Late Model: Indy IRP race notes

Bobby Stremme Wins SK Hand Tool 100, Second ASA Late Model Event

CLERMONT, Ind. (31, 2004) - Under the setting sun of a gorgeous Indiana summer evening, Bobby Stremme won the SK Hand Tool 100 at Indianapolis Raceway Park, his second ASA Late Model Series win of the 2004 season.

Stremme, from South Bend, Ind., took the lead on lap 44 of the 100-green flag lap event, but it took a full lap for him to make the pass complete on the No. 64 of Jack Smith. The two ran side-by-side until Stremme was able to make the inside line work and he then pulled away.

"I had a blast running with Doug Mahlik," Stremme said from the winner's circle. "Jack Smith, side-by-side with him. Great guys I'm running with here. I'm just so excited. It's a great day."

Earlier in the day Stremme won the pole for the event, but started the event in the tenth position when he drew the number 10 inversion pill.

"Ain't nothing new to me," Stremme said of the invert. "Where I come from we always start at the back."

A late caution bunched up the field with six laps remaining. Stremme was able to get a good start and pulled away for the win by a margin of 1.077-seconds.

Though he didn't want to see the yellow flag fly, Stremme said, "It helped me so much. I got away from them further."

The series point leader took the checkered flag over Mahlik, Baker, Ryan Tedesco and Jason Setser. The tricky 0.686-mile oval is the largest facility that the ASA Late Model Series will visit this season.

The race was red flagged for approximately 10 minutes for a lap 2 incident involving four vehicles. The No. 94 of Scott Baker and the No. 8 of Tommy Cook crashed in Turn 2. As they spun, Matt Lundberg drove his No. 38 high to avoid the accident and was pinched up against the outside wall when he ran out of room. The delay was to remove two cars that were sitting high and low on the track allowing no safe way around the clean-up workers. Also involved in the incident was the No. 161 of Jerry Freeman who made some pit stops for repairs and went laps down.

The next event for the ASA Late Model Series is Saturday, August 21 at Calhoun County Speedway in Springport, Mich. Tickets are available by calling (888) 272-1020 or online at www.asafangear.com. The American Speed Association is based in Pendleton, Ind., and has offered stock car racing programs since 1968, including the ASA National Tour, ASA Late Model Series, several regional touring series and the ASA Member Track programs. For additional information, visit asaracing.com.

- www.asaracing.com -