Source: Dave Grayson
Date: 03/05/2008

There's going to be plenty of excitement when the Havasu 95 Speedway opens its gates this Saturday. The most scenic quarter mile asphalt track in the southwest, located in Lake Havasu City-Arizona, will be hosting a full night of ASA sanctioned racing for its fans featuring the 2008 debut of the ASA-TVT24-7 Speed Truck Challenge Series, the JJ&B Late Models, ASA Street Stocks, the Bandoleros and the Factory Stocks. The Havasu 95 Speedway will also be honoring the men and women from our Armed Forces by presenting "Military Appreciation Night."

 

The ASA-TVT 24-7 Speed Truck Challenge Series will be kicking off their 2008 racing season exactly where they left off: at the Havasu 95 Speedway. Last October this series held an amazing season finale that saw drivers Victor Pluger and two time series champ Darren Young come to town separated by two points. In the latter stages of the race the 16 year old Pfluger was able to win his first title in a race a lot of fans are still talking about.

 

Because this regional touring series for racing trucks allows competitors to drive at the age of 14, it has attracted a lot of attention from new teams. There are a reported 22 new teams that will be driving in the series this year. Six of the drivers are still 13 and cannot legally race but they can participate in Friday's test and tune session that will help them hone their skills in their new racing rides until they reach the legal driving age. The 2008 debut of this series could turn out to be every bit as exciting as their 2007 conclusion in Lake Havasu City last October.

 

Providing another high level of excitment will be the JJ&B Late Model Series who will be making their eighth appearance at the track's winter series. They're also bringing a very tight points race with them Saturday that has a total of 18 points separating the top three drivers. Bobby Keirns, and his #86 Chevrolet, is still looking for his first season win in Lake Havasu City but he's been a model of consistency during his feature races. He six top five finishes, combined with seven top tens, has allowed him to accumulate a series leading 306 points.

 

But Keirns will be going into Saturday night's race with a mere two point lead over Mark Schriner. The driver of the #82 Ford is having himself a very good year at the Havasu 95 Speedway. His 298 series points is in direct proportion to his two wins, four top five finishes and six top tens.

 

Third in the series's standings, and still very much a part of the championship picture, is the #66 Chevrolet driven by Albert Flores Jr. With four top five finishes, and six top tens, Flores goes into Saturday night's race just 18 points away from the leader. Any combination of good and bad racing luck between these three drivers could greatly alter the series standings by the time the evening is over.

One of the Havasu 95 Speedway's most popular division is the ASA Street Stocks. This division has a very healthy car count and provides their fans with a lot of intense door to door racing. The division's points standings is being led by fan favorite Rick Layman, and his #B52, whose two wins, four top five finishes and four top tens had led to 246 points. Layman has a lead of 28 points over drivers Chip Campbell and Jim Carlo who are tied for second with 218 points each. Campbell's #42 Chevrolet has a feature win, four top five finishes and five top tens. Carlo's #40 Chevrolet has amassed three top five finishes and five top tens. Campbell and Carlo also has something else in common other than a tie for second in the points standings. They both missed the December 30th race and that has helped created Layman's 28 point advantage. Expect some hard charging from these two drivers Saturday night in an effort to make up some of that deficit. Also expect Layman to do everything he can to stay in front of them.

 

The future of racing will also be at the Havasu 95 Speedway Saturday night. That would be those hard charging youngsters in their small, but very fast, Bandolero cars. Tyler Fabozzi has been on fire during the last five races in this series. He started the season off with a top five finish and then won the next four features in a row. He's leading the standings with 244 points. Despite that season dominance, Shelby Orozco is only 26 points behind the leader based on her three top five finishes and five top tens. Alex Morgan holds down third in the rankings, 28 markers from the lead, and also has three top fives and five top tens. But if these two drivers are going to make a run towards the title, with time running out, they are going to have to find a way to end Fabozzi's series dominance.

 

One of the major fan favorites at the Havasu 95 Speedway are the Factory Stocks. This affordable entry level into stock car racing features hard door to door racing, with lots of yellow flags, because the drivers only have a short amount of time to get to the front. The fans stand on their feet for the Factory Stock feature from the very first to the very final lap. Dave Buntmeyer, and his #37, has turned seven top five finishes, and ten top tens, into a series high 470 points. Mike Harris hold down second just 20 markers behind the leader. Harris' highly visble #777 has two feature wins, including the last race on February 23d,along with seven top fives and nine top tens.Still in striking distance is Scott Allen's #444 who has amassed a consistent six top fives and 10 top ten finishes. Allen is third in the standings and only 26 points away from first.

 

In addition to the full schedule of ASA sanctioned racing, the Havasu 95 Speedway will be honoring the members of our Armed Forces by presenting "Military Appreciation Night."Active duty military personnel, with a valid ID card, will be admitted free Saturday. Race fans wearing patriotic attire will received a $2 discount on their tickets. Dial up the speedway's official website at www.havasu95speedway.com for all of the details on exciting ASA racing at the most scenic quarter mile asphalt track in the southwest