SANTEE, California — Stable drivers and solid teams are what make the ASA Truck Series so strong for the upcoming race this weekend at the TOYOTA Speedway at Irwindale. With 16 trucks pre-entered into the event, the competition has definitely stepped up a notch. Rockstar Energy Drink’s Dylan Kwasneiwski will be primed to back up his two wins at the previous ASA Truck Series events, but realizes the core group of drivers and drivers coming back are all ready to challenge his strong start. The field has doubled since the last race, but those drivers that have been racing this season have a jump start on those drivers trying the series out for the first time at TOYOTA Speedway.
"The new series owners, The McLauchlan’s, have been trying their best to revive the series and bring a truly level playing field back to the ASA Truck Series for all competitors to have a chance at winning a 75-lap shoot out at the ½ mile super speedway"
The new series owners, The McLauchlan’s, have been trying their best to revive the series and bring a truly level playing field back to the ASA Truck Series for all competitors to have a chance at winning a 75-lap shoot out at the ½ mile super speedway. The tech procedure has been running smoothly and the McLauchlan’s want to continue that consistency while many new racers join the group this week. Todd McLauchlan stated “we want to get back to the ‘spec’ series that the ASA Truck Series was intended to be and give every driver a chance to be competitive”.
The upcoming race will include past series participants like Kevin Smith, Jamie Bennett and Cameron Jocelyn who are making their 2010 debut to the ASA Truck Series. The ‘so-cal’ drivers like racing ‘in their backyard’ and yet others are coming out from as far as Peoria, Arizona like Taylor Cuzick when he arrives from the desert in his Arizona Freightliner sponsored Chevy Colorado. Cuzick will be challenged by other drivers who are also ‘testing the new waters’ like Race Liberante. Veteran Shawn Steele will show off his newly redone ASA Truck with the initials “MW” on the hood to honor the birth of his new son. Jason Black, from Arizona, adds a new sponsor Jesco.net to his truck and makes the haul to California to confront the rest of the challengers.
ASA Truck series ‘regulars’ like Joey Licata, currently second in points, and Donny St. Ours are also poised to prove their impressive driving talent and show those drivers who are just appearing that they may have a slight advantage by knowing the new procedures and structure of the new and improved series. Jeff Catlin from Gilbert, Arizona will show off his brand new ASA Truck at Irwindale after a long off season of hard work and attention to detail. Look for the ‘red flash’ to show well on the ½ high banks of TOYOTA Speedway. The “core group” also has drivers Mike Herda, Eric Sloan and Taylor Miinch who are ready to demonstrate their patience and driving skills while racing three and four wide around Irwindale for their first time in an ASA Truck. Scott Franchimone will lead the team of Zach Sawyers and Jim Putman to round out the 16-truck pre-entry list and add to the excitement of Saturday’s race.
Series owner, Lisa McLauchlan, has been fielding calls from new drivers that are ready to make their appearance in the series after purchasing ASA Trucks from other drivers and excited to join the series. If they can’t get ready for this weekend, expect more trucks to appear in Vegas at the Bullring in June. Former series participants are also calling to update their trucks to be competitive in the upcoming races. The economy may be on a slow recovery, but the ASA Truck series is feeling a ‘growth surge’ faster than the economy. This group will put on a great show for all the fans that come out to TOYOTA Speedway. There are eight different races scheduled for Saturday night – what a show!
Now in its twelfth year of operation, TOYOTA Speedway at Irwindale provides Southern California with a state-of-the-art motorsports complex. For the racing fans of the Los Angeles metroplex, TOYOTA Speedway at Irwindale delivers weekly high-speed entertainment in the most fan friendly stadium built. The complete speedway facility’s offerings make the location a regional symbol of California’s eternal love affair with their cars. The Irwindale stadium and grounds provide a prime stage for car clubs, rallies, dealership events, tent sales, drag racing, go-karts, hot rods and more. For regional and national advertising interest, Irwindale offers easy accessibility to the second largest U.S. population of motorsports fans and the undisputed core location of the U.S. performance automotive market.
Each season more than 450,000 race fans and automotive enthusiasts visited exciting events that included NASCAR Super Late Models, Late Models, Grand National West, and SRL Southwest Tour events, along with USAC Open Wheel, coupled with the best in Southern California regional racing action like the ASA Truck Series. The Speedway features two banked oval tracks, one half-mile and one third-mile where top professional drivers will hit speeds of more than 130 mph. The facility also showcases an NHRA sanctioned 1/8th-mile Street Legal Dragstrip that has brought the Southern California Drag Racing tradition and a wide variety of special events. With state-of-the-art concessions and souvenir facilities and first class seating for more than 6,500, Toyota Speedway at Irwindale has earned the reputation as “The Ultimate Motorsports Experience”.
TOYOTA Speedway at Irwindale is located just fifteen miles from downtown Los Angeles on the 605 freeway just south of the 210 freeway. Over 11 million people live less than an hour’s drive away, making Toyota Speedway at Irwindale ground zero for business development of the Southern California motorsports marketplace. www.toyotaspeedwayatirwindale.com
Remember to support our series sponsors by using products and services from the following vendors: Jim Van Gordon Racing Engines, Mike Naake Suspension Specialist, VP Racing Fuels, Hoosier Tires, DJ Safety, Frank's Radios, Starter Guard, Advertising Edge, Mechanix Wear, Mallory/ACCEL/Mr. Gasket, TOYOTA, POLYDyn TX7, Top Notch Flooring, Kollasol Ink, Naake Suspension Specialist, STR, and Luke’s Transmission.
The ASA Trucks are 2,450 pounds, full tube chassis, 108 inch wheelbase, 375 horsepower Van Gordon Racing V-8’s, fired by Mr. Gasket’s - Mallory / ACCEL ignition systems and VP Race Fuel, with 2-speed direct drive transmissions and Speedway Engineering aluminum quick change rear ends on 8-inch Hoosier Racing Tires and Allied Racing Wheels and can reach speeds of 105 MPH at the ½ mile TOYOTA Speedway at Irwindale oval and 150 MPH on the 2.1-mile road course at Firebird International Raceway. The ASA Trucks sport exact replica Norris Racing fiberglass bodies in Chevy S-10, Chevy Colorado, Ford Ranger, Dodge Dakota and Toyota Tacoma.
If you would like to find out more about the ASA Truck Series and how your company could be part of the growing excitement across the nation about this dynamic series, contact Todd McLauchlan at 619-596-6816 / mcracers@prodigy.net or go to www.asatruckseries.com. Attractive marketing partnership packages are available for your involvement regionally or nationally, contact Jay Rutherford at Motorsports Marketing LLC, at 760-249-1149 or jay@speedtruck.com.
The ASA Racing program is comprised of more than 35 short tracks around the United States, as well as road racing divisions and regional/national touring race series. For more information, call ASA Racing at 386-258-2221 or send an email to info@ASA-Racing.com. For news and information from all the race tracks, road racing divisions and tours involved in the ASA, visit www.asa-racing.com. ASA™, ASA Racing™ and American Speed Association® are trademarks of Racing Speed Associates, LLC. Racing Speed Associates, LLC is not related to nor affiliated with ASA LATE MODEL SERIES, LLC.
ENTRY LIST:
1 01 Zack Sawyers ® Gilbert, AZ Dodge Dakota Piggly’s BBQ / HP234 / Campbell’s Towing
2 1 Jeff Catlin Mesa, AZ Chevy Colorado Arrowlane / DJ Safety / SIKWIDIT Clothing/ Big Time Threads
3 02 Jamie Bennett Fullerton, CA Chevy Colorado Bennett Transportation
4 3 Dylan Kwasniewski® Las Vegas, NV Chevy Colorado Rockstar Energy Drink / Hard Rock Hotel & Casino / Beam Design
5 5 Kevin Smith Placentia, CA Dodge Dakota Johnny Pag Motorcycles / LMS Performance / Jegs.com
6 6 Race Liberante Quartz Hill, CA Chevy S-10 Alpine Stars / Crow Enterprises / Pro Racing Specialties / TRP
7 9 Jason Black Glendale, AZ Chevy Colorado Jesco.net / Golden Lane Ventures
8 10 Eric Sloan ® Rancho Cucamonga, CA Chevy Colorado Giant RC / Milestone RC Park
9 12 Jim Putman Norco, CA Chevy Colorado Piggly Wiggly / Upfront Motorsports / Power Grade, Inc.
10 15 Cameron Jocelyn Laguna Hills, CA Chevy S-10 Alpine Stars / Bell Helmets / K & N Filters
11 16 Donny St. Ours Upland, CA Chevy Colorado King Taco / K&N Filters / Greg Biffle, Inc. / Oakley
12 18 Mike Herda Las Vegas, NV Chevy Colorado United Nissan / Foxy Girls-Vegas
13 20 Taylor Miinch ® Alpine, CA Chevy Colorado CKI (Championship Karting International) / Christian Stover Foundation / Alpine Stars
14 25 Shawn Steele Menifee, CA Dodge Dakota M W
15 51 Taylor Cuzick Peoria, AZ Chevy Colorado Freightliner of Arizona / Mobil 1 / Renegade Trailers
16 71 Joey Licata Lake Balboa, CA Chevy Colorado United Nissan / Justice Brothers / Ron Sutton Winner’s Circe
® = Rookie-of-the-Year Contender
