ASA: Miller Captures 38th Career ASA Pole for Irwindale Event

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

Rains forces cancellation of Friday night qualifying race

IRWINDALE, Calif.-- Three-time ASA National Champion Butch Miller took Irwindale Speedway by storm, capturing his 38th career pole position, clocking in a 17.844 second lap (100.874 mph), one of four drivers to crack the sub-18 second mark. Miller, 48, of Coopersville, Mich., was in the top-10 in practice all afternoon.

“During the last practice session we ran a 17.88 second lap,” said Miller, “This is the most pressure I’ve had qualifying in a couple of years. I didn’t want to let the crew down because they worked so hard on the car. I wanted to do good for the crew.”

Miller said it was the same Pontiac the team ran at the ASA season opener in Florida and they had problems getting the car to handle properly.

“We just kept dialing the car in,” he said. “We kept loosening up the car and it got faster. It was a little too loose in qualifying, but we’ll take it.”

Miller described the half-mile oval as a great race track with a wonderful design. He said there were three distinct grooves around the track that will make for good racing.

Another former ASA Champion, Kevin Cywinski, turned in the second fastest time in qualifying, taking his Texas Roadhouse Chevrolet around the beautiful half-mile in 17.932 sec. (100.379 mph). Cywinski was also able to adapt to the progressively banked trac k, staying inside the top-10 in practice through the afternoon sessions.

The pole sitter for the season-opening event, rookie Johnny Sauter, clocked in the third fastest time (17.937 sec. / 100.351 mph) followed by the current ASA point leader, Joey Clanton (17.982 sec. / 100.100 mph). The fifth position is occupied by defendin g ASA National Champion Gary St. Amant (18.005 sec. 99.972 mph).

Rain cancelled the running of the Wynn’s 100 qualifying race. ASA officials announced that all 38 cars that took a qualifying time will start the tires.com 300 Presented by BFGoodrich Tires. Gates open at 2 p.m. with the on-track autograph session at 4 p. m. The tires.com 300 will take the green flag at 6 p.m. Limited tickets are still available.

IRWINDALE, CA – The starting line-up for Saturday’s $274,810 American Speed Association ACDelco Series tires.com 300 at the half-mile Irwindale Speedway. The starting line-up was determined through qualifications. Listed is driver, make of car and speed.

1) Butch Miller, Pontiac, 100.874 mph
2) Kevin Cywinski, Chevrolet, 100.379 mph
3) Johnny Sauter, Chevrolet, 100.351 mph
4) Joey Clanton, Chevrolet, 100.100 mph
5) Gary St. Amant, Chevrolet, 99.972 mph
6) Chris Wimmer, Chevrolet, 99.668 mph
7) Johnny Spaw, Chevrolet, 99.480 mph
8) Mike Garvey, Chevrolet, 99.201 mph
9) Greg Stewart, Chevrolet, 99.157 mph
10) Mike Miller, Pontiac, 98.917 mph
11) Rick Beebe, Ford, 98.885 mph
12) Kenny Phillips, Chevrolet, 98.847 mph
13) Scott Hansen, Ford, 98.598 mph
14) Mike Cope, Chevrolet, 98.393 mph
15) Russ Tuttle, Pontiac, 98.350 mph
16) Tim Taylor, Chevrolet, 98.323 mph
17) Scott Fraser, Chevrolet, 98.264 mph
18) Pat Kelly, Chevrolet, 98.237 mph
19) Tristan Dupuis, Pontiac, 98.184 mph
20) Matt Sielsky, Chevrolet, 98.162 mph
21) Brian Schwartz, Chevrolet, 98.151 mph
22) Mark Dismore Jr., Chevrolet, 98.119 mph
23) Francesco Gaudesi, Chevrolet, 98.071 mph
24) J.C. Beattie Jr., Chevrolet, 97.959 mph
25) Brandon Miller, Chevrolet, 97.943 mph
26) Ricky Bryant, Chevrolet, 97.874 mph
27) Greg Williams, Chevrolet, 97.434 mph
28) Craig Smith, Pontiac, 97.376 mph
29) Bruce Driver, Pontiac, 97.245 mph
30) Kenny Bumbera, Pontiac, 96.910 mph
31) Tim Jedrzejek, Pontiac, 96.556 mph
32) Dennis Lampman, Chevrolet, 96.360 mph
33) Glenn Allen Jr., Chevrolet, 96.277 mph
34) Ed Brown, Chevrolet, 96.077 mph
35) Tully Esterline, Ford, 95.294 mph
36) John Silverthorne, Chevrolet, 94.752 mph
37) Mark Cole, Pontiac, 94.246 mph
38) Tommy Grimes, Chevrolet, no time.

Text Provided By Jeremy Troiano

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