By Tom Giannini
Wednesday, May 9th, 2018, a day which will live in infamy. The ASRS Kirkwood Transportation Late Model Series played host to a 100 lap main event at the Five Flag Speedway. Fans were not disappointed as the race would prove to be one of the best in the history of ASRS. The season has been full of close racing, offering up a series full of contact and fantastic battles but this one took the cake.
The race started out routine enough with Jared Mogard entering the event with a cool 37 point lead over second place Tim Knott. Allan Young (-41), Jim Foose (43) and Travis Wright (-57) rounded out the top 5, respectively. An odd aspect to the race is that it was run during the day time and the sun made the track hot and slippery. It was not too slippery for Zac Coyer as he placed his #113 car on the pole for the event. Tim Knott qualified 2nd, a good spot to begin eating into his points deficit. Matt Vaade qualified 3rd followed by Jim Foose and points leader Jared Mogard.
The race from the start would be a thriller from flag to flag. The first 93 laps of the 100 lap event was run under the green flag with the front five cars all running under a blanket the entire time. Tom Giannini and Jason Stewart would battle for 50 laps before catching the front five and making it a 7 car battle for the lead. On lap 93 , Allan Young and Zac Coyer would make contact; Jared Mogard and Tom Giannini were caught up in the wreck but all except Coyer would continue on. Jason Stewart maneuvered his car through the wreck to put himself in a position to win on the ensuing restart. When the field took the green, race leader Travis Wright and second place Jim Foose would make slight contact sending them both up the track. Jason Stewart saw the seas part in front of him and he skated past for the lead. He would not look back as he went on to lead the final two laps, his only laps led all afternoon. Coming to the flag there was a massive pileup when Jared Mogard and Allan Young made contact; Tom Giannini skated through that wreck to finish 2nd followed by Jared Mogard, Jim Foose and Allan Young.
Jared Mogard would extend his points lead to 43 over second place drivers Allan Young and Tim Knott (tied). Jim Foose now sits 44 points out of the lead and Tom Giannini round out your top 5 at -59. The series invades Southern California next week for an event at the Irwindale Speedway. We can’t wait!