ASA GETS SMART ABOUT MODIFIEDS

PENDLETON, Ind. (March 19, 2004) -- The American Speed Association and the
Southern Modified Auto Racing Teams have reached an agreement for the series to
begin competing under the ASA banner.

The name will change to the ASA/SMART Tour, and has a schedule consisting of 15
races throughout the Carolinas and Virginia. The first race is Saturday, March 27 at
Caraway Speedway in Asheboro, N.C.

"For 37-years fans have associated the American Speed Association with the finest in
stock car racing," said Steve Dale, ASA president and CEO. "With this announcement,
they can now look to ASA to offer some of the best Modified racing as well. I think that
everyone at ASA is excited about the potential for the ASA/SMART Tour and we are
looking forward to integrating the Modifieds into our plans for the future."

"We have a good program and a good show that everybody enjoys and we are hoping
for great things in the future," said David Pinnix, president of SMART. "We are hoping
for bigger purses, bigger car counts, better working conditions with the tracks, better
safety issues and the whole deal. We anticipate ASA being a great help to us in those
areas and are looking forward to a great future."

This is the first time in more than three decades that the American Speed Association
has endorsed anything other than traditional stock car racing. Rex Robbins, founder of
ASA, started the organization by promoting sprint car races at Sun Valley Speedway in
Anderson, Ind. (now known Anderson Speedway). Eventually, he transitioned from
offering a mix of sprint and stock cars to just the full-bodied vehicles.

"Having Modifieds in the ASA fold will really help us from a branding initiative," said
Dennis Huth, national director of ASA Member Tracks and one of the architects of the
deal. "Not only does the ASA/SMART Tour generate some exciting action on-track, but
they can also help create a different fan base as more and more fans nationally become
aware of the American Speed Association."

The SMART tour was originally founded in 1988, and features 600 horsepower, open-
wheel Modifieds. The cars can reach speeds of 125 mph, even on the smaller tracks
that they run. Like the ASA National Tour and ASA Late Model Series, the ASA/SMART
Tour will end all races under the green flag. Their schedule includes six visits to Caraway
Speedway, five to ASA Member Track Friendship Motor Speedway (Elkin, N.C.), and
single events at Myrtle Beach (S.C.) Speedway, Ace Speedway (Altamahaw, N.C.), New
River Valley (Radford, Va.) and Concord (N.C.) Motorsports Park. For more information,
visit www.southernmodified.com.

When asked on the reaction to the agreement by the Modified teams and drivers,
SMART vice-president Randy Myers said "SMART just finished our 15th season and we
have been to this level and stayed at this level for quite a long while and not had the
opportunity to advance. When we put the vote out to the teams (to make an affiliation
with ASA) it was overwhelming that we make some changes and move forward, so I
think there is nothing but excitement out there. All in all, the biggest majority of the folks
are saying it's time to make a change and ASA affords us the opportunity to move this
series up to the levels it deserves to be at."


The American Speed Association is based in Pendleton, Ind., and has offered racing
programs since 1968, including the ASA National Tour, ASA Late Model Series and ASA
Member Track programs. For additional information, visit asaracing.com.

                                    - www.asaracing.com -