YAKIMA, Calif. -- The ASA Aero Exhaust Northwest Tour makes its 1st stop of the 2007 season at South Sound Speedway this Saturday for 150-laps. This marks the return of the NW Tour to this storied race track after a five year hiatus.
The Track: South Sound Speedway (SSS) is a banked 3/8-mile oval that ranks as the fastest 3/8’s on the ‘West Coast’
Home Track: Tour veterans Tom Sweatman and Ron Eaton consider South Sound Speedway as their home track. Sweatman won the track Super Stock Championship in 2005. Eaton a three time NW Tour Champion has a large number of his career wins at SSS. In his third year on the NW Tour Auburn’s Jeff Barkshire has been successful at SSS with a win of the Miller 200 in 2004. Coming off a great NWT rookie season in 2006 Jay Sauls grew up watching races at SSS.
Longer Distance: The normal distance for a NW Tour race at SSS was 100-125-laps. In 2007 the distance has lengthened to 150-laps. This will be a true test of tire management with the Tour changing to a proven but unknown tire for the veterans. The Goodyear tire that will be used has been a great short track tire but untested by the NW Tour. A Friday May 4 practice from 4 – 8 p.m., will be a big help for the teams.
Tour History: The NW Tour started in 1985 and has spring boarded many NW divers into stardom. Former drivers that got their start are Derrick Cope (1990 Daytona 500 winner); Chad Little (NASCAR Busch Series, currently NASCAR Director of Racing Development, Mexico); Mike Bliss (2002 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Champion and current Nextel Cup); Dirk Stephens (NASCAR Busch Series); Tobey Butler (NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series); Greg Biffle (2000 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Champion, 2002 NASCAR Busch Series Champion and current regular top ten finisher of the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series); Kevin Hamlin (Current Busch Series).
Where: South Sound Speedway, Rochester, Washington
When: 6:30 p.m. Saturday May 5, 2007
Track Layout: 3/8-mile oval
Race Length: 150 laps/46.87 miles
What: ASA Aero Exhaust NW Tour 150; Quality Car Care Limited Late Models; Super 4’s & Bumble Bees
Pre-race schedule: 10:00 a.m. Registration; 11:00 a.m. Pits Open; 2:00 p.m. Practice; 5:00 p.m. Time Trials; 6:30 p.m. Racing
ASA Aero Exhaust Northwest Tour, South Sound Speedway 150
South Sound Speedway, May 5, 2007 Driver Roster
(Based on Pre-Entry)
Driver, Hometown
Brandon Riehl, Boring, OR
Ron Eaton, Tacoma, WA
Jason Fraser, Snohomish, WA
B.J. Tidrick, Yakima, WA
Travis Bennett, Ellensburg, WA
Tom Sweatman, Cosmopolis, WA
Kelly Tanner, Monroe, WA
Jeff Barkshire, Auburn, WA
Jay Sauls, Puyallup, WA
Erick Hargraves, Selah, WA
Matt Hall, Spokane, WA
Others
