Dominate Night Belongs to Nasse

Rocket Sports & Entertainment Network favorite Stephen Nasse wins emotional Hart to Heart Breast Cancer Foundation 100. (photo Rodney Meyering)

New Smyrna Beach, Fla. — After a long hot summer, fall weather is here.

Clear skies and 74 degree weather welcomed 18 Super Late models to New Smyrna Speedway for the Hart to Heart Breast Cancer Foundation 100.  A number of big name teams came down for this race to prepare for New Smyrna’s biggest race of the year, The Governors Cup 200, which is scheduled to run two weeks from now.

 Jeff Choquette, in the Jett Concretes number 9 would set the pace in qualifying, followed by Cole Anderson, Daniel Keene Jr., Stephen Nasse, Travis Cope, Tyler Ankrum, Dalton Sargeant, and Connor Okrzesik.  Choquette pulls an 8 for the invert, putting Alabama resident Okrzesik on the pole.  Brad May, David Rogers, Anthony Sergi and Rich Clouser would start back in the pack.

Nasse takes the lead on lap 6 and never looked back (photo Rodney Meyering)

Dalton Sargeant gets the jump from the outside on the start as the 14 of Okrzesik is slow, backing up the inside line.  Daniel Keene Jr makes it less than ¼ lap and slams the outside wall, ending his night.  Sargeant gets the jump on the restart, followed by Ankrum and Nasse.  Nasse is hooked up tonight and gets past Ankrum, and by lap 6, makes the pass for the lead.  RSEN readers are familiar with Stephen Nasse and he would not disappoint tonight, leading the next 94 laps to take the win.

Travis Cope (26) racing Tyler Ankrum. Ankrum finished second. (photo Rodney Meyering)

Plenty of good racing happened behind Nasse early, as Sargeant, Okrzesik, Ankrum, Cope, Choquette, May and Rogers all fight for position in the opening laps.  Sargeant settles into second and tries to reel in Nasse.  Ankum, Cope and Anderson round out the top five.  Half way through the 100 lapper and Cope signals Anderson by, Cope’s new Senneker car is having trouble breaking in, he would end up 10^th.

 The race is slowed for a caution as Anthony Sergi hit the same wall Keene Jr hit earlier.  Anderson get by Sargeant on the restart as the field spreads out.  The two number 9’s, Choquette and May battle side by side for 5^th.  Choquette wins that battle and catches Ankrum, passing him for fourth.  Another yellow slows the field, Maresca spins with 25 laps to go.

Dalton Sargeant finished third. (photo Rodney Meyering)

Nasse gets the jump on the restart and Ankrum goes low under Anderson, there is not enough room and Anderson backs his car into the turn 3 wall.  Ten to go and Nasse lead Ankrum, and Sargeant, as Choquette and May battle for 4^th.  Choquette pulls away from May and gets a fender up to Sargeant but cannot make the pass.

 Nasse takes the checkered flag after leading the last 94 laps of the Hart to Heart Breast Cancer Foundation 100.

 Unofficial Results:

 1             Nasse                   51

Seventh place finisher Rich Clouser (Rodney Meyering)

2             Ankrum                58

3             Sargeant              55

4             Choquette           9

5             May                      9M

6             Rogers                 11

7             Clouser                77

8             Okrzesik               14

9             Cataldi                 00

10           Cope                     26

11           Hoelzle                 8

12           Comman              30C

13           Anderson             97

14           Maresca              14M

15           Woodward          28W

16           Sergi                     20

17           Bessette              117

18           Keene Jr               5K

In his victory lane interview, Nasse said that he lost his grandmother to breast cancer 15 years ago, and he and his team would donate all of tonight’s winning to the Hart family Breast cancer foundation.  The track owner’s, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Hart have set up a 501 c 3, non-profit, to raise money for local breast cancer survivors.  100% of the proceeds go to the cause, all administration fees, etc., are paid by the Hart family.  New Smyrna Speedway general manager, Kim Brown, is currently dealing with breast cancer, and your truly recently (2 weeks ago), had a 18 mm cancerous tumor removed from my rectum. Cancer is a horrendous disease, and I would like to personally thank the Hart family for all they do.

 FULL RODNEY MEYERING PHOTO GALLERY BELOW