LMS: San Antonio to host 2006 race

No joke! April Fools Day 2006 in Texas; The ASA Late Model Series Challenge Division heading to the San Antonio (TX) Speedway for $10,000 to win and $1000 to start!

Lexington, Michigan (12/29/2005): The ASA Late Model Series Presented by GM Performance Parts has traveled to various parts of the country with plenty of success throughout its' history. With the concept of the ASALMS catching on all over the country, it was only a matter of time before the eyes and ears of the Southern and Western portions of the United States would want a piece of the proverbial ASALMS pie!

As a result, the ASALMS will venture off onto the highways and bi ways of our great country during the 2006 season. A landmark event that will make history is now on the horizon for the ASALMS series and the stage is set in the country's biggest of the lower 48 states. It's only natural that everything is a little bigger in this great state and the ASALMS is right in the middle of it all.

The second event of the 2006 season for the ASALMS Challenge Division will give the cars and stars of the ASALMS a chance to see the sights and explore new territory en route to the longest trip in series history! On Saturday April 1, 2006, (Yes April Fools Day!), the ASALMS Challenge Division will make the long haul to the great state of Texas and the San Antonio (TX) Speedway for the running of the Alamo 200.

The cars and stars of the ASALMS Challenge Division will be very enticed to make the long haul to the Lone Star State. The teams will be heading out to Texas with a much bigger than normal purse on the line. $10,000 to win and $1000 just to start will surely draw cars from all over the country for the ASALMS first ever appearance in the great state of Texas. The Southern Division is off and the Northern Division won't get the green flag until May 6, 2006.

"This is a great day in the history of the ASALMS and it clearly shows how far we've all come in such a short time." Stated ASALMS Founder/President, Ron Varney. "The growth and expansion of the ASALMS is just phenomenal! For the great state of Texas to become part of the ASALMS family, is truly a feather in the cap to everyone involved within the ASALMS. Everyone associated with us deserves to be proud today of this announcement and proud of the fact that they are the reason we are where we are today!" He added.

"We're expecting one of the largest car counts in the history of the track. The purse is definitely worth racing for and the we're pretty sure some of the Northern teams will really appreciate the April South Texas weather." Stated San Antonio Speedway C.E.O., Terry Dickerson, who also owns and manages the United States Racing Association (USRA) touring series' in Texas

"When Ron and Sandy Varney picked up the ASALMS after getting away from the old National Tour, it became pretty obvious pretty quick that the decisions they were making and the direction they were taking made a whole lot of sense." Said Dickerson. "People all over the country are getting excited about how successful the ASALMS program has become. We're definitely excited about the ASALMS program as well." He added.

"San Antonio Speedway is looking forward to hosting the ASALMS teams." Dickerson Continued. "We're so excited about the ASALMS concept that we've even made it possible for SAS Late Model teams and United States Racing Association Super Late Model teams that have converted to the crate engine to be part of the show." He stated.

The San Antonio Speedway is a big ½ mile semi-banked paved oval sporting an impressive 18 degrees of banking in all four corners. San Antonio is one of two NASCAR sanctioned tracks in the state and also is the only asphalt half-mile track in Texas. San Antonio runs on Saturday nights featuring a regular racing program of; Late Models, Sportsman, Road Runners, and Women on Wheels.

"San Antonio Speedway is the perfect size and configuration for Late Model racing." Continued Dickerson. The track features long flat straightaways and 18--degree banks in the turns. Some teams find setting up for the turns a bit different than setting up for a half-mile track that has shorter straightaways and longer, less banked turns." Offered Dickerson. "No matter what, it's going to be a lot of fun! So come on down!" Dickerson ended.

San Antonio Speedway began construction in March 1977. The first race was held on August 22, 1977, and it was known as Highway 16 Raceway. The track was financed by 33 stockholders, and Don Bierschwale was named president of the board. San Antonio Speedway became a NASCAR sanctioned track in 1990. Former NASCAR Winston Cup Champion, Terry Labonte won the first Late Model Sportsman Championship in 1977.

To learn more about the San Antonio Speedway in San Antonio, Texas, call the speedway hot line at (210) 628-1499 or you can log onto their website at: www.sanantoniospeedway.com

The next scheduled event for the ASALMS 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 ASALMS 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 ASALMS 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 ASALMS 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 ASALMS 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 ASALMS 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 ASALMS Southern Division will open the 2006 season on Saturday March 4, 2006 at the Bronson (FL) Motor Speedway near Gainesville in Bronson, Florida for the inaugural Florida 100. The televised ASALMS Challenge Division will open the doors on their 2006 season two weeks later at the famed Music City (TN) Motorplex in Nashville, Tennessee on Saturday March 18, 2006 for the Music City 200.

Finally the ASALMS 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 the inaugural Show-Me 100.

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

-asa-