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SOUTHERN
SHORT TRACK RACING NEWS
| Murphy finishes 16th at Berlin Raceway | Monday June 16, 2008 Marne, Mich. Sean Murphy qualified 8th and was inverted to the pole on Saturday night for the Tradition 200 ASA Late Model Challenge event at Berlin Raceway in Marne, Mich.
Murphy took the green flag and held the lead position for over 50-laps. His car's handling became free and Murphy slid back to 7th. Murphy held the 7th place position until the 10-minute half way break. The SS-Green Light Racing Crew led by Crew Chief Butch Miller, made adjustments that got Murphy going forward again. His car was one of the fastest in the field and he patiently and persistently gained positions.
On the final lap of the 200 lap event Murphy was side by side racing for third place. He was on the outside of Robbie Pyle and was holding his position for the pass. Pyle got loose and lost control of his car unfortunately making contact with Murphy. The #32 ASILIMITED machine was sent spinning just a few hundred feet from the finish line.
Several ASI LIMITED Employees and Associates were in the stands cheering on their driver and were frustrated with the outcome, but appreciative of their driver's effort to win.
"It was very disappointing to be looking at a third place finish and then get dropped back so many places," said Murphy. "I know Robbie (Pyle) isn't a dirty driver and he didn't get into me on purpose. This happens in close short track racing, you just don't want to be the victim as we were tonight."
Murphy was leading the point's championship when he entered the Berlin race.
"It was a pretty big blow to the points chase," expressed Murphy. "I could have settled for 4th, but I felt like we really had a 2nd or 3rd place car tonight and I wanted to give us the best finish possible. I come to races to win them not to settle."
Crew Chief, Butch Miller has over 30 years of driving experience on his young driver, and says he wouldn't have done it any differently.
"If I were in the car I would have done exactly what Sean did," said Miller. "If you have a faster car and you feel you can make a clean pass then you have to go for it. 9-times out of ten he would have got around for the position without incident."
The SS-Green Light Racing team has been through tough breaks before. Last year they nearly won several races until late race circumstances cut them short. The team plans to keep moving forward and say they won't give up on the championship until the checkered flag drops in the last race of the season.
"We have lots of racing still to go and this team doesn't ever give up," added Murphy. "Last year we had lots of bad luck and we kept fighting and wound up with the Rookie of the Year. This year we've won races and really Berlin was a solid race for us too, just a bad deal at the end. I'm already thinking about Mansfield and looking forward to having a great run there."
Murphy finished 9th in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series at Mansfield earlier this year. But he'll have another race to consider before the June 28th ASA Late Model Mansfield event in Ohio. He's entered into the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at the Milwaukee Mile this coming Friday night.
*ASILIMITED & SS-Green Light Racing would like to thank all of its employees and associates for coming out to the race track for the "River House Appreciation Night at the Races". For more on Sean Murphy & SS-Green Light Racing visit: www.SSGreenLight.com Contact: Shawn Stewart (704) 658-7265 shawn@ssgreenlight.com Have an opinion on this story? E-MAIL KARNAC to send a letter to the editor!
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