Pdf - Legacy Tobacco Documents Library

I
ng events
imthar e m
and firmly
attendance
argers over
\ssociation
events in
:cord with
Challenge
cks in Cem
naintaining
Isis on th e
nt finance
'i the enterday-to-day
Fairgrounds
the Salem
.everal state
"Circuit o f
November .
med Darrel l
really bega n
oberts, who
ing us out t o
the famed
onsolidation
id finally, a
n September
http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/gln71b00/pdf
There were dire predictions of carnage when it was announced wed be
rac mg at ,NIS .'' Robbins said . and I must admit . everyone had me nervous
but I was confident about the caliber of driver we have racing for us . Sure
we an ten mile-am hour faster than Grand National cars right off the bat but
uur guys were coming around saving . Gees, why haven't we been doing this
before now they really got into racing on the big track .
Robbins credits the unprecedented growth of ASA on a willingness to ex
penment and find innovative solutions to problems .
ASA is interested in racing cars popular with the buying public .'' Robbins
observes . ''meaning the lighter weight, smaller and sporty models . We look
at two curves the ascending one of larger purses made possible by conduct .
ing first-class events before bigger crowds at the better tracks . and the de
,ending one of finding ways to cut costs to the competitor . It keeps us
healthy
Today ASA sanctions stock car racing events in fourteen states and
Canada and will disburse some $2 million in prize money during the season .
A top competitor can now earn nearly $100,000 per season, and fields continue
to grow .
On stream in current ASA plans are expansion of the ASA West dominion .
aided by major sponsorship help from Culbro Corporation in the form of
their Redwood smokeless tobacco brand, which will parellel efforts of
Culbro's Silver Creek brand, now in the second season as corporate sponsor
of the main ASA Series .
"Racing must function as a marketing tool to survive into the next
century ." Robbins says, ''and we are elated with the possibilities . "
ASA now is housed in a 7,000 square foot, fully computerized operation in
Pendleton, Indiana . some 20 miles northeast of Indianapolis. A state-of-theart
printing plant was a major addition in 1984 .
Did the finance company loan get paid off in time ?
"Yes, it did.'' Robbins remembers, but believe me, there were times we
counted program change to make the payment . "
And Rex Robbins is disturbed when people observe that ASA "has finally
'made it' in the tough, competitive world of motorsports . "
"Our plans make what we're doing now look primitive ." he maintains,
"because we're just really getting started .'
Finance company managers, beware .
i 339243 0
Championship Auto Racing Teams . Inc. was co-founded by Roger Penske
and U .E. ''Pat'' Patrick in 1978 . Many reasons were offered for the organizin$
of Indianapolis race car owners, but in an interview with reporter Robin
Miller, American racing hero and original CART Director Dan Gurney explained
it best .
13