ASA STARS National Tour Brings Unique Procedure to Short Track Pavement Racing
When the ASA STARS National Tour kicked off in 2023, Pavement Super Late Model Short Track fans witnessed a new twist to the sport. The highly anticipated debut of the new STARS National Tour introduced Stage Racing at the Series opener at Five Flags Speedway back in March.
Stage Racing is a race format procedure that awards championship points to drivers and teams at pre-determined segment breaks in the long-distance races.
“The short track industry has, for the most part, done away with live pit stops, in the interest of safety and cost containment,” stated Joe Balash, Director of Race Operations for the ASA STARS National Tour. “It was clearly the right decision, but it also clearly changed the way these races have played out. Introducing Stage Racing has added an element of strategy back into the teams’ race planning and added excitement for the fans.”
Track Enterprises President and ASA STARS National Tour founder Bob Sargent announced today that Phoenix Water Solutions has agreed to sponsor the stage racing format in 2024, beginning with the Tuesday, February 13 Clyde Hart Memorial 200 from New Smyrna Speedway.
“Thanks to Phoenix Water Solutions for supporting the ASA STARS National Tour, and sponsoring the stage-race bonus in 2024,” Sargent stated. “Stage racing has added excitement and strategy to the STARS race events, with drivers and teams racing for bonus points and a $1,000 bonus award, now courtesy of Phoenix Water Solutions!”
Each of the long-distance ASA STARS National Tour races are broken into three segments. The 2024 season-opening 100 mile / 200 lap Clyde Hart Memorial 200 will be broken into a pair of 75 lap segments (lap 75 and lap 150), with a final 50 lap shootout to the checkered flag.
Each segment will pay 10 championship points to the stage winner, 9 points to second, 8 to third, and decreasing by 1 point through 10th place. In all, a maximum of 30 “bonus” points will be available to segment winners. Courtesy of Phoenix Water solutions, a $1,000 bonus will be paid to the winner of each the first and second segments at each of the ten ASA STARS National Tour events this season.
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