LMS: Music City Motorsplex to host 2006 events

Music City Motorplex to host the ASA Late Model Series twice in 2006. All three traveling series' within the ASALMS will see time at the "Plex".

Lexington, Michigan (12/22/05): The ASA Late Model Series Presented by GM Performance Parts is gearing up towards a very anticipated 2006 season. The televised ASALMS Challenge Division schedule is complete with a rigorous 13-race schedule, with one non-point event. The Challenge Division will see the cars and stars of the ASALMS go as far North as Minnesota, as far South and West as Texas, and as far East as New York.

A happy medium to all the touring around the country that will converge during the 2006 ASALMS Season is the Music City of Nashville, Tennessee. The historical Music City (TN) Motorplex, on the grounds of the Tennessee State Fairgrounds, will serve as hosts for two of the biggest shows of the 2006 season for the ASALMS.

The first event will kick off the televised portion of the 2006 ASALMS Challenge Division on Friday and Saturday March 17-18, 2006. The Music City 200 will officially start the 2006 season in style. The Outdoor Channel is televising the scheduled Challenge Division events, on a tape delayed basis during the 2006 campaign. The Music City stop will be the first of those events.

"What a great way to kick off the 2006 season for the Challenge Division than at a track as historic as Music City!" Stated ASA Late Model Series Founder/President, Ron Varney. "Nashville is in such a good location, all of our drivers from both the North and the South will be able to meet up in a centralized location to kick off the 2006 season for the televised Challenge Division. This will be a great show." Added Varney.

"We're very honored that the first ever televised show for the ASA Late Model Series is at our race track." Stated Music City Motorplex General Manager, Jack Deery. "This is truly exciting for us to have such a high caliber show right off the bat to start the 2006 season. This will be without a doubt a must race event for the drivers and most certainly a must see event for our fans as well." Deery added.

The second stop at the .596 mile high-banked paved oval will come during the 24th annual All-American 400 weekend of November 3-5, 2006. The cars and stars from all three traveling series' within the ASALMS will collide head on in the 1st annual North VS South Shootout 200 on Saturday November 4, 2006. This event will be a non-points affair for all three divisions, and after each respective 2005 Series Champions have been crowned. All competitors will follow the North/South Division tire rules for this event!

"This event will close the 2006 season for all of our drivers. Season Championships will be done and over, our three series champions will be crowned, and it'll all be about money and pride that will be on the line." Added Varney while taking about the 1st annual North VS South Shootout. "

In addition, this event will also be televised on a tape delayed basis on the Outdoor Channel and will conclude what is regarded as the most anticipated racing seasons in recent memory anywhere in the country. "The ASALMS will headline the Saturday night portion of the All-American 400 with the big North VS South Shootout 200-lap feature and it'll be televised! What a great way to end the season!" Varney ended. "

"The All-American 400 weekend is getting bigger and bigger all the time and bringing in all three divisions of the ASA Late Model Series for one huge show during that weekend, that's going to be real exciting" Added Deery.

Joining the ASALMS Challenge Division on March 18, 2006 for the 2006 opener will be the Salem, Indiana based CRA Super Series, who will also kick off their 2006 season at the historic Fairgrounds speed plant with the Spring Clash 150. The CRA Super Series will also be a part of the 24th annual All-American 400 festivities as well.

The Music City Motorplex has a long standing tradition in the Southern Region of the United States. The 2006 season will mark the 102nd year of racing at the facility. The fast .596 mile high-banked paved oval runs various racing programs throughout each race weekend on Fridays and Sundays. Friday nights are regular racing programs featuring Late Models, Super Trucks, and Grand National Sportsman. Sundays are Family Fun Days with full shows on the adjoining 1/4 mile oval with Legends, Bandoleros, Hornets, Front Runners, Junior Front Runners, Thunder Stocks, and Tennessee Outlaws.

Under the direction of President, Joe Mattiloi, General Manager, Jack Deery, Director of Public Relations, David Underwood, Event Coordinator, Jody McKenzie and the rest of the fine staff and management of the Music City Motorplex, the management team have continued to uphold the storied history and prestige that is running the high-banks of the Motorplex.

Since 1904, racing of some type has been held every year on the property with formalized racing beginning in 1948. From 1958 until 1984, the NASCAR Grand National Series, now the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series held at least one event a year at the Fairgrounds. The current NASCAR Busch Series and the NASCAR Craftsman Trucks Series have also held events at the Motorplex.

Beginning in 1958, Late Models have been the premiere division at the Motorplex as Wade Buttrey picked up his second consecutive track championship during the 2005 season. Such prominent names that are former track champions at the facility include; the first ever Late Model track champion, Freddy Fryar, also Darrell Waltrip, Coo Coo and Sterling Marlin, Jimmy Means, Mike Alexander, Bobby Hamilton, and Jeff Green.

More recently such names as Chad Chaffin, Andy Kirby, Joe Buford, Jeff Letson, and Bo Miller have all worn the crown of track champion at the historic fairgrounds facility. To learn more about the historic Music City Motorplex, and the upcoming 2006 racing season, log onto their website at: www.musiccitymotorplex.com

The next scheduled event for the ASA Late Model Series will be the 2005 Awards Banquet to be held at the Quality Hotel and Banquet Center in Fort Wayne, Indiana on Saturday January 14, 2006, beginning with Happy Hour at 5:30pm.

The ASA Late Model Series will honor the 2005 ASA Late Model Series Champion, Stephen Leicht, as well as the 2005 Pat Bourdow Memorial Rookie of the Year, Brian Campbell and the top twenty drivers in the final points standings. In addition, the GM Performance Parts Winner's Circle participants will be awarded as will the GM Performance Parts Shootout Points Champion, Mark Hartline. Also Special Awards, as voted on by the teams of the ASALMS will be handed out along-with special appreciation awards.

The banquet is a semi-formal event and the ASALMS encourages everyone to put on their best. The ASALMS will continue with the tradition that started with the first annual banquet to begin the awards presentation first followed by dinner and dancing. Everyone is welcome to attend and to celebrate the 2005 season. Attendance is mandatory for all teams receiving awards. Tickets for the banquet must be purchased in advance through the ASALMS Office. All tickets MUST BE ORDERED by Saturday January 7, 2006!

In addition, there are some rooms that are blocked off for the ASALMS and some of those hotel rooms are still available at the Quality Inn by calling 1 (877) 240-2929 and using the ASALMS Member code #00802174 to get a 15% discount. Once all of those rooms are gone, you can call the hotel direct and get a room for $59 by letting them know you are part of the ASALMS. Please Call 1 (260) 484-7711. Pricing is discounted for both Friday and Saturday January 13-14, 2006.

Also on that same day, the 2006 ASA Late Model Series Owner/Drivers meeting will also be held at the Quality Hotel and Banquet Center from 9am-Noon. This meeting will be open for all three divisions and its' participants and the ASA Late Model Series management and staff encourages all teams that plan on running with any of the three traveling series in 2006 to attend or send a representative to the meeting.

The 2006 ASA Late Model Series Southern Division Owner/Drivers meeting is set for Saturday January 21, 2006 at the Quality Inn/Marietta Room in Marietta, Georgia from 10am-1pm. Just a reminder to all teams that plan to attend the January 21st Informational meeting in Marietta Georgia. This meeting is in addition to the ASALMS Owner/Drivers Meeting to be held the weekend before on Saturday January 14, 2006 in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

It is very important that you register your attendees with the ASA Late Model Series South Office as soon as possible. There is no charge to attend the meeting but we will need an accurate head count to ensure that we are properly prepared. Please register via e-mail or call the Southern Division office at: (770) 630-4571 or you can e-mail Southern Division Director, Randy Rabinowitch at: randyr@asalatemodels.com

The ASA Late Model Series Southern Division will open the 2006 season for the ASA Late Model Series on Saturday March 4, 2006 at the Bronson (FL) Motor Speedway near Gainesville in Bronson, Florida for the inaugural Florida 100. The ASA Late Model Series Northern Division will hold its' inaugural event on Saturday May 6, 2006 at the wicked fast ½ mile of the I-70 (MO) Speedway outside of Kansas City in Odessa, Missouri.

For more information about the 2005 ASA Late Model Series Awards Banquet as well as the approaching 2006 season with the ASA Late Model Challenge Division, and the ASA Late Model Series Northern and Southern Divisions; check out the websites at: www.asalatemodelsnorth.com and www.asalatemodelssouth.com

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