All season long, Jimmy Lang has owned the ASA Late Model South ranks. At the same time, he has been traveling North from his home in South Carolina to run the ASA Late Model Challenge Division. Many times this season he has run with the leaders in his Challenge Division starts only to have problems erupt that prevented Lang from having a good finish.
It looked as if the race at Mansfield Motorsports Park (OH) was going to be the same. Problems came, but they were overcome as Lang finished fifth, a career best in the Challenge Division.
Jimmy Lang finally got a solid finish at Mansfield.
“It was a nice track,” said Lang of Mansfield. “It reminded me of my home track just the way it felt. We are getting better at it with these radial tires. We still have a few things to learn. I tend to worry in practice when we were seventh or eighth fastest. I think we were a lot better. We always have a better racecar then we show in practice or qualifying.”
Lang didn’t have to worry about qualifying as the field was set by points. After only 20 laps, Lang had moved into the top-10 before his night nearly took a drastic turn. Racing with Travis Dassow resulted in the two making contact. Lang continued on, while Dassow ended up in the fence. ASA Late Model officials made the call and Lang was sent to the rear for rough driving.
“I got into Travis Dassow and that sent us to the back. He was just so slow through the corner and I closed up on him really fast. I did not do anything intentionally, it was just real close racing.”
Lang overcame the penalty. drove back to fifth and settled there as the 200-lap race came to an end.
Lang will be back in action on July 12th at Concord Motorsport Park (NC). This will be the fourth ASA LM South event of the season and Lang will be looking for his fourth straight South win.
