UPLAND, California -- Todd McLauchlan started the weekend in a much laid back and somber mood as he arrived for practice on Friday night at “L.A.’s ½ mile Super Speedway.” After practice, he was all smiles because he knew that once again his ASA Speed Truck was right where he wanted it to be. Said McLauchlan’s spotter and lovely wife Lisa, “Todd and the crew have been amazed at how well the truck has performed this season. Our setup for Irwindale was perfect and it showed on the track.”
McLauchlan is no stranger to racing, now entering his 20th season of being behind the wheel. Besides racing three-wheelers in the late 70’s, he actually started racing cars in 1988 at Cajon Speedway in the Street Stock Division and won Rookie of the Year and then the Championship in 1990. McLauchlan jumped up to the Grand American Modifieds in 1991 and took second in the Championships three times, Rookie of the Year in 1991 and finally won the Division Championship in 1997.
He moved to the Super Late Models Division in 1998 where once again he earned Rookie of the Year and the Championship in 2001. In fact, in 2001, McLauchlan was 9th in NASCAR Regional Points in all 50 states of the Weekly Racing Series. He is the only person to have won three divisional championships at Cajon Speedway. After taking some time off for family in 2002, he went NASCAR Southwest Tour racing from 2003 through 2005.
McLauchlan sports the #38 Institutional Cabinets and Millwork / ULTRA Boats Dodge Dakota in the ASA Speed Truck Challenge and on Saturday night it was definitely one of the fastest Speed Trucks running before a large crowd at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale. After qualifying third and after the inversion when fast time qualifier Dallas Colodny in the #08 Kohn Colodny CPA’s / Ramac / Pepsi Dakota rolled a six, McLauchlan started in the fourth position with excellent talent in front of him to include ASA Speed Truck Challenge rookie drivers, Joey Licata in the #71 Throttle Racing Products / Anarchy Clothing Dodge Dakota Speed Truck and Donny St. Ours in the #16 Greg Biffle Motorsports Development Driver / King Taco / K&N / Oakley / FIX Auto / Expect-A-Lot Chevy Colorado. St. Ours had just come from the Legends Series race a few moments before where he finished with an impressive 3rd place. Jason Black in the #9 Golden Lane Ventures / Cat Power / B-Money S-10 setting third in the Championship hunt started on the pole.
Upon the green flag, McLauchlan took no time in moving to the front, where he was only at risk the entire 50-lap sprint from the two-time ASA Speed Truck Challenge Champion, Darren Young in the #18 United Nissan / Quaker State Chevy S-10. Young made some hard pushes at the leader, but despite some slower traffic creating a bottleneck at the finish, McLauchlan treated the fans to an impressive caution free night of racing. “I feel right at home here at Irwindale,” said the experienced McLauchlan. “This is my kind of track and I’m so glad that we have two more races here before the end of the season.”
McLauchlan has every reason to smile as he is currently second in the 2008 ASA Speed Truck Challenge Championship Points chase, only 13 points back from Darren Young. This win is his second victory here at Toyota Speedway. He has had two second place finishes and two fourths so far this season.
The ASA Speed Truck Challenge is in its 12th racing year with the 2008 races being seen for the first time on “network” national television, with 8 original and at least 8 repeat broadcasts all in “primetime” Saturday afternoons. The television shows are brought to you from 6 Southwestern race tracks including Toyota Speedway at Irwindale known as "LA's 1/2 Mile Super Speedway", Lucas Oil I-10 Speedway on the Colorado River Fairgrounds, ASA’s Orange Show Speedway in San Bernardino, CA, Firebird International Raceway in Phoenix, AZ and the ASA Havasu 95 Raceway in Lake Havasu, AZ. The 2008 season will see the Speed Trucks return to the famed "ESPN Winter Heat" at Tucson Raceway Park.
Most importantly, the ASA Speed Truck Challenge will continue with its extremely cost effective "regional" advertising opportunities but with "national network" television coverage for its sponsors, while presenting a return on investment of an impressive $8.00 to $1.00 (Joyce Julius & Associates) and maintaining a cost-per-30 seconds of less than $400.00 in package buys. STC’s strong 2006 Nielsen Media rating of .515 on the VERSUS Channel and .485 rating on the Outdoor Channel in 2007, has proven broadcast delivery. With a new broadcast partner, it expects the exciting television shows to be seen by over 19 million viewers in the 3rd and 4th quarters of 2008.
The Speed Trucks are full tube chassis, 108 inch wheelbase, 375 horsepower Van Gordon Racing V-8’s, fired by Mr. Gasket’s - Mallory / ACCEL ignition systems and Torco Race Fuel, with 2-speed direct drive transmissions and Speedway Engineering aluminum quick change rear ends on 8-inch Hoosier Racing Tires and will reach speeds of 110 MPH at the ½ mile Irwindale Speedway oval and 140 MPH on the 1.7-mile road course at Firebird International Raceway. The Speed Trucks sport exact Norris Racing replica fiberglass bodies in Chevy S-10, Chevy Colorado, Ford Ranger, Dodge Dakota and Toyota Tacoma.
ASA Speed Truck Challenge is proud to share its national spotlight with some of the finest companies associated with West Coast and national racing. Its advertising partners include: Bushwacker, Delson Products, DJ Safety, E3 Spark Plugs, EZ-UP Shelters, Hoosier Racing Tires, Mechanix Wear, Mr. Gasket / ACCEL / Mallory Ignitions, TOYOTA and Toyota Racing Development, Allied Racing Wheels, Frank’s Radio Service, Garrett Custom Trailers, King Taco, Motorsports Marketing, Molecule, Pepsi, Stagger Pro 1000, Oval Research and TVT 24-7 as the presenting sponsor.
If you would like to find out more about the ASA Speed Truck Challenge and how your company could be part of the growing excitement across the nation about this dynamic series, contact Bill McCloud, National Marketing Director at 866-873-7615 or go to www.speedtruck.com. Attractive partnership packages are available for your involvement regionally or nationally.
