ASA SPEED TRUCK CHALLENGE BRINGS A SKIN TIGHT POINTS RACE TO TUCSON

Source: Dave Grayson
Date: 04/19/2007

Corona-California's Jim Putman, driver of the #12 Performance Grading Dodge, is the current series points leader and goes into Saturday night with 164 points. Putman started his 2007 season on a strong note by winning the March 3d season opener at the Lucas Oil I-10 Speedway in Blythe-California where he led all 100 laps. He finished seventh in the March 17th event at the Orange Show Speedway in San Bernardino-California. During the April 7th race, at the Havasu 95 Speedway in Lake Havasu City-Arizona, Putman was the class of the field and appeared to be on his way to another win. But, in the final laps of that race, he was pinched up on the high line by lapped traffic and got shuffled back to fourth.

Holding down second in the standings is Victor Pfluger, driver of the #80 Parker Farms Dodge, who is only 3 points behind the leader. This highly talented 16 year old driver, from Morristown-Arizona, scored a second and a fourth place finish in the first two races of the year. Things did not go so well during the April 7th race at Lake Havasu City.Pfluger got caught up in some racing incidents and a seemingly top five finish became a 14th place finish and that dropped him to second after leading the points standings for the first month of the season. However that bad night in Lake Havasu City was mathmatically counteracted by the fact that the ASA Speed Truck Challenge Series awards five bonus points for setting the fast time in qualifying.Pfluger has collected 15 of these bonus points and that, so far this year, has made him the king of qualifying in the series. It's also kept him close to the points lead.

Third in the series' points standings is a tie between the two teammates from United Racing with 160 points each. Darren Young, driver of the #18 United Nissan Chevrolet, has a ninth and a pair of second place finishes so far this season. He's a two time series champion as well as the reigning 2006 champion. Many series observers agree that it's just a short matter of time before we see that black #18 back in victory lane again and that could happen as early as this Saturday night.

Also at 160 points is Bear Rzesnowiecky, driver of the #3 United Nissan Chevrolet.The 14 year old driver, from Las Vegas-Nevada, started his rookie season off with a tenth and a third place finish. Then, on April 7th, he stunned the competition by winning his first ever series race in Lake Havasu City. He will be bringing a lot of momentum with him when he arrives in Tucson Saturday night.

Fifth in the standing, at 152 points, is Randel "The Rocket" King driver of the #35 Hype Manufacturing/Clay Andrews Racing Chevrolet.King's season got off to an unlucky start. During the season opener, at the Lucas Oil I-10 Speedway, King was riding third in the final laps of the race when a cut tire forced an unscheduled pit stop that led to a 14th place finish. But the 16 year old driver, from Riverside-California, redeemed himself two weeks later and led all 100 laps to score the March 17th win at the Orange Show Speedway. He backed that up with a third place finish at the April 7th race at Havasu 95 Speedway.

Put it all together and you have five drivers, 12 points apart, and three different winners in three races. It already appears that the 2007 Go Fast-ASA Speed Truck Challenge Series season is going to be one of their best on record. In addition to the ASA Speed Truck Challenge 100 lap feature, the fine staff at Tucson Raceway Park has put together a great show for its fans this Saturday night that includes racing from their Legend Car Series, the high flying Bandoleros and the always fun TRP Bombers.

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