New ASA STARS National Tour Has Competitors Hopeful for the Future
Dan Fredrickson celebrates his Joe Shear Classic 200 win with the Shear family in victory lane prior to his disqualification.
Sunday’s Joe Shear Classic 200 at Madison (WI) International Speedway was just the second race of the new ASA STARS National Tour. For the most part, the competitors are encouraged by what they’ve seen.
The brainchild of racing promoter Bob Sargent and his company Track Enterprises, the ASA STARS National Tour is an attempt to stabilize regional pavement super late model stock car racing aa well as organize a series of national events.
To that end, Sargent and his company acquired the ARCA sanctioned Champion Racing Association and Midwest Tour. Also, an agreement was reached with the Southern Super Series to run under the CRA banner beginning this season.
A series of national events was also created with each regional series hosting three races. A national champion will be crowned at the All-American 400 at Nashville in November.
Sunday’s Joe Shear Classic 200 drew 38 entries from 13 states and one Canadian province. Just making the 28-car starting field was a major accomplishment.
Granted, two races is a small sample size, but competitors are supportive of the new series. Before he had his win taken away because of an engine issue discovered in post race inspection, Minnesota’s Dan Fredrickson thought Sunday’s race was worth more than the price of admission.
“If the fans don’t feel like they cheated the guy at the ticket gate because they didn’t pay enough to watch that show, we got a problem. I mean, what more do you want? Comers and goers, split up pit stop strategies, passes inside, outside. I mean, like I would’ve loved to have watched that race. I felt like it was good.”
Wisconsin’s Ty Majeski, a five-time Midwest Tour champion, is one of those drivers looking to make a run for the national championship. Before he was declared the winner of Sunday’s race, Majeski felt the series needed more consistency, but thought the concept of the national series was working.
“Yeah, I mean, I think so. I hope the fans enjoyed it. I thought it was a pretty good race all around. Lot of side-by-side racing. This track puts on a great show. I think it’s a step in the right direction. I think we all need to get on the same page about some rules and procedures that are going to happen. We’re making decisions the day before the day of the race and it’s frustrating for our team. Just need to get more decisive and clean cut on what we’re going to do, but overall a good start.”
Georgia’s Bubba Pollard, another driver likely to try for the national championship, agreed.
“There’s always room for improvement. There’s always things that they’re doing that’s great, but there’s a lot of growth and there’s new people. Rome wasn’t built in a day, they say. There’s a lot of that can get better and us drivers, we can do a better part on our part. Just a group effort. They got the right people and it’ll all come together.”
Next up, the ASA STARS National Tour will head to the famed North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Carolina on Tuesday, May 16th, as part of the festivities leading up to the NASCAR All Star Race Weekend.