Current ASA STARS points leader Cole Butcher from Porters Lake, NS has things going pretty well right now. Butcher is fresh off a photo-finish victory in the most recent ASA Southern Super Series race at Mobile International Speedway (AL). Butcher now leads the charge heading to one of his better tracks, the famed Hickory Motor Speedway (NC).
Butcher has won three times at the venue in other series and third a year ago in the STARS National Tour Tar Heel 250 at Hickory. Butcher started fifth and led 13 laps before coming home in third behind the near photo finish of William Byron and race winner Gio Ruggerio.
Speaking of Ruggiero, he comes to Hickory ranking third in the overall standings. Heading back to the sight of his first STARS win has him as one of the favorites. Both Ruggiero and Butcher race for Donnie Wilson Motorsports and they will look to sweep the podium with fellow teammate Brent Crews, who claimed the Red Eye 50 Super Late Model race at New Smyrna to start the year. Crews was fourth in the Clyde Hart Memorial 200 at New Smyrna, his first STARS Tour race.
Speaking of teammates, Dawson Sutton comes to Hickory with Gavin Boschele carrying the Rackley WAR racing banner looking for glory as well. Sutton got to the point at Five Flags Speedway in the most recent event and looked to be strong before a mechanical problem took him out while he was leading.
There will be plenty of star power for the Tar Heel 250. NASCAR Star Chase Elliott will be on hand. Elliott finished 6th in this event just one year ago. Another NASCAR driver will be on hand. Josh Berry who returns to Hickory with nearly 50 wins to his credit. 40 of those wins have come in the track’s weekly series which has him third-all-time behind Max Prestwood and Dennis Setzer.
There will be a battle within the battle as the ASA Southern Super Series is again running a combination race with the ASA STARS Nation Tour. This will be the third and final race of the combination for the first half of the season. The next event that will be a combination event is the All-American 400 at the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway (TN).
Casey Roderick holds a firm lead in the ASA Southern Super Series standings. He also sits second in the ASA STARS National points. While Roderick has the honor of having won the first ASA STARS event last year at Five Flags Speedway, he’s struggled since then to find victory lane. While he may not be winning he is contending having led laps in his last three STARS events dating back to 2023.
Another driver who will be looking to get back on track after a DNF at Five Flags will be Bubba Pollard. He’s another driver who has prior success at Hickory Motor Speedway and he was in contention a year ago before his night ended early with steering issues.
Other notable drivers who have countless laps at Hickory include four-time race winner Matt Craig and Kaden Kavpil who also has five wins at Hickory in the Carolina Pro Late Model Series.
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
Founded by Track Enterprises President Bob Sargent, The ASA STARS National Tour for pavement super-late model stock cars debuted in March 2023 for Super Late Model racing in America.
The ASA STARS National Tour is a ten-race championship series, offering a $100,000 point fund. The tour will visit ten different race tracks in 7 states in 2024, with the season beginning in February during Florida Speedweeks, and concluding in early November at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway. Track Enterprises (TE) is a racing Promotions Company based in Illinois, which owns and operates the ASA STARS National Tour. In addition to the STARS National Tour, Track Enterprises owns and operates Championship Racing Association (CRA) and the ASA Midwest Tour. TE also has a strategic alliance and controlling interest in the ASA Southern Super Series.
ASA Branded Tours
ASA Branded Tours encompasses four (4) pavement super late model racing series operating under the Track Enterprises banner, and under the ASA Brand via a licensing agreement for logo and IP Rights. ASA Branded Tours include the ASA STARS National Tour; the ASA CRA Super Series; The ASA Midwest Tour and the ASA Southern Super Series.
