West Allis, Wisconsin-- The 2006 season for the ASA Late Model Series Presented by GM Performance Parts is coming together nicely and the anticipation is building at a tremendous rate. All three 2006 schedules in the three touring series, the ASA Late Model Challenge Division as well as the ASA Late Model Series Northern and Southern Divisions are in the process of being announced to the racing world.
In addition to the three schedules that are about to be released in the coming days, a major announcement came out in a press conference held at the famed Milwaukee Mile in West Allis, Wisconsin earlier today (October 20, 2005). ASA Late Model Series Founder/President, Ron Varney, formally announced the television package for the 2006 ASA Late Model Challenge Series! 10 of the scheduled events to be held in 2006 for the ASA Late Model Challenge Division will be nationally televised on a tape delay basis on the cable network, The Outdoor Channel!
“I’m just ecstatic about the television deal, this brings back a tradition the fans of the old ASA tour had grown accustomed too,” offered Varney. “With the exposure the series will get on a great network like The Outdoor Channel, the possibilities and the potential for the ASA Late Model Series itself, our fans, and especially are teams are endless!,” Continued Varney. “Look at where we were just a few years ago in 2003 with the formation of the USPRO Cup Series and look where we’re at today with the current ASA Late Model Series.,” Varney added. “We now have three different traveling series’! This is beyond my wildest dreams when I envisioned the direction of the series’,” He added.
To learn more about The Outdoor Channel, go to their website at: www.outdoorchannel.com
In addition to the television announcement, Varney and Milwaukee Mile General Manager, Gary Girard also jointly announced the return of call letters, ASA, to the famed one-mile track located just outside of Milwaukee, Wisconsin! The ASA Late Model Challenge Series will headline the Saturday portion of the prestigious Governor’s Cup Weekend to be held August 25-27, 2006.
“We welcome the ASA Late Model Challenge Series to The Milwaukee Mile. This 150-mile event will be a highlight on our August 25-27 Governor’s Cup Weekend, with a Saturday afternoon shootout we know our fans will enjoy,” Girard said after the announcement was made. “With what will be the largest track the ASA Late Model Challenge Series will compete on in 2006, we look forward to working with Ron Varney and his staff in putting on a great race, building on the tradition of stock car racing dating back to 1948 here at America’s Legendary Oval,” Added Girard.
Since 1903, The Milwaukee Mile has been one of the premier venues in American motorsports. Nearly every major auto racing sanction body has hosted events at The Mile through its century of existence. The roster of past winners at the track includes the greatest names in both open wheel and stock car racing. A listing of ASA drivers that have won at Milwaukee is also stacked with accomplished "name" competitors.
The historical ASA National Tour has had a prominent place in the stock car history at The Milwaukee Mile, holding 35 events there since 1978. Starting with the first ASA event at the Mile on May 7, 1978, the historical ASA’s all-time wins leader, Bob Senneker recorded that first ASA victory at the Milwaukee Mile.
Other winners throughout the years at the Mile include, Wisconsin Legend, Dick Trickle as well as the late Alan Kulwicki. Other winners on that impressive list include, Mark Martin, Rusty Wallace, Jim Sauter, Butch Miller, Seven-time ASA National Champion, Mike Eddy, Johnny Benson Jr., three-time ASA National Champion, Kevin Cywinski, Mike Garvey, the late Joe Shear and most recently, Wisconsin’s own, Bryan Reffner on August 29, 2004.
“This has been a great day for the ASA Late Model Series,” Added Varney. “With the television package coming together, plus we get to go back to one of the most prestigious tracks in the country in the Milwaukee Mile, this is just mind-numbing! Milwaukee Mile and ASA share a solid history and a solid tradition together. To be able to resume that tradition at the Mile with the ASA Late Model Challenge Series is definitely a huge feather in the Series’ cap.”
Varney then added; “The whole ASA Late Model Series family; The Drivers, Fans, Crews, Teams, Officials, everybody. Every single one of us should all be very proud today! Without a shadow of a doubt, Today is the biggest day in the history of the ASA Late Model Series!” He ended.
To learn more about the historical Milwaukee Mile, log on to their website at: www.milwaukeemile.com
The ASA Late Model Series Presented by GM Performance Parts will close out the 2005 season on Saturday October 29th for the conclusion of the 40th annual National Short Track Championships at the Rockford (IL) Speedway in Loves Park, Illinois. Current ASA Late Model Series Points Leader, Stephen Leicht and Rockford_s own hometown favorite, Ryan Carlson will lead the field to the green flag to start the Chicago International Trucks/Season Championships 100 to close out the 2005 season.
Leicht merely needs to take the green flag and the 18-year-old Asheville, North Carolina native, one of the Young Lions of the ASA Late Model Series, will clinch the 2005 ASA Late Model Series Championship! In addition, Brian Campbell, the current Pat Bourdow Memorial Rookie of the Year Points Leader, just needs to start the Chicago International Trucks/Season Championships 100 and the Grand Rapids, Michigan pilot will clinch the freshman crown! Mark Hartline has already won the 2005 GM Performance Parts Shootout Points Championship.
For more information about the remaining 2005 season as well as the approaching 2006 season with the ASA Late Model Challenge Division, the ASA Late Model Series Northern and Southern Divisions; check out their websites at: www.asalatemodelsnorth.com and www.asalatemodelssouth.com You can also call the ASA Late Model Series home offices at 1 (800) 385-2503 or log onto the main website at: www.asalatemodels.com
ASA LATE MODEL CHALLENGE 2006 SCHEDULE
PRESENTED BY GM PERFORMANCE PARTS
Tentative – subject to change
April 23rd……………….TBA
May 27th……………..Madison International Speedway – Oregon, WI
June 10th………………Oswego Speedway – Oswego, NY
June 14th………………Berlin Raceway – Marne, MI (tentative)
July 8th……………….I-70 Speedway, Odessa, MO
July 21st ……………..Hawkeye Downs Speedway – Cedar Rapids, IA (tentative)
July 29th……………..Jennerstown Speedway – Jennerstown, PA
August 12thth…………..TBA
August 26th…………...Milwaukee Mile – Milwaukee, WI
September 3rd………..Elko Speedway – Elko, MN
October 14th .. ………Iowa Speedway – Newton, IA
ASA LATE MODEL SOUTH 2006 SCHEDULE
PRESENTED BY GM PERFORMANCE PARTS
Tentative – subject to change
March 4th ……..………… Bronson Motor Speedway – FL
April 1st …………………. Huntsville Speedway – AL (tentative)
April 29th………………… Beech Bend Park – KY
May 13th…………………. Five Flags Speedway - FL
May 20th ………………… Riverview Speedway – TN (Tentative)
June 3rd………………….. Southern National Speedway - NC
June 17th………………… Hickory Speedway – NC
August 5th………………… Radford Motor Mile - VA
September 23rd …………… Florence – SC (tentative)
September 16th …………… I-70 Speedway– MO ( special event N/S Allstar Champ) – (tentative)
October 21st ……………… Beech Bend Park – KY (Last Southern Points Race)
ASA LATE MODEL NORTH 2006 SCHEDULE
PRESENTED BY GM PERFORMANCE PARTS
Tentative – subject to change
May 6th………………I-70 Speedway – Odessa, MO
May 20th………………….Lake Geneva – Lake Geneva, WI
June 9th……………..Lake Erie Speedway – Erie, PA –
June 17th……………Jennerstown Speedway – Jennerstown, PA
June 24th ……………..Sandusky Speedway – Sandusky, OH
July 1st……………..Angola Motor Speedway – Angola, IN
July 14th…………….. Motordrome Speedway – Smithton, PA
August 4th ……………Madison International – Oregon, WI
August 18th…………..Kalamazoo Speedway – Kalamazoo, MI
August 19th…………..Berlin Speedway – Marne, MI (Tentative)
September 1st………..Hawkeye Downs Speedway – Cedar Rapids, IA (tentative)
September 16th………….I-70 Speedway Championship Race – MO (N/S Championship)
September 23rd-24th….Rockford Speedway – Rockford, IL
October 6th……………LaCrosse Speedway – West Salem, WI
