver from Tinley Park.
To learn more about Tony D’Ambrose and the T-1 Racing Team, e-mail them at: t1racing@netzero.net
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