A History of the Glass City 200 Part No.3 – The Twin-100 Years
A History of the Glass City 200 Part No.3 – The Twin-100 Years
The history of the Glass City 200 can be broken up into three phases – the early years, the Outlaw Super Late Model era, and the Twin 100’s. We’ll take a look at each iteration of the marquee event in a three-part series, going from the early days of the Glass City 200 to the 2023 edition, the first as a template-bodied Super Late Model event.
READ MORE: A History of the Glass City 200 Part No.1 – The Early Years
READ MORE: A History of the Glass City 200 Part No.2 – The Outlaw SLM Years
Part No.3 – The Twin-100 Years
The 2017 Glass City 200 brought changes to the marquee race. The event was split into a 100-lap Outlaw Super Late Model race and a 100-lap ASA/CRA Super Series race, bringing the stars of template-bodied Super Late Model racing to the Glass City 200 for the first time.
The Outlaw SLM portion saw three former winners duke it out for the win, with JR Roahrig holding off Terry Senneker and Tyler Roahrig for his second Glass City win. It also served as the season finale for the Sweet Manufacturing Outlaw Super Late Model Series season, with Tyler Roahrig becoming the first and only champion of the series.
Meanwhile, 2012 runner-up Johnny VanDoorn and two-time winner Harold Fair Jr ran away from the field in the ASA/CRA Super Series race, with VanDoorn taking the win by 1.6 seconds. Third-place finisher Tyler Ankrum was over 12 seconds back at the finish, and was the last car on the lead lap.
A Roahrig would go back to Glass City victory lane in 2018, but this time it was 2016 winner Tyler Roahrig taking the win over 2023 Kalamazoo Klash winner Brian Bergakker and former NASCAR Pinty’s Series (Canada) champion Cayden Lapcevich. He took the lead from Steve Needles with 31 to go to give the Roahrig family their fourth win in five years.
2007 winner Brian Campbell was well on his way to becoming the first driver with Outlaw and Template wins at the Glass City 200, but his motor had other plans. Current NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver Tyler Ankrum inherited the lead with 25 to go and won his first-career Super Late Model race over Kyle Crump and Michael Simko.
The 2019 Outlaw SLM race appeared to be all Steve Needles after early exits from top stars Tyler Roahrig, Jeff Ganus and Frank Jiovani, but a $1 gasket failed under yellow and knocked him out of the race while leading with 12 to go. This opened the door for Canadian Cayden Lapcevich, who lead the rest of the way to give car owner Bobby Blount and the “Sweet 16” his first Glass City win ahead of Crump and JR Roahrig.
After missing the 2018 CRA race due to illness, Johnny VanDoorn returned in 2019 and proceeded to win his second Template race at the Glass City 200 by over eight seconds, leaving just the top four on the lead lap. Just like in the Outlaw race earlier that night, Crump was second followed by two-time ASA/CRA Super Series champion Josh Brock.
After a $1 gasket kept Steve Needles out of victory lane the year before, Steve Needles returned with a vengeance and captured that long-awaited Glass City 200 win. He took the lead from Brian Bergakker with 28 to go and led the rest of the way, holding off Toledo/Flat Rock Speedway favorite Frank Jiovani and defending winner Lapcevich for the win.
Current NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series playoff competitor Carson Hocevar made the most of his first Glass City appearance, taking the win in dominating fashion out of current NASCAR Xfinity Series racer Sammy Smith and Lapcevich, who had set fast time for both Outlaw and CRA races that year. The CRA race that year was loaded with the likes of NASCAR Truck Series regular Jake Garcia, former ASA/CRA Super Series champions Josh Brock, Greg Van Alst, and Cody Coughlin, and two-time Glass City 200 winner Harold Fair Jr.
Cayden Lapcevich won his second Glass City Outlaw SLM race in three years in 2021, with this one in more dominating fashion than his first one. He took the lead on lap 20 and ran away with the race, taking the checkered flag by over six seconds ahead of former winners Harold Fair Jr and Dennis Strickland.
The Template race featured late-race calamity and a photo finish. It first appeared to be a repeat of 2020, with Hocevar running away with it through the middle stages of the race. However, a series of late yellows forced Hocevar back to third. Blake Rowe passed good friend Kyle Crump in the last corner and beat him to the line in a photo finish to earn his first-career Super Late Model win. Crump has finished second four times in Glass City races, but that first win still remains elusive.
Last year’s Glass City 200 was the last one under the Twin-100s format. Multi-disciplined racer Trevor Berry jumped into the Bobby Blount-owned No.16 and give the Indiana native his third Glass City win in four years. Berry took the lead from Connor Zbozien on a lap 54 restart and was chased by former winners JR Roahrig and Steve Needles to the finish.
The CRA race featured the battle of Wilson Motorsports teammates at the front of the field. Jesse Love led 78 laps with William Sawalich on his tail, checking out on the field in the process. Sawalich made his move on lap 83, taking the lead and becoming the youngest winner in Glass City history at 15 years old. Love and Michael Simko rounded out the podium.
The 2023 Glass City 200 begins a new era in the event. For the first time, it will be a 200-lap template-bodied Super Late Model race, sanctioned by the ASA STARS National Tour and ASA/CRA Super Series. The Outlaw Super Late Models have been added to the ARCA Menards Series finale on Saturday, October 7.
The ASA STARS National Tour heads to Toledo Speedway on Saturday, September 16 for the Glass City 200 Presented by DTS Drive Train Specialists and Courtyard by Marriott. Tickets are on sale now at toledospeedway.com/glasscity200tickets.
The Glass City 200 will be co-sanctioned with the ASA/CRA Super Series, the fifth race of the CRA season. Gio Ruggiero leads the ASA/CRA Super Series points standings over Logan Bearden.
The ASA STARS National Tour opened the ten race, six-state schedule at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, FL on March 11. Ty Majeski is the most recent winner, claiming the victory in the Gandrud Auto Group 250 on Tuesday, August 1.
For the full ASA STARS National Tour schedule, plus Super Late Model rules and other information, please visit the series website at starsnationaltour.com, or be sure to follow the series on social media (Facebook: STARS National Series | Twitter: @racewithstars | IG: @starsnational).
About the Glass City 200
The 35th Running of the Glass City 200 Presented by DTS Drive Train Specialists and Courtyard by Marriott roars to life under the ASA STARS National Tour banner in Toledo on Saturday, September 16th. Built in 1960, Toledo Speedway first hosted its signature event in 1968, providing some of the most memorable moments in Ohio pavement short track racing history. Local and national stars alike have raced in this historic event at Toledo Speedway, with a deep wins list that includes Joy Fair, Bob Senneker, Joe Ruttman, Danny Byrd, John Anderson, Brian Campbell, Junior Hanley, Harold Fair, Augie Grill, Johnny Van Doorn, J.R. and Tyler Roahrig, Tyler Ankrum, Carson Hocevar and many others. Click here for a full list of Glass City 200 winners. New in 2023, the return to the 200-lap main event will prove to be a new endurance test for many of the top drivers in the country. You can get your tickets now for this race by clicking the link.
ASA STARS National Tour
The ASA STARS National Tour debuted in March of 2023 for Super Late Model racing in America. Announced last October, many of the best drivers in America will compete in the ten-race national tour with a minimum $100,000 point fund. The championship team will be guaranteed $25,000.
The ASA STARS National Tour is made up of three races from each of the regional pavement Super Late Model Series under the Track Enterprises banner; the ASA CRA Super Series, the ASA Midwest Tour and the ASA Southern Super Series.
The Team Construction Winner’s Circle program has been announced as a part of the ASA STARS National Tour for licensed drivers/teams with perfect attendance. The program provides additional financial incentives to those teams who support the Series, thanks to Team Construction.
Track Enterprises, a Racing Promotions Company based in Illinois, will operate the ASA STARS National Tour. It announced the acquisition of the CRA sanctioning body in January and followed that up with the purchase of the Midwest Tour in July. In October, Track Enterprises President, Bob Sargent announced a partnership with the Southern Super Series which set the table for the formation of the ASA STARS National Tour.