Real Racin’ USA Media
In an effort to end some of the confusion fans and even other media members have expressed in 2007, Real Racin USA will bring Dennis Huth to our listeners on next Tuesday’s “Real Racin USA Live!” show.
Dennis Huth is the owner of the ASA (American Speed Association) name and trademarks and is President of Racing Speed Associates. Huth’s background includes 17 years
with NASCAR where he founded and managed the Craftsman Truck Series.
He was also director of the NASCAR Winston Weekly Racing & Touring Series, and had
formation oversight on the former NASCAR Southwest and Northwest Tours. In
addition, Huth was president of IMSA and the Trans-Am Series, as well as
many years spent as owner and promoter of several racetracks in Oregon and
Northern California.
In 2008 the ASA will expand their track sanctioning program and traveling series agenda to include an asphalt late model touring series in the southeastern states.
This organization is separate from the ASA Late Model Series currently operated by Ron and Sandy Varney.
After the disasterous break-up of the ASA series in 2004. The series’ holdings were carved up with Huth buying the ASA Member Track program and the rights to the ASA National Tour through his company, Racing Speed Associates. With the purchase, Huth also got control over programs with several traveling series that race across the country.
For more in depth history of the breakup and resurgence of the ASA, we refer you to an article in Circle Track, “ASA – Savior of the Short Track”
We will hopefully clear up some of the current questions for race fans and racing teams when Huth appears next week on “Real Racin’ USA Live!” The show is heard on the Internet each Tuesday 7-9 PM and all shows and interviews are archived for later “On-Demand” listening.
The following release was issued from the Daytona offices of the ASA last week:
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (October 8, 2007) – Citing a need to return Super Late
Models back to their grassroots marketing foundation, the new American Speed
Association Southeast Asphalt Tour plans to bring a “circus” when they hit
the towns in 2008.
Well, maybe not a circus in the traditional sense, but according to series
owner/founder John Kee, at least a “Barnum & Bailey atmosphere. When the
circus comes to town everybody knows about it, is excited about it and looks
forward to the chance to come out and see the race. I think that this is
something that is missed with a lot of the Late Model series and the Late
Model tracks. Many times the people don’t even know there is a race right in
their own backyard.”
The ASA Southeast Asphalt Tour has energetic plans on a 15-race schedule
next year, with intentions to televise nine of those races on a cable
channel which reaches most of the country. Though the exact times have not
been finalized yet, Kee is negotiating a mid-week airing during a time where
there is little to no other competing motorsports programming. He also
mentioned that there would likely be multiple airings of these tape-delayed
broadcasts.
Depending on the size of the racetrack, the starting field would vary
between 24 and 36 cars for a 100-lap feature. If there are enough cars which
do not qualify through the time-trials, Kee said that there would be a “Last
Chance Race” to fill the final positions on the starting grid. Although the
payment structure has not been released, each starting car would be
guaranteed a minimum of $600.
The ASA Southeast Asphalt Tour intends to make sure that the rules for the
teams are consistent for everyone, whether they race the entire schedule or
just a handful of events through the year.
“You know, there needs to be some consistency in the rules and the racing
and I think that is something that has gotten out of hand,” Kee said. “You
go to different areas of the country and (the rules) are all over the map as
far as what type of engine you can run, the car setups, and even enforcement
of the rules.”
“We are going to have a consistent set of rules and enforcing them and run a
good, fair competition so that when someone comes to race with us. We intend
to keep the cars equal so everyone has a fair chance on the racetrack. The
intent is to stage professional racing and have fun along with it”
Perhaps the most unique thing about the new American Speed Association
Southeast Asphalt Tour is the throwback marketing elements that Kee is
planning.
“I know that the Cup series has a lot of marketing elements which are great
for the bigger companies, but I sort of look at that like the 35,000-foot
level. I want to have a program that is affordable for the smaller, regional
companies or the franchise businesses to get some benefit from these markets
that we are going to and to drive sales. There is a whole tier of people out
there that are being missed,” Kee said.
Some of the elements that Kee mentioned were a “ride along” program where
the businesses would have access to the racetrack and drivers at all of the
races to get a “hands on” racing experience. The ASA Southeast Asphalt Tour
will also require that the teams make a car and driver appearance in market
which is tied into the point system. There is no charge to the sponsor for
these appearances, but the benefit is obvious by having a car and driver
available to bring traffic into the business.
The racetracks will have an interactive display with tent space available
for the sponsors to show their products and give the fans something else to
enjoy while at an ASA Southeast Asphalt Tour event. A portion of the revenue
will go to the host track resulting in a gain for everyone.
To help get the word of the races out in the market, Kee has setup a
guaranteed media program to help promote the races. Basically, the ASA
Southeast Asphalt Tour will double the track media advertising budget; as an
example, if the racetrack spends $3,000 to promote the event, Kee said that
he intends to spend an additional $6,000. This is capped at $10,000 which
would result in tremendous exposure in a market to help interest people in
their event.
Additionally, there is an advance promotion team which is visiting each of
the 15 race markets and meeting with the Chamber of Commerce, economic
development groups, and the local television, radio and newspapers. This
team will then make a second trip to the area a few days ahead of the race
to continue the promotion of the race and the sponsoring companies.
Kee is proud of the role that the American Speed Association has played over
the decades in motorsports, and looks to continue that with the ASA
Southeast Asphalt Tour.
“Dennis Huth from ASA has been a tremendous asset to us in the formation of
this Series,” said Kee. ” He has had years of oversight on numerous series
and also involved in many start-up series, which has saved us valuable time
and resources in the formation of the ASA Southeast Asphalt Tour.”
“What I want to do is get back to the heritage that the American Speed
Association has,” he said. “I want the racers to know that, and I want the
fans to know that. I want them to know that (the drivers) are racing a
series that Mark Martin raced at; that Rusty Wallace, Alan Kulwicki, and so
many other (NASCAR) Cup champions have all raced at. We want the drivers to
be proud of this and to meet those standards and think about these type of
legends when they are out there racing.”
Over the years, the American Speed Association has provided many of the
finest drivers in stock car racing the avenue needed to learn and hone their
skills. Among the ASA graduates are such noted names as Rusty Wallace (1983
ASA champion), Mark Martin (four-time champion in 1978, ’79, ’80, ’86),
Jimmie Johnson (1998 Rookie of the Year), Matt Kenseth, Reed Sorenson, Kyle
Busch, and Dick Trickle. Each of these drivers, and hundreds of others, took
to the bullrings to learn what it takes to be a professional race car driver
and how to handle the rigors of a national touring series including car
handling skills, media relations, and of course fan interaction.
“This new ASA Southeast Asphalt Tour is certainly one of the most exciting
new Late Model tours to come along in some time and I am really excited to
be part of their program,” said Dennis Huth, president of Racing Speed
Associates which owns the American Speed Association. “John has setup so
many positive elements and I have no doubt that the ASA Southeast Asphalt
Tour will be embraced by the communities they go to, the companies that
become involved in the program, and the fans that are able to experience ASA
short track racing in a very unique way. This will quickly become one of the
most popular Late Model series in the country.”
The ASA Member Track program is comprised of 27 short tracks around the
United States, as well as a variety of regional and national touring series.
