CONTACT:
Matt Kentfield, 51
Sports
(704) 455-2051,
matt@dsportsgroup.com
Sean Caisse Moving
Past Misfortune at
NHIS; Puts Focus on
Dover
ASM Setting Sights
On Repeat Victory at
The Monster Mile
CONCORD, NC
(September 18, 2006)
-- Sean Caisse and
the Andy Santerre
Motorsports team are
in contention for
the 2006 NASCAR
Busch East Series
championship.
Although their
chances for the
title took a hit
during Saturday's
running of the New
Hampshire 125 at New
Hampshire
International
Speedway, the
20-year-old driver,
his car owner and
crew chief,
four-time BES
champion Andy
Santerre, as well as
everyone involved
with the ASM
operation remain
steadfast in their
hunt for the 2006
title as the series
heads to Dover
International
Speedway on
September 23rd.
"Dover is the place
where I got my first
top-three finish of
my career last
year," said Caisse.
“The place means a
lot to me, that's
for sure. Not
surprisingly, it's
one of the places
that I really want
to win on this
series, but I think
winning there would
be more special than
anyplace else."
The other track that
Caisse wanted badly
to win at was at New
Hampshire
International
Speedway. Earlier
this season,
Caisse's #44 Casella
Waste Systems
Chevrolet was the
dominant machine on
the 1.058-mile oval
located not far from
the driver's
hometown of Pelham,
NH. Caisse
qualified on the
pole and led the
most laps, but a
tire issue in the
closing laps
resulted in a
still-satisfying
second-place finish
in July. But
because he was kept
out of victory lane,
Caisse was even more
pumped up for a
victory, and an
opportunity to close
the points gap
between himself and
championship leader
Mike Olsen in the
series' return
engagement at NHIS.
Saturday afternoon,
Caisse was again the
class of the field.
In fact, he led the
most laps for the
sixth time this
season. He started
on the outside pole,
as Bud Pole
Qualifying was
rained out and the
field was set by
owner points. Just
like in July, Caisse
checked out to a
sizable lead early
and was in the
catbird's seat as
the field was slowed
by numerous caution
flags throughout the
race. Caisse
relinquished his
lead to make a pit
stop with other
lead-pack cars while
other cars stayed at
the front of the
field. Caisse
restarted deep in
the pack, and showed
patience beyond his
years racing back to
the front without
incident. Caisse
took the lead again
at lap-55 and led
until contact with
another front–runner
started a chain of
events that caused
severe damage to the
#44. It ended the
team's chances for
victory on what
seemed to be a
banner day for ASM.
Even after what
seemed to be a
race-ending
incident, the ASM
team kept digging
with sights on the
championship. When
the smoke had
cleared and the
checkered flag flew,
Caisse had brought
home a 14th-place
finish and now
stands 56-points
behind Olsen for the
championship with
two races
remaining.
“I'm really proud of
my guys. I'm not
going to give up. I
don't know if that (NHIS
race) is the breaker
between the
championship or
not. If it is, so
be it. Things that
happen on the
racetrack are out of
my hands. There is
nothing that I can
do about it nor is
there anything I can
say that will change
it."
Rather than dwell on
the rough NHIS
weekend and avoiding
any repercussions
from the on-track
skirmishes, Caisse
and the ASM team are
already back in
their North Carolina
race shop doing what
they do best –
preparing winning
racecars that
hopefully will make
a return visit to
Dover's victory
lane. Team owner
Andy Santerre won in
the #44 machine last
season, and Caisse
will look to equal
that feat on
September 22nd,
then get in the seat
of a NASCAR Busch
Series entry for
Kevin Harvick, Inc.
the next day as he
makes his series
debut at Dover.
“There is sun on the
horizon for me and
this team. I'm
working with a great
guy in Andy
Santerre. I've got
a great deal with
Harvick. We just
have to look at
Dover as another
opportunity to close
the gap on Mike
(Olsen) and get back
to victory lane."
For more information
on Andy Santerre
Motorsports and Sean
Caisse, contact Matt
Kentfield at (704)
455-2051 and visit
the all-new online
home of ASM,
www.andysanterremotorsports.com.
