Kevin Ramsell/American Speed Association PR
DAYTONA BEACH, FL (Wednesday, July 13, 2011) – The landscape for the Joe Gibbs Driven Racing Oil ASA Member Track National Championship has a different look this week as Chrissy Wallace’s name appears in the overall standings. Wallace is the new points leader at Lebanon I-44 Speedway.
Wallace is on a roll over the last three weeks as she has two wins and a second place finish. She now holds a five-point lead over Ken Dickinson in the Late Model standings at the ASA Member Track located in Lebanon, MO.
Wallace is enjoying the competition she is facing at Lebanon I-44 Speedway. “You can’t ask for better racing, there are a lot of good competitors here. The racing is totally different than what I have competed in the past,” Wallace recently said. “Honestly, I think the way that ASA Racing does things is a whole lot better.”
She also has a lot of praise about the track she is competing at weekly. “This track is phenomenally fast and the competitors are talented,” Wallace said. “Usually, most places will only have the top-five or the fastest cars going for the win. Here at Lebanon, any of the top-15 cars can win on any given night. I have very high spirits for the rest of the night and for the rest of the year. I really think if we finish consistently in the top-five, each week, we can win the championship.”
Even though she has competed on the higher levels of this sport, she sees the Joe Gibbs Driven Racing Oil ASA Member Track National Championship as something that would work in her favor. “It would be extremely beneficial,” Wallace exclaimed. “To get an opportunity to tryout for a team like Joe Gibbs Racing, that opportunity to get into one of those cars and show them what you are capable of doing is a huge deal. The possibility of winning the Joe Gibbs Driven Racing Oil ASA Member Track National Championship would be a great thing for my racing resume.”
In the National Championship standings, Wallace is currently third overall with an average of 2.5582.
Barry Beggarly continues to sit at the top of National Standings again this week with an average of 2.8799. But Beggarly finds himself in a tight points battle in the Late Model division at Ace Speedway in Altamahaw, NC. Going into this weekend’s action, Beggarly holds a two-point lead over Jason York in the track standings.
Shelby Stroebel continues to be second overall in the National Standings with an average of 2.6774. He has a comfortable points lead in the ASA Modified standings at Meridian Speedway in Meridian, ID.
David Flynn is fourth overall with an average of 2.5352. He finished second this past weekend in the Late Model Sportsman feature event at Newport Motor Speedway in Newport, TN.
Michael Hale took over the point lead from Tyler Whetstone in the Maverik Modified division this past weekend at Rocky Mountain Raceways in West Valley City, UT. Earlier this year, Hale won the first feature event of the season by starting last on the field and passing everyone in the 19-car field for the win. He has a national average of 2.2052.
Ryan Stiltner had his winning streak stopped this past weekend in the Charger division at Lonesome Pine Raceway in Coeburn, VA as he finished second to Cody McMahan. He is sixth overall with a national average of 1.7576.
Mike Reichenberger is seventh overall with an average of 1.2676 as he continues to lead the standings at Norway Speedway in Norway, MI.
Orange Show Speedway has a tight points battle heading into this weekend. John Manke and Mark Shackleford are tied at the top of the standings. Matt Hicks is only two points behind them in third. Manke has an average of 1.1739 while Shackleford has 1.1428.
Mark Mackesy hopes to increase his average this Thursday night at State Park Speedway in Wausau, WI. He has an average of 0.8404. Mackesy’s season started later than other top competitors. With the season he is having so far, expect to see him move up the ladder.
“This is going to be interesting to watch over the next two and a half months,” Dennis Huth, ASA President said. “We have many track with tight point battles and great competition among many drivers. The slim point leads that many have at their ASA Member Tracks shows how tight the competition is this season. I still think we are going to see some different names appear in the overall standings in the weeks to come, which is a great thing to give these local heroes the national attention they deserve.”
Drivers from participating ASA Member Tracks across the United States have chosen one of their divisions as their premiere divisions. Those drivers in the premiere division, who are ASA members in good standing, will compete at their ASA Member Track to first win their track championship. Once they accomplish that goal, they will then be matched up against the other premiere division champions to determine the National Champion.
ASA has once again teamed up with speednetdirect.com to create a proprietary point system that is much like a batting average in baseball. Some of those factors used to create an average are wins, number of cars passed, finishes, car count, and number of events. No one knows what has more of a factor over another.
Race fans and competitors can follow the standings on www.speednetdirect.com. The opening page will show who are the current track point leaders who would be eligible for the National Championship if it ended today. The East and West Region standings gives a complete listing of all of the drivers participating this season.
Past National Champions are Cary Stapp, Thunderhill Raceway (2008), Tommy Cloce, Adirondack Speedway (2009), and Bryan Wordelman, Rocky Mountain Raceways (2010).
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 champion 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 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.
JOE GIBBS DRIVEN RACING OIL
ASA MEMBER TRACK NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
(As of 7/13/11)
1. Barry Beggarly (Ace Speedway) – 2.8799
2. Shelby Stroebel (Meridian Speedway) – 2.6774
3. Chrissy Wallace (Lebanon I-44 Speedway) – 2.5582
4. David Flynn (Newport Motor Speedway) – 2.5352
5. Michael Hale (Rocky Mountain Raceways) – 2.2052
6. Ryan Stiltner (Lonesome Pine Raceway) – 1.7576
7. Mike Reichenberger (Norway Speedway) – 1.2676
8. John Manke (Orange Show Speedway) – 1.1739
9. Mark Shackleford (Orange Show Speedway) – 1.1428
10. Mark Machesy (State Park Speedway) – 0.8404