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ASA Late Model Series (USPRO Cup Series-Toledo Speedway) - Sunday, June 1, 2008

Tuesday June 3, 2008

 

Jason Dietsch survives a thrilling battle with USPRO Cup Series Points Leader, Dave Gentile Jr., and wins the Glass Breaker 75 at Toledo Speedway!
By Matt Prieur-ASA Late Model Series

Toledo, Ohio (Sunday, June 1, 2008): Edgerton, Ohio veteran, Jason Dietsch thought he had a feature win wrapped up the night before (Saturday, May 31st) in a Bollhoff Rivnut Super Pro Series race at Baer Field Speedway in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be for Dietsch as he got tangled up with another car late in the feature and finished 11th. So needless to say, the 35-year-old Buckeye State veteran was already fired up even before he pulled his rig into the pit area at Toledo Speedway on Sunday morning.

Dietsch, in his Dietsch Sales and Service Chevrolet, made his first USPRO Cup Series Presented by Drive Train Specialists count big time as he survived one of the most thrilling battles in the revised USPRO Cup Series’ brief history in a race that featured six lead changes, too win the Glass Breaker 75 in Toledo, Ohio on Sunday, June 1, 2008.

Current USPRO Cup Series Points Leader, Dave Gentile Jr., battled with Dietsch tooth and nail over the final eight laps before Dietsch passed Gentile Jr., for the final time on Lap 72 and would go on to score his first USPRO Cup Series Feature Win and first win in the ASA Late Model Series since the 2005 season!

“That sure was a lot of fun!” An excited Dietsch stated in victory lane. “I’ve heard all about Dave and knew he was a good racer. This was the first time we’ve actually been on the track together in the same race and it felt good to race with someone side-by-side for so long and not have to worry about wrecking the car.” Dietsch added.

Liberty, Ohio driver, Jimmy Weller, a regular in the ASALMS Challenge Division, and 2008 USPRO Cup Series Rookie of the Year title contender, Josh Nelms brought the 16-car field to chief starter, Tom Powell’s green flag to begin the longest distance race of the season for the USPRO contingent. the 75-lap affair in the Buckeye State also marked the halfway point of the season for USPRO!

Nelms beat Weller to the first corner to grab the early race lead and led the first laps of his USPRO career. The field quickly jockeyed for position behind him and settled in at the ½ mile high-banked paved oval in Toledo, Ohio.

Several cautions for harmless spins flew in the first 20 laps with one of those involving Dietsch, who was sent to the rear of the field for his part in an incident with Andy Marchiniak!

The biggest wreck of the afternoon occurred on Lap 21 when Nelms blew a right front tire going into Turn Three and slammed the wall head-on! The Lockport, Illinois driver was ok, but his car was badly destroyed and he was done for the day.

This gave the lead to Weller who had current USPRO Cup Series Points Leader, Dave Gentile Jr., and Drive Train Specialists Fast Qualifier, Bob Varney on his back bumper. While Weller, Gentile Jr., and Varney were battling, Dietsch had made his way back through the pack and found himself on Varney’s back bumper in fourth.

Varney began to fade and Dietsch quickly got by the Richmond, Michigan veteran for third. In the meantime, Gentile Jr., made the pass for the lead on Lap 42 and Dietsch then passed Weller for second on Lap 62 and began reeling in Gentile Jr.

Dietsch quickly caught the Elwood, Illinois driver and began looked high and low trying to figure out a way around Gentile Jr. On Lap 68, Dietsch made the pass for the lead as Gentile Jr., gave him the bottom groove!

Both drivers ran side-by-side trading the lead back and fourth as the Toledo Speedway crowd was on their feet in support of both drivers! Gentile Jr., retook the lead on Lap 69 but Dietsch fought back again on the inside as Jimmy Weller was lurking behind the duo.

Finally on Lap 72, Dietsch made the last pass as Gentile Jr., drifted up the track coming out of Turn Four. This allowed Dietsch to pull away from the USPRO Points Leader. Weller also tried to get by the duo, but slid sideways across the track and into the infield out of harms way!

The green stayed out and Dietsch was able to fend off Gentile Jr., to score his first USPRO Cup Series Feature Win of the season in his first appearance of the year!

“After last night, this is a very good win for us, we really needed this.” Dietsch continued in his post-race interview. “I have to thank all my guys on this team they’ve worked really hard, but the wins just weren’t coming. Maybe this is the start of something special for us.” He ended.

This was Dietsch’s first win in an ASALMS sanctioned event since June 18, 2005 when he won his lone Feature in what is now the ASALMS Challenge Division as he took the victory in the K.C. Star 100 at I-70 Speedway in Odessa, Missouri.

Gentile Jr., settled for second but improved his lead in the chase for the 2008 USPRO Cup Series Points Standings. The Elwood, Illinois driver now has a whopping 102-point lead going into the next event at Berlin Raceway in Marne, Michigan on Saturday, June 14, 2008.

“That’s the most fun I’ve had in a long, long time.” Gentile Jr., said after the race. “I’ve heard and read plenty about Jason over the years and I’ve actually never even met him until this morning in the pits! He’s truly a class act and that was a great battle. I know the fans had to appreciate that!”

“I was thinking big picture, the USPRO Championship when he first got to me, but then I decided, No we’re going for it, we’re not going to points race!” Gentile Jr., continued. “I had all the confidence in the world running next to Jason and I was going for the win, but Jason was better today, he deserves it!” Gentile Jr., ended.

16-year-old Preston Walker overcame an early race caution and also came back through the field to finish a solid third. “We didn’t have anything for those two up front, but we’ll take another third place finish in such a competitive series.” The Akron, Ohio teenager remarked.

15-year-old Matt Hall in his first career USPRO Cup Series appearance and only his third ever start in a full-sized Late Model, finished a strong fourth in his debut while Joe Fadke was fifth. Dennis Rederstorf, Pat Zorn, Varney, Paul Freeland, and Weller completed the Top 10.

Earlier in the afternoon, Bob Varney established the USPRO Track Record in Toledo, Ohio as the driver of the Tech One Race Cars Chevrolet turned in a 16.187 which equals out to 111.200 MPH.

Varney was driving the same car that Eddie Hoffman took to victory lane in the Illini 50 last Sunday, May 25th at Grundy County Speedway.

Now the USPRO Cup Series will take a well deserved weekend off before the fourth race of the season, the Tradition 50 on Saturday, June 14, 2008 at the historic 0.437 Mile Progressively Banked Paved Oval of Berlin Raceway, located West of Grand Rapids in Marne, Michigan.

The Tradition 50 Entry Form is available and due at the ASALMS Home Offices in Lexington, Michigan by Monday, June 9, 2008 to avoid the late fees.

You can download the USPRO Tradition 50 Entry Form by clicking on the link provided: Tradition 50 Entry Form

Advance Tickets are on sale for $18.00 while children 12 and under are free. Tickets are available at the ASALMS Home Offices in Lexington, Michigan. In addition, they’re also available at the Berlin Raceway Box Office.

Plus you can get print off a coupon good for $2.00 off your Grandstand Admission by clicking on the Berlin Promotional Flier at the link provided: Berlin Raceway Promotional Flier

USPRO Cup Series Presented by Drive Train Specialists
Toledo Speedway-Toledo, Ohio
Sunday, June 1, 2008

Glass Breaker 75 RACE RESULTS (UNOFFICIAL)
FINISH START CAR # / DRIVER / HOMETOWN TEAM / CAR LAPS STATUS
1 6 7 Jason Dietsch/Edgerton, OH Dietsch Sales and Service/Chevrolet 75 Running
2 5 6 Dave Gentile Jr./Elwood, IL WMC Inc./Chevrolet 75 Running
3 4 30 Preston Walker ®/Akron, OH Greg’s Motorsports/Chevrolet 75 Running
4 11 04 Matt Hall ®/Newport, MI Schlosser Automotive/Chevrolet 75 Running
5 8 18 Joe Fadke ®/Brook, IN Tech One Race Cars/Chevrolet 75 Running
6 13 25 Dennis Rederstorf ®/Commerce, MI Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches/Ford 75 Running
7 12 43 Pat Zorn ®/St. Clair, MI D.T.I. Trucking/Chevrolet 75 Running
8 7 80 Bob Varney/Richmond, MI Tech One Race Cars/Chevrolet 75 Running
9 16 77 Paul Freeland/Madison Heights, MI Sign-A-Rama/Chevrolet 75 Running
10 1 123 Jimmy Weller ®/Liberty, OH Liberty Steel Products/Chevrolet 75 Running
11 14 1 Barry Hartwell ®/Ada, MI Touch of Class Auto Wash/Chevrolet 54 Accident
12 9 19 Sean Murphy ®/Evanston, IL Tessone Motor Sales/Ford 43 Mechanical
13 3 72 Andy Marchiniak ®/Joliet, IL Carhartt’s Vinyal Graphics/Chevrolet 43 Accident
14 15 12 Hank Tews ®/Batavia, IL Midland Paper Company/Ford 43 Accident
15 2 0 Josh Nelms ®/Lockport, IL Digital Fuel Solutions/Chevrolet 21 Accident
16 10 71 Blake Brown ®/Franksville, WI Terry’s Automotive Group/Ford 8 Mechanical
® = 2008 Rookie of the Year Title Contender

Lap Leaders: 123 Jimmy Weller ® Pole, 0 Josh Nelms ® 1-21, 23 Jimmy Weller ® 22-41, 6 Dave Gentile Jr. 42-67, 7 Jason Dietsch 68, 6 Dave Gentile Jr. 69-71, 7 Jason Dietsch 72-75.
Cautions: 7 for 0 Laps.
Time of Race: 56 Minutes, 01.512 Seconds.
Margin of Victory: 0.715 Seconds.
ARP Bodies / Aluminum Racing Products Fast Qualifier: 80 Bob Varney 16.187 = 110.200 MPH.
GM Performance Parts Shootout Winner: NONE

About the ASA Late Model Series:
The development of the ASA Late Model Series was formed in 2003, with the joining of the USPRO Series in Michigan and the ASA Touring Late Models, originally created by short track promotional legend Rex Robbins in 2004.

Over the past five seasons, the ASALMS sanctioning body has developed into the cornerstone program for Crate Motor / Template Body Late Model racing throughout the United States, exuding a passion for short track racing that has elevated the program to be tagged as “America’s Premier Short Track Series.”

The ASALMS will continue to move forward, bringing that passion to fans, competitors and tracks nationwide as it continues to provide a platform for exciting and affordable asphalt late model racing, while including a plethora of racers, from the veteran weekend competitors all the way to the stars of tomorrow’s national series.

About the USPRO Cup Series
The USPRO Cup Series is a cost cutting traveling series under the sanctioning of the ASA Late Model Series Presented by GM Performance Parts. Shorter races with a 2-tire rule and shorter travel for the teams will allow the USPRO Cup Series to give drivers wanting to eventually move up into the ASALMS, a taste of what a Premiere Traveling Series is like.

You can also log onto any of the three websites; For the Challenge Division, go to: ASALMS Challenge Division For the Northern Division and USPRO Cup Series, log in at: ASALMS Northern Division and finally for the Southern Division click on: ASALMS Southern Division

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This report was provided by an outside PR source and posted by Beth Lunkenheimer.

 

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