Published: October 30, 2007 10:09 pm            

de la BASTIDE: Late models taking aim at Nashville

CRA and ASA late models to compete in All American 400

The best late model drivers will be invading the Motor City Motorplex in Nashville, Tenn., for the annual All American 400 this weekend.

A change in the format will result in 625 laps of late model racing featuring the Champion Racing Association and American Speed Association drivers in action on the half-mile banked oval.

Qualifying takes place on Saturday with the ASA portion of the racing cars slated to begin at 6 p.m. There will be a 25-lap shootout for non-qualified cars followed by a 200 lap event.

As of Monday there were 57 teams entered for the ASA show. Last year Illinois driver Eddie Hoffman scored the victory after taking the lead with 17 laps remaining.

On Sunday the Indiana based CRA drivers will compete in two events. The first is the Blue-Gray 100 for non-qualified drivers with the top five advancing to the Adam Petty Memorial 300.

Last year the CRA feature was 200 laps. Illinois driver Boris Jurkovic grabbed the lead with seven laps remaining to record the biggest victory of his career.

The Music City Motorplex is a lightning fast half-mile with a true two-grooves of racing around the entire length of the track. Drivers tend to diamond the corners, going high in the corner and then cutting down to gain maximum traction on the straights.

This is one of my favorite late model races of the year and an event worth traveling south to witness.

Of added interest is two CRA drivers will look to earn an additional $10,000. With Indiana driver Chris Gabehart winning at O’Reilly Racing Park in September and Texas driver Ryan Lawler winning the Winchester 400 in October, either driver can earn $10,000 if they win in Nashville.

There were 53 teams entered for the CRA event from 13 states as of Tuesday. Indiana drivers entered include: Brian Rievley, Jeff Lane, Will Kimmell, Rick Turner, J.R. Roahrig and Scott Hantz.

Last year there were more than 130 late models in the pit area and the number of cars that will make the trip this weekend should approach that number.

The All American 400 started in 1980 when two of the best promoters in short track racing decided to conduct a north versus south shoot-out.

The event was the brainchild of Bob Harmon, who founded the now defunct All-Pro Series for late models which competed primarily south of the Mason-Dixie Line, and Indiana resident Rex Robbins, who founded the former American Speed Association, running late models in the Midwest.

For late model fans in Indiana, the only way to watch this event is by making the trip to Nashville. For some unknown reason, the Speed Network has once again decided not to televise the event.

Instead race fans will get a two-hour marathon of talk about the upcoming Nextel Cup race in Texas.

Speed did televise the short track events from Irwindale Speedway for late models that had an affiliation with NASCAR.

I guess because NASCAR isn’t involved in the All American 400, the Speed Network has decided to snub its back on race fans around the country.

In other racing news

There was some good news included in the ASA Late Models Challenge Series schedule for 2008.

Two of the events will take place in Indiana, including one at Salem Speedway.

Ken de la Bastide may be reached at ken.delabastide@kokomotribune.com or (765) 454 -8580.

        

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