By: Kevin Ramsell
BURLINGTON, WI (Thursday, July 10, 2008) – Matt Kocourek appeared to have a strong hold on the 2008 Lane Automotive Rookie of the Year presented by Red Line Synthetic Oil and Hyperco title. But after last Saturday’s ECHO Bear Cat July Spectacular 100 at I-94 Raceway, an ASA Member Track, the title is up for grabs among the top three competitors.

Kocourek was coming off an 11th place finish at Grundy County Speedway and was sitting ahead of Nick Murgic and Adam Hensel in the point standings. He, along with Murgic has made every ASAMT start up to last Saturday’s event.

But the tough 3/8-mile seasoned asphalt track appears to cause a hiccup in Kocourek’s run for the ROY title.

It’s becoming well-known in the ASAMT of how important qualifying is for any event. A good qualifying run will help set you on your way to a good night or a bad night, and for Kocourek it was almost a nightmare as he qualified 33rd out of 39 drivers. While Murgic would qualify 11th and Hensel would qualify into his second event by qualifying 13th.

Kocourek would only gain one spot in his qualifying race to finish 8th and would finish 11th in the last chance race causing him to load up early and miss his first ASAMT feature start this season.

“We had a problem with the rear end of the car and we were sideways all day,” Kocourek stated. “We just killed ourselves up there.”

“The layout of the track is incredible,” Kocourek remarked about I-94 Raceway. “I wish we had a better car but we were just flat.”

Hensel, as a result of the invert, would start on the outside of the front row and lead his first laps in an ASAMT feature event. He would also come home with his first top-ten finish by finishing 7th.

Murgic would finish 19th in the ECHO Bear Cat July Spectacular 100 and would move ahead of Kocourek in the point standings, becoming the new leading Rookie in the ASAMT.

Murgic is now 12 in points, only 307 points behind leader Dan Fredrickson while Kocourek sits 14th only 316 points behind the leader and just 9 points from Murgic.

Hensel is 20th, 421 points behind the leader and 114 behind Murgic.

The three rookies are now preparing for the ASAMT “Western Swing” next weekend as they will be competing on Friday, July 18th at Hawkeye Downs Speedway in Cedar Rapids, IA for the running of the Keith Fleck Miller 100. Then it’s off to Newton, IA for the running of Rasmussen Group Twin 75’s (150-lap feature) at Iowa Speedway on Sunday, July 20th. NASCAR Champion Matt Kenseth along with the hottest NASCAR driver Kyle Busch will also be competing at Iowa Speedway with the ASAMT.

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.