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ASA Late Model Series drivers make their presence felt in ARCA RE/MAX
Series Testing at Daytona (FL) International Speedway.
By: Matt Prieur-ASA Late Model Series
(Daytona International Speedway Logo) (ARCA RE/MAX Series Logo)
Lexington, Michigan (12/18/2007): The 2007 racing season is over throughout
the United States. Although some local facilities in the state of Florida and
other parts of the country are able to run straight through the calendar year,
other series’ are already gearing up for the 2008 campaign.
The Toledo, Ohio based ARCA RE/MAX Series conducted a three-day test
session at the world famous Daytona (FL) International Speedway in Daytona
Beach, Florida and the ASA Late Model Series Presented by GM Performance
Parts certainly made their presence felt.
2006 ASALMS Southern Division Champion and Rookie of the Year, James
Buescher was the fastest car overall of the three-day test as the Plano, Texas
driver, who at 16 years old became the youngest driver in ASALMS history to
win the Overall title and Rookie honors, timed in at 182.960 MPH during
Drafting Practice.
Earlier in 2007, Buescher, driving for Country Joe Racing, became the
youngest driver in ARCA RE/MAX Series history to win a race when he was
victorious in the Construct Corps-Palm Beach Grading 250 on March 24, 2007
at the USA (FL) International Speedway in Lakeland, Florida. In single car
testing, Buescher was Fourth fastest in a Dodge Charger.
Other notables ASALMS drivers on hand included soon to be 18-year-old (On
December 31st) John Wes Townley who was third fastest in Drafting Practice
and 12th quick in single car runs as the Watkinsville, Georgia driver was
testing for RAB Racing and as driving a Ford Fusion.
Townley, who won his first ASALMS Feature on September 15, 2007 at the
New Senoia (GA) Raceway in an ASALMS Southern Division event, was
turning his first laps ever on a track bigger than a mile.
Eudora, Kansas driver, 18-year-old Chase Austin, who ran full-time in the
ASALMS in 2005 and part-time in 2006, steered his Rusty Wallace Inc.,
Chevrolet Monte Carlo Sixth quick in Drafting Practice while Hendrick
Motorsports Development Driver, 18-year-old Landon Cassill prepared for his
2008 season as the Fairfax, Iowa driver was 16th in Draft Practice in a
Chevrolet Monte Carlo.
More drivers with ties to the ASALMS that were in the Sunshine State included
Des Moines, Iowa native and Bill Davis Racing Development Driver, 21-year-
old Michael Annett, who won the ARCA RE/MAX 250 on October 5, 2007 at the
famed Talladega (AL) Superspeedway and became the first driver in ARCA
RE/MAX Series history to do so in a Toyota Camry.
Second runner-up in the 2007 Pat Bourdow Memorial Rookie of the Year title
chase in the ASALMS Challenge Division, Clarkston, Michigan pilot, Michael
Simko, who finished third in the Hantz Group 200 presented by Belle Tire on
October 14, 2007 at Toledo (OH) Speedway during the 2007 ARCA RE/MAX
Series Season Championships, was on hand as well in a Chevrolet Monte
Carlo.
2006 ASALMS Northern Division Champion, 18-year-old Jesse Smith, who
made his ARCA RE/MAX Series debut in the same race that Simko finished
third in on October 14, 2007 at the Toledo Speedway, turned his first laps ever
on the historic 2.500 Mile High-Banked Paved Oval in a Dodge Charger.
Other drivers included 2007 PASS North Series Rookie of the Year, Trevor
Sanborn, who has one ASALMS start on his resume at the Music City (TN)
Motorplex on November 5, 2005. Also ARCA regular, Phillip McGilton, who
made one ASALMS appearance back on October 14, 2005 at the Iowa (IA)
Speedway.
The ARCA RE/MAX Series opens their 2008 Racing Season on Saturday
February 9, 2008 at Daytona in the running of the Daytona 200, which can be
seen LIVE on SPEED beginning at 4:00p.m. (EST). Later that night the
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will run in the Bud Shootout, which will also be
televised LIVE on FOX beginning at 8:00p.m.
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The next official gathering of the entire ASA Late Model Series will be the 2007
ASA Late Model Series Awards Banquet and Weekend of Champions, which is
set for Friday and Saturday January 18-19, 2008 at the Clarion Hotel and
Conference Center in Louisville, Kentucky.
Banquet Tickets are available! Banquet tickets must be ordered by Monday
January 7, 2008 for seating arrangement purposes. Attendance is mandatory
for teams receiving Points Finds Winnings. Tickets for the banquet must be
purchased in advance through the ASALMS Office.
To download the 2007 ASA Late Model Series Awards Banquet and Weekend
of Champions Ticket Order Form, click on the link provided: 2007 ASA Late
Model Series Awards Banquet and Weekend of Champions Ticket Order Form
In addition, special awards will be handed out throughout the ceremony, voted
on by their peers, and will be handed out as well as the 2007 ASALMS Most
Popular Driver Award, voted on by the great fans of the ASALMS, will be
announced as well.
To download the 2007 ASA Late Model Series National Awards Ballot, click on
the link provided and simply copy and paste this form into your writing
program, fill it out, and return it to the ASALMS by Friday December 21, 2007
2007 ASA Late Model Series National Awards Ballot
One weekend after the 2007 ASALMS Awards Banquet and Weekend of
Champions, the 2008 racing season gets underway as the Entry Form for the
first race of the 2008 season; The Non-Points Crate Late Model Challenge,
which is part of SpeedFest 2008 at the USA (FL) International Speedway in
Lakeland, Florida on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday January 24-25-26, 2008
is Available!
The Non-Points 100-lap Feature, to be run on Saturday January 26, 2008 will
see SpeedFest officials oversee the entire event with technical support from
ASA Late Model Series Tech Staff.
The entire weekend will be under the direction of Glenn Luckett and R.J. Scott
of CRA Super Series as well as Don Nerone of FASCAR. ASALMS Rules Will
Apply and the Goodyear 2602 Tires Must Be Purchased and Impounded at the
Track. ASALMS Licenses are NOT Required for this event.
All Cars #'s must carry an “N” or “S” Designation. South Cars will be from
Florida, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi. This is Subject to Change. No
Duplicate #'s. Contact Glenn Luckett at: 1 (812) 883-0455 to confirm.
The Crate Motor Challenge / SpeedFest 2008 Entry Form is Available and will
be $100.00 to enter and will be due at the USA International Speedway Offices
in Lakeland, Florida by Friday January 11, 2008. Otherwise it's $150.00 to
enter.
To download the Crate Motor Challenge / SpeedFest 2008 Entry form, click on
the link provided: Crate Motor Challenge / SpeedFest 2008 Entry Form
For more information about the 2007 ASA Late Model Series Awards Banquet
and Weekend of Champions as well as the 2008 seasons within all four
divisions of the ASALMS, you can call the ASALMS home offices during normal
business hours Monday through Friday 9:00am-5:00pm (EST) at: 1 (800) 385-
2503.
Also of note, the ASALMS Home Office in Lexington, Michigan will be closed for
the Christmas Holiday beginning at 5:00p.m. (EST) on Friday December 21,
2007 and will reopen on Wednesday December 26, 2007 at 9:00a.m. (EST).
The ASALMS Offices will then close once again for the New Years Holiday
beginning at 5:00p.m. (EST) on Friday December 28, 2007 and will reopen to
begin the New Year on Wednesday January 2, 2008 at 9:00a.m. (EST) and on
that day, the ASALMS will kick of the 2008 ASALMS Media Blitz 2008.
You can also log onto any of the three websites for more information
concerning the 2007 season. For the Challenge Division, go to: ASALMS
Challenge Division For the Northern Division and USPRO Cup Series, log in at:
ASALMS Northern Division and finally for the Southern Division click on:
ASALMS Southern Division
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