Casey Roderick Rides Pit Strategy to Runner-Up Finish, ASA Title in All American 400

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Casey Roderick began the All American 400 on Sunday (Nov. 3) with nobody ahead of him. Piloting the No. 26, he won the pole for the famed 300-lap late model race.

As it turned out, that wasn’t a sign of the day he was set to endure.

When the green flag flew, he took the lead only to lose it after the first restart of the day. He fell back as far as 15th on lap 85. The day seemed lost. But Roderick used pit strategy to his advantage to regain valuable track position, pitting for fresh tires as the field caused multiple late yellows.

The strategy proved to be the right one. Roderick charged back through the field. On the final restart, he made a last-ditch attempt to snatch the win and came close. But Roderick ultimately came up one spot short, finishing second to Jake Garcia.

It was a positive ending to a difficult day.

“That was a hard-fought second, that’s for sure,” Roderick told Frontstretch post-race. “Just battled a tight racecar all race long. And every time we tried to free it up, we’d affect the entry to the corner and the exit of the corner. Just never could get the front end to cooperate through the center.

“But man, it was coming there at the end. I feel like some of those guys were falling off. Course we had two right sides that were fresher; you know probably 20-25 laps fresher and that helped out a lot to make some gains there toward the end.”

Roderick won the All American 400 in 2020. If there had been a few more laps, he felt he could’ve taken home the prized guitar trophy for the second time.

“I may have needed a lap or two to work the No. 35 there,” he said. “I feel like I was a little better, but just the way everything worked out on the restarts, just didn’t have enough time there to work him. But, I’m proud of these guys for working really hard all weekend. We fought hard.”

The 32-year-old didn’t take home the race-winning trophy, but he left with another one: the ASA Stars National Tour championship trophy. Roderick won the series championship after a season that included a Glass City 200 win at Toledo Speedway, eight top fives and nine top 10s.

Casey Roderick and Anthony Campi Racing are your 2024 ASA STARS National Tour Champions on both the drivers side and the owners side. 🏆@AnthonyCampi X @racewithstars pic.twitter.com/dUunliAUcD— Racing America (@RacingAmerica) November 3, 2024

The ASA title – the second one awarded in series history – adds to Roderick’s impressive resume. Among his accomplishments are one ARCA Menards Series win, two ASA Stars victories, six triumphs in the ASA CRA Super Series, a dozen in the ASA Southern Super Series and a number of wins in marquee asphalt late model events.

Roderick also has three Southern Super Series championships, two in the Show Me the Money Pro Late Model Competition at Montgomery Motor Speedway and one in the New Smyrna Speedway’s annual week-long World Series of Asphalt event. He has quite the collection of trophies throughout his career.

“Well, I add it to the list for sure,” he continued. “We’ve got a few ASA Southern Super Series titles, we’ve got that this year as well. My third overall for the last few years and fourth Blizzard Series championship this year as well. And now I get to add the ASA deal to it.”

One marquee race where he hasn’t taken home a trophy is the Snowball Derby, though Roderick does have a win in the preceding Pro Late Model Snowflake 100. In nine starts at the Derby, he has two top fives, highlighted by a fourth-place finish in 2023, along with seven top 10s.

He’d likely be a contender if he returns to the event next month. But while most competitors left Nashville with their eyes set on the Derby at Five Flags Speedway, Roderick’s participation in the race next month isn’t a guarantee.

“It’s uncertain right now but we’re going to try and make it,” he said.

Hopefully Roderick can compete in the Derby. But if he can’t make the trip to Pensacola, Fla., the Georgian ended his 2024 season on a high note with the ASA title.