Travis Sauter and Team in Victory Lane at the 2009 Oktoberfest Race Weekend. (Credit: Doug Hornickel Photo fastlapphoto.com)By: Kari Shear-Carlson (ASAMT Media)
Photos By Doug Hornickel (fastlapphoto.com)

Travis Sauter finished in the top five three times in only four starts with the ASA Midwest Tour in 2009. One of those top five finishes was in victory lane where he captured the biggest victory of his career and first ASAMT win. Sauter claimed the victory in the 40th Annual Oktoberfest 100 at Lacrosse Fairgrounds Speedway after a hard-fought battle with 2010 ASAMT Champion, Steve Carlson. Not a bad way to end the season. In 2010 Sauter will have even more opportunities to make it to victory lane. Travis is set to run the full season with the American Speed Association® Kwik Trip Midwest Tour presented by ECHO Outdoor Power Equipment and Grandstay® Residential Suites Hotels.

Chances are if you are from the Midwest, you have heard of a Sauter. The family of racers hails from Necedah, WI and several have made the move to one or more of the NASCAR racing series. Travis is the son of Tim Sauter, 1999 ASA National Champion and a competitor in all three NASCAR series throughout his career. Travis has already proven that he has what it takes to follow in his grandfather, uncles’, and father’s footsteps.

The driver of the #5 Hamke chassis is looking forward to racing the full season in 2010. When asked what he was most looking forward to, Sauter’s matter-of-fact response was, “Just racing more in the top touring series in the country!” Travis would not be able to race the entire season without the support of his sponsors. Along with long-time sponsor Cranberry Creek Cranberries, Sauter is happy to announce that Habelman Bros. Company, the world's largest fresh cranberry grower and packer, has teamed up with Travis for 2010.

American Speed Association PR
DAYTONA BEACH, FL (Friday, March 12, 2010) - Larry Pond's phone has been ringing off the hook and his e-mail box is overflowing as ASA Member Tracks have been getting in contact with him about becoming part of the 2010 ASA Educational Series program. The ASA ES started as a pilot program at Madison International Speedway, an ASA Member Track, last season and will expand to be available at all ASA Member Tracks in 2010.

"The ASA Member Track promoters have really shown a lot of interest in this program and they see it as a big positive for their tracks," Pond, the ASA Educational Series National Director said. "We have formed a great partnership with Ohio Technical College to give high school kids the opportunity to be eligible for a scholarship to their very well known school."

The program is a co-sponsorship between Ohio Technical College and the ASA-Educational Series. The purpose of the program is to involve young ladies and men that are currently in high school in the auto racing industry and reward them with scholarships to Ohio Technical College based upon their performance.

High School students may apply for the program through their contacts with Ohio Technical College. Applications will be forwarded to the ASA-Educational Series for evaluation. Students that are accepted will become ASA-Educational Series members and will be assigned to a specific ASA race team competing at an ASA Member Track. They will earn points based on their performance with the race team during the race season.

Last year, Pond along with Pete Raskovic, a founder of the program and now consultant along with Randy Dziadowicz of Ohio Technical College, handed out $250,000 in OTC scholarship credits to 30 students at Madison International Speedway in its pilot program. Madison is already on board for the 2010 season.

The second Mid-American Stock Car Series Webisode has now been posted at the video-sharing site Youtube.

The video can be viewed by following this link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=QD2hnXbfP-0

This installment features two standout Mid-American veterans planning on making a return to the series this season. Jeremy Spoonmore, who recorded six top five finishes in six starts last season, and four-time MASCS champion James Swan discuss their plans and the competition they will face in 2010.

The first event for Mid-American’s 18th season is schedule for Sunday, April 18 at Rockford Speedway in Loves Park, Ill. Mid-American will join the BRP Big 8 late models for the 33rd Annual Spring Classic.

Rockford Speedway is located at 9572 Forest Hills Road seven miles north of downtown Rockford, just two miles west of Interstate 90 at the intersection of Forest Hills Road and Highway 173 in Loves Park, Ill. For more information visit www.rockfordspeedway.com

For more information about the Mid-American Stock Car Series, including results, the final 2009 standings, and driver information please visit www.midamericanracing.com.

Rain couldn't stop 12 years of waiting as the ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards returned to Texas Motor Speedway for a test session in preparation for the Rattlesnake 150 on Friday, April 16, that is part of the Samsung Mobile 500 NASCAR doubleheader weekend.

While the morning session was washed out due to heavy rains throughout Monday, the 1.5-mile superspeedway was dry by 1 p.m. CT today and ready for practice for the 21 drivers on hand. Tuesday's test marked the first time the ARCA Racing Series had raced at Texas Motor Speedway since the inaugural Z-MAX 250 on Sept. 18, 1998.

West Lake, Louisiana's Mikey Kile (left), in a Venturini Motorsports Toyota, led the charts circling the 1.5-mile speedway in 29.033 seconds, an average speed of 185.995 mph.

Brandon McReynolds, in an ESR Toyota, was second quickest overall at 185.752 mph. McReynolds is the son of former crew chief and current FOX race analyst Larry McReynolds. McReynolds hopes to make his first career ARCA Racing Series start in the Rattlesnake 150.

"It definitely helps chatting with Dad and other guys that have been around here a lot," said Brandon, whose father served as a successful crew chief for the likes of Dale Earnhardt and Davey Allison, among others. "It definitely helped being around the race tracks. I'm comfortable because I've been here before. I've seen the facility. Obviously, with Dad over here, it is amazing the things he can tell you even though he didn't drive the race car; he really knows what he's doing."

Steve Arpin, suffering from flu-like symptoms, took just 20 laps around the track but managed the third fastest speed (184.647 mph).

NASCAR has announced today the television schedule for its developmental series for 2010.

The expanded calendar includes 21 events on SPEED for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series and seven races for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour. This comprehensive package includes airing of every race on the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and West schedules. Three of the Whelen Modified Tours will air as same-day televised events.

SPEED, anchored by its popular and wide-ranging coverage of NASCAR, is the nation’s first and only cable television network dedicated to automotive and motorcycle racing, performance and lifestyle. The NASCAR Developmental Series programming will air Thursdays at 6 p.m. ET.

“Our NASCAR Developmental Series all have a strong and passionate fan base, and we saw the results in the viewership of last year’s events and in January for our postseason showcase, the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown,” said George Silbermann, NASCAR managing director of racing operations. “Our fans spoke, and we listened. We are thrilled to be able to work with our television partners to provide extensive coverage of the talented drivers and tracks that help form the foundation of this sport.”

SPEED, in conjunction with NASCAR Media Group, will air each tape-delayed race as a one-hour show. SPEED will once again provide same-day coverage of the combination event between the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and Whelen Southern Modified Tour at Bristol Motor Speedway on Wednesday, Aug. 18, as well as the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Saturday, Sept. 18 and the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour finale at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Thursday, Oct. 14.