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The Orange County 125, the Fifth Race of the 2007 season for the ASALMS
Southern Division is next as the Orange County (NC) Speedway awaits.Posted
August 6th, 2007
By ASA Late Model Series
Lexington, Michigan (08/06/2007): The ASA Late Model Series Southern Division
Presented by GM Performance Parts 2007 Schedule is certainly a diverse one to
say the least. From North Carolina to Florida to Missouri, with stops in Alabama,
Georgia, and Tennessee, the ASALMS Southern Division Cars and Stars will and
are experiencing a wide variety of speed plants during the 2007 season.
With almost half of the 2007 Schedule on tracks that the ASALMS South didn’t visit
during its’ inaugural season in 2006, some familiarity will be very important to the
returning teams for the upcoming 2007 campaign. One track fits the bill for
familiarity. Aside from I-70 (MO) Speedway in Odessa, Missouri and Music City (TN)
Motorplex in Nashville, Tennessee, this track hosted one of the longest distance
races of the ASALMS Southern Division’s 2006 season aside from the I-70 North
VS South Shootout/World Cup 200.
The ASALMS Southern Divisions’ sixth race of the 2007 season, the extended
distance Orange County 125 is set for Saturday August 11, 2007 at the fast 0.375
Mile High-Banked Paved Oval of the Orange County (NC) Speedway, located just
South of the Virginia/North Carolina border and North of Raleigh/Durham in
Rougemont, North Carolina.
In addition to the ASALMS Southern Divisions’ 125-lap Feature, which will mark the
halfway point of the 2007 ASALMS Southern Division schedule, the OCS weekly
divisions of Limited Late Model Stock Cars, Grand Stocks, Southern Ground
Pounders, and Street Stocks will also be on the card.
The entry form for the Orange County 125 is available and due at the ASALMS
Home Offices in Lexington, Michigan by TODAY Monday August 6, 2007 to avoid
late fees. You can download the Orange County 125 Entry Form by clicking on the
link provided:
Orange County 125 Entry Form
“Our ASALMS Southern Division teams just loved going to Orange County last
season and we knew when we were putting together the 2007 schedule that the
Orange County Speedway was definitely returning one way or the other.”
Remarked ASALMS Co-Founder/President, Ron Varney. “This will be a very
exciting event and coming off our weekend at Bristol the weekend before, our
teams will be hyped up to say the least.” Varney stated.
In the ASALMS Southern Divisions’ only appearance to the fast 0.375 Mile High-
Banked Paved Oval in Rougemont, North Carolina back on August 19, 2006;
Colleyville, Texas pilot Ryan Lawler won his first career ASALMS Southern Division
Feature in the extended distance Dr. Pepper 150 Presented by Zaxby’s Real
Chicken.
Lawler took the win over 15-year-old, at the time, Dalton Zehr, who finished a
career high second while Colt James, 2006 ASALMS Southern Division Champion
and Rookie of the Year; 16-year-old James Buescher, and Josh Hamner completed
the Top Five. Hamner also holds down the ASALMS track record at OCS with a
14.009.
“The ASALMS Southern Divisions’ visit in 2006 to OCS was exciting and provided
some of our best racing for the year.” Added Kim Foushee, Director of Operations
for the Rougemont, North Carolina speed plant. “The fans remained on their feet
and eager to know when the ASALMS would return. We look forward to hosting the
ASALMS Southern Division again in 2007.” She added.
The 2007 season will see a full line-up of Late Model Stock Cars, as well as Limited
Late Model Stock Cars. In addition, Grand Stocks, Southern Ground Pounders,
and Street Stocks who make up a Regular Racing Program at OCS. The 2006
Track Champions at OCS were; Ronald Hill-Late Model Stock Cars, James Turner-
Grand Stocks, Chuck Watkins-Pure Stocks, and Matt Lofton-Limited Sportsmen.
Orange County Speedway is located in Northeastern Orange County on the site of
the original Trico Motor Speedway, which was built in the early 1960s. What
originally opened as a dirt facility was paved and is currently a 3/8ths mile (0.375)
asphalt, high-banked oval track.
The oval has 16 degree banking in the straightaway and 19 degree banking in the
turns. The banking and wide-sweeping turns make this facility the fastest 3/8 mile
track in the country. The track averages 50 feet wide, which offers plenty of room
for side by side racing among competitors.
Orange County Speedway has also, in the past, won a National Speed Award for
3/8 mile track and has won several awards from the Daytona Speedweeks and
RPM Race Promoters Workshop Awards. The facility offers grandstand seating
that follows the curvature of the track, along the front, from turn four to turn one,
which means that there is an excellent view of the track from every seat.
There is a VIP box in turn four that will accommodate 40 people in air-conditioned
comfort. This view offers a close up view of all the exciting turn four action, as well
as a fabulous view of the entire track. The VIP seating in the Main Tower
accommodates 15 fans with a bird’s eye view of the Finish Line as well as the
remainder of the track.
Orange County Speedway was one of the first tracks in the area to have live
televised Busch races. Some of the top Winston Cup stars of yesterday and today
‘cut their teeth’ in racing as regulars at OCS. The list includes Jimmy Johnson (Now
Defunct ASA National Tour), Bobby Labonte, Todd Bodine and Jeff and Ward
Burton. Jeff Gordon won his first career Busch Pole at OCS in 1991. Most recently,
Scott Riggs of Bahama, North Carolina, began his racing career here.
Over the years, many others have competed at OCS in Late Model Sportsman and
Busch Races. Some other well-known drivers that have ran at Orange County
Speedway include; Stacey Compton, Greg Davis, Peyton Sellers, Barry Beggarly,
and Stacey Puryear as well as Maurice Hill, who is still amongst the most winningest
drivers at OCS, and Timothy Peters the Late Model Stock Cars Champion in 2002
and 2003.
For more information about the Orange County Speedway, located on 9450
Highway 57 in Rougemont, North Carolina, please call during normal business
hours at: 1 (336) 364-1222 or you can log onto the tracks website at: Orange
County Speedway
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