By: Kevin Ramsell
CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (Friday, July 18, 2008) – Steve Carlson’s domination at Hawkeye Downs Speedway continued on Friday night as he took home his fifth Keith Fleck Miller 100 at Hawkeye Downs Speedway in Cedar Rapids, IA. It was Carlson’s second win in the ASA Kwik Trip Midwest Tour presented by ECHO Outdoor Power Equipment.
“I had a very good car, very good car,” Carlson stated in victory lane. “I just run well here and I have a lot of fun here.”
Carlson started seventh and charged to the front within the first 40 laps of the event. He showed how strong his car was when he was able to pass both Donny Reuvers for third and Dan Fredrickson for second on the outside.
Mark Kraus was the early leader in the race that many thought may not happen as rain was approaching the ½ mile oval all day, but only one small shower caused a delay in qualifying.
Kraus continued to lead while Carlson inched closer and closer to the leader. Kraus would hold off the savvy veteran lap after lap until he got loose going into turn three on lap 44 allowing Carlson to jump to the inside and take over the top spot a lap later.
Fast qualifier Johnny Sauter started 12th and quickly worked his way up to Carlson and followed him to the front. He would get past Kraus for second at the same time Carlson would take the lead.
“Johnny Sauter was in second place, you know and it doesn’t matter if you have a one car lead or a ten car lead, every lap is like the last lap and you have to race for all you got, and I was,” Carlson stated with the NASCAR Sprint Cup competitor behind him.
The only caution of the event flew on lap 57 when Johnny Spaw was battling Brandon Hill for position and the two came off of turn four when the two made contact causing Hill to get sideways in front of Spaw. Spaw’s car then climb up the driver side of Hill as they came to a stop on the front stretch. Jake Ryan and Dudley Fleck were also involved. Hill was the only one able to continue.
On the re-start, Carlson pulled away from Sauter and the rest of the field. Sauter was able to hold on to second as he nursed his car to the finish with a clutch going away on him. “I was slipping the clutch, I wasn’t even close to what Carlson had,” Sauter stated after the race. “Second in class, but the last 20 laps I just got awful loose and burned the clutch up. The first 50-laps the car was tight and I was like, man it was loose in the heat race and we made an adjustment for the feature and went too far. And for the last 30 laps it was too loose and I just couldn’t drive it. All in all, the car is in one piece and I haven’t been able to do that a whole lot.”
Dan Fredrickson increased his point lead by finishing third, “I tell you what this late model racing is all about giving it all every lap. Car wasn’t great tonight and I just kept digging and digging there. It’s not a win but its not bad coming in third with Steve Carlson and Johnny Sauter ahead of you.”
Fredrickson had a great battle with Kraus for that final podium position near the end. “I could get him for a couple of laps and he would get me back for a couple of laps,” Fredrickson stated. “He started bobbling there at the end, I don’t know what happened, but third is cool.”
Kraus would fall out a few laps later with mechanical problems and finish 22nd.
Donny Reuvers would finish fourth with Travis Sauter posting another top-five finish with his fifth place run.
Blake Horstman had a strong run to come home sixth with Jamie Iverson in seventh. Jonathan Eilen was eighth followed by Andrew Morrissey in ninth. Nathan Haseleu rounded out the top ten.
The ASAMT teams and officials are now heading west to Newton, IA for this weekend’s running of the Rasmussen Group’s Twin 75’s on Sunday, July 20th at Iowa Speedway in Newton, IA.
To learn more about the American Speed Association Kwik Trip Midwest Tour presented by Echo Outdoor Power Equipment log on to www.asamidwesttour.com or call the ASA Midwest Tour office at (262) 514-3880 or e-mail Tim Olson at tim@asamidwesttour.com or Steve Einhaus at steve@asamidwesttour.com.
To learn more of the Daytona Beach, Florida-based Racing Speed Associates or the American Speed Association Racing Member Track program, call (386) 258-2221 or send an e-mail to info@asa-racing.com. For news and information from all the racetracks and regional tours involved in the American Speed Association, visit www.asa-racing.com.
This article was posted to the website on July 19th, 2008
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