LM: Weekly racing news 2005-08-10

O'Reilly Auto Parts Southern All-Stars Pro and Super Late Model tours return to action; Clay Dale (Pro Late Models) and Jason Hogan (Super Late Models) take wins at Lanier.

(Lexington, Michigan 08/10/05) The O'Reilly Auto Parts Southern All Stars Series returned to Lanier (GA) National Speedway in Braselton, Georgia for the Williams Brothers Lumber Company Saturday of Speed. It was the first racing action for both the O'Reilly Auto Parts Southern All-Stars Series Pro and Super Late Model tours since May 13th at the Five Flags (FL) Speedway for the Pro Late Models, and June 18th at the Birmingham (AL) International Speedway.

According to Lanier National Raceway and Southern All-Star Series reports; Clay Dale stopped 2004 SAS Pro Late Model Series Champion, Chris Whorton's win streak at two in the 100-lap Pro Late Models Feature. Then Jason Hogan, a regular competitor with the NASCAR Southeast tour won his first feature of the season in the SAS Super Late Model 150-lap feature.

The ASA Late Model Series acquired the Southern All Stars Series and the Southern All Star Pro-Late Model Series back in early July 2005 and the change over will take effect on September 1, 2005 The ASA Late Model Series is expanding the market to the North and South regions as a major short track sanctioning body in the United States.

The series' will be running both an ASA Late Model Series Northern and Southern divisions as well as a National Challenge Series throughout the country; The ASA Late Model National Challenge Series Challenge. The North and South divisions will run on a bias ply tire and the National Challenge Series will remain on a radial tire, which is the set-up currently used by the existing ASA Late Model Series Presented by GM Performance Parts.

The SAS Pro Late Model Series will become the ASA Late Model Series Southern Division in 2006. They ran a 100-lap feature at Lanier and saw pole-sitter, Clay Dale lead all 100 laps to score the victory. Greg Simpson won US Auto Sales Pole Award, but rolled a six and the field was inverted which put Clay Dale on the pole. Dale took an early lead and never relinquished it. Dale held off Ryan Sieg for the first five laps, until Mike Bruce spun in turn two to bring out the night's first caution.

On the lap 10 restart, Sieg challenged again, but once again, Dale held him off to keep the lead. Caution-free racing followed for the next 42 laps with Sieg constantly trying to get by Dale and Dale continuing to hold him off. While Sieg raced Dale for the lead, on lap 32, Rich Etheridge passed Fredrick Moore for third place, while the two battled for the position, Dale and Sieg used the racing to separate themselves from the pack.

As the leaders got into some lapped traffic on lap 46, Clay Dale used it to pull ahead of Sieg. The second caution of the race flew on lap 52 when Jeff Embry spun in turn three and some fancy driving by Fredrick Moore was all that saved him from hitting Embry. Clay Dale used the restart to jump back out to the lead that he had before the caution as Rich Etheridge battled Ryan Sieg for the second position. Sieg held him off to keep the spot, but the damage was done as Dale pulled even further away.

Then on lap 66, 2004 Southern All-Star Pro Late Model Champion Chris Whorton used the high side of the track to pass Fredrick Moore for fourth position. All the while, Dale continued to dominate, using the racing behind him to build a comfortable lead. On lap 81, Rich Etheridge tried to pass Sieg once again, but got into the side of his car and fell back just enough to allow Chris Whorton to take the third spot. As Clay Dale got into some lapped traffic, Sieg and Whorton caught up with him, and when the lapped traffic in front stacked up on lap 86, Dale got into the side of Brandon Sager's car, but did not stop and kept his lead through the caution.

On the restart, Ryan Sieg battled Dale for the lead once again, bumping back and forth as the previous caution had set up an eight-lap shootout. When Sieg settled down again, Dale pulled back out to his lead and took the checkered flag as the Jefferson, Georgia pilot would take the wire-to-wire win for his first feature of the season. The top five finishers were Clay Dale with the win, Ryan Sieg in second, Chris Whorton in third place, Rich Etheridge coming in with the fourth place finish and Fredrick Moore bringing in the top five finish in fifth place.

In the companion 150-lap Super Late Model portion of the event, Jason Hogan dominated the event leading all but the first two laps. Charlie Bradberry turned the 3/8 mile oval in 14.071 seconds to earn the pole position. Bradberry rolled a six on the inversion die, putting Dwayne Buggay on the pole. Hogan, starting fourth, quickly moved past Joe Click and Augie Grill into second on the second circuit. On the third lap, Hogan moved inside of Buggay to take control.

Buggay's night came to an abrupt end on lap seven with rear end problems. Grill had moved into second but didn't have anything for Hogan who was pulling away to a comfortable lead. The racing behind Hogan was intense, with Grill, David Hole, and Bradberry fighting for the second position. With the race going green for a 33-lap period, there was plenty of action between the three. Hole got past Grill on lap 26. Bradberry worked his way past four laps later.

Another driver was staring to make his presence felt. Ricky Turner, making his first start of the season, had brought Reno Performance Motorsports prepared Monte Carlo, normally piloted by Dennis Reno Jr., from the ninth starting spot to fourth by the time the yellow waved on lap 46.

When racing resumed on lap 52, Hogan took off again, stretching his lead each lap. With a long 73 lap green period, Hogan built his largest lead of the night. Again, the best racing was behind him. Although no positions changed, Bradberry, Hole, and Turner were in a tight battle. With the long green period, Hogan put several good cars down a lap, including series point's leader Matt Hawkins, Kayne Hickman, Click, Joey Senter, and Grill.

The final caution of the race came on lap 124. On the restart, Hogan again pulled away. Bradberry got a good restart and finally wrestled the runner up spot away from Hole. Bradberry set his sights on Hogan and slowly closed the gap as the race entered its final stages. Bradberry got to within four car lengths of Hogan as they headed to the checkered flag.

Behind the leaders, Turner was working on Hole for third. With the white flag waving, Turner dove inside of Hole coming out of turn four. They entered turn one side by side. Contact sent both spinning. Hogan led Bradberry to the checkered flag as the Cleveland, Georgia pilot would score his first SAS win of the season! Jeremy Rice got past Hole and Turner to finish third. Hole and Turner got headed in the right direction and finished fourth and fifth.

The next events for the Southern All-Stars Pro and Super Late Model tours are Friday and Saturday August 19-20 at the Birmingham (AL) International Raceway in Birmingham, Alabama. For more information about the Southern All-Stars Series, log onto their website at: www.southern-allstars.com

The next event for the ASA Late Model Series Presented by GM Performance Parts is Saturday August 13th for the Tribune-Democrat 100 at the beautiful Jennerstown (PA) Speedway up in the Laural Highland Mountains near Somerset, Pennsylvania. For more information, call the ASALM Series home offices at 1 (800) 385-2503 or log onto the series website at: www.asalatemodels.com

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