ASA: Miller Looks To Defend Title At Montgomery Motor Speedway
Posted By Terry CallahanMotorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
May 3, 2001
Series Makes Second-Straight Visit to Fast Half-Mile Oval
PENDLETON, Ind. (May 2, 2001) - The sixth event of the 2001 season sees the ASA ACDelco Series travel to Montgomery (AL) Motor Speedway for the running of the Alabama 300 on Sunday, May 6. ASA made its inaugural stop at the .5-mile oval in Montgomery one y ear ago.
A decision to stop for fresh right-side tires with 54 laps remaining brought ASA veteran Mike Miller his 16th career victory as he captured the ACTIONLINE 300 on Sunday, May 7, 2000, the series first visit to the track. A near capacity crowd jammed into Mo ntgomery Motor Speedway on a sweltering spring day to see Miller, driving his number 18 Jani-King Pontiac, led only 21 laps, but they were the final circuits to record his only victory of the 2000 season.
Montgomery Motor Speedway was constructed in 1952 and opened for competition in 1953. The Alabama 300 first debuted in 1960, organized by veteran short track promoter Bob Harmon. Several racing legends have competed at the track, including Richard Petty, C ale Yarbrough, Neil Bonnett, Wendell Scott, Fireball Roberts, Darrell Waltrip and David Pearson. In 1999, the track went under new management and a major renovation project. In 2000, the track hosts several prominent short track series, including ASA, USAR Hooters ProCup Series and Southern All Stars.
“We are billing the ACTIONLINE 300 as the biggest event of the season,” said Montgomery Motor Speedway General Manager W.R. Arthur. “The stars of ASA will be seen in the Busch Grand National and Winston Cup Series for years to come.”
ASA has made two appearances in the state of Alabama, with the other coming at Birmingham International Raceway on May 2, 1987. Mickey Gibbs was awarded the victory after the race was halted on lap 171 because of rain showers. The top five finishers in tha t race were Gibbs, Daniel Keene, fast qualifier Butch Miller, Billy Bigley Jr. and Ted Musgrave.
On Saturday, May 5, ASA practice begins at 9:30 a.m., with qualifications beginning at 2:30 p.m. The 100-lap qualifier race goes green at 5 p.m. On Sunday, ASA’s exclusive on-track autograph session begins at 10 a.m., with pre-race ceremonies starting at 1 1:15. The ACTIONLINE 300 starts at 12 p.m.
Tickets for the ACTIONLINE 300 are available through the ASA office and are $25 for reserved sections and $20 for general admission. Qualifying day tickets are $10 each. Children 12 and younger are admitted free with a paying adult in the general admission seating area. Additional information is available through the ASA ticket line, 1-888-ASA-1020. VISA, MasterCard and Discover are accepted for ticket orders.
Text provided by Jeremy Troiano
Editors Note: To view hundreds of hot photos and racing art, please visit The Racing Image Galleries and The Visions of Speed Art Gallery
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