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Robbie Pyle Hopes for Better Lanier Luck in '04 CITGO / MDA Driver Was Taken Out While Second In Last ASA Race at the Track CHICAGO, IL (April 25, 2004) -- As veteran Robbie Pyle looks forward to the May 1st ASA event at the Lanier National ...

Published: Apr 28, 2004, 9:17 PM

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Robbie Pyle Hopes for Better Lanier Luck in '04
CITGO / MDA Driver Was Taken Out While Second In Last ASA Race at the Track

CHICAGO, IL (April 25, 2004) -- As veteran Robbie Pyle looks forward to the May 1st ASA event at the Lanier National Speedway (GA), the last time the #63 CITGO / WalTom Racing competed there is still fresh in his mind.

"We had a good run going," said Pyle. "We led quite a few laps and the car wasn't even that good. We held off Mike Garvey for awhile for the lead, but he was faster than us and got by so we were looking to have a second-place finish and would have been happy with that, but we got taken out with a few laps to go (by Scott Lagasse Jr.)."

It would be easy to understand why Pyle might think that Lanier owes him one after his misfortune from last season, but the Ohio driver doesn't hold a grudge.

"What happened at Lanier last year could have happened anywhere," he said. "You just have to go from race to race and do the best job that you can every week. There will never be another 2004 race at Lanier to repeat, so you have to focus on having the best race possible this time around."

In fact, Pyle is looking forward to returning to the tight Georgia oval because it reminds him of home.

"Lanier is a lot like my hometrack - Columbus Motor Speedway," he said. "They are not exactly the same, but are very similar. I like running small bullrings like that. It's a lot of fun. And I always seem to have a knack for adapting to he goofy little tracks; ones that are not just a true oval."

Lanier National and Columbus Speedway are so similar that the #63 team tested at the Ohio track in preparation for the Peach State event. Testing will also play a role in the days leading up to the Lanier race with an ASA open test at the 1.5-mile Atlanta Motor Speedway on Thursday, April 29th.

"It's a busy time right now," Pyle said. "Right before we go to Lanier, we will be testing at Atlanta. I'm going to go from a track where you have to flat-foot it around and not lift off the throttle to a short track where you just have to try and keep the fenders on the car. It will be plenty exciting.

"We had a good test at the superspeedway in Kentucky a couple weeks ago," added Pyle. "I also tested at Charlotte (Lowe's Motor Speedway) last year when ASA was exploring the possibility of going to the superspeedways and I took Andy Hillenburg's driving school (Fastrack) there as well, so I am getting acclimated to the big track."

Pyle is currently 23rd in ASA points after one event in 2004. He is only 100 points out of the lead.

WalTom Racing, with Robbie Pyle and rookie Stephen Leicht, are competing full-time with the American Speed Association in 2004. For more information on the team, please visit www.waltomracing.com.

-51ss-

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