Keselowski Joins CARS Tour Roster at North Wilkesboro
May 9, 2023
NASCAR Cup Series driver Erik Jones has entered the ASA STARS National Tour ECMD 150 at North Wilkesboro Speedway on Tuesday, May 16. The LEGACY MOTOR CLUB driver is poised to make his first Super Late Model start of 2023 when the tour heads to the historic facility for the third race of the ASA STARS season.
The 2017 NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of the Year is in his third season with LEGACY M.C., driving the famed No.43 Chevrolet. He has three career NASCAR Cup Series wins, including the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway last September. Additionally, he has nine career NASCAR Xfinity Series wins and a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship to his credit.
Hailing from Byron, MI, his home state is steeped in rich American Speed Association history. Jones himself also has experience under the ASA name, having scored two wins with the former ASA Late Model Series Northern Division in 2010 as a 14-year-old.
“It’s really cool to see the ASA banner back. Looking through my history racing with them initially in Late Models, but more importantly looking back at the history of the ASA series of Mark Martin, Bob Senneker, all these guys that raced in ASA, guys that I looked up to and still look up to as heroes of mine at the short track level,” said Jones. “Getting to race under that banner is going to be pretty neat. I hope to add a couple wins there.
It’s really cool to see the ASA banner back ... looking back at the history of the ASA series of Mark Martin, Bob Senneker, all these guys that raced in ASA, guys that I looked up to and still look up to as heroes of mine at the short track level.
— Erik Jones
Jones’s Super Late Model career is one of the strongest in recent memory. He has two Snowball Derby victories and three Winchester 400 wins. He’s also scored wins in the Redbud 400, Florida Governor’s Cup, and the Howie Lettow Memorial at the Milwaukee Mile
He has competed in 12 Super Late Model races since 2021, scoring a win with the ASA/CRA Super Series at Indianapolis Raceway Park in July 2022. For Jones, it’s been a learning experience getting reacclimated to a Super Late Model after several years away.
“Getting back into Supers for the past couple of years has been fun. I had really been out of it for a few years, so coming back was actually a bit of a challenge re-learning and trying to get better at it and learning how much the cars have changed. It was cool just to get a win in one of the five or six races. I hope to do about the same this year and add to the win total, but definitely fun getting back in them. It’s as competitive as ever.”
He was one day shy of four months old when the NASCAR Cup Series ran its last race to date at North Wilkesboro. Now 27 years after that final race, Jones will get an opportunity to compete against Super Late Model racing’s best before taking the track for the NASCAR All-Star Race.
“Racing at North Wilkesboro is going to be fun. I’ve never been there but getting there in a Super should be neat. It looks like a good track and one that fits my driving style. It’s neat to have the opportunity to race there against good guys in Supers. There’s going to be a lot of talented guys, a lot of fast guys in that race. I hope to have a chance to compete for a win with them.”
Single-day general admission tickets for the May 16 ASA Stars ECMD 150 are $30 and available at www.northwilkesborospeedway.com. Children six and under are admitted free. Advance parking is also available for purchase online. Fans can connect with North Wilkesboro Speedway and get the latest news regarding NASCAR All-Star week and North Wilkesboro Speedway by following on Twitter and Instagram or becoming a Facebook fan.
The ASA STARS National Tour opened the ten race, six-state schedule at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, FL on March 11. Georgia racer Casey Roderick won the Sunshine State 200.
The series’ next event is on Sunday, May 7 at Madison International Speedway in Wisconsin for the Joe Shear Classic. Tickets are available online by visiting misracing.com/tickets.
For the full ASA STARS National Tour schedule, plus Super Late Model rules and other information, please visit the series website at starsnationaltour.com, or be sure to follow the series on social media (Facebook: STARS National Series | Twitter: @racewithstars | IG: @starsnational).
ASA STARS National Tour
The ASA STARS National Tour debuted in March of 2023 for Super Late Model racing in America. Announced last October, many of the best drivers in America will compete in the ten-race national tour with a minimum $100,000 point fund. The championship team will be guaranteed $25,000.
The ASA STARS National Tour is made up of three races from each of the regional pavement Super Late Model Series under the Track Enterprises banner; the ASA CRA Super Series, the ASA Midwest Tour and the ASA Southern Super Series.
The Team Construction Winner’s Circle program has been announced as a part of the ASA STARS National Tour for licensed drivers/teams with perfect attendance. The program provides additional financial incentives to those teams who support the Series, thanks to Team Construction.
Track Enterprises, a Racing Promotions Company based in Illinois, will operate the ASA STARS National Tour. It announced the acquisition of the CRA sanctioning body in January and followed that up with the purchase of the Midwest Tour in July. In October, Track Enterprises President, Bob Sargent announced a partnership with the Southern Super Series which set the table for the formation of the ASA STARS National Tour.
-ASA STARS National Tour Press Release
-Photo credit: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
