ROCHESTER - There is nothing like a little home cooking. Just ask Tom Sweatman, who opened the ASA Northwest NASCAR Tour with a victory Saturday night at the South Sound Speedway.
Sweatman, from Cosmopolis, grabbed the lead on lap 30 and led the rest of the 150 in winning the season opener of the ASA Aero Exhaust Tour. This is the 23rd season of the tour, but the first under this sponsorship.
"I did not even know I was going to race until early this week and then win; it is awesome," Sweatman said. "Brandon Riehl showed up at my shop with this car and told me I was going to use it to race with. It was all a surprise to me and what a way to end it."
Sweatman calls South Sound his home track and his three NW Tour victories have all come at the 3/8-mile oval.
Therefore, the home track advantage paid a big dividend?
"I don't know if that was the case or the fast car provided by Riehl," Sweatman said.
The home track was a factor as the top three finishers are all from the area.
Ron Eaton, Spanaway, was the pole sitter and led the first 30 laps before Sweatman overtook him. Eaton slipped to third but was back in second by lap 50 and stayed there the rest of the night.
Eaton has won nine of his NW Tour-best 41 victories at South Sound. Eaton has finished in the top five in five of the last nine NW Tour races at South Sound.
Jay Sauls, Puyallup, was third. The second-year driver was visibly excited about finishing on the podium.
Sauls overtook Riehl for third on lap 60. He was sailing along when he was caught and passed by Jason Fraser with 12 laps to go. However, the youngster fought back on the outside, as the two were side-by-side for four laps when a slight bobble by Fraser allowed Sauls to move into third. It was the most spirited battle of the event and had the packed crowed buzzing after the race.
Fraser wound up fourth while Matt Hall was fifth.
The tour travels to Yakima for its next race on May 26.
