Hickory Motor Speedway ASA history /

The Lone ASA National Tour Race at Hickory

When the ASA STARS National Tour heads to Hickory Motor Speedway for the Tar Heel 250 on Thursday, May 25, it will be just the second time the ASA brand has ever graced the “Birthplace of the NASCAR Stars.”

The ASA AcDelco Challenge Series made the trip to Hickory, NC for the Jani-King 300, the third race of the 2000 season. Brandon Sperling took his second and final pole award, leading a field of 34 to the green for the 300-lap event. Defending ASA national champion Tim Sauter led the most laps that night, but was relegated to a 16th place finish.

Making his only ASA National Tour start that night was 2014 NASCAR Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick. He finished last after a suspension issue knocked him out of the race just past the 100-lap mark.

Scott Wimmer held off two-time series champion Gary St.Amant and Rick Beebe over the final 16-lap run to take the win.

That win in the Jani-King 300 was his second-straight win in the series, following his victory at what was then called Lanier National Raceway on April 8. Those were also his only two career wins in ASA competition, as he was hired by Bill Davis at the end of the 2000 season to drive in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

The 2000 season saw Gary St.Amant win his second ASA title, with wins at USA International Speedway, Madison International Speedway, and the Winchester 400 at Winchester Speedway. However, what carried him to the title was his consistency – he finished in the top-five in 16 of the 20 races and finished outside the top-ten just twice.

The ASA STARS National Tour heads to Hickory Motor Speedway on Thursday, May 25 for the Tar Heel 250, co-sanctioned with the ASA Southern Super Series. Tickets can be purchased here.

The ASA STARS National Tour opened the ten race, six-state schedule at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, FL on Saturday, March 11. Bubba Pollard is the most recent winner with the series, besting a field of 52 drivers at North Wilkesboro Speedway.

For more information regarding the Southern Super Series, visit the series website at www.southernsuperseries.com. Follow us on Facebook at Southern Super Series, on Twitter at @SoSuperSeries, and on Instagram at @officialsouthernsuperseries.

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.