ASAMT TEAMS PREPARE FOR THE ECHO CHAINSAW 100 AT MIS THIS SUNDAY
By: Kevin Ramsell

BURLINGTON, WI (Monday, April 28, 2008) – Several ASA Kwik Trip Midwest Tour presented by ECHO Outdoor Power Equipment teams took advantage of an open practice this past Saturday at Madison International Speedway in Oregon, WI. This was the only opportunity for the teams to test given the seven day no test rule, the rule that is enforced at the track hosting the upcoming ASAMT event.

Defending Madison winner, Brandon Hill was on hand and was excited to be back, “I couldn’t wait to get back here, I wish we came more often,” Hill stated. “It’s always been a good place for me. I have only ran here two or three times and some pretty good runs, and last year, obviously, we ran real well. We need a good run.”

Also on hand was defending ASAMT champion, Nate Haseleu, who was also looking to turn things around after his disappointing run at Elko. “Our goal today is to get it the best that we can get it,” Haseleu stated. “Today it’s a little more laid back, we got more time, we can throw some springs and shocks at it and see if we can make it work.”

Haseleu is hoping to turn things around with Madison and Jefferson coming up, that his Swiss Colony Team can turn things around after Elko, “I really like racing at both of them so I am really looking forward to getting on those tracks, but I really like Elko so I guess we will just see how it goes.”

Last year, Haseleu was the ECHO Blow the Competition Away Fast Qualifier with a lap time of 17.701 seconds (101.689 mph) and finished fourth in the feature event.

2007 ASAMT Rookie of the Year, Jonathan Eilen and his team made the trek from Hampton, MN to break in his new super late model that included the Roltek Transmission he received for being the Rookie of the Year.

Eilen, who put on a great battle with Dave Feiler to finish second in last year’s event, is looking forward to Sunday’s event. “That was really cool, because I have never been able to race on the outside with Feiler, especially for second place. It was really cool, we had a real good car here last year and I look forward to hopefully having a good finish next Sunday.”

Nick Murgic also made the trip from Minnesota as he will be competing at MIS for the first time in his career. Murgic received a Touring Star bonus for the Elko event for being the highest finishing rookie.

Also receiving Touring Star status were Jake Ryan, Jacob Goede and Tim Schendel. All three drivers are eligible for Touring Star bonus money based on their attendance of the MIS event and finishing position in relation to all of the other Touring Stars.

Joining the ASAMT at Madison will be the Big 8 Series presented by Gandrud Chevrolet. This limited late model series will feature the best weekly racers competing in a 38-lap feature event on Wisconsin’s Fastest Half-Mile Oval. Such stars competing include defending champion Jeremy Miller, seven-time Rockford Speedway champion Ricky Bilderback, and 14-year-old third generation driver Ross Kenseth.

Qualifying will get underway at 2:30 pm with the Big 8 Series up first, and then the ASAMT competitors will take to the track for qualifying where the top 16 will be locked into the ECHO Chainsaw 100 feature event.

The racing action will get underway at 5:00 pm with heats and last chance races.

Madison International Speedway is located south of Madison, WI between Oregon and Stoughton off of Hwy. 138. The address of the Speedway is 1122 Sunrise Road, Oregon WI 53575. The track phone # is (608) 835-9700 and their website is www.madisoninternationalspeedway.com.

MIS has Wisconsin’s Fastest Half-Mile oval along with a quarter-mile oval. It well known for its weekly Friday night program along with a list of well-known champions including; Dick Trickle, Joe Shear, Matt Kenseth, Robbie Reiser, Travis Kvapil, Todd Kluever, and Bobby Wilberg.

Ticket prices for the May 4th MIS event are $17 for ages 12 and up. 11 and under will get FREE admission. Qualifying starts at 2:30 pm. Autograph session at 4:15 pm with racing at 5:00 pm.

To learn more about the American Speed Association Kwik Trip Midwest Tour presented by ECHO Outdoor Power Equipment and the engine giveaway program, please contact the ASA Midwest Tour office by calling (262) 514-3880 or by e-mailing Tim Olson at tim@asamidwesttour.com or Steve Einhaus at steve@asamidwesttour.com.

To learn more about the Daytona Beach, Florida-based Racing Speed Associates or the American Speed Association Racing Member Track program, call (386) 258-2221 or send an e-mail to info@asa-racing.com. For news and information from all the racetracks and regional tours involved in the American Speed Association, visit www.asa-racing.com.