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| Aaron`s Pro Challenge Series sets the road to the championship | by Matt Kentfield
The chase for the Aaron's Pro Challenge Series Championship was set in motion in February at Orlando Speedworld, and now the Pro Challenge Series has announced the slate that will determine the 2006 National Champion.
Many historic tracks fill the schedule. Already this season, drivers have competed at tracks such as Hickory Motor Speedway (NC), home to the famous NASCAR Jarrett family and Music City Motorplex, formerly known as the Nashville Fairgrounds in Tennessee. (The Music City Motorplex race was an invitational all-star style event.)
Other tracks on the schedule include Peach State Speedway in Georgia, the newly renovated Orange County Speedway in North Carolina and the home of the world famous bologna burger, Virginia's South Boston Speedway. "SoBo" will host the final Aaron's Challenge Series event of the season on September 2nd as part of its weekly racing schedule.
We are really happy with what John Litzinger (owner of Pro Challenge), T-USA (officiating body) and DSG (management & media company for Pro Challenge) have been able to put together, said Zach Drager, president of DSG. We have a lot of quality tracks and that speaks volumes for where this series has come in such a short period of time. It will be an exciting year, no doubt..
The Pro Challenge National Championship is determined with a schedule of 12 races. Six of those races are deemed national events and are part of the Aaron's Dream Series. The remaining six are known as Regional / National events and count for points in the specific region the race is taking place, as well as the national points formula.
Out of the 12 races on the schedule, the best five finishes from the Aarons Dream Series and best five from the Regional / National events count toward determining the Aarons Pro Challenge Series National Champion. Each racer is allowed to drop one race from the Aarons National Tour and one race from a Regional / National event. Basically, drivers competing for the championship have two mulligans. The driver with the highest accumulated points from both the Aarons National Tour and the Regional / National event will be the National Champion.
The title-bout is already underway as the Pro Challenge Series rolls into Southern National Speedway for a Regional / National event on May 13th. Two-time and defending champion Terry Mathis leads 13-year-old rookie Zach Stroupe in the standings by only six points. Jason Burchard, Justin Morton and John Stancill round out the top-five and all hope for a chance to take home the Aarons National Championship.
The championship battle we have brewing in the Aaron's Pro Challenge Series this year is among the best we've ever had, said John Litzinger, owner of the Pro Challenge Series. There are a full realm of guys who still have a shot at it and drivers from all ages. It is really interesting to watch from a series and fan standpoint.
The next event in the road to the Aaron's National Championship will be held on Saturday May 13th for the Southern Sizzler 50-lap event at Southern National Speedway in Kenly, NC
For more information on the Aaron's Pro Challenge National Series as well as the latest fromall of the Pro Challenge regions, contact Matt Kentfield at (704) 455-2051 and be sure to check out the new online home for the Aaron's Pro Challenge Series, www.prochallengeseries.com.
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