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| Kittleson finishes second, leads ASA point standings | by Jeremy Troiano, 51 Sports
CONCORD, N.C. -- If you listened only to the fans, you would have thought that ASA "super sophomore" Travis Kittleson had just picked up his first win at the series season opener Saturday night at USA International Speedway in Lakeland, FL. In reality though, Kittleson came home one spot short (second place), but his home-state grandstand was still cheering for him as he climbed from his Bob Steele Chevrolet after the SK Hand Tools 200.
The 24-year-old Kittleson led 60 laps, more than anyone else, finishing 0.16-seconds behind three-time ASA champion Butch Miller. With the five bonus points for leading a lap and another five for leading the most laps, Kittleson now sits first in the ASA standings by one point over Miller.
"Man, it was killing me," said Kittleson of his eagerness to pass Miller and recapture the lead. "The car was great on the short runs and I knew Butch wasn't done racing, so I had to step it up if I was going to get by him. I was digging but I wasn't going to pass to him unless it was going to be done cleanly. It is too early in the year for beating and banging.
"(Butch) made a comment at the banquet last year that he admired (2003 ASA Champion) Kevin Cywinski's tendency to beat you by using talent and not bumper. That is what I wanted to do.
"I had every opportunity to take him out in those last five laps. He even left the door open for us a couple of times, but we just couldn't take advantage of it. I just wasn't going to do it. It isn't how I wanted to win my first ASA race. We might have done it differently if there was someone else in front of me, but this was Butch Miller; you just can't slam him anywhere, anytime. I have a lot of respect for him."
Butch complimented Kittleson, a Merritt Island (FL) resident, on his ability to race clean in the five-lap shootout, especially before his home-state fans.
"Travis ran me so clean," commented the three-time ASA champ. "Travis is the kind of racer you like to race with; when you get a fender underneath him, he gives it to you. I will remember this and when he gets a fender under me someday, he is going to get the whole racetrack. I liked racing with him."
It wasn't a dream weekend for Kittleson, but it was a great way to open his 2004 season. Kittleson and his team fought through a number of various little problems during Friday's practice sessions that saw him clock in just outside the top-20 on the speed charts. The team made drastic improvements and qualified an impressive fifth.
When the race went green, Travis patiently climbed through the pack and finally took the top spot on lap 91. Kittleson led through halfway and dropped back in the pack after a round of pit stops. He retook the lead on lap 127 and held it until 175 when Miller made his way by. Travis was locked on Miller's bumper through the rest of the event, but wasn't able to regain the top spot.
"You don't even know how awesome it is to do this in front of all of these people here. They've always supported me and they came out to cheer me on again tonight. I just wish I could have given them a win, but if we keep racing like this, we'll give them one soon enough. Hopefully they will be just as excited watching it on TV as they were watching it in person here tonight."
Kittleson and his R/T Racing/Bob Steele Chevrolet team are planning to run the entire ASA schedule in 2004 after a ninth-place finishing position in the ASA final national standings of 2003. However, they are still looking for a marketing partner to help them in their quest for the 2004 ASA National Championship. For inquiries, call the team at 321-693-6700 and be sure to visit traviskittleson.com for more information.
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