DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (September 22, 2008) – Ron Bennett, who resurrected the legendary ASA Northwest Tour in 2007 after it was effectively shuttered following a long and glorious history, has elected to step out of his role and hand over the reigns to Scott Ellsworth. Effective September 22, Ellsworth become owner and tour director of the ASA Northwest Tour presented by ECHO Outdoor Power Equipment just two days following the series 2008 season-finale.

No stranger to the ASA Northwest Tour, Ellsworth is a familiar face among the garage. A 35-year motorsports veteran, he estimates that he has been announcer for nearly 100 ASA Northwest Tour races for nearly a quarter of a century and is proud to point out that he was at the very first series event at Evergreen Speedway in 1985.

“The ASA Northwest Tour has been very near and dear to my heart for several decades now and I don’t want the names or the history just to die away,” Ellsworth stated about acquiring the regional Late Model series. “So many legendary names in racing have been through this series over the years and every driver owes something to all of them.”

Ellsworth cited names such as Greg Biffle, Chad Little, Derrick Cope and Kevin Hamlin as just a few of the alumni who have helped to put the series among the forefront on the West Coast. And though he brings some new ideas for the future, Ellsworth never had a second thought about switching from the American Speed Association.

“I’m excited to remain with the ASA as they really bring a lot to the table. Dennis (Huth, president of Racing Speed Associates which owns the American Speed Association) has a long history in the Northwest and he understands the area, the tracks we race at, and our challenges. So many things like the insurance offered by the ASA are second to none, and I think that there really is a lot in common between the local promoter and the ASA. And I have never worked with a sanctioning body that is so willing to be a partner with our series to make sure that it works and we can be successful,” he said.

Concerning the insurance that Ellsworth mentioned, participants in the ASA Northwest Tour presented by ECHO Outdoor Power Equipment will be covered by the extensive $500,000 Excess Medical Benefit as well as the $20,000 Accidental Death and Dismemberment Benefit. Coverage for the member begins while traveling to a location promoting an ASA-sanctioned event and continues until arrival home again. The American Speed Association is the only sanctioning body to offer insurance coverage which extends beyond the boundary of the racetrack itself (complete details are available online at www.ASA-Racing.com).

Thanks to his long involvement with the ASA Northwest Tour, Ellsworth has seen both the highs and lows over the years. That has helped him formulate some ideas he is looking forward to implementing that will help the competitors and tracks both.

“First, we have to lower our costs without cheapening the final product. These would be the type of things that Joe Q. Public cannot see, such as looking at some type of tire rule or engine rule. We need to evaluate the things that will help reduce the racing expenses for our teams and allow us to remain as a traveling tour by visiting the multiple states in the Northwest region,” Ellsworth mentioned.

“We also need to look at coming up with the money for a points fund and possibly some type of end-of-the-year shootout for the top drivers. The goal there is to encourage drivers to compete in each event on the schedule and not cherry-pick the bigger races or the tracks they like the best.”

Another concern for Ellsworth is to increase the ASA Northwest Tour car counts.

“We need to work towards having that nucleus of 12 to 16 cars that show up at every race and then fill the field of 20 to 24 with the local shoes,” he said. “It’s a great thing for the track promoter and the fans in the stands to be able to see some of their local guys mixing it up with the traveling pros. Our officials will be accommodating and willing to make changes necessary in areas such as weight or crate motor allowances so that the local Late Model drives can race with the ASA Northwest Tour when we visit their home track. We want them to be competitive and we want the fans to see that their guys are good drivers too so everyone is a winner – we get a larger field, the local drivers feel like they have a chance to mix it up with the touring professionals, the fans get someone they know to cheer for, and the promoter can show that he has some great talent to showcase on a weekly basis.”

“It was a very exciting day when Ron Bennett came to me a couple of years ago about resurrecting the ASA Northwest Tour as I was one of the people who helped set that up when I was with NASCAR,” Huth said. “Now I am even more excited to see it change ownership to Scott and have him implement some of the thoughts he has been having for the past few years to help the ASA Northwest Tour grow the car counts and regain some of the teams and fans that, for one reason or another, maybe haven’t been following the series as closely over the past few years. I congratulate Scott on taking ownership of the ASA Northwest Tour and look forward to working with him to solidify ASA as the best short track action in a region of the country that I so dearly enjoy.”

“All of us as race fans owe a deep debt of gratitude to Ron Bennett for what he has done in the past two years to keep the Northwest’s premier traveling Late Model Stock Car Series alive and well,” emphatically stated Ellsworth. “It is that type dedication that will keep the series history in tack while developing modern day history.”

The ASA Northwest Tour presented by ECHO Outdoor Power Equipment under the direction of Ron Bennett wrapped up their season at Evergreen Speedway on Saturday, September 21 and christened Brad Stanwood as the 2008 champion and, remarkably, also the Rookie-of-the-Year. For news, results and information about the series, visit www.ASANorthwestTour.com.

To learn more of the Daytona Beach, Fla.-based ASA Racing Member Track program, call (386) 258-2221 or send an e-mail to info@asa-racing.com. For news and information from all the racetracks and regional tours involved in the ASA, visit www.ASA-Racing.com.





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