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Taghikhani Shooting For ASALM Rookie Award In 2006
2005 Mid-American Stock Car Series Rookie of the Year,
Jason Taghikhani to run for the rookie title in the ASALMS Northern Division
in 2006.
By Matt Prieur-ASA Late Model Series
Lexington, Michigan (12/19/2005): The 2006 season is fast approaching for the
cars and stars of the ASA Late Model Series Presented by GM Performance Parts.
Registrations continue to pour into the home offices in Lexington, Michigan
and some top names from all over the country are preparing for what is being
touted as one of the most anticipated racing season's in recent memory.
As the registrations come in from returning drivers. Several new names are
letting the racing community know that they will be joining an elite group of
stars in all three of the traveling series within the ASA Late Model Series.
Add the name of 2005 Mid-American Stock Car Series Rookie of the Year, Jason
Taghikhani to that list.
For the 2006 season Taghikhani Motorsports, comprised all of engineering
students from Maruqette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with driver Jason
Taghikhani, the President of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) at
Marquette, will run the full ASA Late Model Series Northern Division for the
Rookie of the Year title.
In addition, Taghikhani will compete in two televised Challenge Division
events in his home state of Wisconsin. The Madison (WI) International Speedway
show on May 27, 2006 and again at the Milwaukee Mile during the 2006
Governor's Cup Weekend.
"We've been were preparing to move up the racing ladder for the future
and 2005 was our first year traveling and running different tracks."
Stated Taghikhani. "The Mid-American Stock Car Series seemed to be the
best way to prepare for the ASA Late Model Series for down the road. It's a
great stepping stone for any driver who wants to move up. We were very honored
to win the Rookie of the Year title in the Mid-Am Stock Cars" He added.
Taghikahni was the 2005 Mid-American Stock Car Series Rookie of the Year while
finishing third overall in season long points chase. Taghikhani racked up
three Top Five finishes, all of which were fifth place showings at the Elko
(MN) Speedway on May 28, 2005, Lake Geneva (WI) Speedway on June 18, 2005, and
Madison (WI) International Speedway on July 15, 2005. All three facilities are
on the 2006 ASALMS Northern Division schedule! In addition, Taghikani would
also collect six top 10 finishes en route to the freshman crown!
"The whole team is excited about running the ASALMS Northern Series in
2006. Our goal is to win another Rookie of the Year, but in order to do that,
we're really going to have to step it up a couple of notches." Offered
Taghikhani. "None of us have experience with an ASA Late Model, so its
going to be a big learning curve for us this year." He stated. "I'm
shocked at how quickly the ASALMS has grown into what it has, and I feel very
fortunate just to be able to be a part of it in 2006," Taghikhani
ended.
2002 was Taghikhani's rookie season and he raced in the Street Stocks division
at the Lake Geneva (WI) Speedway. In 10 events he picked up two wins. 2003 and
2004 saw Taghikhani compete at the Slinger (WI) Super Speedway in the Midwest
Sportsman division. Jason raced half the 2003 season recording one feature
win, two fast dash wins, and finished seventh in points even though he didn't
start racing in the division or at the track until mid June of that season. In
2004, he ran a partial schedule back at Slinger in preparation for the 2005
season with the Mid-American Stock Car Series.
To find out more about Jason Taghikhani and the Taghikhani Motorsports Team
for the 2006 season with the ASA Late Model Series Northern Division, log onto
their website at: www.jtracing.org
The next scheduled event for the ASA Late Model Series will be the 2005 Awards
Banquet to be held at the Quality Inn/Summit Center in Fort Wayne, Indiana on
Saturday January 14, 2006, beginning at 6pm. The ASA Late Model Series will
honor the 2005 ASA Late Model Series Champion, Stephen Leicht, as well as the
2005 Pat Bourdow Memorial Rookie of the Year, Brian Campbell and the top
twenty drivers in the final points standings.
In addition, the GM Performance Parts Winners Circle participants will be
awarded as will the GM Performance Parts Shootout Points Champion, Mark
Hartline. Also Special Awards, as voted on by the teams of the ASALMS will be
handed out along-with special appreciation awards.
The banquet is a semi-formal event and the ASALMS encourages everyone to put
on their best. The ASALMS will continue with the tradition that started with
the first annual banquet to begin the awards presentation first followed by
dinner and dancing. Everyone is welcome to attend and to celebrate the 2005
season. Attendance is mandatory for all teams receiving awards. Tickets for
the banquet must be purchased in advance through the ASALMS Office. All
tickets MUST BE ORDERED by Saturday January 7, 2006!
In addition, there are some rooms that are blocked off for the ASALMS and some
of those hotel rooms are still available at the Quality Inn by calling 1 (877)
240-2929 and using the ASALMS Member code #00802174 to get a 15% discount.
Once all of those rooms are gone, you can call the hotel direct and get a room
for $59 by letting them know you are part of the ASALMS. Please Call 1 (260)
484-7711. Pricing is discounted for both Friday and Saturday January 13-14,
2006.
Also on that same day, the 2006 ASA Late Model Series Owner/Drivers meeting
will also be held at the Quality Inn/Summit Center from 9am-Noon. This meeting
will be open for all three divisions and its participants and the ASA Late
Model Series management and staff encourages all teams that plan on running
with any of the three traveling series in 2006 to attend or send a
representative to the meeting.
The 2006 ASA Late Model Series Southern Division Owner/Drivers meeting is set
for Saturday January 21, 2006 at the Quality Inn/Marietta Room in Marietta,
Georgia from 10am-1pm. Just a reminder to all teams that plan to attend the
January 21st Informational meeting in Marietta Georgia. This meeting is in
addition to the ASALMS Owner/Drivers Meeting to be held the weekend before on
Saturday January 14, 2006 in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
It is very important that you register your attendees with the ASA Late Model
Series South Office as soon as possible. There is no charge to attend the
meeting but we will need an accurate head count to ensure that we are properly
prepared. Please register via e-mail or call the Southern Division office at:
(770) 630-4571 or you can e-mail Southern Division Director, Randy Rabinowitch
at: randyr@asalatemodels.com
The ASA Late Model Series Southern Division will open the 2006 season for the
ASA Late Model Series on Saturday March 4, 2006 at the Bronson (FL) Motor
Speedway near Gainesville in Bronson, Florida for the inaugural Florida 100.
The televised ASA Late Model Series Challenge Division will open the doors on
their 2006 season two weeks later at the famed Music City (TN) Motorplex in
Nashville, Tennessee on Saturday March 18, 2006. Finally the ASA Late Model
Series Northern Division will hold its inaugural event on Saturday May 6,
2006 at the wicked fast = mile of the I-70 (MO) Speedway outside of Kansas
City in Odessa, Missouri.
For more information about the 2005 ASA Late Model Series Awards Banquet as
well as the approaching 2006 season with the ASA Late Model Challenge
Division, and the ASA Late Model Series Northern and Southern Divisions; check
out the websites at: www.asalatemodelsnorth.com
and www.asalatemodelssouth.com
You can also call the ASA Late Model Series home offices during normal
business hours (9am-5pm Eastern Standard Time) at 1 (800) 385-2503 or log onto
the main ASA Late Model Series website anytime at: www.asalatemodels.com
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