WINSTON CUP
Who has made it all the way up the latter.
Dick Trickle - The driver I've seen on tracks that are so small the are closer to quarter miles than half, all the way to the 2 mile Michigan Speedway. He does it all, though its his ability to saw a wheel that has made him a hero. Check out the page I gave Dick called TRICKLES PLACE.
Mark Martin - The driver that really was a surprise when he left ASA in the early 80s and was winning poles in Winston Cup. He soon returned to ASA to win a couple of more championships. He also put on one of the greatest drives I've ever seen. Mark took a 6 cyl Buick and put all the Firebirds and Cameros to shame, lapping the field in the Miller 300 in Minneapolis. All this and the transmission kept popping out of gear. Mark is one of the great drivers and will someday win the main NASCAR prize.
Rusty Wallace - I only remember reading Rusty's name once in a program, he did nothing in the race. Latter it was this Rusty turning in consistent runs in Winston Cup and later winning a Cup. Sorry Rusty but I never saw you on those short track that true ASA champs make there mark. Your names on a championship but you saw the light (and MONEY) of NASCAR, smart move.
Ted Musgrave - Ted is one of my all time ASA favorites. He was part of the Baker Motorsports, Howie Lettow string of great rookies in ASA. I saw Ted in the 55 unsponsored Dewitt car in Bristol in the spring of 91 run just a great race. He really opened peoples eyes. Were Ted and Mark Martin ever team mates before Roush. Yes, Mark use to drive a number 2 part time in ASA and was a team car to Ted's number 78.
Johnny Benson Jr - The stock car answer to Bobby Rahl. When ASA was getting kind of boring, it was Johnny, Tim Steel and Glenn Allen that claimed to be the new lions of ASA. Johnny then went past competitive, giving Mike Eddy, Bob Senneker and Butch Miller a new runner for the championship. Johnny like in ASA quickly moved through the Busch GN ranks with a Rookie and Season championship, on to Winston Cup.
BUSCH GRAND NATIONAL
Tim Fedewa - I though Tim to be a real surprise in ASA. A heavily backed Ford team was suppose to give GM a run for its money in the early 90s but it was this Fedewa guy that took his unsponcered Ford #55 stealing the spot light. This was enough to get the Dewitt's to let Tim drive the Busch car #55, sort of a sister car to Ted Musgrave that Dewitt owned a part of. Now Tim is the second half of the BASE motor sports entry. If they would give the #33 car a little more consistent equipment, you will see Tim in Victory Circle again.
Glenn Allen Jr - Another one of the self proclaimed "Young Lions" of ASA. At first you wondered if this Kid (I think Glenn was 18 and driving ASA full time) would be a real racer. But he hung around for over a half dozen years in ASA, always improving. Then his jump to Busch was quite amazing. He jumped in the #99 car that had seen great drivers like Ricky Craven, Phil Parsons, Robert Pressly and even win a championship with Tommy Eliss back in the late 80's and ran up front. In fact he had a string of top 15 finishes in the first half of 1996 that leaped him to seventh in points, later Rookie of the Year. Glenn finished strong in 1997 and if the team stays intact, look out for 1998.
Matt Kenseth - Robbie Reiser gets tired of Tim Bender wrecking his cars so he steals the best young talent in ASA. But who would have thought a new team with a relatively inexperience driver would be running so GREAT. If I was a Winston Cup owner I'd have Mat's signature on a big contract if not for today, the near future. I think Rick Henrick will regret not signing Johnny Benson, Darrell Waltrip better get Matt's signed quick. Matt just proves as much fun as ASA racing is, it's only a stop on the way to bigger and better things.
Brad Loney - How important is a sponsor, just ask Brad. The last year he hooked up with Bun Savers and Hunter's Specialties, this year he will drive the #45 Hunter's Specialties Busch car. I really can't believe Jeff Fuller couldn't keep this ride either, but Rick's lose is Brad's gain. Good luck to the Cedar Rapids Iowa racer, that has to be a NASCAR first, what's next a racer from Minnesota ?
SUPER TRUCK
I will try to keep the truck info short. Trucks belong in the dirt not on the pavement. But lets face it, with all the Sport Trucks that have never seen mud on the road today, maybe the paved tracks makes sense. Me, I rather see a SODA or SCORR event over the Super Trucks any day, of course I'm a big MotoX fan also.
Butch Miller - Butch shows up back in ASA for a year and adds another championship. Then its off to the Trucks, this starts a trend. Butch, you should be back in StockCARs, you may have been the best racer in ASA history. You were doing well in Busch, I hope you can make it in the Truck series of find a better ride.
Brian Reffner - The son of Tom Reffner, yes the Blue Knight of the SA Knights fame. Not as successful as Dick Trickle but a GREAT driver none the less. Brian fights for Rookie of the Year one year and then takes a Championship from Mike Eddy. So one think good, a changing of the gaurd, wrong, its off to the Trucks. Well Brian has bounced around in the Truck series and may find a need to return someday.
Tony Raines - Ok this is three in a row now. Tony pays his dues in ASA and ends up on top. Opps, no one to defend the championship this year, the is off in a pickup also. He did take a win at the I-70 speedway, why not ASA has run there for years.
Jay Sauter - Anything with a white #3 on a black paint job is worth jumping in. The Mike Skinner ride was worth a shot. Maybe if you'd win like Mike did, Jay could do what Jim Sauter never quite could, break into Winston Cup full time. Its up hill because Jim was a heck of an ASA driver, Jay's ride in ASA won the 1997 championship with a Kevin Cywinski (Ok I missed the spelling) and he is even from Minnesota.
Rich Bickle - Have people even realized how good Rich could be. Maybe DW will step out and let Rich run the Cup car. I would pass on any new truck ride and hang around Darrell even if he doesn't have a truck to race.
ARCA
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