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Hoffman Looks To Three Peat Nashville In Music City Spring Clash 200
By: ASA Late Model Series
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| Wheaton, Illinois
veteran, Eddie Hoffman looks to "Three-Peat" in Nashville,
Tennessee in the ASALMS Challenge Division's second race of the 2007
season; The Music City Spring Clash 200 at the Music City (TN) Motorplex
on Friday and Saturday March 30-31, 2007. (ASALMS File Photo) |
Lexington, Michigan (03/20/2007): Whenever and
wherever Wheaton, Illinois veteran, Eddie Hoffman pulls into the pit area at
any race track in the United States. Heads turn and the chatter starts about
what it’s going to take to beat the 47-year-old Prairie State veteran. When
the T.K. Racing Team pulls into the pits in Nashville, Tennessee, fellow
drivers and teams know they are in for a long weekend at one of Hoffman’s
favorite race tracks!
The second event of the 2007 season for the ASA Late Model Series Presented by
GM Performance Parts Challenge Division is at a track where Hoffman enjoyed
most of his 2006 ASALMS success; The Music City (TN) Motorplex in Nashville,
Tennessee. The Music City Spring Clash 200 is set for Friday and Saturday
March 30-31, 2007.
During the 2006 season, Hoffman won both ASALMS appearances at the fast 0.596
Mile High-Banked Paved Oval last season and in the process, picked up two of
the coveted Copley Guitars! The traditional trophy for winning at the
Motorplex.
“We’ve won three of those Copley Guitars overall with two of those coming
last season.” Stated Tom Kmak, Owner of T.K. Racing. “We can always use
another one and probably could start a band on the off weekends from racing. I
guess the first thing would be lessons!” He Laughed.
Not only has Hoffman enjoyed vast amounts of success in Music City, his 2007
Season already has started off on the right foot as he took the win in the
Speedfest 200 at the USA (FL) International Speedway in Lakeland, Florida back
on January 27, 2007.
Since the 37th annual Oktoberfest Weekend at the LaCrosse (WI) Fairgrounds
Speedway in the ASALMS Northern Division Season Championships back on October
6, 2006; Hoffman hasn’t finished worse than second in six months of racing
in all except one event. Hoffman won three out of those six races and finished
second in two others!
So confidence was naturally high in the T.K. Racing camp heading into San
Antonio, Texas for the 2007 ASALMS Challenge Division Season Opener, the 2nd
annual Alamo 200 at the San Antonio (TX) Speedway on March 3, 2007. Coming
into the Door Opener for the Crown Jewel of the ASALMS, the Challenge
Division, Hoffman was tabbed by the vast majority of the media outlets in the
country as one of the heavy favorites to win the 2007 ASALMS Challenge
Division Championship!
Even after skipping Day One of the Alamo Weekend, Hoffman and crew were ready
despite only two hours of total practice time on the 0.500 Mile High-Banked
Paved Oval. The rest of the field had spent the entire previous day getting
acclimated to the Lone Star State speed plant during an ASALMS sanctioned all
day Test and Tune Practice Session.
After Qualifying eighth in the 31-car field and after ARP Bodies Fast
Qualifier, Colt James drew and inversion of nine, Hoffman would start the
200-lap Feature in South Texas from the outside of the front row. The Wheaton,
Illinois veteran paced the field for the first 51 laps despite numerous
cautions in those opening laps for accidents and spins.
Eventual Winner from near-by Buda, Texas; Colt James would grab the lead from
Hoffman on lap 52 and would go on to win the $10,000 pay day. Hoffman held his
ground in the second spot and that’s where he would stay for the remainder
of the event despite a late race charge from third place finisher, Peter
Cozzolino.
“This is a very good start for us to finish second in the season opener and
we’re heading to one of my favorite tracks on the schedule!” Stated
Hoffman after his runner-up showing in San Antonio, Texas. “I didn’t have
much for Colt (James). San Antonio is his home track and he was fired up about
the race all day long. He went out and won the Fast Qualifier Award and then
did what he had to do in the Feature. He did a great job!” Hoffman added.
“Now we’re going to a track that I just love racing at!” The 47-year-old
continued. “We wanted to do well in Texas and give us a good start heading
to Nashville. I know we’ll have something for these guys there and hopefully
we can continue our winning streak in the ASALMS in Music City and continue
moving forward towards a Championship. That’s our goal for this season, is
to win the 2007 Challenge Division title.” Hoffman ended.
For the remainder of the 2007 season, Hoffman and the T.K. Racing Team plan an
all out assault on the 2007 ASALMS Challenge Division Championship and is
widely regarded as a pre season favorite to win the Challenge Division title!
In addition, Hoffman will also make select appearances in the ASALMS Northern
Division.
The 2006 ASALMS Challenge Division GM Performance Parts Shootout Champion.
Hoffman won Three Features during the 2006 Challenge Division season with two
coming in non-points affairs. His lone points Feature Win was during the 2006
season opener at the Music City (TN) Motorplex on March 18, 2006.
His two other feature wins were in non-points shows including one back at
Music City on November 5, 2006 in the All-American 200. The 46-year-old also
won Day Two of the Mason-Dixon/Dixieland Challenge during the indoors event at
the DeVos (MI) Place. Overall, he collected Seven Top Fives and 10 Top 10
finishes and won One GM Performance Parts Shootout at the Oswego (NY) Speedway
to finish third in the final overall points standings.
Hoffman also competed part-time in the ASALMS Northern Division and picked up
Two Feature Wins with both of those coming back to back. The first was in the
rain shortened Lake Geneva 100 at the Lake Geneva (WI) Raceway on May 20, 2006
and then nine days later on Memorial Day Monday, May 29, 2006, he won the 8th
annual George Appleton Memorial 125 Presented by Rod Baker Ford and WRXQ
100.7fm at the Grundy County (IL) Speedway. Overall he grabbed Three Top
Fives, Three Top 10s, and One Fast Qualifier Award (LaCrosse).
Over his stellar career, Hoffman has won races on both super speedways and
short tracks over his career, Hoffman has won numerous Bud Pole awards in the
NASCAR Midwest Series. Hoffman was the highest finishing Midwest driver during
the 2005 Toyota All-Star Showdown, with a fourth place finish.
Hoffman began his racing career running Enduro events in 1986, and then moved
up to the Mid-American Stock Car Series where he won three straight Mid-Am
Championships from 1993-1995. In 1996, he moved into the ARTGO Challenge
Series where he easily won the Rookie of the Year title and in 1997 Hoffman
picked up the Series Championship in what is now the NASCAR Midwest Series.
The 1998 season saw Hoffman won his first of three Oktoberfest’s at LaCrosse
on his way to a third place showing in the NASCAR Midwest Series. Hoffman
ranks only behind the late Joe Shear in career Oktoberfest wins! In 1999,
Hoffman ran a full schedule in the now defunct ASA National Tour driving for
famed car owner, Don Fanetti. During that season, he won one pole award at the
Memphis (TN) Motorsports Park and finished a season high third at the DeSoto
(FL) Super Speedway.
The year 2000 saw Hoffman join forces with the TK Racing/Lisa Thomas Salon
Team led by Car Owner, Tom Kmak. In 2001, Hoffman picked up a fifth place
finish back once again in the NASCAR Midwest Tour as well as the Bud Pole
Champion. In 2003, Hoffman was voted Most Popular Driver in the NASCAR Midwest
Series. In addition, Hoffman is a two-time track champion at the Grundy County
(IL) Speedway most recently in 2004. He was also the 1997 titlist, both in the
tracks Late Model division.
During the 2005 season, Hoffman's T.K. Racing Team, won the 2005 CRA Super
Series Owner's Points Championship and finished fourth in the now defunct
NASCAR Elite Division Midwest Series Points chase. Earlier in the 2005 season,
Hoffman also won his second straight Elmer Musgrave Memorial at the Illiana
(IN) Motor Speedway back on June 25, 2005.
In addition, Hoffman is a two-time champion in the National Short Track
Championships at the Rockford (IL) Speedway. The Wheaton, Illinois veteran
made his ASALMS debut during the 36th annual Oktoberfest Weekend at the
LaCrosse Fairgrounds Speedway on October 7, 2005 driving a Tony D'Ambrose
owned Chevrolet Monte Carlo. Hoffman was the Fast Qualifier and finished
fourth in the feature.
Hoffman is also a three-time winner of the Tony Bettenhausen Memorial at the
Illiana (IN) Motor Speedway. His wins in the prestigious event came in 2003,
2000, and 1998. Finally, Hoffman is also a three-time winner of the George
Appleton Memorial, held traditionally at Grundy County. His wins came last
season in 2006 in what was an ASALMS Northern Division event as well as 2004
and the first edition of the event in 1999.
For the 2007 season, Hoffman will steer a Ford Fusion and carry sponsorship on
the side of his familiar Red #8 from; Lisa Thomas Salon as well as Terry's
Automotive Group, M.R. Lee Building Materials, Renegade Custom Coaches and
Trailers, Appleton Rack and Pinion, Quantum Graphics, Eece Oil, Advanced
Energy, and T.K. Racing.
To learn more about Eddie Hoffman and the T.K. Racing Team, log onto their
website at: T.K. Racing
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