ASAMT DRIVERS ARE READY FOR THE “SWISS COLONY ALL-STAR CHALLENGE 100”

Matt & Ross Kenseth (Doug Hornickel Photo)ROSS AND MATT KENSETH COMPETE TOGETHER FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE ASAMT

by Kari Shear-Carlson
The American Speed Association® Kwik Trip Midwest Tour presented by ECHO Outdoor Power Equipment and grandstay.net will be hosting the “Swiss Colony All-Star Challenge 100” featuring Matt Kenseth and Tony Stewart along with Kelly Bires, on Tuesday, June 29th at Madison International Speedway. This marks the sixth annual event and the first year that the ASAMT has been a part of the event.

While this may mark the ASA Midwest Tour’s first year hosting the event, it is not the first year for many ASA Midwest Tour drivers to compete. The history of the “Swiss Colony All-Star Challenge 100” has combined some of the greatest talents in NASCAR with the some of the greatest talents in the Midwest.

The first All-Star Challenge event took place in 2005 at Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna, WI. Jeff Van Oudenhoven held off Nathan Haseleu and Rod Wheeler to win the event which included Matt Kenseth and Carl Edwards, his Roush-Fenway teammate. Edwards finished fifth ahead of Kenseth, who finished sixth.

In 2006, Roy Kenseth moved the event to Madison International Speedway and welcomed Tony Stewart to the event for the first time. Kelly Bires walked away with the victory over Kenseth and Bobby Wilberg. Tony Stewart finished seventh.

In 2007, Kenseth took home the victory over ASAMT drivers, Mark Eswein and Nathan Haseleu. Tony Stewart finished seventh for the second year in a row.
ASAMT Champion, Steve Carlson, held off Kenseth for the win in 2008. ASAMT Swiss Colony Touring Star, Andrew Morrissey finished third and Tony Stewart finished sixteenth after a spin earlier in the race.

The fifth annual event in 2009 was won by another ASAMT driver, Chris Wimmer. Wimmer got by Kenseth in the closing laps of the race to take the win. Andrew Morrissey finished third for the second year in a row. Swiss Colony Touring Star, Nathan Haseleu was fourth and Tony Stewart rounded out the top-five.

ASA Midwest Tour Swiss Colony Touring Star, Steve Carlson is no stranger to success at any race track around the Midwest, and Madison International Speedway is no exception. In 2008, the short track legend led flag to flag in the “Swiss Colony All-Star Challenge 100,” securing the victory over 2003 NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion, Matt Kenseth. Carlson also won the season opener, “Joe Shear Classic 136”, earlier this year at the 1/2 mile oval and is hopeful for a repeat. “We are taking the orange car back to Madison, the one that we won with earlier this year. So I think we will definitely have a really good shot at it,” the driver of the #66 Chevy said.

Current ASAMT point leader and ASA Midwest Tour Swiss Colony Touring Star, Chris Wimmer is last year’s defending “Swiss Colony All-Star Challenge 100” winner. Wimmer was able to put a late race pass on Matt Kenseth, taking the lead on lap 89 and went on to victory. “Winning the event last year was pretty cool. I am happy that this is an ASAMT race this year. It will be nice to compete against the regular Tour guys along with Matt, Tony, and Kelly Bires. We’ve had a good start to our season so far. Madison is one of my favorite tracks and we had fast time there at the season opener, so I’m hoping I’ll have a good car,” added Wimmer.

Matt Kenseth, Tony Stewart, and Kelly Bires will be competing against some of the best drivers in the Midwest. One of those drivers happens to be Matt’s 17-year-old son, Ross Kenseth who has been proving himself all over the Midwest this season and throughout his short, yet successful career. This is the first time that the father and son will be competing against one another in an ASA Midwest Tour event. Matt is looking forward to coming back again this year and to race against Ross. “I'm really happy to come back and race with the ASA Midwest Tour. The competitors in this series are by far the best in the country and its even more exciting that I get to come back and race against Ross. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone next Tuesday, it will be a lot of fun,” said Kenseth.

Ross is not only looking forward to racing against his dad, but he is also focused on the importance of having a good run. "Well it's really cool to have two of the top racers in the country come back to MIS and race in the ASAMT. Not to mention that one of them is my dad. I think it will be a lot of fun and will make the competition that much tougher. Steve Carlson has been on fire lately and Chris Wimmer has been fast all year, so it will be a fun race. Hopefully we are in position at the end of the race to have a chance at the win," added Ross.

The ASAMT Sportsman Division will also be competing in conjunction with the ASAMT. Qualifying for the ASAMT “Swiss Colony All-Star Challenge 100” will get underway at 4:00PM. This event will air on Fox Sports North and Fox Sports Wisconsin on July 10th at 11:30AM CDT.

Stay tuned to www.asamidwesttour.com for more information about the upcoming event.

----

The Swiss Colony All-Star 100 Presented By Rockweiler Insulation Official Entry List
Madison International Speedway - Oregon, WI - June 29th, 2010

Entries as of 06.26.10 at 9:00AM - (39)

(TS) - Swiss Colony ASA Midwest Touring Star
(R) - Tour Rookie Candidate

ASA Midwest Tour Super Late Models
2 - Michael Bilderback - South Beloit, IL (R)
2 - Chad Wood - Madison, WI
4 - Thor Anderson - Bondurant, IA (R)
4 - Michael Gunderson - Waterford, WI
5 - Travis Sauter - Necedah, WI
9 - Mark Kraus - Stratford, WI (TS)
12 - Nick Murgic - Rosemount, MN (TS)
14 - Eugene Gregorich - Kewaunee, WI
14 - Randy Rogers - Milwaukee, WI
14 - Tony Stewart - Columbus, IN
17 - Matt Kenseth - Cambridge, WI
21 - Tim Schendel - Sparta, WI (TS)
22 - Nick Panitzke - Sauk Centre, MN (TS)
23 - Tim Sauter - Necedah, WI
24 - Jim Olson - Harvard, IL (R)
25 - Jeff Storm - East Troy, WI (TS)
25 - Ross Kenseth - Spring Valley, IL (R)
28 - Bobby Wilberg - Stoughton, WI
34 - Brandon Hill - Genoa City WI
36 - Danny Fredrickson - Lakeville MN (TS)
39 - Andrew Morrissey - De Forest WI (TS)
50 - Mike Carlson - West Salem, WI
52 - Chris Wimmer - Wausau, WI (TS)
55 - Kelly Bires - Mauston, WI
61 - Steve Rubeck - Cherry Valley, IL
63 - Gary LaMonte - Milwaukee, WI (R)
64 - Griffin McGrath - Cedar Rapids, IA (R)
66 - Steve Carlson - West Salem, WI (TS)
71 - Blake Brown - Franksville, WI (TS)
71 - Mark Eswein - Wisconsin Rapids, WI
72 - Jacob Goede - Shakopee, MN (TS)
77 - Kris Kelly - Norway, MI
80 - Bryan Reffner - Stevens Point, WI
87 - Nathan Haseleu - Pardeeville, WI (TS)
93 - Dave Feiler - Sun Prairie, WI
97 - Jamie Iverson - Escanaba, MI (TS)
97 - Steve Holzhausen - Nekosa, WI
121 - Chris Weinkauf - Nelsonville, WI
613 - Michael Bachaus - Milton, WI