Concord: Event preview

Tricky Concord tri-oval guarantees thrills in ASA's stop.

Pendleton, IN (April 8, 2003) -- After starting a 36th season of competition with races in Florida and Texas, the ASA Racing Series next stages war on the challenging .50-mile track at Concord Motorsport Park. The BFGoodrich Tires 250 championship stock car event will commence on Saturday, April 19. ASA made its initial visit to the North Carolina track in 2001, with eventual National Champion and Rookie of the Year Johnny Sauter capturing the victory.

Sauter passed Travis Kittleson with 95 laps remaining to score his second career ASA victory on Sunday, May 20, in the BFGoodrich Tires 300. Sauter, driving the A.P. Plasman Group car, turned in a dominating performance surviving a race that was slowed 15 times by cautions.

The Wisconsin racer beat three-time ASA National Champion Butch Miller to the checkers by .397-seconds with Wayne Anderson scoring a podium finish in only his second appearance in the series known to build champions.

The tone for ASA's first visit to the lightning-fast tri-oval was set at the drop of the green flag. There was an 11-car pile-up entering turn one, which resulted in ASA officials calling for a complete restart of the BFGoodrich Tires 300.

Sauter eventually got the jump on pole-sitter Robbie Pyle and was followed by 1997 National Champion Kevin Cywinski and Rodney Childers, making his first ASA start. Sauter led the first 123 laps before electing to make his one and only pit stop. That placed Kittleson, who pitted on lap 94, on the point. Pyle and Florida standout Mike Cope followed Kittleson.

Kittleson kept Sauter at bay until lap 205 and then the Florida driver stayed in second until lap 285 when he ran out of fuel and had to pit.

"The car was awesome," said Sauter of his second win in the last three ASA outings. "I'm comfortable being out front and wasn't really challenged over the final laps. I really was able to keep my concentration on his tough track."

The BFGoodrich Tires 250 at Concord Motorsport Park begins on Saturday, April 19 with practice at 1 p.m. Qualifying is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. with the action at the North Carolina track going green at 9 p.m. (Eastern).

Tickets are available through the ASA office at a cost of $25 for general admission seats. Discounts are available when purchasing in advance. For additional information, contact the ASA ticket line at 1-888-ASA-1020.

-asa