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After a successful Rookie season, Chris Fontaine has his sights set on the
2008 ASA Late Model Series Southern Division Championship.Posted January
14th, 2008
Lakeland, Florida driver, Chris Fontaine will go after the 2008 ASA Late Model
Series Southern Division Championship. But first he’ll compete at his home
track of the USA (FL) International Speedway in the Crate Late Model
Challenge 100, which is part of SpeedFest 2008 on January 24-26, 2008.
(Chris Fontaine.com Photo)
By Matt Prieur-ASA Late Model Series
Lexington, Michigan (01/14/2008): When your rookie season in the ASA Late
Model Series Presented by GM Performance Parts shows you finished Fifth
Overall and Third in the freshman title chase, most drivers would consider that
a really good year considering the talent level of all the divisions within the
ASALMS.
For Lakeland, Florida driver, Chris Fontaine though, he wasn’t happy at all
with 2007 and for 2008 wants to prove that for one, there won’t be a
“Sophomore Slump” and two, he will be going all out for the 2008 ASALMS
Southern Division Championship!
The chase for the 2008 ASALMS Southern Division Championship begins in
the Sunshine State at one of the tracks where he recorded one of his three
Fast Qualifier Awards; The Bronson (FL) Motor Speedway. The Bronson 100,
the 2008 ASALMS South Season Opener is set for Friday and Saturday March
28-29, 2008 in Bronson, Florida.
“In 2007 we established that we could be competitive and a front running team
with three Fast Qualifier Awards and some solid finishes.” Stated Fontaine as
he and his Glenden Enterprises Team prepare for the 2008 racing season.
“We are going to continue that momentum in 2008, try to get some wins, and
put together a Championship winning season!” He added.
The 2008 racing season for Fontaine and his Chris Fontaine Racing Team will
actually begin with the “Non-Points” Crate Late Model Challenge 100, which is
a part of SpeedFest 2008 on Thursday-Saturday, January 24-26, 2008 at the
USA (FL) International Speedway in his native Lakeland, Florida. Fontaine
also plans on select appearances within the ASALMS Challenge Division as
well in 2008.
“We started out last season in Chevrolets before switching over to Fords at
the halfway point of the season.” Continued the 26-year-old. “Beginning with
Lakeland, we’re going to start out with the Ford. We definitely want to win
Lakeland, no question about it, but the big picture is the 2008 ASALMS
Southern Division title and this race will be a good test for us.” He ended.
During the 2007 season in the ASALMS Southern Division, Fontaine finished
Fifth Overall and Third in the Rookie of the Year title chase racking up Three
(3) Top Five finishes with a season high of a Third in the Senoia 125
Presented by FLF Racecars at the New Senoia (GA) Raceway on September
15, 2007.
Fontaine also grabbed Six (6) Top 10 finishes and Eight (8) Top 15 showings.
Fontaine also registered a season high Three (3) Fast Qualifier Awards with
the first coming in the Camp Boggy Creek 100 Presented by Pennzoil and
Dalton Zehr Racing at the Bronson (FL) Motor Speedway.
The second Fast Time was in the same event at New Senoia Raceway where
he finished Third. The final Fast Qualifier Award came in the cancelled Seafest
100 at the Desoto (FL) Super Speedway. He finished Third in the Final 2007
ASALMS Southern Division Rookie of the Year Points Standings.
In addition, the Lakeland, Florida driver also finished 17th in limited
appearances within the ASALMS Challenge Division. In Seven (7) races, he
scored Three (3) Top 15 finishes with a season high of a 13th place finish on
Two (2) occasions.
The first came in the Glass Breaker 200 at the Toledo (OH) Speedway on April
21, 2007. His second 13th place showing was in the Benson International /
Crate American Race 200 at the Bristol (TN) Motor Speedway on August 4,
2007.
Fontaine also made two appearances in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
where he finished 17th and 20th at the Mansfield (OH) Motorsports Park and
Memphis (TN) Motorsports Park respectively.
Fontaine began his racing career in 1998 at the age of 16 driving minicup race
cars. He became interested in auto racing after spending three years playing
ice hockey on a junior league in his hometown of Lakeland, Florida.
In his first year of racing, he racked up Two Feature Wins, and finished in the
Top Five in 13 of 14 races. In 1999, Fontaine won the MMRA Minicup National
Indoor Championship as well as the North Florida Region MMRA title.
In 2000, Fontaine moved up to Late Models and got his first win in a FASCAR
feature race at Orlando (FL) Speedworld. His record for that year stood at
One Feature Win, Five Top Fives and 11 Top 10 finishes out of 20 races ran.
He took 3rd place in the 2000 FASCAR series points and 13th in the 2000
SARA series points. In 2001, the Lakeland, Florida driver moved up and ran a
limited schedule in the NASCAR All Pro Series where he finished 22nd and
26th place finish in limited appearances both seasons.
Also in 2002, Fontaine attempted to run in the NASCAR Busch Series as the
team purchased a car from veteran driver, Joe Nemechek, and with the
assistance of his team and driver Jeff Fuller, tried out for races at Dover,
Memphis, and Nashville.
In 2003, Fontaine returned to his home state of Florida and results were
immediate. With 11 Top Fives and an impressive 16 Top 10s out of 35 races.
He finished 13th in the 2003 FASCAR points, and Ninth in the Desoto (FL)
Super Speedway based All-American Challenge Series Points Standings,
despite having missed several races in each series.
Fontaine started the 2004 season off with a win in the first All-American
Challenge Series event and ended the 2004 season with another win in the
next to last AACS series race of the year. Throughout the season, he
recorded Two Feature Wins, Six Top Fives, and Nine Top 10 showings out of
16 total races in the series to clinch fifth place in the 2004 AACS series points
standings.
He also appeared in the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series and I-Power Dash
Series. In 2005, he finished Third in the Florida Triple Crown points. He also
finished Ninth in the 2005 AACS points and 10th in the FASCAR Sunbelt
Super Series points, despite not running the full schedule of races in each
series.
Fontaine accumulated Five Top Five finishes and 12 Top 10s out 23 Super
Late Model races he raced in during 2005. He also made three appearances
in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck races driving for Bobby Hamilton Racing.
During the 2006 season, Fontaine finished second in points in the All
American Challenge Series Desoto. In addition, he competed in traveling
FASCAR Sunbelt Series where he finished a solid 10th in the final points
standings. Overall in 2006, Fontaine recorded Two Feature Wins, 12 Top
Fives and an impressive 19 Top 10’s out of 25 races.
To learn more about Chris Fontaine and the Glenden Enterprises Racing
Team, log onto their website at: Glenden Enterprises
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