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Before its demise, ASA was notable as the only nationally touring Stock Car series that used passenger car technology for its racing engines. Unlike NASCAR , which still requires Carbureted engines for all its nationally touring series, ASA required Fuel Injection in all of its engines during its final years. During the mid-1980's, it also became one of the first stock car groups to offer a six-cylinder, lower-price alternative to the popular V8 engines, designed for less power but more race-capable for drivers. Following the 2000 rule changes, it was also known for introducing Crate Motors to a national audience. The association's demise was a byproduct of three byproducts: MTV LAWSUIT In 1991, Gaylord Entertainment (owners of The Nashville Network) and an independent production company, Group Five Sports, signed an agreement where the ASA would add live race broadcasts to their schedule. The first such live ASA AC-Delco Challenge Series race was held in June 1991 at Nashville Speedway USA . The race featured visiting NASCAR star Darrell Waltrip (who won the ASA's first Challenge of Champions race in 1972) defeating ASA regular Bob Senneker in a furious finish. The exposure led eventually to national television coverage for the entire season by TNN and Group Five doing the production (even though TNN had owned another production company). In 1999, CBS (which purchased TNN in 1997) officials announced the purchase of 25% of the American Speed Association from owner Rex Robbins in exchange for live television rights to the entire ASA ACDelco Series schedule for five years. CBS did this move after losing coverage of NASCAR races, and the network chose to market the ASA on its CBS Cable family of networks (TNN and CMT). When Viacom took over TNN in 2000, CBS Cable operations were shut down. TNN's Charlotte and Nashville offices were closed and the signals transferred to MTV Networks for the creation of a channel which would eventually be called Spike TV. At the time, MTV Networks honored its remaining motorsports contracts signed by CBS motorsports officies. In August 2001, MTV ended its association with ASA and the World Of Outlaws (which also had a TNN contract signed by CBS management) by announcing they would tape delay the popular sprint car Knoxville Nationals , and also tape delay the two remaining ASA ACDelco Series races — one on Labor Day weekend at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds , and one at Indianapolis Raceway Park (IRP), the "Night Before F1" ASA event. IRP is famous for hosting major races on the night before the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's three major races. The ASA filed a lawsuit in Pendleton County, Indiana court in an attempt to stop the tape delays, but dropped the lawsuit after MTV agreed to air just one of the two races in the lawsuit live. MTV terminated the five-year CBS contract after just two years. Brian Robbins, the son of the founder, blasted MTV, saying, "It appears new (MTV) management does not have the same vision for the partnership as we had with TNN (CBS Cable) at the time we made the agreement.” SALE OF THE SANCTIONING BODY The 2002 season had drastic changes because of the move of television coverage to the lower-rated Speed Channel . Robbins ended his involvement with ASA. Car owner Steve Dale, along with a group of investors, purchased the ASA at the end of the 2002 season, and began massive changes for 2003 hoping for further expansion of the series. The ASA then further expanded its Member Track program, hoping to deliver tracks to their side with a lower sanctioning fee than rival NASCAR's sanctioning fees. ASA did not have the high-dollar or high-exposure status NASCAR's Dodge Weekly Series offered. EXPANSION AND FINANCIAL TROUBLES OF THE 2004 SEASON Steve Dale and the ASA purchased a fairly new Midwest-based late model series called the US Pro Series. The series used "crate" engines and "template" bodies to help develop a new "Approved Body Configuration" template for race cars. The standardized bodies saved money for teams at every track which wasn't a NASCAR-sanctioned track. The US Pro Series was renamed to the ASA Late Model Series. When the new ASA Late Model series began, it debuted with Matt Kenseth and Tony Stewart racing in the inaugural race under the new name and ownership. The ASA also purchased the Southern Modified Auto Racing Teams (SMART) organization in hopes to help sanction the series. SMART featured race cars similar to the Northeast-based NASCAR Modifieds. The ASA also purchased the Speed Truck Challenge, a West Coast-based short-track series using fiberglass bodies designed to resemble compact pickup trucks. Car livery began to take a new look in 2004, with the cars having numbers on the rear fenders and sponsors on the door, which is opposite of what most race cars traditionally have used. Financial problems developed midway in the 2004 season when the ASA began to cancel races, and television contracts were canceled. By the end of the season, the series' demise came when the series raced at Lowe's Motor Speedway . During the driver's meeting for the 99-lap Aaron's 99 event (held after NASCAR Nextel Cup qualifying for the UAW-GM Quality 500 ), they informed competitors they did not have funds to pay teams after the race, and they asked for an extension. The track held ASA officials' vehicles and equipment, hoping to pay the teams. A settlement was made where Speedway Motorsports, Inc. (owners of Atlanta Motor Speedway and Lowe's Motor Speedway) decided to pay the competitors directly after the final ASA race at Atlanta. The sanctioning body collapsed and was shut down after the 2004 season, and the National Tour folded. AFTERMATH NASCAR took advantage of the demise of the organization and started a Modified series in the Southeast (the Whelen Southern Modified Tour). The series features identical rules to NASCAR's northern brethren. The two surviving ASA groups were split. The Member Track program and ASARACING.COM site were sold to Racing Speed Associates, which continues to be run by former NASCAR official Dennis Huth, along with other ASA-sanctioned short track programs, except the Late Model Series. In 2006, Racing Speed Associates also revived the ASA's Southern Modified Racing Team concept, and with NASCAR's announcement it was ending its AutoZone Elite division, the organisation partnered with former IRL driver Davey Hamilton to develop a new West Coast Late Model series to begin in 2007. The ASA Late Model Series was sold back to Ron Varney, who started the US Pro Series, and continues under its ASALM series moniker with its Web site name ASALATEMODEL.COM. LIST OF NATIONAL TOURING SERIES CHAMPIONS
PAT SCHAUER MEMORIAL ROOKIES OF THE YEAR ''Brief history of the award'' Schauer, who resided in Watertown, WI, was killed in a stock car racing accident on Oct. 4, 1981 at the Winchester Speedway during an American Speed Association race. Schauer was the rookie point leader at the time. He has since been honored annually at the rookie of the year award presented at the year-ending banquet in his name. The American Stockcar League (ASL) took over the Award in 2005.
OTHER FAMOUS ALUMNI DRIVERS
TRACKS THAT HOSTED ASA NATIONAL EVENTS
EXTERNAL LINKS
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