THUNDERHILL RACEWAY HOPES TO REPEAT AS THE HOME OF THE ASA GIBBS MEMBER TRACK NATIONAL CHAMPION
THUNDERHILL RACEWAY HOPES TO REPEAT AS THE HOME OF THE ASA GIBBS MEMBER TRACK NATIONAL CHAMPION By: Kevin Ramsell DAYTONA BEACH, FL (Thursday, July 09, 2009) – Yogi Berra has a famous quote, “This is like déjà vu all over again,” and it’s a quote that Thunderhill Raceway in Kyle, TX hopes to use at the end of the 2009 season as it hopes to once again be the home of the Joe Gibbs Driven Racing Oil American Speed Association Member Track National Championship. Last year, Cary Stapp was the inaugural National Champion after having a championship season competing in the ASA A-Line Super Stock division at Thunderhill Raceway. This year, Clint LaFont of Volente, TX is following the same path that Stapp paved last season. “We’re very excited that Clint LaFont is following in Cary Stapp’s footsteps,” Debbie Williams, Media & Public Relations Director of Thunderhill Raceway recently stated. “Similar to Cary, Clint has been turning in consistent performances, with three wins and a Top 3 finish in all races so far this season. With our inversion process, he usually starts near the rear of the field and methodically works his way up to the front.” Currently, LaFont has a 30-point lead over Shawn Paul Lehman of Manchaca, TX in the standings. He is second overall in the National Championship standings behind Jeremy Miller of Madison International Speedway. Miller currently has a point average of 2.1499 while LaFont has an average of 2.1141. Williams stated that it would be an honor for Thunderhill to host another ASA Member Track National Champion, “As you might expect, it would be a great honor for another Thunderhill Raceway driver to win the ASA National Championship,” she stated. “As Cary had stated after his tryout with Joe Gibbs last year, ‘it was an experience of a lifetime.’ Since we’ve always said that our drivers are our most important asset, having another driver from our track be a part of that same experience would mean a lot to all us. We really appreciate that ASA giving our drivers – and drivers all over the country – this awesome opportunity.” Miller was able to hold on to his lead over LaFont after he captured his first feature win of the season this past Friday night at Madison International Speedway. LaFont and the rest of his ASA A-Line Super Stock competitors will be back in action this Saturday night. Jeff Matthews of East Bay Raceway Park sits in third with 2.1065 while Ken Reiser of Dells Raceway Park is in fourth with 1.7630. Barry Karr of Orange Show Speedway rounds out the top-five with 1.6407. A reminder that in order to be in the running for the Joe Gibbs Driven Racing Oil American Speed Association Member Track National Championship, the driver will also need to be this season’s track champion. Joe Gibbs Driven Racing Oil, sponsor of the American Speed Association National Short Track National Championship, is the same oil developed and used by Joe Gibbs Racing. The team sells the oil so racers across the country can have access to the latest technology in racing lubricants. Joe Gibbs Racing is one of the premier organizations in NASCAR, currently fielding three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams, two NASCAR Nationwide Series teams and a driver development program. Based in Huntersville, N.C., and owned by Joe Gibbs - a three-time Super Bowl winner as head coach of the Washington Redskins and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame - JGR has competed in NASCAR since 1992, winning three Cup Series championships and more than 80 NASCAR races, including three Brickyard 400s and the 1993 Daytona 500. The American Speed Association Short Track National Championship is another step by the industry leader in creating new and innovative programs. This follows the recent announcement about extending the insurance coverage for ASA members traveling to, from, and during an ASA-sanctioned event. For updated ASA National Points, just click on the "Points" link at www.asa-racing.com. ASA members in good standing are eligible for a $500,000 Excess Medical Benefit as well as a $20,000 Accidental Death and Dismemberment Benefit. Coverage for the member begins while traveling to a location promoting an ASA-sanctioned event and continues until arrival home again. The American Speed Association, in conjunction with WSIB Motorsports Insurance, is the only sanctioning body to offer insurance coverage which extends beyond the boundary of the racetrack itself (complete details are available online at www.ASA-Racing.com). The ASA Member Track program is comprised of more than 35 short tracks 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 e-mail to info@asa-racing.com. For news and information from all the racetracks 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 or affiliated with ASA Late Model Series, LLC.