The stars and cars of the ASA STARS National Tour returned to Ohio’s Toledo Speedway Saturday for the Glass City 200, a marquee Super Late Model contest.
The historic short track event at an even more historic facility provided a plethora of storylines when all was said and done.
From Dawson Sutton’s victorious redemption to a stellar run for young gun Max Reaves, here are our takeaways from ASA’s visit to the Buckeye State.
Sutton’s Victory Serves as Redemption after 2024 Calamity
The 2024 Glass City 200 at Toledo Speedway didn’t end the way that Sutton would have hoped, with an unfortunate incident resulting in heavy damage to his Rackley WAR machine. Sutton’s right-front tire even exited the track and flew into the parking lot as a result of the crash.
This year’s edition of the event provided a complete reversal of the previous year’s finish, with the Lebanon, Tenn. native scoring his second ASA STARS National Tour victory. The result was huge for Sutton and his Rackley WAR team, who also compete full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
Sutton’s performance appeared to be fueled even more by the lackluster result from last year’s running, with the young racer having an all-around dominant evening. He won the pole and ended up leading 155 of the 200 laps in a comfortable win.
Sutton also looks to be on a hot streak in ASA STARS competition, with a win and a runner-up finish the last time out at Owosso Speedway. While an ASA STARS National Tour championship might be out of reach, Sutton at least looks ready to close out the 2025 season on a high note as we approach Crown Jewel season.
Bubba Pollard’s Hot Streak Comes to an Abrupt End
It appeared that all was swell for Pollard and crew heading into Toledo. The operation out of Senoia, Ga., had recently scored big victories in Super Late Model competition, even claiming the most recent ASA STARS event at Owosso Speedway.
Unfortunately, that momentum quickly changed hands for Pollard on Saturday. Issues struck early on in the Glass City 200, as contact with Ty Majeski brought Pollard’s night to an unfortunate end just 40 laps into the 200-lap contest. The incident resulted in Pollard sustaining heavy damage to both the front and rear ends of his no. 26 Super Late Model.
At the time of the crash, Pollard was running in the top five. After starting the race from the 12th position, it appeared that the veteran had the speed to work his way through the field. But it was all for naught.
Despite winning at Cordele Motor Speedway with the ASA Southern Super Series just one week prior to visiting Toledo Speedway, Pollard now has to regroup and recover financially after a costly end to his night in Ohio.
The wreck comes at a costly time of the year as well, with the field preparing to enter Super Late Model racing’s Crown Jewel season. Pollard will have his work cut out for him to ensure that he recaptures some momentum heading into Winchester 400 weekend in October.
Impressive Showing from Young Gun Max Reaves
Despite an astonishingly dominant year in ARCA Menards Series competition, things weren’t going as smoothly for Reaves throughout his limited Super Late Model starts in 2025. But that all changed with the young wheelman’s podium effort in Saturday’s Glass City 200.
After qualifying third, Reaves would go on to lead 31 of 200 laps. The 15-year-old racer even overcame a spin in the first half of the event, ultimately coming back to finish in third position.
The result was the first podium in Super Late Model competition for Reaves, with the Glass City 200 serving as the North Carolina native’s first start in ASA STARS National Tour competition. Before this particular feat at Toledo, the highlight of Reaves’ Super Late Model tenure was a 10th-place effort in a June ASA Southern Super Series event at Five Flags Speedway.
It’s fitting that a facility with as much ARCA history as Toledo Speedway would see a skilled ARCA Menards Series competitor like Reaves have success. The third-place run in this year’s Glass City 200 should serve as an important stepping stone if Reaves continues to participate across short track circles.
The next event for the ASA STARS National Tour will be the 54th Winchester 400 at the famed Winchester Speedway. The race will be streamed live on TrackTV, with a tape-delayed broadcast airing later on the RACER Network.
