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| Sean Murphy Gets Strong Run In ASA Opener | by Shawn Stewart, Sean Murphy Racing
BRONSON, Fla. -- Despite battling a bad case of the stomach flu, Sean Murphy drove the no. 32 ASI LIMITED, Spectrum Metal Finishing, Akzo Nobel, Aluminum Shapes car to an impressive 3rd place finish Saturday night at Bronson Motor Speedway. Murphy qualified second fastest of the 40-car’s entered. He held the top spot until the final qualifying car driven by Chris Fontaine barely edged his time. A nine car inversion placed Murphy in the 4th row outside for the start of the race.
Murphy was turning the fastest lap times on the track for much of the race. “If we could have got around the leader I think we could have won,” said Murphy, who was very ill before the start of the race, but still ran the tough 100-lap event. “There isn’t anywhere to pass on this track. The only option to pass would have been to move them out of the way and I didn’t want to wind up wrecking all of us. I didn’t want to win that way.”
Crew Chief/Coach, Butch Miller was very impressed with his driver’s respectful decisions on the track. “I’m very happy with the race Sean ran tonight,” stated Miller, the 3-time ASA Champion. “Every driver wants to win and its good to have that goal, but sometimes it’s a choice you have to make on the track if want to be a clean driver or put your car and others at risk. There is not a scratch on this car and that type of driving will pay off in long run of his career.”
Rob Partelo won the event and led all 100-laps. However, Sean Murphy and Bo Miller (a 3-time winner in 2006) pressured Partelo the entire race. Both were obviously faster, but had limited opportunity to make a pass. On final laps Murphy was searching for a way around and made a last effort on the final lap. The cars crossed the line nearly three wide.
“I hope to win one soon,” said Murphy. “But all in all it was good race. I have to thank all the SS Racing guys…they worked their butts off and gave me a great race car.”
Murphy has just two ASA Late Model Series starts. He finished 4th in his Challenge division debut and made it to the podium in his first Southern division start. The team is now preparing for their second Challenge Division race March 31st at Music City Motorplex in Nashville, Tenn.
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