SANTEE, California — As the ASA Trucks have recovered from a challenging season opener, the teams are prepped and ready to turn left and right at the Firebird International Raceway in Chandler, Arizona this weekend. “Team” is the key word. As the off season progressed, some truck owners decided to buy multiple trucks and either have a house truck or rentals to gain more knowledge and strength in numbers. This team approach initiated a new owner’s point championship recently added to the series. NASCAR may have Roush Fenway, Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing, but the ASA Trucks now have their own ATK Motorsports, United Nissan and Upfront Motorsports competing for the top spot. Anyone who has been around the ASA Truck Series for any length of time knows the strong team of United Nissan has produced numerous champions and top finishes for years under the direction of owner Lee Keach. Team United Nissan continues to be an important part of the series with loyalty and effort that these new teams need to respect. Following the lead of forming a multi-truck team is Kevin Smith with ATK Motorsports, whose new driver Taylor Miinch pulled off his first win ever in the series last race in Havasu, and plans to run all season for a newly announced ‘owners championship’. ATK has hired key personnel with extensive experience and moved into a large race shop to house their truck teams in the Southern California area and leads the new owner points. Miinch will be a guest on ASA Race Radio Thursday afternoon.
"The ASA Trucks 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 other strong team to take notice of is Upfront Motorsports whose leader Scott Franchimone is very ‘hands on’ as he drove the first race of the season in Havasu. Franchimone ran in dominating fashion leading a majority of the race and only wondering if he could have driven home with a win if a flat right front tire wouldn’t have stolen his chance to find out. Scott plans to hang up his driving suit for the remainder of the season to focus on his teams as crew chief, spotter, fabricator and leader of Upfront Motorsports. Franchimone will concentrate this weekend on ‘road course ringer’ Jeff Catlin who has a great deal of experience at the Firebird International Raceway in various race cars. Catlin won the ASA Truck race last time the series visited the exciting road course just outside of Phoenix, Arizona near Jeff’s hometown. There are also plans to have past champion Darren Young and #12 truck owner Jim Putman behind the wheel of Franchimone’s state-of-the-art equipment. Scott prides himself in “staying up on the latest & greatest and trying to bring knowledge and technology to the series”. He has been working with Junior Joiner Motorsports for that cutting edge information and plans to bring multiple trucks out this season.
All these teams want to put themselves in contention for a driver and owners championship by working together, having key crew members on board and trying to stay a ‘bunny hop ahead’ of the others on this Easter weekend at Firebird. If you are in the Phoenix area, ProAutoSports will be putting on a great event all weekend for fans to watch multiple divisions race at the only road course stop this season for the ASA Trucks.
Remember to support our series sponsors by using products and services from the following vendors: Jim Van Gordon Racing Engines, Mike Naake Suspension Specialist, QA 1 Shocks, VP Racing Fuels, Hoosier Tires, DJ Safety, Frank's Radios, Luke’s Transmission, Advertising Edge, Mechanix Wear, Mallory/ACCEL/Mr. Gasket, TOYOTA, POLYDyn TX7, Brink Designs and STR.
The ASA Trucks are 2,450 pounds, full tube chassis, 108 inch wheelbase, 375+ horsepower 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 or Lisa McLauchlan at 619-596-6816 / mcracers@prodigy.net or go to www.asatruckseries.com. Our Facebook page is: asa-truck-series and we have a YouTube page as well with exciting videos to view.
To learn more about the ASA Member Tracks and Sanctioned Series in your area, please visit www.asa-racing.com. The American Speed Association started as a single racing series in 1968 and is a fast growing racing sanctioning body today. The ASA Member Track program sanctions dirt and asphalt short tracks along with road courses around the United States, as well as a variety of regional and national touring series. For more information call (386) 258-2221, or send an email to info@asa-racing.com. The latest news and information from all the racetracks and tours involved in the ASA can be found by visiting www.ASA-Racing.com. ASA®, ASA Racing®, American Speed Association® are registered trademarks of Racing Speed Associates, LLC
