By: Kevin Ramsell
BURLINGTON, WI (Wednesday, May 07, 2008) – Back in January, Dan Fredrickson made this statement, “Going into this season, if we get a good start and have a good time at what we are doing, we will make a run for the points.” After two events, its safe to say that he is on track as he holds a 62-point lead over Josh Vadnais after two events.

Fredrickson picked up his fourth ASAMT win this past Sunday in the ECHO Chainsaw 100 at Madison International Speedway. This was a great follow-up to his second place finish at the opening event at Elko Speedway back in April.

He also has collected an ECHO Blower for picking up the Fast Qualifier award at Elko and came up .002 seconds short of beating Jacob Goede at Madison.

Fredrickson will look at continuing his good start at the Kwik Trip Stores 100 on Saturday, May 17th at Jefferson Speedway.

Josh Vadnais has been quiet but consistent on his 2008 ASAMT season start. He started off the season with a 10th place and then followed that up with a 5th place finish at Madison. Being only 62 points behind Fredrickson is not a large margin to make up this early in the season. Remember, in the ASAMT, points are handed out in each race event including qualifying, heat races, last chance and feature.

Tim Schendel and Donny Reuvers are currently tied for third with 218 points each, only five points behind Vadnais. Schendel started off the season with a fourth place finish at Elko and appeared to be on his way to another top five finish at Madison when he got caught up in a late caution with Jamie Iverson and Kyle Calmes. Schendel finished 17th.

Reuvers has basically followed Schendel with his finishes. At Elko, he would get a fifth place finish while he ended up 13th at Madison. Both Schendel and Reuvers are only 67 points behind Fredrickson.

Elko winner, Jake Ryan is also having a roller coaster ride after the first two starts as oil pressure problems sidelined him at Madison with a 25th place finish. But he sits fifth in points with 216 points, only two points behind Schendel and Reuvers and 69 points behind Fredrickson.

Jacob Goede sits sixth with 215 points while Travis Sauter is seventh with 212 points. Andrew Morrissey’s consistent runs at Elko and Madison have him sitting eighth with 211 points while former ASA National Tour competitor, Chris Wimmer is ninth with 209 points. Russ Blakeley rounds out the top ten with 196 points.

The top 11, with Blake Horstman having 188 points, are all within 100 points of Fredrickson going into the Jefferson event.

Defending ASAMT champion, Nathan Haseleu, is slow out of the gate this season and currently sits 20th in points with 141 points, 144 back from Fredrickson.

After two events, a total of 58 drivers have earned points this season with an average event car count of 47.5 after two events with 47 cars at Elko and 48 at Madison.

Two cars were unable to qualify at Madison, Chris Skrede appeared to have blown his engine in practice and Nick Hammer slid into Skrede’s oil and made hard contact with the turn two wall to end his day.

The ASAMT teams are now preparing their cars for the next event on Saturday, May 17th at Jefferson Speedway, located between Cambridge and Jefferson, WI on Hwy 18. Local division qualifying will begin at 4:00 pm with ASAMT ECHO “Blowing the Competition Away” Qualifying beginning at 5:00 pm. The popular ASAMT autograph session will take place at 5:45 pm with racing beginning at 6:30 pm.

For more information on Jefferson Speedway, please visit their website at www.jeffersonspeedway.com.

To learn more about the American Speed Association Kwik Trip Midwest Tour presented by ECHO Outdoor Power Equipment and the engine giveaway program, please contact the ASA Midwest Tour office by calling (262) 514-3880 or by e-mailing Tim Olson at tim@asamidwesttour.com or Steve Einhaus at steve@asamidwesttour.com.

To learn more about the Daytona Beach, Florida-based Racing Speed Associates or the American Speed Association 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 American Speed Association, visit www.asa-racing.com.