ASA: Former ASA National Champion Returns to Race, Help Brother at IRP
Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
September 27, 2001
1999 Champion Tim Sauter Attempts to Make First Race of 2001
PENDLETON, Ind. – Former ASA National Champion and regular competitor Tim Sauter will return to the series for this coming weekend’s tirerack.com 200 at Indianapolis Raceway Park in Clermont, Ind. Sauter, who has six career ASA wins, h as made it known he is going to be there to compete for the victory, as well as help little brother Johnny lock up his first ASA National Championship. As a rookie, Johnny Sauter holds a 108 points lead in the standings heading into the last ASA event of t he year. Tim Sauter will be using the car Johnny ran at Winchester Speedway last weekend.
“It should be interesting,” said Tim Sauter. “I'm just going to be there in case these guys need help. I think it'll help John be more comfortable so that he doesn't have to worry about some things (on the racetrack). You know, certain situations come up and we may have to deal with them. We just want to make sure Johnny is safe and we've done everything we can as a team to win the championship.
“If Johnny's ok in the championship fight, then, well, yeah we'll fight for the win," says the middle of the three Sauter brothers to compete in ASA, including older brother Jay. "We're bringing in a complete separate second team, so we don't have all the over wall guys figured out and we're having to do a lot of work on the car that Johnny ran at Winchester last weekend.”
The A.P. Plasman team and several other volunteers have been putting that car back together after last week's early race incident, while Tim has been working on putting together the AP Performance team Busch program for next year.
Once a racer though always a racer and this year has been a difficult one to swallow for Sauter. "It's hard to sit home and watch all these Winston Cup, Busch and ASA races and not be able to do it yourself. I haven't raced but twice since June 17th (when the Xpress Motorsports Busch team Tim was driving for was closed). I've been going through withdrawal."
A lot of people thought once his former Busch program folded, Tim would return to his old stomping grounds of ASA and that was almost the case. “I'll be honest, I wish I could have been racing all year. Alec (Pinnsoneault) and John came to me after the Bus ch deal folded up and said ‘we still have that other ASA car, why don't you finish the year with that deal?’ I declined at that point because I didn't want to interrupt this program (with brother Johnny) and the pace it was in. It was hard to sit back wh en I knew I had an opportunity to race.”
Instead, Tim has been working long hours on AP's NASCAR Busch Series effort for next year. The team already has a shop just down the road from the ASA shop and within a couple of weeks they will be taking delivery of several cars. The plan is to compete in the final two BGN races of the season.
At hand right now though an ASA championship for the ASA team, which would of course be its second in three years. "Our first and utmost goal is to make sure Johnny wins this championship!"
The fact that his brother Johnny can win the ASA title comes as no surprise to Tim. “I knew he had the potential and Alec knew it too. A lot of people were doubters. I know when I announced it on the stage at the ASA banquet that a lot of people just ble w it off and scoffed and said, “Oh big deal!” So, in a way, this is sweet for John, Alec and me. And without all the people that we have here it wouldn't be possible."
Expected Entries for the tirerack.com 200 presented by BFGoodrich Tires
# Driver Hometown Sponsor Make
- 00 R Scott Fraser Shubenacadie, NS, Canada Fans of Fraser Chevrolet
- 04 Chris Shultz Indianapolis, IN Leukemia Society Chevrolet
- 05 R Chris Wimmer Wausau, WI Sierra Racing Products Chevrolet
- 06 Davin Scites Wayne, WV Wayne Lumber and Mulch Inc Chevrolet
- 07 TBA TBA Yoder Racing Ford
- 08 Mark Coleman Wichita Falls, TX McGinnis Welding Supply Chevrolet
- 09 J.C. Beattie Jr. Baltimore, MD ATI Performance Products Inc Chevrolet
- 1 Mike Garvey Lakeville, MN Tecumseh Engines & Transmissions Chevrolet
- 2 Chad Wood Madison, WI gotents.com Chevrolet
- 4 R Mark Cole Evansville, IN LLumar Window Films Pontiac
- 5 Scott Hansen Green Bay, WI Structural Transport Ford
- 6 Dave Sensiba Middleville, MI Go Go/Prestige Motor Sports Chevrolet
- 7 Gary St. Amant Columbus, OH Wynn’s Chevrolet
- 8 Kris Stump Tipp City, OH McDonald’s Chevrolet
- 9 R Johnny Sauter Necedah, WI A.P. Plasman Group Chevrolet
- 11 Mike Eddy Midland, MI Meijer Chevrolet
- 14 Doug Mahlik Green Bay, WI Crew Motorsports Chevrolet
- 16 Russ Tuttle Indianapolis, IN Conseco Pontiac
- 18 Mike Miller Woodstock, GA Jani-King Pontiac
- 20 Tristan Dupuis Lansing, MI BRN Motorsports Chevrolet
- 21 Kevin Cywinski Wausau, WI Texas Roadhouse Chevrolet
- 25 R Mike Cope Pinellas Park, FL Manheim’s Florida Auto Auction of Orlando Chevrolet
- 26 Danny Edwards Poquoson, VA Danny’s Glass Chevrolet
- 28 Tim Taylor Indianapolis, IN EMAS Ambulance Service Chevrolet
- 29 R Francesco Gaudesi Long Island, NY RPM Racing Corporation Chevrolet
- 30 Travis Kittleson Merritt Island, FL Bob Steele Chevrolet Chevrolet
- 31 David Klein Madison, WI Badger Diversified Chevrolet
- 33 Greg Stewart Four Oaks, NC Hanchett Manufacturing Pontiac
- 35 R Ricky Bryant Archdale, NC Washington Apples Pontiac
- 38 R Johnny Spaw Cedar Rapids, IA Medicap Pharmacies Inc Chevrolet
- 39 Dwayne Hudson Smyrna, TN ATI Performance Products Inc Chevrolet
- 42 Bobby Bowsher Springfield, OH Numerics Unlimited Chevrolet
- 47 Todd Rosebrugh West Branch, MI Roll Rite Electric Tarp Systems Pontiac
- 52 Butch Miller Coopersville, MI Meijer Chevrolet
- 55 Greg Williams Haubstadt, IN Greg Williams Racing Chevrolet
- 60 Ed Brown Leesburg, FL Champion Air-On-Line.com Chevrolet
- 63 Robbie Pyle Columbus, OH Citgo Chevrolet
- 64 Brad Bennett Stamford, CT Dura Lube Chevrolet
- 65 Jesse Wilcox Gurnee, IL Pace Trailers Chevrolet
- 66 Pat Kelly Rockdale, IL Randal Ritke & Phil Hines Racing Pontiac
- 68 Jeff Wogoman Ft. Myers, FL Jeffco Racing Inc Pontiac
- 70* Brandon Fagin Evansville, IN GM Vortec Engines Chevrolet
- 73 Jason Schuler Cambridge, WI Schuler Racing LLC Chevrolet
- 76 Ricky Nelson Monona, WI R&D Complete Car Care Chevrolet
- 79 Peter Cozzolino Avon, IN Cozzolino Motorsports Chevrolet
- 83 Joey Clanton Stockbridge, GA Delco Remy Chevrolet
- 84 Brian Ross Plymouth, IN Odle Racing Pontiac
- 87 David Elliott Suwanee, GA Ultrapure Technology Chevrolet
- 95 Billy Mitchell West Des Moines, IA Team Motorsports Chevrolet
- 96 Keith Hankins Goshen, IN USAF Pontiac
- 97 Tim Sauter Necedah, WI A.P. Plasman Group Chevrolet
- 98 Doug Stevens Jr. Lovejoy, GA Conkle’s Tub Grinding Chevrolet
- 99 Tim Schmitt Muskego, WI TMS Motorsports Chevrolet
Text provided by Jeremy Troiano
Editors Note: To view hundreds of hot racing photos and art, visit
The Racing Photo Museum and the
Visions of Speed Art Gallery.