When the ASA STARS National Tour was announced, Derek Kraus knew he was going to support the series however he could.
The Wisconsin driver made the trip to Five Flags Speedway for the season opener, a run that was ended prematurely after an incident while running in the top-ten. Even with a result that he wasn’t looking for, Kraus was happy to see where the series would go in future events.
“I was really excited. It’s a really good idea what everyone’s doing with ASA and how it’s a traveling series. I feel like that’s what we needed and it’s a big advantage wherever we go,” Kraus said. “Pensacola was a really good show to begin with. There was definitely a Snowball Derby caliber field there and once we go up to Wisconsin I feel like we’re going to be able to pack Madison, Kaukauna, and Slinger for sure.
“It’s going to be something cool in Wisconsin and it’s something my dad raced with back in the day. It’s going to be cool to race in a series that he was racing in and I’m looking forward to the next events.”
The former ARCA Menards Series West champion has the first five ASA STARS races plus Kaukauna planned on his schedule, with the possibility of other series races being added after the fifth race of the season at the Slinger Nationals.
With the majority of Kraus’ starts in a Super Late Model having come in the Upper Midwest, the ASA STARS National Tour schedule offers up racetracks he has yet to compete at. The three Wisconsin tracks, though, are a different story. He’s finished on the podium in both the Joe Shear Classic and the Slinger Nationals in the past two years, while having a best finish of sixth in the Gandrud Auto Group 250 in 2019.
“I know we’re going to run all the Wisconsin races for sure. I think the plan is to run the first five (races) and see where we are in points, and continue from there. I’ve never been to Anderson Toledo, or Winchester, so those are three tracks I’ve never been to.”
Two of the new tracks that Kraus will for sure compete at are North Wilkesboro and Hickory in May. He’s looking forward to getting to drive new tracks, but he’s more excited to race with his family team once again, led by father and former racer Mark Kraus. “We’re really looking forward to going to North Wilkesboro and Hickory.
It’ll be a lot of fun just to go to new places and try to learn as much as I can. It’s always fun to be racing with a Super Late Model, especially with dad always being there. With how much work he puts into it, it’s fun to go and run good. Hopefully we can go run good at Madison and stay out of trouble.”
After competing full-time with the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series for the past three years, Kraus’ NASCAR schedule is scaled back for the 2023 season. He is scheduled to make his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut this weekend at Richmond Raceway with Kaulig Racing, with potentially more races to come.
With his racing schedule opened up this season, he plans to expand his time back home in Wisconsin behind the wheel of his Super Late Model.
“We’re definitely going to be running more Super Late Model races just to stay active in the seat. We’ve got a couple Xfinity races lined up with Kaulig. We’ll run Richmond this weekend and see where it goes from there. Then we’re going to get home to try and do as many Super races as we can and run a majority of them in Wisconsin and with the Midwest Tour. It’s always fun to be able to run the Super with how close it is to my family, I’m really looking forward to it.”
The Joe Shear Classic 200 will mark race two of the inaugural ASA STARS National Tour schedule, set for 2:00PM CT on Sunday, May 7. Advance tickets are available by visiting the track website at misracing.com/tickets, or at the track office during regular business hours. Madison International Speedway is located ten minutes south of Madison, on Sunrise Road off of Highway 51 between Oregon and Stoughton.
The Joe Shear Classic will be live-streamed on Racing America, MidwestTour.tv and TRACKTV.com. MAVTV will air the event on a tape-delayed basis.
The ASA STARS National Tour opened the ten race, six-state schedule at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, FL on March 11. Georgia racer Casey Roderick won the Sunshine State 200. Roderick is expected to enter the Joe Shear Classic 200, along with the rest of the top Super Late Model drivers in the country.
For the full ASA STARS National Tour schedule, plus Super Late Model rules and other information, please visit the series website at starsnationaltour.com, or be sure to follow the series on social media (Facebook: STARS National Series | Twitter: @racewithstars | IG: @starsnational).
ASA STARS National Tour
The ASA STARS National Tour debuted in March of 2023 for Super Late Model racing in America. Announced last October, many of the best drivers in America will compete in the ten-race national tour with a minimum $100,000 point fund. The championship team will be guaranteed $25,000.
The ASA STARS National Tour is made up of three races from each of the regional pavement Super Late Model Series under the Track Enterprises banner; the ASA CRA Super Series, the ASA Midwest Tour and the ASA Southern Super Series.
The Team Construction Winner’s Circle program has been announced as a part of the ASA STARS National Tour for licensed drivers/teams with perfect attendance. The program provides additional financial incentives to those teams who support the Series, thanks to Team Construction.
Track Enterprises, a Racing Promotions Company based in Illinois, will operate the ASA STARS National Tour. It announced the acquisition of the CRA sanctioning body in January and followed that up with the purchase of the Midwest Tour in July. In October, Track Enterprises President, Bob Sargent announced a partnership with the Southern Super Series which set the table for the formation of the ASA STARS National Tour.
