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James Takes Biggest Win Of His Career In ASALMS Alamo 200
By: ASA Late Model Series
San Antonio, Texas (03/04/2007): The ASA Late Model Series Presented by GM
Performance Parts' first event of the Fifth Anniversary 2007 Racing Season is
officially in the books! The 2nd annual Quality Pre Owned Cars and Trucks
Alamo 200 Presented by Express Lube and FLF Racecars is now complete for the
crown jewel of the ASALMS, the Challenge Division.
The first of 11 Points races, 12 overall in the series "Where Champions
Race" was at the fast 0.500 Mile High-Banked Paved Oval of the San
Antonio (TX) Speedway in San Antonio, Texas as the 200-lap Feature paid a
larger than normal $10,000 to win and $1,000 just to start.
The Lone Star State fans went home very happy as Colt James, from near-by
Buda, Texas swept the entire program by winning the ARP Bodies/Aluminum Racing
Products Fast Qualifier Award and then in the 200-lap Feature, worked his way
up from his ninth starting spot and took the lead from veteran Eddie Hoffman
on lap 52 and went on to score the biggest Feature win of his career; His
first ever in the ASALMS Challenge Division and second overall of his ASALMS
career.
James won his first career ASALMS Feature, a Southern Division event, back on
June 3, 2006 at the Southern National (NC) Raceway Park in Kenly, North
Carolina. That night, James would also win the Fast Qualifier Award and then
go on to win the Feature.
Veterans Peter Cozzolino and Eddie Hoffman led a stout 31-car field to Chief
Starter, Joey Aycock's green flag to begin the deuce century feature in South
Texas. However trouble ensued as the field made its way to turn one as rookies
Kyle Eastham and Austin Siebert collided sending both into the Turn One wall
forcing the first of two complete restarts.
Opening Night jitters continued as on the second restart, Jim Ross spun in
Turn Two forcing the field to scramble. Finally on the third try, Hoffman
edged out Cozzolino to the first corner to take the early lead while the rest
of the field began to settle in behind the veteran duo.
On lap 12, the third caution of the evening flew for 17-year-old Keeton Hanks,
who was making his debut with the potent Allen-Hock Motorsports Team, backing
his Chevrolet Monte Carlo into the Turn Two wall. Hanks would later come back
out, but was multiple laps down.
The biggest incident of the night occurred on lap 32 when a spin in the middle
of the field triggered a massive 11-car pile-up in Turns One and Two. Amongst
the heavy hitters involved included; 2006 ASALMS Northern Division Champion,
Jesse Smith, 2005 Pat Bourdow Memorial Rookie of the Year, Brian Campbell.
In addition, Travis Dassow, who was making his debut with the T.D. Racing
Development Team (The former WalTom Racing Team) was involved, as well as John
Wes Townley, Jack Smith, Bill Tomlinson, Rookie Michael Simko, and others.
Most of the combatants involved were able to continue with various degrees' of
cosmetic damage.
The field finally settled down on the full moon night in Southern Texas as
Hoffman maintained his lead. ARP Bodies/Aluminum Racing Products Fast
Qualifier, Colt James patiently worked his way through the field and on lap 44
found himself glued to Hoffman's back bumper.
After trying high and low to get around Hoffman for several laps, James, from
near-by Buda, Texas, finally maneuvered his way around the crafty Wheaton,
Illinois veteran on lap 52 to take over the lead to the roar of the partisan
crowd on hand and began pulling away from the rest of the field.
Three more cautions flew, mostly for spins and single car accidents before the
halfway point of the 200-lap Feature as James continued to hold down the point
heading into the Lap 100, 10-Minute Halfway Break.
Hoffman was second and was trailed by Two Pat Bourdow Memorial Rookie of the
Year title contenders, Sean Murphy, in his first career ASALMS start, and Andy
Hanson. Cozzolino slipped back to fifth and that's where he stayed heading
into the pits for service.
The second half began with a bang, literally, as heading down the backstretch
the lapped car of Jack Smith was spun, which resulted in another multi-car
pile-up that knocked out three drivers, all Texans! The three Texas based
drivers were; 19-year-old Ryan Lawler, 17-year-old Cody Smith, and 16-year-old
Kyle Sirizzotti, who all saw their nights come to an end.
James continued to set a torrid pace around the fast 0.500 Mile High-Banked
Paved Oval when the green flag came back out while Hoffman held down the
second spot. Several more cautions for spins slowed the pace and each time,
James would take advantage of great restarts to keep Hoffman and the rest of
the field at bay.
The most serious incident of the night occurred on lap 170 as Jack Smith was
turned around coming out of Turn Four forcing the field to again scramble. Jim
Ross had nowhere to go and was hit by another car resulting in his machine
making a direct right hand turn into the Turn Four wall. He was shaken but
otherwise ok and was done for the evening.
The last of 16 cautions came out on lap 193 when Pat Bourdow Memorial Rookie
of the Year contender, Derek Thorn slowed in Turn Two with a Flat Tire and
Suspension Damage. This offered Hoffman one last chance to track down James
and retake the top spot.
But James wasn't to be denied as the Buda, Texas driver would fend off one
last charge by Hoffman to take his first career ASALMS Challenge Division
Feature Win and Second overall in ASALMS competition and the $10,000 pay day.
The biggest win of his career!
Hoffman settled for second in the caution plagued race as Cozzolino worked his
way back up to third ahead of Murphy, Hanson. Charlie Menard, Michael Annett,
Tom Smith, Tommy Grimes, and Dassow, who recovered from the Lap 32 multi-car
pile-up, would complete the Top 10.
Earlier in the afternoon in ARP Bodies/Aluminum Racing Products Qualifying,
James started the afternoon off right as the 23-year-old Lone Star State
driver won his first career ASALMS Challenge Division Fast Qualifier Award
with an 18.480. James' lap measured out to 97.403 MPH. The ASALMS Track Record
in San Antonio, Texas remains an 18.469.
The GM Performance Parts Shootout was cancelled for this event as 34 cars were
officially entered and after losing three during the Friday Practice Sessions,
both ASALMS Co-Founder/President, Ron Varney and San Antonio Speedway C.E.O/Promoter,
Terry Dickerson elected to start the remaining 31 on cars on hand for the
200-lap Feature.
The next event for the ASALMS will be the Southern Division 2007 Season Opener
on Friday and Saturday March 16-17, 2007 at the Bronson (FL) Motor Speedway,
located West of Gainesville in Bronson, Florida for the running of the Gator
100 Presented by Pennzoil. Bronson's regular divisions of Limited Sportsman,
Hobby Stocks and Thunder Stocks will also join the card.
As for the crown jewel of the ASALMS, Challenge Division, the next event is
set for Friday and Saturday March 30-31, 2007 as the Music City (TN) Motorplex
in Nashville, Tennessee is the site for Race Number Two on the Championship
schedule; The Spring Clash 200. Joining the ASALMS Challenge Division will be
the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modifieds Tour and the CRA Super Series.
Finally the ASALMS Northern Division Season Opener is set for later in the
2007 Racing Season on Friday and Saturday April 27-28, 2007 at the famed
O'Reilly (IN) Raceway Park at Indianapolis, located just West of the Capital
City in Clermont, Indiana for the running of the A.S.I. Limited 100 Presented
by Lucas Oil Products.
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. Also of note, the
ASALMS home offices are closed until Tuesday March 6, 2007. If needed, please
call Ron and Sandy Varney at: 1 (810) 650-6617
You can also log onto any of the three websites for more information
concerning the 2007 season. For the 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
2nd annual Quality Pre Owned Cars and Trucks Alamo 200 Presented by Express
Lube and FLF Racecars UNOFFICIAL Results
Pos. Start Car #/Driver Laps Status
1. 9 015 Colt James 200 Running
2. 2 8 Eddie Hoffman 200 Running
3. 1 11 Peter Cozzolino200 Running
4. 3 32 Sean Murphy-R 200 Running
5. 4 08 Andy Hanson-R 200 Running
6. 16 13 Charlie Menard 200 Running
7. 5 12 Michael Annett 200 Running
8. 18 27 Tom Smith-R 200 Running
9. 12 22 Tommy Grimes 200 Running
10. 8 89 Travis Dassow200 Running
11. 15 45 Michael Simko-R 200 Running
12. 11 81 Jesse Smith 200 Running
13. 17 09 John Wes Townley199 Running
14. 20 28 Jack Smith 199 Running
15. 29 61 Chris Archer-R 199 Running
16. 7 5 Derek Thorn-R 193 Suspension
17. 25 47 Chris Fontaine-R 193 Running
18. 31 77 Brian Campbell 171 Running
19. 19 114 Jim Ross 170 Accident
20. 6 15 Kris Stump 141 Accident
21. 30 111 Tom Grothues125 Mechanical
22. 14 35 Keeton Hanks 109 Running
23. 22 18 Cody Smith-R 104 Accident
24. 13 131 Ryan Lawler 101 Accident
25. 10 93 Kyle Sirizzotti-R 100 Accident
26. 23 36 Ryan Durst-R 85 Mechanical
27. 27 115 Lloyd Alexander-R 51 Mechanical
28. 24 14 Brent Seeley-R 32 Accident
29. 21 3 Bill Tomlinson 31 Accident
30. 28 16 Austin Siebert-R 0 Accident
31. 26 20 Kyle Eastham-R 0 Accident
DID NOT START: 4 Thor Anderson-R, 24 Bryant Goldsmith-R, 71 Danny Ouderkirk
Lap Leaders: 11 Peter Cozzolino-Pole, 8 Eddie Hoffman 1-51, 015 Colt James
52-200.
Cautions: 16 for 72 Laps
Time of Race: 2 Hours 14 Minutes 05.626 Seconds
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