ASA Report, Results, and Points from Midwest 300 at Salem Speedway
7 October 1997
Salem, IN - Mike Miller took advantage of a caution with 82 laps left in the American Speed Association Midwest 300 at Salem Speedway, to take on fresh tires and then charged back through the field to garner his third win of the season in the Uniseal Pontiac. Scott Carlson finished in second in the Clean Burn/Phillips 66 Trop Artic/AFCO Pontiac while Steve Holzhausen brought the Howes Lubricator/Structural Transport Ford home in third. Dave Sensiba and Brandon Sperling rounded out the top five."We had an awesome car today," Miller said as he collected the $14,430 winner's check. "We've had some problems finishing races, but this Wegner motor was awesome. We had worn the left rear tire out. We took a chance with 80 laps remaining and hoped to be able to get back through the field. We wanted to be in a position to win."
Miller started the race in third spot and took the lead for the first time on lap 169 when he passed Harold Fair and then held on to the point until he pitted on lap 205 for tires. When the caution waved again on lap 217 because Ted Smokstad spun in turn two, Miller again headed to the pits for left side tires. Race leader Holzhausen, Dave Sensiba and Scott Hansen chose to stay on the track while the rest of the lead lap cars pitted.
Miller came out of the pits in ninth place, the last car on the lead lap, but by lap 260 he he was right behind Holzhausen and challenging for the lead with Carlson behind him. The last caution of the race came out on lap 262 when Buddy Schrock and Kevin Nuttleman tangled in turn one and slapped the wall hard. On the ensuing restart Miller went to the low side and passed Holzhausen, bringing Carlson with him, and then began to stretch out the lead. When the checkered flag flew Miller was 1.105 seconds in front of Carlson.
Buddy Schrock was taken to Washington County Memorial Hospital where he was reported alert and undergoing preliminary X-Rays.
Kevin Cywinski drove the Tecumseh Motorsports Pontiac to a seventh place finish and in so doing clinched the ASA ACDelco Challenge Series Championship for 1997 with one race remaining on the schedule. Cywinski's closest pursuers, Scott Hansen and Gary St Amant both suffered mechanical problems to allow Cywinski to widen the point lead to 215 points over Hansen and 243 over St Amant. With the maximum points attainable in a single race being 200, Cywinski has clinched the title and will rewarded at the ASA banquet in Nashville at the Opryland Hotel in November.
The final ASA ACDelco Challenge Series race for 1997 will be at Southern Speedway in Kenly, NC on Oct 18.
John Kaiser -- The Auto Channel
Salem Speedway - Provisional results for the
ASA ACDelco Challenge Series,
Midwest 300:
Ps.Ql.No. Driver , Car Laps
-- -- ---- ----------------------------------------------------- ----
1 3 18 Mike Miller South East Air Service PONT 300
2 4 87 Steve Carlson(R)Baker Enterprises/Clean Burn PONT 300
3 15 5 Steve Holzhausen Structural Transport FORD 300
4 6 6 Dave Sensiba Engineered Polymer/W MI Auto AuctPONT 300
5 16 51 Brandon Sperling Sperling Motorsports CHEV 300
6 1 8 Mike Garvey AFCO Racing Products PONT 300
7 19 1 Kevin Cywinski Tecumseh/LaFavre Racing PONT 300
8 22 32 Ted Smokstad Corp. Auto/SMS Parts PONT 300
9 14 72 Junior Hanley Skillman Motorsports PONT 299
10 13 33 Brad Loney Bunsaver/Hunter's Spec/Flexsteel PONT 299
11 5 27 Ray Skillman Kendall Oil/Dupont Finishes PONT 298
12 9 81 Harold Fair Car Quest/ACDelco/Victor Reinz PONT 298
13 26 93 Tim Sauter Build-A-Mold/Trimplas/Moldplas PONT 295
14 28 11 Doug Mayr(R) No Touch Car Care/Aqua Splash CHEV 291
15 23 79 Mike Cofer (R) Black & Decker Versa Pack PONT 290
16 12 88 Mike Eddy GM Goodwrench Service/HRE PONT 290
17 18 3 Yale Conley American Red Cross CHEV 273
18 29 37 Dave Anspaugh Poor Boy Racing CHEV 271
19 21 55 Buddy Schrock Leo M/S/Wehr/Racing Adventures PONT 259
20 20 21 Kevin Nuttleman Citgo/Midwest Fuels/Dutch Mill PONT 258
21 7 52 Scott Hansen AFCO Racing Products PONT 247
22 11 7 Gary St Amant Wynn's/W Michigan Chevy Dealers CHEV 236
23 30 0 Jeff Fultz Jones Motorsports PONT 211
24 25 28 Tim Taylor(R) EMAS Inc/RPS/D-A/Speedway Auto PONT 198
25 27 15 Dennis Berry Eaglewood PONT 180
26 10 23 Rick Beebe St Louis Gear/Royal Machine PONT 127
27 24 58 Billy Turner Sanifill/Central Fiber PONT 106
28 2 48 Joe Nott Valvoline/Allan Nott Toyota/RaabeFORD 45
29 17 07 Jack Landis Adirondak/Lyndaker/Maisto/N.YoderFORD 35
30 8 84 Bob Senneker Lane Auto/JR Automation/Mr GasketFORD 15
(R)= Pat Schauer Memorial Rookie Candidate
Time of Race : 1 hr 56 min 49 sec
Average Speed : 83.207
Margin of Victory : 1.105 secs
Lap Leaders : Nott, Garvey, Hansen, Nuttleman, Fair,Miller,
Holzhausen, Sensiba.
Cautions : 6 for 51 laps
Track Length : 0.5000 Miles
ASA POINTS
1. Kevin Cywinski 3183 **Clinched Championship**
2. Scott hansen 2968
3. Gary St Amant 2940
4. Steve Carlson 2853
5. Rick Beebe 2740
6. Dave Sensiba 2719
8. Mike Eddy 2563
9. Brandon Sperling 2510
10.Bob Senneker 2491