Clanton Team Meets Season Goals

When the season started, the Steve Dale Racing Team set three goals. First, they planned to win a race. Second, they planned to win a pole and third, they planned to finish in the top 10 points list for the season. For a new team, with a rookie driver, these goals were indeed lofty, but thanks to Joey Clanton's skills behind the wheel, they met all three goals and in the process won Clanton the Rookie of the Year Award.

For Steve Dale, it meant that a solid program, excellent crew, and high, but attainable goals paid off. Finishing eighth in the overall points race, the team had one of the best rookie seasons ever. "We have a great bunch of guys on the team and we were fortunate to do what we set out to do in our first ASA season," said team owner Steve Dale. "I feel that we have done well all year and earned the respect of our fellow competitors. This is important to us because our involvement in ASA is long term."

Now, as they approach Clanton's sophomore season, will the "Sophomore Jinx" bite the team and cause them to falter. After watching the development of Clanton and the team this year, I predict that the Steve Dale Racing Team will continue to rise in the standings and that Clanton will soon become one of the most consistent drivers on the ASA circuit.

This year saw an outstanding group of rookies including Robbie Pyle and Scott Wimmer, both of whom should continue to develop and will bring a lot of excitement to ASA fans next year. Pyle and Clanton battled down to the final race of the season for the Rookie of the Year Award, with Clanton winning out by a mere 44 points. Next year should see them battle for more than just the Rookie Award, since with their skill, the battles should be for the lead in several races.

Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) Update

Ed Curtis, injured on October 14 during the Winn Dixie 399 at Talledega, is now home recovering from his injuries. Curtis, who suffered broken ribs and a collapsed lung was hospitalized at Metro General Hospital in Cleveland and has made a steady improvement. Finally, on October 20, he was released to his home to continue recovery. For fans wanting to send their wishes to Ed, he can be reached at Denacer73@prodigy.net. I'm sure everyone wishes Ed a fast recovery.

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