LMS: LaCrosse summary 2006-10-07

Landon Cassill passes Eddie Hoffman with one lap to go to win the 37th annual Oktoberfest 100 Presented by Peterbuilt of LaCrosse.

West Salem, Wisconsin (10/07/2006): The ASA Late Model Series Northern Division Presented by GM Performance Parts have just completed race number 12 of the 2006 season, which also served as the ASALMS North Season Championships.

The ASALMS Northern Division's 12th and final points race of the 2006 season; The 37th annual Oktoberfest 100 Presented by Peterbuilt of LaCrosse was a part of the 37th annual Oktoberfest Weekend at the historic 5/8s mile progressively banked paved oval in West Salem, Wisconsin.

Youth was served in the 37th edition of the prestigious Oktoberfest Weekend as 17-year-old Fairfax, Iowa future star, Landon Cassill made a thrilling last lap pass on Fast Qualifier and multi-time Oktoberfest Feature winner, Eddie Hoffman to pick up the biggest win of his young career!

Another 17-year-old also made headlines as well as St. Louis, Missouri sophomore driver, Jesse Smith finished 14th, which was good enough to clinch the 2006 ASA Late Model Series Northern Division Championship for the Hormel Foods/SPAM Racing Team.

Finally the oldest of the bunch to pick up a title, 20-year-old Derek Neville outlasted his younger brother, Nick Neville, and by virtue of his 12th place finish, the elder Neville Brother would be crowned the 2006 Appleton Rack and Pinions Rookie of the Year!

Trent Snyder and Tom Gille led a star studded 28-car field to chief starter, Tim Goodlet's green flag to begin the 100-lap ASALMS Northern Division Season Championship Feature and it would be Snyder beating out Gille to the first corner to take the early lead.

Oktoberfest Faster than a Speeding Bullet Fast Qualifier, Eddie Hoffman, immediately began his charge to the front from his eighth starting spot and within 20 laps, was in second spot and chasing down Snyder who built up a sizable lead.

The first of six cautions flew on lap 31 when Chad Wood looped his mount in turn two to bunch up the field. Again on lap 31 the yellow flag came out when Terry Schoppenhorst and Nick Hammer collided in turns 1-2 ending both of their nights. Travis Sauter was also involved, but he was able to continue.

Then two laps later, hometown favorite from near-by Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Charlie Menard spun coming out of turn four and Mark Kraus and Mike Heiss had nowhere to go and slammed into Menard before coming to rest up against the turn four wall. All three were done for the evening.

The green flag came out again and on lap 36, Hoffman drove by Snyder to take the lead to the roar of the standing room only crowd at the West Salem, Wisconsin speed plant. Hoffman, a multi-time Oktoberfest Feature Winner in years past, then pulled away from the field and was seemingly on his way to yet another Oktoberfest Win!

Hoffman set a torrid pace by putting several cars a lap down in a 41 lap green flag span. Two more cautions flew for harmless spins on lap 43 and again on lap 84. In the meantime, 17-year-old Landon Cassill had been steadily climbing his way through the pack and was in third spot behind Snyder when the fifth caution on lap 84 flew.

With the green flag waving, Snyder and Cassill began to battle for second spot while Hoffman again pulled away from the field. Cassill was finally able to get by Snyder for second but was a full straight away behind the crafty Wheaton, Illinois veteran.

In the meantime, there were two battles within the race itself as Jesse Smith was trying to hang on to an ill handling machine to bring home the 2006 ASALMS Northern Division Championship. He had to finish ninth or better and the 17-year-old Show-Me State driver would clinch the inaugural ASALMS North title!

Both Jason Setser and Jack Smith (No Relation) second and third in the season long point's chase, were ahead of the 17-year-old, but the younger Smith had positions in his pocket and could fall as far back as 16th and still clinch the title.

In addition, the "Brothers Neville" were fighting amongst themselves for the Appleton Rack and Pinions Rookie of the Year title as 20-year-old Derek Neville and 18-year-old Nick Neville stayed glued to each other all race long beginning with both starting together in row 12!

As far as Hoffman and Cassill, Cassill slowly but surely began to reel in the veteran Hoffman as the crowd stood on their feet the last 15 laps. Back in the field, Jack Smith, who was still mathematically alive for the 2006 ASALMS North title, had to finish second and he would clinch the championship.

The Medina, Ohio veterans' title hopes ended on lap 96 when him, Jacob Goede, and Andrew Morrissey came together coming out of Turn Four battling for fifth and all three slammed hard into the turn four wall, ending all three's evenings and more importantly, Smith's title hopes.

This set up a four lap shootout up front between Hoffman, Cassill, and Snyder and on the restart; Hoffman caught the field napping and pulled away. Cassill regrouped however and worked his way back to Hoffman's back bumper and the two proceeded to put on a battle the capacity crowd will never forget!

Cassill looked high and low and was running out of time trying to get by Hoffman. As the white flag flew, Cassill went high into turn four and quickly dove to the bottom and with the momentum he carried, he pulled up along-side Hoffman as they were side by side with ASALMS Chief Starter, Tim Goodlet's White Flag waving in the air.

The sounds of the capacity crowd was deafening over the engines of the cars on the track as Cassill edged out in front going into turn one. He completed the pass in turn two as the frenzied crowd screamed their approval. Hoffman wasn't done yet as he tried the outside line heading into turns three and four and tried to get back by the 17-year-old.

But Cassill stood his ground and crossed the start/finish line first and took the checkered flag ahead of Hoffman by just a few feet, en route to the biggest Feature win of his career in the ASALMS! It was Cassill's second ASALMS North Feature of the season and fourth overall of the 2006 campaign!

A disappointed Hoffman settled for second with Snyder having the best seat in the house in coming home third. Lakeport, California rookie, Derek Thorn, in his first career ASALMS start finish fourth while Appleton, Wisconsin veteran, Jim Duchow, also in his first career ASALMS appearance, rounded out the Top Five.

Another hometown favorite, J. Herbst finished sixth while 2006 ASALMS Challenge Division Champion and Pat Bourdow Memorial Rookie of the Year, Kelly Bires was seventh. 17-year-old Andy Hanson from 27th, Chad Wood, and Travis Sauter completed the Top 10.

St. Louis, Missouri sophomore driver, Jesse Smith finished 14th, which was good enough to clinch the 2006 ASA Late Model Series Northern Division Championship for the Hormel Foods/SPAM Racing Team and become the youngest driver in ASALMS history to win a Series Championship!

20-year-old Derek Neville outlasted his younger brother, 18-year-old Nick Neville, and by virtue of his 12th place finish combined with Nick's 13th place showing, the elder Neville Brother would be crowned the 2006 Appleton Rack and Pinions Rookie of the Year!

Earlier in the afternoon, Hoffman set fast time over the 50 car field and in the process shattered his own ASALMS track record at the West Salem, Wisconsin speed plant! The Wheaton, Illinois veteran tripped the clocks at a fast 19.160 which measures out to 117.432 MPH. The track record for the ASALMS was set during last season's Oktoberfest as Hoffman's old lap was a 19.594.

Also earlier in the day, yet another 17-year-old, Andy Hanson led all 25 laps to win the GM Performance Parts Shootout and secure the 27th starting spot over Trevor Stewart, who would earn the 28th and final spot in the 100-lap Feature. Dave Gentile Jr., Nick Schumacher, and Wes Griffith Jr., rounded out the Top Five.

The ASALMS Northern Division Points Chase is done for the 2006 season! Now the televised ASALMS Challenge Division will officially crown Kelly Bires as the 2006 ASALMS Challenge Division Champion and Pat Bourdow Memorial Rookie of the Year during their 2006 Season Championships in Newton, Iowa.

The cars and stars of the crown jewel of the ASALMS, the televised Challenge Division will close out its' 2006 season on Friday and Saturday October 13-14, 2006 at the brand new Iowa (IA) Speedway in the running of the Northland Oil 250 Presented by TMC Transportation.

The ASALMS Southern Division will end its' inaugural points season and the ASALMS three week run of Season Championships on Saturday October 21, 2006 at the San Antonio (TX) Speedway in San Antonio, Texas in the running of the Texas All-Star Shootout Twin 75s.

Finally to close out the 2006 season within the entire ASALMS, the Music City (TN) Motorplex in Nashville, Tennessee will host the ASALMS North VS South All-Star Showdown 200 as part of the All-American 400 weekend on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday November 3-4-5, 2006 in a non-points 200-lap Feature to end the 2006 season.

<pre> 37th annual Oktoberfest 100 Presented by Peterbuilt of LaCrosse UNOFFICIAL Results

Pos.    Start   Car #/Driver            Laps    Status
1.      5       7 Landon Cassill        100     Running
2.      8       8 Eddie Hoffman         100     Running
3.      1       85 Trent Snyder-R       100     Running
4.      4       5 Derek Thorn-R         100     Running
5.      14      36 Jim Duchow           100     Running
6.      17      82 J. Herbst-R          100     Running
7.      13      89 Kelly Bires-R        100     Running
8.      27      08 Andy Hanson-R        99      Running
9.      26      67 Chad Wood            99      Running
10.     16      01 Travis Sauter        99      Running
11.     3       11 Peter Cozzolino      99      Running
12.     23      95 Derek Neville-R      98      Running
13.     24      55 Nick Neville-R       98      Running
14.     20      81 Jesse Smith          98      Running
15.     7       72 Jacob Goede-R        96      Accident
16.     12      139 Andrew Morrissey    96      Accident
17.     22      28 Jack Smith           96      Accident
18.     21      12 Jason Setser         96      Running
19.     25      30 Mark Hartline        92      Running
20.     6       2 Nathan Haseleu        87      Mechanical
21.     2       35 Tom Gille            83      Accident
22.     19      51 Anthony Danta-R      43      Accident
23.     28      91 Trevor Stewart       42      Suspension
24.     13      9 Mark Kraus            33      Accident
25.     9       00 Mike Heiss           33      Accident
26.     10      13 Charlie Menard       33      Accident
27.     11      44 Terry Schoppenhorst  31      Accident
28.     18      40 Nick Hammer          31      Accident

Lap Leaders: 85 Trent Snyder Pole-35, 8 Eddie Hoffman 36-99, 7 Landon Cassill 100.

Cautions: 6.

-credit: www.asalatemodels.com