In the background of Daytona Speedweeks, the first NASCAR championships of 2017 will be determined after seven races in nine nights at the World Series of Asphalt at New Smyrna Speedway.
The high speed half-mile is located just 15 miles south from Daytona International Speedway and has long been a popular venue for racing die-hards and for short trackers to test their skills in advance of The Great American Race.
The event showcases daily features for Super Late Models, Pro Late Models, Tour-Type Modifieds and Florida Modifieds. The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East will also start their season at NSS during the course of the World Series of Asphalt and the overall event runs from February 17-25.
The first six Super Late Model races at the track will be 35-laps in length and featured on the undercard for six of the first seven nights, all leading up to the PPG/Tower Sealants 100 on Saturday, February 25, which will serve as the main event of the night and the championship race for the division.
Several of the top Super Late Model drivers in the country, including Steve Wallace, Stephen Nasse, Ty Majeski and Harrison Burton are expected to compete in at least one of the races and many of them will compete for the World Series championship.
Majeski became the 15th different World Series Super Late Model champion in 15 years, defeating Burton by 24 points. He joined Dick Trickle, Mark Martin, Pete Hamilton and David Rogers as titleholders.
Now he hopes to become the first driver since Pete Orr (1992-1994) to repeat as Speedweeks champion.
“We enjoy running down there and it’s definitely a place we’re good at, but the main thing is that this is kind of a showcase event,” Majeski said. “We perform well there and it’s in front of the entire industry. This is the track NASCAR folks come down to when they clock out at the big track.
“So it’s important to us because we want to test ourselves against the best while networking.”
Burton is running for both the full Super Late Model championship and is entered in the K&N Pro Series season-opener. He’s won at the track before and it generated his first bit of national exposure. That’s what the next two weeks mean for top prospects.
“We’ve had some bad luck there in the past,” Burton said. “But a lot of that is just a sign of how tough the racing is. Everyone that goes to New Smyrna expects to contend and there’s just no room to be off even a little bit.”
For just the third time in event history, the World Series of Asphalt will also have a free online streaming broadcast on FansChoice.tv. The schedule and entry lists for the World Series can be found below.
2017 World Series of Asphalt Schedule
Thursday February 16
Parking and Practice Day
Friday February 17
Super Late Models 35
Pro Late Models 35
Sportsman 35
Pro Truck 50
Saturday February 18
Super Late Models 35
Pro Late Model Twin 35s
Sportsman 50
Sunday February 19
K&N East Series 200
Southern Sprintcar Shootcar Series
Monday February 20
Tour-type Modified 50
IMCA Modifieds 35
Super Late Models 35
Pro Late Models 35
Tuesday February 21
IMCA Modified 75
Super Late Model 50
Tour-type Modifieds 35
Wednesday February 22
John Blewett III Memorial Tour Type Modified 76
IMCA Modified 35
Super Late Models 35
Pro Late Models 35
Thursday February 23
Pro Late Models 35
Tour Type Modifieds 35
ICMA Modifieds 35
Super Late Models 35
Friday February 24
Richie Evans Memorial Tour Type Modified 100
Tower Sealants Pro Late Model 100
IMCA Modifieds 35
Saturday February 25
PPG/Tower Sealants Super Late Model 100
Pro Late Models 35
IMCA Modifieds 35
2017 World Series of Asphalt Entries (Incomplete)
Super Late Models
- Dalton Armstrong
- Daniel Keene Jr.
- Derek Kraus
- David Rogers
- Harrison Burton
- Derek Griffith
- Mason Diaz
- Spencer Davis
- Frederick Moore
- Stephen Nasse
- Ryan Moore
- Ty Majeski
- Garrett Hall
- Chase Purdy
- Steve Weaver, Jr.
Pro Late Model
- Todd Stone
- Randy Neal
- Matt Wallace
- Hope Hornish
- RS Senter
- David Weaver
- Bill Burba
- Spencer Davis
- Frederick Moore
- Steve Laking
- Ryan Millington
- Monte Gress
Tour Type Modified
- JR Bertuccio
- Ryan Preece
- Timmy Solomito
- Joe DeGracia
- Jonathan McKennedy
- Tyler Rypkema
- Ricky Moxley
- Calvin Carroll
- Jimmy Blewett
- Justin Bonsignore
- Tommy Catalano
- Matt Hirschman
- Amy Catalano
- Jimmy Zacharias
- Matt Montoneri
- Ron Silk
Matt Weaver is the owner and founder of Short Track Scene. Weaver grew up in the sport, having raced himself before becoming a reporter in college at the University of South Alabama. He is also the associate motorsports editor of Autoweek Magazine and its website, which allows him to cover the highest levels of the sport.
