Drew Brannon Youngest Winner in ASA Late Model Series History
By Matt Prieur
Odessa, Missouri (Saturday, July 5, 2008)- “This is so amazing, I can’t believe we actually won this race!” Were the words spoken by 15-year-old Drew Brannon after becoming the youngest drivers in ASA Late Model Series Presented by GM Performance Parts.
The Kansas City, Missouri native who now calls Miami, Florida home, started on the outside of the front row of the Light Up The Night 150 at the wicked fast high-banks of I-70 Speedway, located East of Kansas City in Odessa, Missouri on Saturday, July 5, 2008.
Next to him on the front row was 2007 ASALMS Northern Division Rookie of the Year, Jesse Saunders! Brannon edged out Saunders heading into the first corner to take the early lead and thoroughly dominated most of the extended distance 150-lap Feature.
Saunders made a late run at the Sunshine State teenager with 10 laps to go and when the final caution flag came out on Lap 149, setting up a “Green-White-Checkered” finish, Saunders gave the Florida teen all he could handle in that final shootout and as they collided heading into Turns One and Two on the final lap, Saunders slid up into the Turn Two wall!
“That was some good hard racing right there, Jesse and I were both going for our first ever Feature Wins!” Brannon explained in victory lane. “I did what I needed to do to hold him off at the end! I just can’t believe this is happening.”
It would be Saunders and Brannon leading a stellar 32-car field to the green flag to begin the extended distance Light Up The Night 150 to close out an exciting Fourth of July Holiday Weekend in the Show-Me State.
Brannon grabbed the early lead while the field quickly sorted themselves out all around the famed high-banks. The 15-year-old built up nearly a full straightaway lead at the beginning of the race when the first of seven cautions flew on Lap Nine (9).
The first caution actually turned into one of Three (3) Red Flags of the night as Silvis, Illinois rookie, Joey King slammed the Turn Two wall head on! He was ok, but his Adrian Carriers Chevrolet was done for the evening.
In the interest of fuel conservation, Cautions laps counted up until Lap 140 as the last 10 laps would be run under green flag conditions if needed.
As the green flag waved once again, Brannon would again take off and run away from the rest of the field while Saunders held down the second spot. Action behind Saunders was intense as at one point, third place all the way back to 18th were nose-to-tail and in some cases, side-by-side as no one was holding anything back.
As the laps counted down, Saunders was slowly but surely reeling in the teenager and followed Brannon’s tire tracks looking for a lane around him.
On that final restart, Saunders went to the high side to get around the Sunshine State Teenager and Brannon threw a block at the 22-year-old, so Saunders dove low and Brannon was right there as well. The white flag flew as the crowd was deafening as they picked sides as to who would win.
As the field came down the back stretch, Ron Hartford, who had damage to his machine, tagged the inside front stretch wall coming out of turn four. Immediately after the Hartford incident, Brannon and Saunders collided heading into turns one and two on the final lap, Saunders slid up into the turn two wall. Hartford was deemed the cause of the caution flag!
With only once chance to finish a Green-White-Checkered restart under ASALMS rules, the Checkered / Yellow flags both waved in the air giving Brannon the historic win and Saunders second place!
“There’s so many people who made this possible, I don’t know were to begin!” Brannon continued in his victory lane interview as the massive crowd on hand roared their approval at a new star rising in the Show-Me State. “Tom Hedin from South Park Auto down in Florida flew up here for this race, my Grandma is here from Garnett, Kansas, I just can’t believe this!”
“Jack Smith and Greg Urbine have made this possible for me and to come here to I-70 Speedway and win in my first time ever racing here? This is a dream come true.” The emotional 15-year-old added. “We’re going to pick and choose races in all three ASA Late Model Series division and hopefully we’ll be able to back this win up with a few more,” he ended.
