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Ash Headed To Showdown

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — This year’s field for the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown Super Late Model race will feature more than 30 drivers from five western states who have decided to make the trek to southern California’s Toyota Speedway at Irwindale for one of the most prestigious events of the year.

One driver who certainly fits that description is Dustin Ash, who won his second Super Late Model track title at The Bullring at Las Vegas Speedway in 2010 as well as the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Nevada State championship.

Ash is no stranger to Super Late Model racing, however, this will be his first start in the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown’s Whelen All-American Series 75-lap Super Late Model feature, which will be contested on Jan. 28.

“We are looking forward to competing at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale,” Ash said. “We are working very hard to get our new car ready for the race.”
Ash and his team are thrashing to get a car race ready after buying it two weeks ago.

“My new car owner Ron Duprau wanted to make this happen so we found a new car and with the help of some of the members from this year’s championship team at Las Vegas, we are going to go and try and win this race.”

Duprau, who owns American Band Accessories which makes and sells band uniforms throughout the United States, approached Ash and provided the resources to get the ball rolling quick enough to make the Showdown.

While he might have a new car and car owner heading to Toyota Speedway, Ash will have some familiar faces around the pit stall when he arrives for the race weekend.

“Robert Ewing, who was my teammate last year when we won the track title, will be my crew chief for the race and I know he and the guys will give me a great car for the race.
They have all been working a lot of hours to help me get ready and I appreciate it.”

They have the car finished and plan to shake it down this Sunday in Las Vegas before making the four hour trip to Irwindale.

“I like the new qualifying format they have talked about for the race,” Ash said. “I am also ready to go; I wish we could race today.”

Ash will be one of the more decorated drivers in the event even though he is just 22 years old.

Ash claimed the track and NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Nevada State championship with eight wins, 10 top fives and 13 top 10s in 14 starts during the regular season and the special event win in November. Ash won eight times during his title season in 2007 to become the youngest champion in the history of The Bullring in Super Late Models.

Although he wasn’t able to compete full-time in the two years between titles, Ash did return to The Bullring in late 2009 to enter five events, and won three of them.

“I know there are going to be a lot of talented drivers in the race,” Ash added. “We are going to go out and do our best to win the race, and more importantly, have some fun.”

The NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown weekend schedule will begin with the 75-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Super Late Model race on Friday and the 50-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model race on Saturday.

The main event of the weekend will be the 225-lap NASCAR K&N Pro Series all-star race on Saturday, Jan. 29. Slated to roll at 8:30 p.m., the race features secured starting spots for the 2010 champions of NASCAR’s developmental series and race winners of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series from the 2010 season.

Both nights of racing will air live on SPEED, beginning each night at 10 p.m. ET. The coverage will be anchored by Rick Allen and Phil Parsons in the booth, with Dick Berggren and Jim Tretow covering action in the pits.