The schedule for the 2025 ASA STARS Super Late Model National Tour schedule was released on Friday and includes several surprised and a general new look.
Arguably the biggest new addition is Slinger Speedway in Wisconsin, which was originally on the inaugural 2023 schedule for the Slinger Nationals but the agreement fell apart before the crown jewel could be run under the STARS banner.
“Even when we didn’t get there a couple of years ago, we remained in communication,” said ASA STARS promoter Bob Sargent. “We kept talking and we decided to try it again. It’s all timing. Todd (Thelen) and I continued to work on it and Marty Melo (Director of Marketing and Operations) was in close communication and our connection with the Midwest Tour bore fruit.”
The expansive schedule includes 12 tracks across eight different states and begins once again during Florida Speedweeks with the Clyde Hart Memorial at New Smyrna and concludes with the All American 400 at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway.
In between are the other new stops, an April 5 race at Dominion Raceway in Spotsylvania, Virginia, typically Late Model Stock country and an annual stop on the CARS Tour schedule each year and newly revived Newport Speedway in Tennessee on May 24.
Both facilities are extremely pristine and that’s part of the thinking process.
“When we first sat together to design the national tour, one of the asks from the teams was take us to nice premiere facilities and we’re always looking for those and looking at more for 2026 too,” Sargent said. “The track owners in both cases reached out to us and that was something we valued too.”
Specifically for Newport, Sargent said it came down to relationships.
“Chuck Ward completely refurbished the facility,” Sargent said. “We have, again with Marty Melo, put us all together. A good friend of mine, who used to work with us, Chris Corum is friends with Chuck and it was a regional relationship.
“Using our relationships and friendships, combined, we drove over and looked at the track, and with Chuck’s progressive thinking, wanting to put his track back on the map next year, it’s again someone who wanted us and had a premier facility. Being in that market near Knoxville was important to us too.”
The other Wisconsin date is the Joe Shear Classic at Madison International on June 13, which replaces the Milwaukee Mile as a national race.
Other stalwart races include the Redbud 400, Winchester 400 and Glass City 200.
The travel for the full series remains robust but Sargent says that is an expectation that separates STARS from the three regional tours — Southern Super Series, Champion Racing Association and Midwest Tour.
“We put it out that we intended to create a true national tour and we realize we’re not coast-to-coast but we’re not regional and we aim to be national,” Sargent said. “We need there to be a degree of travel. We’re also working on incentives to make it worthwhile.
“We know where our work is cut out for us. We’re entrenched after three years. Our philosophy from day one was to have (three regionals) and the national tour.”
He said he is in this for the long term and that the third season is just the ‘infancy’ of his goals with ASA STARS. Sargent cited the first-in-class officiating crew and infrastructure and the next step is to continue working with racers to increase the value of racing on the national championship.
“I do feel like we have that in place,” Sargent said. “The people that worked with us from day one, the majority is still with us, and now we’ve added Marty and he’s doing a great job and we have great tech with Freddie Query. He’s been a big asset. Our regional promoters and series directors and officials is what drives this and I’m excited for everything that is to come.”
2025 ASA STARS National Tour Schedule
Tues, February 11 | New Smyrna Speedway | New Smyrna Beach FL
Fri, March 21 | Five Flags Speedway |Pensacola, FL
Sat, April 5 | Dominion Raceway | Woodford, VA
Thur, May 22 | Hickory Motor Speedway | Newton, NC
Sat, May 24 | Newport Speedway | Newport, TN
Fri, June 13 | Madison International Speedway | Oregon, WI
Sun, June 15 | Slinger Super Speedway | Slinger, WI
Sat, July 26 | Anderson Speedway | Anderson, IN
Wed, Aug. 20 | Owosso Speedway | Ovid, MI
Sat., Sept. 13 |Toledo Speedway | Toledo, OH
Sun, Oct. 12 | Winchester Speedway | Winchester, IN
Sun, Nov. 9 | Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway | Nashville, TN
