SAUNDERS HOPES TO TAKE THE ASALMS NORTH CHAMPIONSHIP FROM HOFFMAN AT OKTOBERFEST
By: Kevin Ramsell
WEST SALEM, WI (Oktober 1, 2008) - Of the nine championships to be decided at the 39th Annual Oktoberfest Race Weekend, the ASA Late Models Series North championship gives the impression of David vs. Goliath.  David is being played by sophomore driver Jesse Saunders and Goliath being defending Oktoberfest ASALMS North winner Eddie Hoffman.
 
Coming into the series season finale on Super Saturday, Hoffman holds a 93-point lead over Saunders.  But the story is how many are surprised that it's Saunders contending for the title, but Saunders has a simple answer for them.
 
"I would agree that a lot of people are surprised.  In fact close friends don't even realize were second in points much less that we have a legitimate shot at taking over the championship," Saunders from New Glarus, WI stated.  "The biggest thing with being a limited budget team is spending money wisely and focusing on improving areas that common sense and hard work will show results.  It doesn't take money to be prepared.  Our strongest points for the most part last year and this year have been unloading with a good basic set-up in the car."  
 
Being a limited budget team has shown him that doing your homework is important, "The other thing I feel we excel on is being prepared.  We don't have the luxury of two cars or spare motor so we take the time that some people would devote to two cars and double check our car.  When the hauler leaves the shop, I feel that the car is prepared to its fullest.  Beyond that everything else is out of my control."
 
But Saunders is honest in admitting that it hasn't been a perfect season, "I think our season as a whole has been very inconsistent.  If you look at last year to this year on a performance standard, we have been up and down.  This year started really good with strong performances in the first 3 out of 4 races.  But with the need to experiment to keep up with the Jones we indirectly hurt ourselves," Saunders stated.  "Being under funded and having this as a side to regular day job, we just wore ourselves out trying to race, test and keep up with the maintenance and the taste of being prepared to go to the track.  Our podium finishes became top tens that were hard to obtain when we should have been contending for the win."
 
While he is trying to chase down Hoffman, who is the 1998 & 99 Oktoberfest Champion, he has earned Hoffman's respect.  "Jesse has run well before, he's got a good car, he's a good driver," Hoffman stated.  "He's out of the Pathfinder shop with the Wood's, so they know what they are doing over there.  He's been pretty steady, so he is right there."
 
Saunders will be coming into this weekend's event with two things in mind.  One is obvious, to beat Hoffman while the other is to improve on his 11th place finish a year ago. 
 
But after Saturday night, it will be no rest for Saunders, "Right now our immediate future goal is to get real aggressive with our marketing for next year.  I've been busy working on our '09 marketing portfolio and as soon as we get done with Lacrosse we will go to work on getting into '09.  As far as what car and series I'll be in, I'm honestly not sure.  Right now we are exploring the options and looking for the most economical yet competitive series that offers the best exposure.  I think myself and my team can play in a series and be competitive.  But it's just getting prepared to go into whatever series that may be."
 
For more information on Jesse Saunders, please visit his website at www.jwsracing.com.
 
For more information on the 39th Annual Oktoberfest Race Weekend, please visit the official site at www.oktoberfestraceweekend.com.  The four-day event starts on Thursday, Oktober 2nd.
The 39th Annual Oktoberfest Race Weekend will take place on Oktober 2-5, 2008 at La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway in West Salem, WI.  For more information, please visit www.oktoberfestraceweekend.com.