Alley Aces ASCS @ I-80

Lonnie Wheatley, GREENWOOD, Neb. (August 15, 2006) – Defending American Sprint Car Series Midwest Region champion Billy Alley notched his first series win of the season by wiring the field in Tuesday night's 20-lap feature at Nebraska Raceway Park's I-80 Speedway.

Dominant all the way, Alley took the lead from the pole at the outset then survived a late caution to score his second win aboard Mark Burch's Engler Tool & Machine/Big Game Tree Stands No. 1m Wolfweld after capturing an ASCS Knoxville Nationals preliminary win in the familiar machine.

"Mark Burch always gives me really good stuff to drive," Alley explained in victory lane. "The combination between Mark and I has been kinda like a Rubik's Cube, it takes some work to get all six sides working but we're getting it there now."

Alley gunned into the lead at the drop of the green and led 16-year-old Jack Dover, Mike Chadd, Rick Ideus and ninth-starter Justin Henderson in the early stages. After the race's first caution with seven laps in the books, Dover surrendered the runner-up slot when he retired to the pit area with brake failure.

Alley again checked out, as the trio of Chadd, Ideus and Henderson intensified the battle for second by eventually racing in three-wide formation entering turn one on the 15th lap with Jeff Mitrisin hot on their heels.

A caution flew a lap later with Henderson in second behind Alley, as Chadd checked into the work area with a flat right front tire.

Following a final caution for the disabled mount of Preston Peebles II, Henderson closed to Alley's rear nerf bar with just two laps remaining. Alley was the class of the field on this night though, checking out to a comfortable 15 car-length advantage by the time the checkered flag flew.

Mitrisin battled past Henderson on the white flag lap to take the runner-up slot, with Henderson settling for the show position. Ideus crossed the stripe fourth, with rookie shoe Mark Pace rounding out the top five.

Jon Corbin claimed sixth, with Ken Klabunde, 19th-starter John Klabunde, Chadd and Gage Dorr completing the top ten.

Heat race wins were claimed by Alley, Chadd and Dover.

ASCS Midwest Region Results:

First Heat (8 Laps): 1. 1m-Billy Alley, 2. 84-Toby Chapman, 3. 18-Tim Newman, 4. 15-Jon Corbin, 5. 2-Rodney Droud, 6. 44-Preston Peebles II, 7. 77-John Klabunde.

Second Heat (8 Laps): 1. 4-Mike Chadd, 2. 5b-Rick Ideus, 3. 24a-Justin Henderson, 4. 6g-Bryan Gossel, 5. 17-Gage Dorr, 6. 9J-Mark Schmidt, 7. 57-Don Stoutner.

Third Heat (8 Laps): 1. 53-Jack Dover, 2. 10-Shane Hollingsworth, 3. 31-Mark Pace, 4. 28-Ken Klabunde, 5. 71x-Kellen Love, 6. 18r-Ryan Roberts, 7. 7-Roger Sundquist.

A Feature (20 Laps): 1. 1m-Billy Alley, 2. 10-Jeff Mitrisin, 3. 24a-Justin Henderson, 4. 5b-Rick Ideus, 5. 31-Mark Pace, 6. 15-Jon Corbin, 7. 28-Ken Klabunde, 8. 77-John Klabunde, 9. 4-Mike Chadd, 10. 17-Gage Dorr, 11. 71x-Kellen Love, 12. 18-Tim Newman, 13. 9J-Mark Schmidt, 14. 6g-Bryan Gossel, 15. 7-Roger Sundquist, 16. 44-Preston Peebles II, 17. 2-Rodney Droud, 18. 84-Toby Chapman, 19. 53-Jack Dover, 20. 57-Don Stoutner. DNS: 18r-Ryan Roberts.

ASCS Midwest Region Points (Top Ten): 1. Toby Chapman 1,452, 2. Jack Dover 1,389, 3. Mike Chadd 1,335, 4. Rick Ideus 1,255, 5. Jason Danley 1,211, 6. Jake Peters 1,099, 7. Chad Humston 1,039, 8. Luke Cranston 989, 9. Mark Pace 987, 10. Chuck Swenson 968.