Rocky Mountain Region Aztec preview

Aztec's Fiesta Days Greets Heated ASCS Rocky Mountain Region Points Battle

TULSA, Okla. (May 31, 2005) -- The American Sprint Car Series Rocky Mountain Region points race is already at the boiling point as the series heads to Aztec Speedway's Fiesta Days spectacular in Aztec, NM, this Friday and Saturday night.

With four of 19 scheduled events for the ASCS Rocky Mountain Region in the books, 20-year-old Jake Pierson of Bellvue, CO, leads a tightly-packed points race into this weekend's Aztec double, as only a dozen points separate the top four.

Pierson, who recently captured his first career ASCS Rocky Mountain Region feature victory, enters the weekend with a slim four-point lead over former series champion Nick Haygood of Centennial, CO. Thornton, CO, shoe Eric Miller, the runner-up in ASCS Rocky Mountain Region points in each of the past two years, enters the weekend just ten points off the lead pace, with Washington transplant Gary Taylor just two more markers back in fourth.

While Pierson, Haygood, Miller and Taylor have established themselves as early championship contenders, several rookie contenders are off to strong starts as well. In his rookie Rocky Mountain Region season, Bob Schaeffer enters the weekend ranked fifth, just 40 points out of the lead. Fellow Rocky Mountain Region rookie Jeff Heffner is sixth in points, with Joe Wagner in seventh and Josh Fellows in ninth.

An ASCS Rocky Mountain Region contender for the third year in a row, Scott Milan enters the weekend ranked eighth in points.

Through the opening four events, Patrick Bourke of Edwards, CO, has made it to victory lane twice, with Pierson and former champion Randi Miller of Rapid City, SD, each posting single victories.

Racing action is slated to get under way at Aztec Speedway at 7:00 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday night. Aztec Speedway is located 1.2 miles south of U.S. 550 on SR 554, then 0.2 mile east on Legion. For more information, contact the track at 505-334-2023.

The 2005 ASCS Rocky Mountain Region slate consists of 19 events at ten different tracks throughout Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, South Dakota and Wyoming.

In total, including the O'Reilly ASCS National Tour, the Southern Tour and the Sooner, Gulf South, Rocky Mountain and Midwest Regions, the American Sprint Car Series will sanction nearly 120 nights of racing in 2005 at approximately 50 different racetracks throughout at least 16 different states.

Additional information regarding the American Sprint Car Series is available at www.ascsracing.com.

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