LMS: San Antonio summary 2007-03-04

Colt James takes the biggest win of his career in his home state by winning the 2nd annual Alamo 200 at the San Antonio (TX) Speedway.

San Antonio, Texas (03/04/2007): The ASA Late Model Series Presented by GM Performance Parts' first event of the Fifth Anniversary 2007 Racing Season is officially in the books! The 2nd annual Quality Pre Owned Cars and Trucks Alamo 200 Presented by Express Lube and FLF Racecars is now complete for the crown jewel of the ASALMS, the Challenge Division.

The first of 11 Points races, 12 overall in the series "Where Champions Race" was at the fast 0.500 Mile High-Banked Paved Oval of the San Antonio (TX) Speedway in San Antonio, Texas as the 200-lap Feature paid a larger than normal $10,000 to win and $1,000 just to start.

The Lone Star State fans went home very happy as Colt James, from near-by Buda, Texas swept the entire program by winning the ARP Bodies/Aluminum Racing Products Fast Qualifier Award and then in the 200-lap Feature, worked his way up from his ninth starting spot and took the lead from veteran Eddie Hoffman on lap 52 and went on to score the biggest Feature win of his career; His first ever in the ASALMS Challenge Division and second overall of his ASALMS career.

James won his first career ASALMS Feature, a Southern Division event, back on June 3, 2006 at the Southern National (NC) Raceway Park in Kenly, North Carolina. That night, James would also win the Fast Qualifier Award and then go on to win the Feature.

Veterans Peter Cozzolino and Eddie Hoffman led a stout 31-car field to Chief Starter, Joey Aycock's green flag to begin the deuce century feature in South Texas. However trouble ensued as the field made its way to turn one as rookies Kyle Eastham and Austin Siebert collided sending both into the Turn One wall forcing the first of two complete restarts.

Opening Night jitters continued as on the second restart, Jim Ross spun in Turn Two forcing the field to scramble. Finally on the third try, Hoffman edged out Cozzolino to the first corner to take the early lead while the rest of the field began to settle in behind the veteran duo.

On lap 12, the third caution of the evening flew for 17-year-old Keeton Hanks, who was making his debut with the potent Allen-Hock Motorsports Team, backing his Chevrolet Monte Carlo into the Turn Two wall. Hanks would later come back out, but was multiple laps down.

The biggest incident of the night occurred on lap 32 when a spin in the middle of the field triggered a massive 11-car pile-up in Turns One and Two. Amongst the heavy hitters involved included; 2006 ASALMS Northern Division Champion, Jesse Smith, 2005 Pat Bourdow Memorial Rookie of the Year, Brian Campbell.

In addition, Travis Dassow, who was making his debut with the T.D. Racing Development Team (The former WalTom Racing Team) was involved, as well as John Wes Townley, Jack Smith, Bill Tomlinson, Rookie Michael Simko, and others. Most of the combatants involved were able to continue with various degrees' of cosmetic damage.

The field finally settled down on the full moon night in Southern Texas as Hoffman maintained his lead. ARP Bodies/Aluminum Racing Products Fast Qualifier, Colt James patiently worked his way through the field and on lap 44 found himself glued to Hoffman's back bumper.

After trying high and low to get around Hoffman for several laps, James, from near-by Buda, Texas, finally maneuvered his way around the crafty Wheaton, Illinois veteran on lap 52 to take over the lead to the roar of the partisan crowd on hand and began pulling away from the rest of the field.

Three more cautions flew, mostly for spins and single car accidents before the halfway point of the 200-lap Feature as James continued to hold down the point heading into the Lap 100, 10-Minute Halfway Break.

Hoffman was second and was trailed by Two Pat Bourdow Memorial Rookie of the Year title contenders, Sean Murphy, in his first career ASALMS start, and Andy Hanson. Cozzolino slipped back to fifth and that's where he stayed heading into the pits for service.

The second half began with a bang, literally, as heading down the backstretch the lapped car of Jack Smith was spun, which resulted in another multi-car pile-up that knocked out three drivers, all Texans! The three Texas based drivers were; 19-year-old Ryan Lawler, 17-year-old Cody Smith, and 16-year-old Kyle Sirizzotti, who all saw their nights come to an end.

James continued to set a torrid pace around the fast 0.500 Mile High-Banked Paved Oval when the green flag came back out while Hoffman held down the second spot. Several more cautions for spins slowed the pace and each time, James would take advantage of great restarts to keep Hoffman and the rest of the field at bay.

The most serious incident of the night occurred on lap 170 as Jack Smith was turned around coming out of Turn Four forcing the field to again scramble. Jim Ross had nowhere to go and was hit by another car resulting in his machine making a direct right hand turn into the Turn Four wall. He was shaken but otherwise ok and was done for the evening.

The last of 16 cautions came out on lap 193 when Pat Bourdow Memorial Rookie of the Year contender, Derek Thorn slowed in Turn Two with a Flat Tire and Suspension Damage. This offered Hoffman one last chance to track down James and retake the top spot.

But James wasn't to be denied as the Buda, Texas driver would fend off one last charge by Hoffman to take his first career ASALMS Challenge Division Feature Win and Second overall in ASALMS competition and the $10,000 pay day. The biggest win of his career!

Hoffman settled for second in the caution plagued race as Cozzolino worked his way back up to third ahead of Murphy, Hanson. Charlie Menard, Michael Annett, Tom Smith, Tommy Grimes, and Dassow, who recovered from the Lap 32 multi-car pile-up, would complete the Top 10.

Earlier in the afternoon in ARP Bodies/Aluminum Racing Products Qualifying, James started the afternoon off right as the 23-year-old Lone Star State driver won his first career ASALMS Challenge Division Fast Qualifier Award with an 18.480. James' lap measured out to 97.403 MPH. The ASALMS Track Record in San Antonio, Texas remains an 18.469.

The GM Performance Parts Shootout was cancelled for this event as 34 cars were officially entered and after losing three during the Friday Practice Sessions, both ASALMS Co-Founder/President, Ron Varney and San Antonio Speedway C.E.O/Promoter, Terry Dickerson elected to start the remaining 31 on cars on hand for the 200-lap Feature.

The next event for the ASALMS will be the Southern Division 2007 Season Opener on Friday and Saturday March 16-17, 2007 at the Bronson (FL) Motor Speedway, located West of Gainesville in Bronson, Florida for the running of the Gator 100 Presented by Pennzoil. Bronson's regular divisions of Limited Sportsman, Hobby Stocks and Thunder Stocks will also join the card.

As for the crown jewel of the ASALMS, Challenge Division, the next event is set for Friday and Saturday March 30-31, 2007 as the Music City (TN) Motorplex in Nashville, Tennessee is the site for Race Number Two on the Championship schedule; The Spring Clash 200. Joining the ASALMS Challenge Division will be the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modifieds Tour and the CRA Super Series.

Finally the ASALMS Northern Division Season Opener is set for later in the 2007 Racing Season on Friday and Saturday April 27-28, 2007 at the famed O'Reilly (IN) Raceway Park at Indianapolis, located just West of the Capital City in Clermont, Indiana for the running of the A.S.I. Limited 100 Presented by Lucas Oil Products.

-credit: asa