LMS: Travis Dassow Toledo summary

Travis Dassow Wins First Race for "New" TD Racing Development
20-Year-Old Gets First ASA Late Model Challenge Series Victory

MILWAUKEE, WI (April 23, 2007) -- Veteran Crew Chief Howie Lettow has led some big-time names to glory in short track racing. Guys like Tony Raines, David Stremme, Kenny Wallace, Ted Musgrave and even defending NASCAR Nextel Cup Champion Jimmie Johnson have all won races while under the tutelage of Lettow.

Now, Lettow has a new protege and a new team, 20-year-old Wisconsin-native Travis Dassow and the TD Racing Development team. And, after just three races together, Dassow has already found Victory Lane. Dassow and Lettow won Saturday's Glassbreaker 200 at Toledo Speedway in Toledo, OH, the young driver's first-career ASA Late Model Challenge Series win after two years of trying.

"We've been working really, really hard," said Dassow, whose TD Racing team took over the reigns of the now defunct WalTom Racing team and inherited most of the crew and cars, including Lettow. "I've always been my own crew chief the last five years I've been racing Late Models. It's already been a lot less stressful on me. As a driver, it's been a lot easier on me. I don't have to come in from each practice session and have to worry about what's wrong with the car. I just tell Howie and he takes it from there. That makes it so much easier. It's nice to go to the track and know that you are going to have a good car.

"As a racecar driver, he's already helped me so much. He has really taught me patience. I know that the cars are going to last 200 laps. I just take my time, and I know things will take care of themselves. In the shop, he has taught me a ton as well. It's the little stuff that he does so well, which I think is what makes him so good."

Dassow was able to stay near the front most of the night but never made his charge to the front until the last 30 laps of the 200-lap event. With a long green-flag run, Dassow was able to make his move to the front of the field and wage a side-by-side duel with Derek Thorn.

Dassow finally cleared Thorn with four laps to go and held on to win.

"We were pretty fast all weekend," added Dassow. "I had never been there before and Howie said he hadn't been there since 2003. So we just wanted to spend a lot of time getting myself used to the track. We were good in practice, and we qualified fourth.

"The first three-quarters of the race was frustrating because we didn't have any long green-flag runs and that is where we were the best. We had a long run at the end, and I think that helped us get the win. Without that long run, we weren't going to catch the #5 car (Thorn).

"I have never driven as hard as I have in the last 30 laps of that race, trying to run down that car and trying to pass him."

The win came in Dassow's third race with Lettow as the Crew Chief. Lettow led Stephen Leicht to the ASA Late Model Championship in 2005 and then led Kelly Bires to the title in 2006, all driving for WalTom Racing. Lettow and the rest of the WalTom Racing team moved over to the newly revamped TD Racing Development team during the off season, and the pairing finally paid off.

"We were really good in the first couple of races. We just had stupid stuff happen to us in the first couple of races. During the race, I didn't think we had a car to win, but it just happened to be at the end of the race, when everyone else slowed down, we didn't slow down. That is what this team can do for you. It's nice."

Dassow will next be back on the track at Hawkeye Downs Speedway (IA) on May 12th.

-credit: 51s