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Thorn Wins First Career ASALMS Feature In Music City Spring Clash 200
By: ASA Late Model Series
Nashville, Tennessee (04/01/2007): The ASA Late Model Series Presented by GM
Performance Parts has completed Race Number of the Fifth Anniversary 2007
Racing Season for the Crown Jewel of the ASALMS, the Challenge Division. The
Music City Spring Clash 200 is now in the record books.
The Cars and Stars of “America’s Premiere Short Track Series” were at
the famed Music City (TN) Motorplex in Nashville, Tennessee on Saturday March
31, 2007 and Pat Bourdow Memorial Rookie of the Year title contender and new
Rookie Points Leader, Derek Thorn took the lead from Charlie Menard on lap 139
and the Lakeport, California freshman went on to win his first career ASALMS
Challenge Division Feature!
Under threatening skies, Menard and ASALMS Challenge Division Points Leader,
Colt James brought the star studded 30-car field to the green flag to begin
the Music City Spring Clash 200 and it was James who would beat out Menard to
the first corner to take the early lead as the rest of settled in behind the
front row starters.
The first of 11 total cautions flew on lap 13 when Bryan Clauson, part of the
Driver Development Program for Chip Ganassi Racing and Ryan Lawler got
together coming out of Turn Two collecting Kris Stump in the process. All
three cars ended up in the Turn Two wall. Stump was the only driver that was
able to continue later in the race.
James continued to set the pace when on lap 25, ARP Bodies/Aluminum Racing
Products Fast Qualifier, Nick Neville and Pat Bourdow Memorial Rookie
Contender, Andy Hanson collided coming out of Turn Four. Neville got sideways
and slammed the inside front stretch wall. The 19-year-old was ok but done for
the evening.
Nine laps later, another Pat Bourdow Memorial Rookie, Chris Archer found
himself in the Turn Four wall and his night ended early as well. On the
ensuing restart, James pulled out to a comfortable lead while Menard
maintained the second position.
Another caution flew on lap 81 when Travis Dassow and John Wes Townley got
together in Turn Two. Dassow was sent to the rear of the field while Townley
was awarded his spot back in seventh position. James would continue to lead
throughout the numerous cautions that plagued the first half of the Music City
Spring Clash 200 and would lead the field into the pits at the Lap 101 10
Minute Break. James led over Menard, Derek Thorn, Michael Annett, and Keeton
Hanks, the Top Five.
The second half began with Menard glued to James’ back bumper looking high
and low and trying to figure out a way around the ASALMS Challenge Division
Points Leader. Finally on lap 121, Menard dove to the inside of James heading
into Turn One and the Eau Claire, Wisconsin driver would take over the lead
and brought Pat Bourdow Memorial Rookie of the Year title contender, Derek
Thorn with him past James’ ailing machine.
James dropped a spark plug wire and fell all the way back to as low as 10th.
In the meantime, Thorn began his assault on Menard and began building momentum
on the outside groove after several tries to the inside of Menard’s Ford
Fusion.
Finally on lap 139 Thorn had built up enough momentum in the second groove and
coming out of Turn Four, Thorn drove around Menard in the second groove and
beat him to the start/finish line to take the lead! Menard tried to stay on
Thorn’s back bumper in an attempt to retake the point.
The last of 11 cautions flew on lap 190 when Chris Fontaine, who was in an
earlier incident on lap 47 and was nursing a damaged machine, slapped the Turn
One wall and came to rest in the middle of the back stretch and was done for
the evening.
This set up a final 10-lap Shootout between Thorn and Menard. 2006 Music City
Motorplex Rookie of the Year in weekly Late Models competition, 17-year-old
Keeton Hanks was now in third and he joined the battle for the win in the last
10-lap Sprint.
Thorn wasn’t to be denied however as the Lakeport, California freshman would
pull away from both Menard and Hanks and the 20-year-old, who now resides in
Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin would go on to win his first career ASALMS Challenge
Division Feature and a coveted Copley Guitar in the Music City Spring Clash
200! In the process, Thorn, who was steering his Retro Kits Chevrolet Monte
Carlo, also takes over the Pat Bourdow Memorial Rookie of the Year Points Lead
heading into the third event of the season in Toledo, Ohio.
Menard settled for second while Hanks finished a career high third in only his
second start for Allen-Hock Motorsports. Travis Dassow recovered from his Lap
81 penalty and roared through the pack for a season high fourth place finish
while Eddie Hoffman, the winner of the last Two ASALMS events in Music City,
also had to come from the back of the pack and recorded his second Top Five
finish in a row in fifth.
17-year-old John Wes Townley finished a season high sixth while Colt James
recovered from his Spark Plug Wire issues and bring his car back home to
seventh spot and maintains the ASALMS Challenge Division Points Lead heading
to Toledo, Ohio. Michael Annett, Peter Cozzolino, and Jesse Smith completed
the Top 10.
Earlier in the afternoon in ARP Bodies/Aluminum Racing Products Qualifying
Mackinaw, Illinois Sophomore, Nick Neville ripped off the fastest lap of ARP
Bodies Qualifying as the 19-year-old in his Ben E. Neville Roll Off and
Trucking Services Chevrolet Monte Carlo turned a lap measured at 19.207 which
equals out to 111.709 MPH.
Then later in the evening, Richard Johns led all 15 laps to win the GM
Performance Parts Shootout and earn the 29th starting spot in the Music City
Spring Clash 200. Austin Siebert finished second to garner the 30th and final
starting position in the Main Feature. Terry VanHaitsma finished third and was
the first car on the outside looking in while Danny Ouderkirk and Alec Carll
completed the Top Five.
The next event for the Crown Jewel of the ASALMS, the Challenge Division will
see the Cars and Stars of “America’s Premiere Short Track Series” make
its' first ever appearance to the historic high-banks of the Toledo (OH)
Speedway in Toledo, Ohio on Friday and Saturday April 13-14, 2007 in the
running of the Glass Breaker 200.
The traveling stars of the USA Modifieds Series will also be a part of the
action at the fast 0.500 Mile High-Banked Paved Oval located just across the
Michigan/Ohio border. The entry form for the third race of the Fifth
Anniversary 2007 season in the crown jewel of the ASA Late Model Series, the
Challenge Division, is available and due to the ASALMS Home Offices in
Lexington, Michigan by Monday April 9, 2007 to avoid the late fees.
You can download the Glass Breaker 200 Entry Form by clicking on the link
below:
Glass Breaker 200 Entry Form In addition, an all-day test and tune will be
held on Friday and hosted by the ASALMS, you can download that entry form by
clicking on this link: Toledo Practice Day Entry Form
Then two weekends after the Glass Breaker 200, the ASALMS Northern Division
will kick off their 2007 Racing Season at the O’Reilly (IN) Raceway Park at
Indianapolis on Friday and Saturday April 27-28, 2007 in the running of the
A.S.I. Limited 100 Presented by Lucas Oil Products and Ed Martin Automotive
Group.
The entry form for the first race of the 2007 season for the ASALMS Northern
Division is now available and due to the ASALMS Home Offices in Lexington,
Michigan by Monday April 23, 2007 to avoid the late fees. You can download the
A.S.I. Limited 100 Presented by Lucas Oil Products and Ed Martin Automotive
Group Entry Form by clicking on the link below:
A.S.I. Limited 100 Presented by Lucas Oil Products and Ed Martin Automotive
Group Entry Form
In addition, an all-day test and tune will be held on Friday April 27, 2007
and hosted by the ASALMS, you can download that entry form by clicking on this
link:
ORP Practice Day Entry Form
Finally the ASALMS Southern Division will resume its’ 2007 Racing Season on
Saturday May 5, 2007 at the Watermelon Capital (GA) Speedway in Cordele,
Georgia for the running of the Watermelon Bowl 125. Those entry forms will be
available by Monday April 16, 2007.
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 9:00am-5:00pm (EST) at: 1 (800) 385-2503.
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
Music City Spring Clash 200 UNOFFICIAL Results
Pos...Start..Car #/Driver....................Laps...Status
1.......7........5 Derek Thorn-R............200.....Running
2.......1........13 Charlie Menard.........200.....Running
3.......3........35 Keeton Hanks...........200.....Running
4.......13......89 Travis Dassow..........200.....Running
5.......17......8 Eddie Hoffman............200.....Running
6.......6........09 John Wes Townley...200.....Running
7.......2.......015 Colt James..............200.....Running
8.......4.......12 Michael Annett..........200.....Running
9.......10.....11 Peter Cozzolino.........200.....Running
10.....24.....81 Jesse Smith..............200.....Running
11.....14.....95 Derek Neville............200.....Running
12.....5.......08 Andy Hanson-R........200.....Running
13.....15.....77 Brian Campbell.........200.....Running
14.....29.....43 Richard Johns-R.......200.....Running
15.....20.....27 Tom Smith-R............199.....Running
16.....21.....112 Tyler Townsend-R..198.....Running
17.....26.....3 Bill Tomlinson.............196.....Running
18.....30.....16 Austin Siebert-R.......193.....Running
19.....18.....36 Ryan Durst-R............172.....Running
20.....16.....15 Kris Stump................152.....Running
21.....12.....38 Bo Miller....................141.....Mechanical
22.....23.....32 Sean Murphy-R.........118.....Running
23.....22.....45 Michael Simko-R.......95.......Mechanical
24.....25.....47 Chris Fontaine-R.......79.......Accident
25.....19.....54 Alison Quick..............56.......Accident
26.....27.....98 Zach Taylor-R...........56.......Accident
27.....28.....61 Chris Archer-R..........34.......Accident
28.....8.......55 Nick Neville...............25.......Accident
29.....11.....40 Bryan Clauson-R......14........Accident
30.....9.......131 Ryan Lawler............13.......Accident
Lap Leaders: 13 Charlie Menard-Pole, 015 Colt James 1-120, 13 Charlie Menard
121-138, 5 Derek Thorn 139-200.
Cautions: 11 for 53 Laps.
Time of Race: 1 Hour 54 Minutes 59.584 Seconds
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