The ASA STARS National Tour points standings have been updated after the Winchester 400, and we have a championship battle on our hands going into the season finale at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway in the Curb Records/Big Machine Vodka SPIKED Coolers All American 400 Presented by US Tank and Cryogenics on Friday-Sunday, November 3-5.
After holding a 93 point lead in the points standings following his win at Wisconsin International Raceway, Ty Majeski’s edge over Cole Butcher is down to just eight points. The pair of drivers are the only two still in the running for the inaugural ASA STARS National Tour championship.
Gio Ruggiero has all but clinched a third-place final result in the standings, as he sits 102 points behind second-place Butcher and 82 ahead of fourth- place Bubba Pollard. However, he and fifth-place Austin Nason are separated by just 14 points, while sixth through eighth are separated by just two points with Billy VanMeter leading Albert Francis and Casey Roderick.
The clinching scenarios for Majeski and Butcher are rather complex. The Go Fas Racing Pole Award winner earns five points, with points earned decreasing by one all the way to the fifth-fastest qualifier, who gets a single point. There’s also stage points up for grabs on three occasions during the race, with each stage winner earning ten points and earned points decreasing by one down the order until it gets to the tenth-place finisher of each stage. The winner of the race gets 50 compared to 45 for the runner-up finisher, with points decreasing by one from third on back. Stage points are also awarded to the top ten finishers at the end of the race. There are five additional bonus points up for grabs for leading a lap; and another five bonus points for leading the most laps.
For Ty Majeski to clinch the championship, one can say the easiest thing he can do is finish ahead of Butcher – but it’s not that simple. In a scenario where Butcher leads the most laps while Majeski doesn’t lead any, but Majeski finishes sixth and Butcher seventh, Butcher would still win the championship. This doesn’t take into account any qualifying or stage points that are up for the taking.
For Cole Butcher to be crowned inaugural ASA STARS National Tour champion, it’s even more complicated. Winning the Go Fas Racing Pole Award and leading the most laps would go a long way with a free 15 points. Also, finishing in the top three in each stage would give him up to another 30 possible points.
While Butcher has up to 45 bonus points he can collect throughout the All American 400, so does Majeski and every other driver in the field. The points battle can swing heavily in Majeski’s favor just as easily as it could Butcher’s during the course of the race.
What happens if there’s a tie for the championship at the end of the race? According to the ASA STARS National Tour rulebook, the tiebreaker is broke by the number of wins throughout the season. Majeski holds the tiebreaker with his three wins on the season compared to Butcher’s one.
What’s the best way to follow the championship battle? By watching the race, of course! Fans unable to make it to Nashville on Sunday, November 5 will be able to see the race live on RacingAmerica.TV, MidwestTour.TV and TrackTV.com; with a tape-delayed broadcast set for Monday, November 13 at 8:00pm ET on MAVTV. Go to https://starsnationaltour.com/watch for more information.
The ASA STARS National Tour heads to Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway on Sunday, November 5 for the season finale, the Curb Records/Big Machine Vodka SPIKED Coolers All American 400 Presented by US Tank and Cryogenics. Special discounted three-day tickets are available here.
The ASA STARS National Tour opened the ten race, six-state schedule at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, FL on March 11. Gio Ruggiero is the most recent winner, claiming the victory in the Winchester 400 on October 15.
For the full ASA STARS National Tour schedule, plus Super Late Model rules and other information, please visit the series website at starsnationaltour.com, or be sure to follow the series on social media (Facebook: STARS National Series | Twitter: @racewithstars | IG: @starsnational).