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ASA Report, Results, and Points from Midwest 300 at Salem Speedway

7 October 1997

Salem, IN - Mike Miller took advantage of a caution with 82 laps left in the American Speed Association Midwest 300 at Salem Speedway, to take on fresh tires and then charged back through the field to garner his third win of the season in the Uniseal Pontiac. Scott Carlson finished in second in the Clean Burn/Phillips 66 Trop Artic/AFCO Pontiac while Steve Holzhausen brought the Howes Lubricator/Structural Transport Ford home in third. Dave Sensiba and Brandon Sperling rounded out the top five.

"We had an awesome car today," Miller said as he collected the $14,430 winner's check. "We've had some problems finishing races, but this Wegner motor was awesome. We had worn the left rear tire out. We took a chance with 80 laps remaining and hoped to be able to get back through the field. We wanted to be in a position to win."

Miller started the race in third spot and took the lead for the first time on lap 169 when he passed Harold Fair and then held on to the point until he pitted on lap 205 for tires. When the caution waved again on lap 217 because Ted Smokstad spun in turn two, Miller again headed to the pits for left side tires. Race leader Holzhausen, Dave Sensiba and Scott Hansen chose to stay on the track while the rest of the lead lap cars pitted.

Miller came out of the pits in ninth place, the last car on the lead lap, but by lap 260 he he was right behind Holzhausen and challenging for the lead with Carlson behind him. The last caution of the race came out on lap 262 when Buddy Schrock and Kevin Nuttleman tangled in turn one and slapped the wall hard. On the ensuing restart Miller went to the low side and passed Holzhausen, bringing Carlson with him, and then began to stretch out the lead. When the checkered flag flew Miller was 1.105 seconds in front of Carlson.

Buddy Schrock was taken to Washington County Memorial Hospital where he was reported alert and undergoing preliminary X-Rays.

Kevin Cywinski drove the Tecumseh Motorsports Pontiac to a seventh place finish and in so doing clinched the ASA ACDelco Challenge Series Championship for 1997 with one race remaining on the schedule. Cywinski's closest pursuers, Scott Hansen and Gary St Amant both suffered mechanical problems to allow Cywinski to widen the point lead to 215 points over Hansen and 243 over St Amant. With the maximum points attainable in a single race being 200, Cywinski has clinched the title and will rewarded at the ASA banquet in Nashville at the Opryland Hotel in November.

The final ASA ACDelco Challenge Series race for 1997 will be at Southern Speedway in Kenly, NC on Oct 18.

John Kaiser -- The Auto Channel


Salem Speedway - Provisional results for the 
ASA ACDelco Challenge Series, 
Midwest 300:
          
Ps.Ql.No.  Driver , Car                                          Laps 
-- -- ---- ----------------------------------------------------- ----
 1  3  18  Mike Miller     South East Air Service           PONT 300       
 2  4  87  Steve Carlson(R)Baker Enterprises/Clean Burn     PONT 300       
 3 15   5  Steve Holzhausen Structural Transport            FORD 300       
 4  6   6  Dave Sensiba    Engineered Polymer/W MI Auto AuctPONT 300       
 5 16  51  Brandon Sperling Sperling Motorsports            CHEV 300       
 6  1   8  Mike Garvey     AFCO Racing Products             PONT 300       
 7 19   1  Kevin Cywinski  Tecumseh/LaFavre Racing          PONT 300       
 8 22  32  Ted Smokstad    Corp. Auto/SMS Parts             PONT 300       
 9 14  72  Junior Hanley   Skillman Motorsports             PONT 299       
10 13  33  Brad Loney      Bunsaver/Hunter's Spec/Flexsteel PONT 299       
11  5  27  Ray Skillman    Kendall Oil/Dupont Finishes      PONT 298       
12  9  81  Harold Fair     Car Quest/ACDelco/Victor Reinz   PONT 298       
13 26  93  Tim Sauter        Build-A-Mold/Trimplas/Moldplas PONT 295       
14 28  11  Doug Mayr(R)    No Touch Car Care/Aqua Splash    CHEV 291       
15 23  79  Mike Cofer (R)  Black & Decker Versa Pack        PONT 290       
16 12  88  Mike Eddy       GM Goodwrench Service/HRE        PONT 290       
17 18   3  Yale Conley     American Red Cross               CHEV 273       
18 29  37  Dave Anspaugh   Poor Boy Racing                  CHEV 271       
19 21  55  Buddy Schrock   Leo M/S/Wehr/Racing Adventures   PONT 259       
20 20  21  Kevin Nuttleman Citgo/Midwest Fuels/Dutch Mill   PONT 258       
21  7  52  Scott Hansen    AFCO Racing Products             PONT 247       
22 11   7  Gary St Amant   Wynn's/W Michigan Chevy Dealers  CHEV 236       
23 30   0  Jeff Fultz      Jones Motorsports                PONT 211       
24 25  28  Tim Taylor(R)   EMAS Inc/RPS/D-A/Speedway Auto   PONT 198       
25 27  15  Dennis Berry    Eaglewood                        PONT 180       
26 10  23  Rick Beebe      St Louis Gear/Royal Machine      PONT 127       
27 24  58  Billy Turner    Sanifill/Central Fiber           PONT 106       
28  2  48  Joe Nott        Valvoline/Allan Nott Toyota/RaabeFORD  45       
29 17  07  Jack Landis     Adirondak/Lyndaker/Maisto/N.YoderFORD  35       
30  8  84  Bob Senneker    Lane Auto/JR Automation/Mr GasketFORD  15       
     
(R)= Pat Schauer Memorial Rookie Candidate
     
Time of Race      : 1 hr 56 min 49 sec
Average Speed     : 83.207
Margin of Victory : 1.105 secs
Lap Leaders       : Nott, Garvey, Hansen, Nuttleman, Fair,Miller,
Holzhausen, Sensiba.
Cautions          : 6 for 51 laps
Track Length      :  0.5000 Miles


ASA POINTS
1. Kevin Cywinski               3183    **Clinched Championship**
2. Scott hansen                 2968
3. Gary St Amant                2940
4. Steve Carlson                2853
5. Rick Beebe                   2740
6. Dave Sensiba                 2719
8. Mike Eddy                    2563
9. Brandon Sperling             2510
10.Bob Senneker                 2491