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ASA Report, Results, and Standings: World Cup 300 at I-70 Speedway

16 September 1997

Odessa, MO - When leader Kevin Cywinski lost his power steering with just 34 laps left, Iowa driver Brad Loney inherited the lead and went on to win the World Cup 300 at I-70 Speedway in Odessa, MO.

Loney, in the Bunsaver/Hunter's Specialties/Flexsteel Pontiac became the tenth different winner of an American Speed Association event in 16 races, which ties the mark set in 1993 and 1996.

"I was saving a little for the end," Loney said afterwards. "Kevin (Cywinski) was a little stronger on the long runs. I had a couple of problems with the previous restarts, but figured it out at the end. This win was sweeter because I realized what was happening. Last year at Toledo I was too stunned to realize what was taking place."

Points leader Cywinski in the Tecumseh Motorsports Pontiac started on the pole when ACDelco RapidFire Qualifications were cancelled due to a wet track.

Cywinski retook the lead for the third time in the race on lap 191 during a caution period when current leader Mike Garvey pitted the Truck Country/Metro Milwaukee Auto Auction Pontiac. Cywinski was followed by Loney, Gary St Amant, Jack Landis and Bob Senneker.

The caution waved again on lap 208 when Senneker in the Lane Automotive/KR Automation/Mr Gasket Ford spun coming off turn 2 but none of the leaders elected to pit.

With 60 laps remaining Cywinski continued to lead, still chased by Loney and Brandon Sperling in the Truck Air Transfer/Mechanix Wear Chevrolet after St Amant dropped a cylinder in the Wynn's West Michigan Chevy Dealers Chevrolet.

On lap 267 as Cywinski entered the third corner, the pontiac broke loose and spun towards the turn four wall, but never made contact with the concrete. It was later discovered that that a piece of lead went through the grill and severed the power steering line.

That put Loney in the lead, pursued by Sperling, Joe Nott, Rick Beebe and Scott Hansen. The yellow waved again on lap 278 when Beebe and Nott made contact entering the third turn, sending Nott spinning. During the caution period, Nott retaliated on the back straight by spinning Beebe and putting him a lap down.

The final caution was brought out when Cywinski's engine expired on lap 289 ending his string of top ten finishes at 15. On the restart Loney quickly opened a gap over Sperling and Hansen and maintained it to the checkers for his second career win on the ASA ACDelco Challenge Series. Sperling recorded his best career finish by taking second with Hansen finishing in third. Garvey finished in fourth and Senneker was fifth.

The win was doubly sweet for Loney as his grandmother, Margie Loney, had made a surprise trip to Odessa from her Iowa home and was there to help celebrate the win and the $13,230 winner's share of the purse.

Sperling, who has now scored five top ten finishes in a row, said the team made all their pit stops before the 200 lap mark, just as planned.

"I knew I had to keep the car on the bottom to hold off Scott (Hansen) and Mike (Garvey)," he said. "The car ran great all night and the tire strategy paid off. This is a big confidence booster for the entire team."

Hansen, in the Schrader Racing Teams Chevrolet said the team kept changing tires throughout the entire event.

"The car was junk all day," he said. "But we kept putting tires on the car and finally got it right at the end. On the final lap Mike (Garvey) gave me a pretty good bump and I was lucky to save the car."

The race featured eight different leaders among seven drivers with Cywinski leading the first lap before giving way to Hansen for a lap. Mike Miller in the AFC 100/Uniseal Pontiac led from lap 3 until he pitted on lap 97.

Local favorite Beebe led from lap 98 through lap 124 before being passed by Cywinski who stayed in front until lap 142. At that point St Amant took the point until Garvey took over on lap 149 setting up the final dramatic finish.

The next event for the ASA ACDelco Challenge Series will be Friday September 19 at Cedar Rapids, IA for the Pontiac Excitement 300 at Hawkeye Downs Speedway.

John Kaiser -- The Autochannel


I-70 Speedway - Provisional results for the 
ASA ACDelco Challenge Series, 
World Cup 300:
          
Ps.Ql.No.  Driver , Car                                          Laps      

-- -- ---- ----------------------------------------------------- ----- 
 1 16  33  Brad Loney      Bunsaver/Hunter's Spec/Flexsteel PONT 300       
 2 13  51  Brandon Sperling Sperling Motorsports            CHEV 300       
 3  3  52  Scott Hansen    AFCO Racing Products             PONT 300       
 4 14   8  Mike Garvey     AFCO Racing Products             PONT 300       
 5  8  84  Bob Senneker    Lane Auto/JR Automation/Mr GasketFORD 300       
 6 11  88  Mike Eddy       GM Goodwrench Service/HRE        PONT 300       
 7  2   7  Gary St Amant   Wynn's/W Michigan Chevy Dealers  CHEV 300       
 8  5   6  Dave Sensiba    Engineered Polymer/W MI Auto AuctPONT 300       
 9 18   5  Steve Holzhausen Structural Transport            FORD 300       
10 10  81  Harold Fair     Car Quest/ACDelco/Victor Reinz   PONT 300       
11 12  48  Joe Nott        Valvoline/Allan Nott Toyota/RaabeFORD 300       
12  4  23  Rick Beebe      St Louis Gear/Royal Machine      PONT 299       
13 26  64  Ricky Bilderback Bilderback Auto Parts           PONT 295       
14 24  11  Doug Mayr(R)    No Touch Car Care/Aqua Splash    CHEV 295       
15  1   1  Kevin Cywinski  Tecumseh/LaFavre Racing          PONT 288       
16 17  07  Jack Landis     Adirondak/Lyndaker/Maisto/N.YoderFORD 288       
17 28  77  Dave Doran      Doran Enterprises                PONT 284       
18 27  82  Sam Gottwald    Pepsi/Uncommon Inc.              FORD 277       
19  9  55  Bobby Gill      Leo M/S/Wehr/Racing Adventures   PONT 253       
20  6  87  Steve Carlson(R)Baker Enterprises/Clean Burn     PONT 247       
21 15  32  Ted Smokstad    Corp. Auto/SMS Parts             PONT 242       
22 23  93  Alec Pinsonneault Build-A-Mold/Trimplas/Moldplas PONT 242       
23  7  18  Mike Miller     South East Air Service           PONT 186       
24 22  58  Billy Turner    Sanifill/Central Fiber           PONT 168       
25 20  79  Mike Cofer (R)  Black & Decker Versa Pack        PONT 146       
26 25  92  Carroll Adamy   Dorothy Lynch Home Style Salad DrCHEV 131       
27 21   0  Tom Jones       Jones Motorsports                PONT  68       
28 19  72  Junior Hanley   Skillman Motorsports             PONT  51       
     
(R)= Pat Schauer Memorial Rookie Candidate
     
Time of Race      : 1 hr 53 mins 42 secs
Average Speed     : 87.805 mph
Margin of Victory : .328 secs
Lap Leaders       : Cywinski, Hansen, M Miller, Beebe, St Amant, Garvey,
Loney
Cautions          : 10 for 46 laps
Track Length      :  0.5000 Miles


Top 10 provisional points standings after 16 of 20 events for the ASA
ACDelco Challenge Series.

1. Kevin Cywinski               2734
2. Gary St Amant                2540
3. Scott Hansen                 2491
4. Rick Beebe                   2348
5. Dave Sensiba                 2342
6. Steve Carlson                2286
7. Bob Senneker                 2198
8. Mike Miller                  2177
9. Mike Eddy                    2139
10. Harold Fair                 2122