Derek Thorn wins his first career ASALMS
Feature in the Music City Spring Clash 200
By: ASA Late Model Series
Winner, Derek Thorn - Photo by Ron Harner |
Nashville, TN - April 2, 2007 - The ASA Late Model
Series Presented by GM Performance Parts’ Second Event of
11 Points races, 12 overall in the crown jewel of the series
“Where Champions Race”, the Challenge Division is now
complete.
The historic 0.596 Mile High-Banked Paved Oval of the Music
City (TN) Motorplex in Nashville, Tennessee served as gracious
hosts for the Second Race of the Fifth Anniversary 2007 Season
in “America’s Premiere Short Track Series”. The
Music City Spring Clash 200 saw a first time winner and the 29th
different Feature Winner out of 52 all-time ASALMS Challenge
Division events held since the inaugural season as the USPRO
Cup Series in 2003.
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
in only his Third Challenge Division and Fourth Overall ASALMS
start!
Current ASALMS Challenge Division Points Leader, Colt James,
who started on the outside of the front row, paced the field
for the first 120 laps until lap 121 when Pole-Sitter, Charlie
Menard dove to the inside of James heading into Turn One to take
over the lead. Menard brought Thorn with him and past James as
well. James dropped a spark plug wire and fell all the way back
to as low as 10th before recovering late in the race.
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!
The last of 11 cautions flew on lap 190. 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 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
would pull away from both Menard and Hanks and the 20-year-old
who turns 21 later this month and 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/Al-Rite
Home Remodeling 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.
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.
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.
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...5......08 Andy Hanson-R.......200...Running
12...14.....95 Derek Neville.......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 |
