ASA Member Tracks Are Creating Many Story Lines For The Joe Gibbs Driven Racing Oil National Championship

There are many story lines brewing with many ASA Member Tracks finishing their 2011 seasons.  Three drivers have secured their track championships, Newport Motor Speedway’s top-three could be a factor for the National championship, and Barry Beggarly is showing that age doesn’t matter to be successful in auto racing.

Shelby Stroebel, Mike Reichenberger, and Mark Mackesy each have achieved a major requirement to be a challenger for the 2011 Joe Gibbs Driven Racing Oil ASA Member Track National Championship.  Each has won their 2011 track championship at their respective ASA Member Tracks.

Stroebel secured his championship two weeks ago by winning the ASA Modified Championship at Meridian Speedway in Meridian, ID.  As documented before, Stroebel started racing a few years ago to keep his father’s spirits up while he battled leukemia.  Sadly, Allen Stroebel lost his battle earlier this week.  The ASA family extends their sympathy to the Stroebel family.

Stroebel currently is fourth overall in the standings with an average of 4.2425.

Mike Reichenberger had a stressful final night of racing at Norway Speedway in Norway, MI.  He failed to qualify into the main event but received a provisional where he finished tenth to secure the Late Model championship.  Reichenberger won the championship by five points over Dillon Kralovetz.  Mike’s son, Brandon, finished eighth in the season standings. Reichenberger is currently fifth overall with an average of 3.9664.

Mark Mackesy made national headlines when he pulled off an upset win earlier this year as he competed in the ASA Midwest Tour event at State Park Speedway in Wausau, WI and won the event.  Mackesy also won three feature events this season at State Park Speedway to secure the 2011 Late Model championship.  Mackesy is currently seventh overall with an average of 3.0779.

“ASA would like to congratulate Shelby Stroebel, Mike Reichenberger, and Mark Mackesy on their 2011 track championships,” Dennis Huth, ASA President said.  “Each of these drivers has completed a giant step towards being the 2011 Joe Gibbs Driven Racing Oil ASA Member Track National Champion.  Each of these drivers faced tough competition at their respective ASA Member Tracks and we are very proud to have them as champions under the ASA Banner.”

Zack Franks, David Flynn and Wayne Webb are three drivers from Newport Motor Speedway that could challenge for the National title before the month of September is over.  Franks won both feature events last Saturday night at the ASA Member Track located in Newport, TN.  Franks now has a one point lead over Flynn and a two point lead over Webb in the track standings.  Both Flynn and Webb have 15 events on record, but Franks only has 13 on record and when he gets to 14 events, his average could increase to challenge Beggarly and Chrissy Wallace.  His current average is 4.3961 which puts him third overall in the National Standings.

Barry Beggarly continues to lead the overall National Standings with an average of 4.9934.   He leads the Late Model standings at Ace Speedway in Altamahaw, NC.    The three-time track champion is one of the top fan favorites at the track today.  

As a seasoned veteran, Beggarly has an equal chance at a tryout with Joe Gibbs Racing.   “It is awesome to see someone like Barry Beggarly compete strong and win every week at Ace Speedway.  He is proving that age doesn’t matter to be successful in this sport,” Lake Speed Jr., Certified Lubrication Specialist at Joe Gibbs Driven Racing Oil said.  “No matter if it’s an older driver or a young competitor in their 20’s, Joe Gibbs Racing is looking for drivers of all ages.  There are sponsors out there who want to be a part of this sport and want a driver that will compliment their product or service.  Not every sponsor is looking for a young driver.  There are opportunities for all ages.”

Last Saturday night, Chrissy Wallace finished sixth after being involved in an early accident last Saturday night at Lebanon I-44 Speedway in Lebanon, MO.  She is still second overall with an average of 4.6035.  She could wrap up the track championship this Saturday night. 

Randall Wilhorn will be competing in double feature events and is still in a tight point battle with Ronnie Rihn at Marshfield Motor Speedway in Marshfield, WI.  He has an average of 2.3341.

Ryan Stiltner finished third in the Charger division this past Saturday night at Lonesome Pine Raceway in Coeburn, VA.  He is ninth overall with an average of 2.3278.

Mark Shackleford will be back in action this Saturday night in the Super Late Model division at Orange Show Speedway in San Bernardino, CA.  He rounds out the top-ten with an average of 1.9248.

Fans can look at their favorite driver statistics by visiting SpeedNetDirect.com’s Championship Insider at www.championshipinsider.com.  It is a free membership site, sign up today!

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 the 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 shows the current track point leaders that would be eligible for the National Championship if it ended today.  The East and West Region standings give 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.

American Speedway Association PR