BALTIMORE RACER BRINGS MARYLAND TALENT TO CALIFORNIA
Tires.com 300
2 FEB 01
SUCCESSFUL TEST AT FLORIDA SPEED PARK
Pre Season Testing
30 JAN 01
ATI PERFORMANCE RACING RETURNS FOR THE 2001 ASA SEASON
We're Back
5 JAN 01
2001 SEASON SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED
20 races in 2001
March 13, 2001 - Irwindale, CA
J.C. Beattie, Jr. of Baltimore, Maryland, held his own in the American Speed Association's first visit to the West Coast last Saturday. Thirty-eight racers turned up from around the country to campaign in the extremely competitive ASA stock car series. Although the ASA is the favored stepping-stone to NASCAR, it is also known as the Series of Champions because many ASA winners return to run the series. This makes the ASA one of the most challenging series in which a rookie driver can compete and also one of the most satisfying to finish.
After a rainy Friday of qualifying trials on the California half-mile oval, the qualifying race was called due to weather. The Saturday night feature found all 38 cars competing on nationally televised TNN. Beattie started 24th with 13 hungry drivers on his tail. After negotiating 11 cautions and various crashes, the #09 Chevy Monte Carlo picked up an incredible 8 spots to finish the event in 16th place. The winner of the Tires.com event, Gary St. Amant, from Columbus, Ohio has spent the last 15 years racing ASA and won the Championship in 2000.
"ASA is always a tough race," J.C. said. "This series has racers in it that I used to read about. It's an honor being on the same track with them. But, we'll keep coming on strong and we hope to bring our Baltimore based race team to the front. I think we made a good start of it in Irwindale." The Baltimore native continued, "I just want to thank my sponsors for giving me the chance to run this series. With a special thanks to RUS who keeps our team in uniforms, ATI Performance Products, Auto Meter, CV Products, Hot UR Not, Moroso, NGK Sparkplugs, Port City Racing, Stock Car Racing Experience, Valvoline/Pryoil, and Winter's Performance."
