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Dassow Heads To Music City
First race with the new T.D. Racing Development Team
(Former WalTom Racing Team) now in the books for Travis Dassow. Qualifies
Second, finishes 10th.
By: T.D. Racing Development/M.P.H. Promotions
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| Travis Dassow
will head to the Music City (TN) Motorplex on Friday and Saturday March
30-31, 2007 for the second race of the 2007 season; The Music City
Spring Clash 200. Dassow heads to Nashville, Tennessee in 10th place in
the season long points chase. (ASALMS File Photo) |
West Bend, Wisconsin (03/13/2007): When it was
announced that West Bend, Wisconsin stand out, Travis Dassow and his T.D.
Racing Team joined forces with the Two-Time Defending ASA Late Model Series
Challenge Division Championship team, the former WalTom Racing Team to form
T.D. Racing Development, expectations for the new combination were expectantly
set high.
After all, the former WalTom Racing Team carried both Kelly Bires and Stephen
Leicht to the last two ASALMS Challenge Division Championships. So Dassow
already had high expectations heading into the first race of the 2007 season
for the crown jewel of the ASALMS, the Challenge Division. Pressure was never
an issue all weekend long for the soon to be 20-year-old, but adversity and
perseverance certainly played a factor in his first race with new Crew Chief,
Howie Lettow.
After overcoming a massive 11-car pile-up on lap 31 of the 2nd annual Alamo
200 at the San Antonio (TX) Speedway in San Antonio, Texas on Saturday March
3, 2007, Dassow and his battered machine fought back to score a Top 10 finish
with a 10th place showing in the 2007 Season Opener in the Lone Star State.
“I’m really happy with how the whole weekend went up to the race. We had
great cars and the whole team and I are really starting to gel."
Explained Dassow as he reflected on his first race with the new T.D. Racing
Development Team. “We were really fast all weekend but didn’t get to show
it in the race, when we got caught up in that early wreck. The guys did a
great job getting the car as best we could after the wreck and were able to
come out with a top 10 to start the season." Dassow added.
“When we unloaded the primary car and had the first practice, the car was a
little off, but Howie, the crew and everybody else worked great together and
got the car all the way up to third by the end of the first practice.”
Continued the West Bend, Wisconsin pilot. “ We were a Top Five car in all
the practices on Friday heading into the night time sessions.”
In a bold move, Crew Chief Howie Lettow decided to bring out the back-up car
for the final practice session on Friday evening and the back-up machine was
fast right off the trailer. “Howie had some new ideas and just wanted to see
what it did. The car was just awesome and it was on over 100 lap old tires,
Howie came over the radio and said, now we have a problem, a good problem, but
which car to use for the race Saturday?” Laughed Dassow.
With the back-up machine being so good right off the truck, Dassow, Lettow and
the rest of the crew made a decision to go with the back-up car for the first
race of the 2007 season. “We went out and set the fast time and then Colt
James beat us, so we were second quick in the back-up!” Remarked the soon to
be 20-year-old. “With the inversion, we started the race in eighth, the car
was feeling great and we were just making laps, then the wreck happened.” He
added.
A massive 11-car pile up began in front of Dassow and chaos ensued; “I
slowed and then someone got into the back of me and we ended up in the wall
with about 10 other cars!” Explained Dassow. “I thought the race was over
the way the car looked. But the crew went to work, and they had me keep coming
into the pits while the safety crews cleaned up, so they could hammer on the
car and try to make it race-able.” He said.
“As the race went on, the car actually got better. The crew kept getting it
better and we stayed on the lead lap until the break and then got back up to
10th” Offered the West Bend, Wisconsin driver. “I can't say enough about
Howie and the crew, they wouldn't give up and all the hard work paid off in
the end to salvage a good finish. We can’t wait to get to Nashville.” He
ended.
The second race of the 2007 Season in the ASALMS Challenge Division is set for
Friday and Saturday March 30-31, 2007 at the historic Music City (TN)
Motorplex in Nashville, Tennessee for the Music City Spring Clash 200. Going
into Music City, Dassow stands 10th in the season long title chase and is only
56 points back of the lead and only 21 markers back of the Top Five with 10
races left on the schedule,.
Dassow and crew will make a run for the 2007 ASALMS Challenge Division
Championship as well as make select appearances in the ASALMS Northern
Division sporting the #89 that has won the last two ASALMS Challenge Division
Championships! The new T.D. Racing Development Team inherited almost the
entire former WalTom Racing Crew.
Dassow, the outgoing "Patriarch of the Young Lions of the ASALMS"
completed his Sophomore season in the ASALMS in 2006, running in the Top Five
for most of the season and scored an impressive seventh place finish in the
final ASALMS Challenge Division Points Standings.
Dassow collected One Top Five finish, an impressive third place showing at the
Oswego (NY) Speedway on June 10, 2006 during the Fleet Pride 200. Overall,
Dassow racked up Eight Top 10s and also won Two Fast Qualifier Awards at the
Adirondack (NY) International Speedway and again at the brand new Iowa (IA)
Speedway. He also racked up an amazing 25 straight ASALMS races without a DNF
(Did Not Finish) over the 2005 and 2006 seasons.
During the 2006 ASALMS Awards Banquet, Dassow's current/former team, T.D.
Racing won the 2006 ASALMS Best Appearing Crew Award. In addition, Dassow
competed part time at his home track of the Slinger (WI) Super Speedway and
despite those limited appearances, finished 13th in the final points
standings. Travis is also planning on racing once again at Slinger for the
2007 season.
For the 2007 season, Dassow will carry sponsorship on the side of his machine
from: Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters, as well as Nestle and Willy
Wonka Candy, Osborn and Sons Trucking, Bob Fish Pontiac/Buick/GMC, G&W
Vendors, Schaeffers Oil, Gary's Auto Repair, Weber Sports Marketing, M.P.H.
Promotions, and T.D. Racing Development will all sport decals on Dassow's
efforts.
For sponsorship inquiries, please contact Mike Dassow at: 1 (414) 690-2215 or
e-mail Mike at: mdassow@aol.com Finally you can log onto the teams
website at: T.D. Racing Development
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