Backstretch Motorsports

Indianapolis, Indiana (08/01/2007): To say that the last few weeks of 37-year-old Peter Cozzolino’s Racing Career have been busy would be the understatement of the season! Taking a look at the last couple of races on the Cozzolino Motorsports schedule, one would think a vacation would be in the works!

After a dramatic finish at the Motor Mile (VA) Speedway in Radford, Virginia that saw the Hoosier State veteran record his first career ASA Late Model Series Challenge Division Feature Win after a severe crash at the end of the race, Cozzolino took that very same car to the next ASALMS Northern Division show, the very next weekend, to the Rockford (IL) Speedway in Loves Park, Illinois and came home with a Top Five finish!

Now the Indianapolis, Indiana veteran will head out to the biggest race in the ASALMS’ Five-Year history this Friday and Saturday August 3-4, 2007 for the Benson International/Crate American Race 200 at the world famous Bristol (TN) Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee. The Bristol event is also the Ninth Race of the Fifth Anniversary 2007 Season in the ASALMS Challenge Division.

“Man I need a vacation.” Laughed Cozzolino as he looked back on the hectic last two weekends of the 2007 season. “After our wreck at Motor Mile, we took that same car, bolted on new parts, and came out to Rockford and raced! The rear end was and still is way out of shape on the car, but we figured, well it’s Rockford, let’s fix it up and see what happens!” He stated.

“We worked around the clock putting that car back together. It needed a rear end, front clip and 3/4s of a body.” Explained the Indianapolis, Indiana veteran. “Plus I’ve finally sold my house and have a closing next week when we get back from Bristol, so we've had some things to take care of there also, plus we’re getting ready for Bristol!”

As for Rockford, and after qualifying 12th in the 33-car field on the fast and tight 0.292 Mile High-Banked Paved Oval in Loves Park, Illinois; Cozzolino quietly picked his way through the pack and soon found himself in Fifth spot with 20 laps to go.

After contact with Anthony Danta sent Cozzolino around in Turn Two, ASALMS Officials deemed Danta the cause of the caution and placed Cozzolino back into Fifth, which is where he stayed the rest of the event, which was won by Wheaton, Illinois veteran, Eddie Hoffman.

Now the Cozzolino Motorsports Team is getting ready for the famed Bristol (TN) Motor Speedway. “Bristol is one of the few tracks I have always wanted to race. After cutting my teeth on tracks like Winchester and Salem, Bristol always seemed like the grand daddy of the high banks! This will be a monumental event for the series as well as myself and my team.” Remarked Cozzolino.

As for the dramatic checkered flag finish at Motor Mile with Pat Bourdow Memorial Rookie of the Year Points Leader, Derek Thorn, The 37-year-old Hoosier State veteran reflected on the question for awhile before answering;

“At the Lap 100 halfway break, we decided to leave the car alone and make no changes as the new rights would loosen it up enough. By the middle of the second hundred the car was balanced perfectly but a little tight for a lap or two after cautions. When we got two cautions with three to go it cooled our tires off and I knew I was going to have to work for it.” Cozzolino explained.

As for the Lap 197 restart and the dramatic ending; “We got a good restart, but the car was a little tight and we weren't getting through the middle as well as the 5 car. On the last lap he got close enough to us to stick a nose under us off the apron at the last second entering the last corner. I knew it was a tough track to pass on and he was going to have to hit us to get by.” He said.

“I can’t fault him for trying as he wanted to win it as bad as I did. Unfortunately, he came up off the apron and in the end there were a few wrecked race cars.” Cozzolino continued. “We’ll take the win though, it’s not exactly how I wanted to win my first ASALMS race, but a win is a win. Now we’ll go to Bristol and hopefully we can back it up with another victory.” He ended.

In ASALMS Challenge Division competition to date, Cozzolino stands Eighth in the season long points chase in the ASALMS Challenge Division, just 34 points out of the Top Five with one Feature Win at Motor Mile, as well as Two Top Five’s, Five Top 10s, and an impressive Seven Top 15 finishes in Eight Challenge Division shows.

In the ASALMS Northern Division, Cozzolino now has Two Top Five showings with a season high of a second in the season opener at O’Reilly (IN) Raceway Park at Indianapolis; The A.S.I. Limited 100 Presented by Lucas Oil Products and Ed Martin Automotive Group back on April 28, 2007. He also has Three Top 10s and all Four events thus far have at least been a Top 15 finish. Cozzolino stands just 40 point back of Overall and Rookie points leader, Dave Gentile Jr.

In addition to his full schedule of events in the ASALMS Challenge and Northern Divisions, Cozzolino also owns and maintains his own Cozzolino Motorsports LLM E-Bay Store complete with Motorsports Chassis fabrication brackets and tabs for street rods, drag, and race frames plus New and used circle track, stock car and Late Model parts.

Cozzolino Motorsports LLP E-Bay Store also offers Steel, moly, aluminum tube and racing construction supplies. Dyno-Jet Chassis Dyno, Rhorig Shock Dyno, and Asnew Fuel Injector flow/cleaning service. To learn more about the Cozzolino Motorsports LLP E-Bay Store and to browse the latest line of products, log on to the store at: Cozzolino Motorsports LLP E-Bay Store

For the remainder of the 2007 season, Cozzolino will drive a Ford Fusion and will run in both the ASALMS Challenge and Northern Divisions carrying sponsorship from; McDonald’s Restaurants as well as Greystone Concrete, A&A Manufacturing, M.P.H. Promotions, and his own Cozzolino Motorsports LLP E-Bay Store and Cozzolino Motorsports.

To learn more about Peter Cozzolino and the Cozzolino Motorsports Team and their quest for both the 2007 ASALMS Challenge and Northern Division Championships, log onto the teams website at: Cozzolino Motorsports