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Bires Wins Second Straight ASALMS Challenge Division Feature At Oswego
Wisconsin Racers Sweep The Podium
By: ASA Late Model Series
Oswego, New York (06/10/2006): The televised ASA Late Model Series Challenge
Division Presented by GM Performance Parts has now completed the fourth event
of the 2006 season for the crown jewel of the ASALMS.
The cars and stars of the televised ASALMS Challenge Division had the distinct
honor of racing on the historic 5/8s mile semi-banked paved oval of the Oswego
(NY) Speedway, on the shores of Lake Ontario in Oswego, New York,
The Fleet Pride 200 was race number four on the 2006 schedule for the ASALMS
Challenge Division, as the ASALMS Challenge Division events will be televised
on The Men’s Channel and IDrive TV. The airings for the events will be on a
tape delayed basis beginning in mid-September of this season.
Current ASALMS Challenge Division Overall as well as Pat Bourdow Memorial
Rookie of the Year Points Leader, Kelly Bires proved that his first career win
two weekends ago was no fluke as the Mauston, Wisconsin freshman took the win
in the Fleet Pride 200!
Two weekends ago, Bires won his first career ASALMS Challenge Division feature
in the Miller Lite 200 back on May 27, 2006 at the Madison (WI) International
Speedway.
Jack Smith and Travis Dassow led a stout 23-car field to chief starter, Tim
Goodlet’s green flag to begin the deuce century grind. Smith would beat out
Dassow to the first corner to take the early lead while the rest of the field
tried to settle in.
Things happen in a hurry at the world renowned speed plant known as the
“Steel Palace” as on lap five, Todd Hoddick spun coming out of turn two
and slammed hard into the backstretch wall destroying his mount. He was ok but
done for the evening.
Nine laps later, Jesse Smith was turned around and that resulted in a massive
pile-up that damaged several cars including Jake Ryan, GM Performance Parts
Shootout winner, Eddie Hoffman, and Peter Cozzolino. All but Smith returned.
Jack Smith continued to set the pace while Dassow dogged the Smith entry all
over the fast 5/8s mile semi-banked paved oval as the West Bend, Wisconsin
sophomore tried every trick in his arsenal to get around the crafty Medina,
Ohio driver.
Smith would lead the field into the mandatory lap 100 ½ way break as Dassow
was running second over Charlie Menard, Kelly Bires, and Chad Wood, who were
the Top Five at the 10-minute break.
On the restart, Jake Ryan, who had worked his way back through the pack from
the rear and got up to seventh at the halfway break began working the outside
groove and passed cars at a rapid rate.
Similar to his line at the San Antonio (TX) Speedway back on April 1, 2006
when he won the Alamo 200, Ryan worked the outside line and on lap 113
maneuvered around Smith to take the lead.
Smith wouldn’t give up the inside line and tried to fight his way back into
the lead he had held for over half the event. Things came to the forefront a
lap later when the two collided sending both cars sideways. Smith was sent to
the rear and Ryan assumed the top spot.
It was then Ryan’s turn to try and fend off Dassow, who stayed in second
spot. Dassow again tried working the inside line underneath Ryan and several
times pulled up even with the Farmington, Minnesota freshman. But each time
Ryan was able to hold him off.
All the while, Kelly Bires had quietly worked his way towards the front from
his eighth starting spot and he would then take over second spot from Dassow,
who began to fade, and set his sights on Ryan.
Bires quickly reeled in his fellow Pat Bourdow Memorial Rookie of the Year
candidate and on lap 181 worked his way by Ryan to take the lead. A lap later,
something broke on the Ryan machine and he turned right into the front stretch
wall! He was ok but done for the evening.
On the final restart, Chad Wood, who also got by the fading Dassow, was right
behind Bires on the restart and for the first few laps was working on Bires
for the lead. But after a few laps, Wood began to fade allowing Bires to pull
away as the laps wound down.
Bires wasn’t to be denied as he opened up a full second lead on Wood as the
Mauston, Wisconsin freshman would go on and take the checkered flag en route
to his second straight televised ASALMS Challenge Division Feature win and in
doing so, extended his points lead in both the overall as well at the Pat
Bourdow Memorial Rookie title chase.
Wood settled for second for the second race in a row while Dassow recovered
enough to post his first podium finish of the season in third. GM Performance
Part Shootout winner, Eddie Hoffman earned the Hard-Charger Award of the Fleet
Pride 200 with his 17th to fourth place run while Charlie Menard finished in
fifth.
Brent Downey posted his second straight sixth place finish in a row while ARP
Fast Qualifier, Landon Cassill was seventh ahead of Frank Kreyer. Bill
Tomlinson, who would appear in his 40th consecutive ASALMS event in the series
40th race finished a season high ninth while Peter Cozzolino rounded out the
Top 10.
Earlier in the evening, 16-year-old Landon Cassill, picked up his first
ARP/Aluminum Racing Products Fast Qualifier Award of the season, and second of
his career by turning an 18.537 which measures out to a wicked fast 121.379
MPH.
Eddie Hoffman took the win in the GM Performance Parts Shootout over Tony
Rosebrugh, Dave Klein, Bill Tomlinson, and Bob Varney, the Top Five.
The cars and stars of the televised ASALMS Challenge Division will now convoy
West and then North for one of the biggest races of the season, and in the
ASALMS home state of Michigan no less!
The ASALMS returns home for one of the biggest events in series history! A
special mid-week extravaganza will see the superstars of the Challenge
Division make a return visit to the famed Berlin (MI) Raceway, West of Grand
Rapids, in Marne, Michigan on Wednesday June 14th for the running of the
Safety Kleen 200.
The televised ASALMS Challenge Division events in 2006 will be televised on
The Men’s Channel and IDrive TV. The airings for the events will be on a
tape delayed basis beginning in Mid-September of this season.
This will be the first appearance in the ASALMS home state of Michigan in
2006, and to top it off, this race will be hosted by one of the premiere
facilities in the Great Lakes State!
This will be the first ASALMS appearance at the famed Marne, Michigan oval
since June 11, 2004 when 2004 ASALMS Challenge Division Champion and Rookie of
the Year, Bobby Stremme took home the win in the Berlin 100 back on June 11,
2004.
Stremme survived a lengthy battle with hometown favorite and eventual 2005 Pat
Bourdow Memorial Rookie of the Year, Brian Campbell to score what was
Stremme’s first career ASALMS Feature win.
Campbell, who holds the track record for the ASALMS with a 16.714 finished
second two years ago while Doug True, Michael Rush, and Doug Mahlik were the
Top Five.
Stremme will return to the scene of his first career win and will have the
rare opportunity to go up against his older brother, current NASCAR Nextel Cup
Series Rookie title contender, David Stremme!
David Stremme, who like the 2004 champ Bobby, calls South Bend, Indiana home,
drives the Coors Light/Lone Star Steakhouse Dodge for Chip Ganassi Racing in
the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series and will be making his first career start in the
ASALMS.
In addition, the "Brothers Stremme" will have to battle with the
likes of two former champions in the old ASA National Tour. Both are no
strangers to the Berlin Raceway as Coopersville, Michigan legend, Butch Miller
and Grand Rapids’ own, Johnny Benson Jr., have all filed entries for the
Safety Kleen 200.
This event, formally an Outlaw Super Late Models invitational, traditionally
kicks off NASCAR Nextel Cup weekend in the state of Michigan. Part-Owner of
Berlin and former Champion in the historical ASA National Tour back in 1993,
Johnny Benson Jr., also a former NASCAR Busch Series Champion and a one-time
winner in the now NASCAR Nextel Cup Series, will also make his ASALMS debut as
well.
More local favorites expected to take on the cars and stars of the televises
ASALMS Challenge Division include; 2005 Pat Bourdow Memorial Rookie of the
Year, Brian Campbell as well as Outlaw Super Late Model stars at Berlin, Chris
Anthony and veteran Greg Usher.
To learn more about the Berlin Raceway, log onto their website at: Berlin
Raceway
Then three days later, the ASALMS as a whole will complete a marathon stretch
of four events in a span of nine days when the ASALMS Southern Division
returns to action for the sixth event of the 2006 season.
The Blue Grass 100, to be held at the Rockcastle (KY) Speedway in Mt. Vernon,
Kentucky is set for Saturday June 17th.
The 3/8s mile semi-banked paved oval located right off I-75, will see the cars
and stars of the ASALMS Southern Division take on the unique Blue Grass state
oval as the 2006 season for the Southern Division approaches the halfway
marker of the season.
Please be sure to get your entry forms into the ASALMS home offices for the
third event of the 2006 season for the ASALMS Southern Division by Monday June
12th to avoid the late fees.
The entry forms are available by going to the link below: Blue
Grass 100 Entry Form
Finally to complete the month of June, the ASALMS Northern Division roars back
to life with their fifth event of the 2006 season.
The Lorain County 100 Presented by Benson International, to be held at the
Lorain (OH) Speedway just outside of Cleveland in Elyria, Ohio is set for
Saturday June 24th and will complete a hectic month of June for the entire
ASALMS.
The fast 3/8s mile semi-banked paved oval will host the ASALMS in its' only
Buckeye State appearance of the 2006 season. Several drivers from the state of
Ohio will look to hold back the traveling stars of the ASALMS Northern
Division in the biggest event of the season for the Elyria, Ohio speed plant.
Please be sure to get your entry forms into the ASALMS home offices for the
fourth event of the 2006 season for the ASALMS Northern Division by Monday
June 19th to avoid the late fees.
The entry forms are available by going to the link below: Lorain
County 100 Entry Form
For more information about the on-going 2006 seasons within all three
divisions of the ASALMS, you can call the ASALMS home offices during normal
business hours Monday through Friday (9am-5pm Eastern Standard Time) at: 1
(800) 385-2503.
You can also log onto any of the three websites for more information. For the
televised Challenge Division, go to: ASALMS
Challenge Division For the Northern Division, log in at: ASALMS
Northern Division and finally for the Southern Division click on: ASALMS
Southern Division
Fleet Pride 200 UNOFFICIAL Results
Pos. Start Car #/Driver Laps Status
1. 8 89 Kelly Bires-R 200 Running
2. 6 2 Chad Wood 200 Running
3. 3 92 Travis Dassow 200 Running
4. 17 8 Eddie Hoffman 200 Running
5. 4 13 Charlie Menard 200 Running
6. 12 23 Brent Downey 200 Running
7. 9 7 Landon Cassill 200 Running
8. 5 99 Frank Kreyer 200 Running
9. 20 3 Bill Tomlinson 200 Running
10. 14 11 Peter Cozzolino 199 Running
11. 7 19 Jake Ryan-R 181 Accident
12. 18 25 Tony Rosebrugh 138 Running
13. 1 28 Jack Smith 117 Suspension
14. 13 08 Jeff VanOudenhoven 88 Rear End
15. 22 38 Jason Herrington-R 79 Running
16. 3 5 Ken Wills-R 66 Accident
17. 19 41 Dave Klein 41 Handling
18. 23 4 Chris Ross-R 31 Mechanical
19. 15 35 Kris Stump 30 Accident
20. 10 32 Ryan Carlson 21 Accident
21. 11 81 Jesse Smith 21 Accident
22. 21 1 Bob Varney 5 Handling
23. 16 49 Todd Hoddick-R 4 Accident
Lap Leaders: 28 Jack Smith Pole-112, 19 Jake Ryan 113-180, 89 Kelly Bires
181-200
Cautions: 10.
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