The Busch All-Star Tour was a
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. The privately owned company was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1948, and hi ...
-sanctioned
dirt track late model
A late model car is a car which has been recently designed or manufactured, often the latest model. (An early model car or classic car is a car old enough to be of historical interest; there is no usual intermediate term.)
The precise definition ...
racing series. The series, based in the
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States, also referred to as the Midwest or the American Midwest, is one of four census regions of the United States Census Bureau (also known as "Region 2"). It occupies the northern central part of the United States. I ...
, started in 1985 and folded in 2002, and was NASCAR's only national dirt racing series.
History
The series held its first race at
Adams County Speedway in
Corning, Iowa
Corning is a city in Quincy Township, Adams County, Iowa, Quincy Township, Adams County, Iowa, Adams County, Iowa, United States. The population was 1,564 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. It is the county seat of Adams County. Cornin ...
, and was won by
Steve Kosiski. Kosiski became the most successful driver in series history with 50 victories and seven championships; his brother
Joe
Joe or JOE may refer to:
Arts
Film and television
* ''Joe'' (1970 film), starring Peter Boyle
* ''Joe'' (2013 film), starring Nicolas Cage
* ''Joe'' (TV series), a British TV series airing from 1966 to 1971
* ''Joe'', a 2002 Canadian animated ...
was the second most successful driver, with 45 wins and five championships. Although the tour was primarily situated in the Midwest, the series also expanded to tracks outside the region. Among the tracks that played host to Busch All-Star Tour races included
Lakeside Speedway Lakeside Speedway is a 4/10 mile auto racing Dirt track located in Kansas City, Kansas. It features racing on a weekly basis from April to September in USRA Modified, USRA Stock Car, USRA B-Mod, E-Modifieds, Grand National and Factory Stock categori ...
,
I-80 Speedway
Nebraska Raceway Park is a multiuse racing facility in southeastern Nebraska near Greenwood, Nebraska.
The track is near the interchange of Interstate 80 and Nebraska Highway 63
Nebraska Highway 63 is a north–south highway in eastern Ne ...
, Eagle Raceway,
I-70 Speedway
I-70 Motorsports Park, formally known as I-70 Speedway, is a multi-purpose motorsports facility near Interstate 70 east of Odessa, Missouri, USA. The track, first opened in 1969, was open yearly until its closure in 2008.
After more than a decad ...
,
Hawkeye Downs Speedway
Hawkeye may refer to:
Places United States
* Hawkeye, Iowa, a city
* Hawkeye, Kansas, a small settlement in Kansas
* Hawkeye, Missouri, an unincorporated community
* Hawkeye Point, the highest natural point in Iowa
* Iowa, a state nickname ...
and
Iowa State Fair Speedway The series was eventually renamed the
O'Reilly Auto Parts
O’Reilly Automotive, Inc. is an American auto parts retailer that provides automotive aftermarket parts, tools, supplies, equipment, and accessories to professional service providers and do-it-yourself customers. Founded in 1957 by the O’Reil ...
All-Star Series, and the tour was discontinued after 2002 by NASCAR, as it decided to shift its focus to its Weekly Racing Series (now the
Whelen All-American Series
The NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series (formerly the Whelen All-American Series, Winston Racing Series and the Dodge Weekly Series) is a points championship for NASCAR sanctioned local short track motor racing around the United States and Ca ...
). NASCAR's top national series didn't return to dirt until the
Camping World Truck Series
The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is a pickup truck racing series owned and operated by the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, and is the only series in NASCAR to race production pickup truck based stock cars. The series is one of th ...
ran the
2013 Mudsummer Classic
The 2013 Mudsummer Classic (formally the CarCash Mudsummer Classic presented by CNBC Prime's ''The Profit'') was a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series stock car race held on July 24, 2013, at Eldora Speedway in New Weston, Ohio. The race was the fi ...
at
Eldora Speedway
Eldora Speedway (nicknamed "The Big E", "Auto Racing's Showcase Since 1954," and "The World's Greatest Dirt Track") is a high-banked clay dirt oval. Located north of Rossburg, Ohio in the village of New Weston, Ohio, it features permanent and ...
.
Notable people
Notable personnel who worked with the tour included
John Darby, the current
Sprint Cup Series
The NASCAR Cup Series is the top racing series of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR). The series began in 1949 as the Strictly Stock Division, and from 1950 to 1970 it was known as the Grand National Division. In 1971 ...
director, who worked as chief technical inspector for the tour, along with
Motor Racing Network
Motor Racing Network (MRN) is a U.S. radio network that syndicates broadcasts of auto racing events, particularly NASCAR. MRN was founded in 1970 by NASCAR founder Bill France, Sr. and broadcaster Ken Squier, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of N ...
writer
Pete Pistone
Pete Pistone is an American motorsports journalist and commentator who works for the Motor Racing Network. He is the lead writer for MRN.com and has worked for the radio network since 2009 after they purchased RacingOne.com. Since 2009, Pistone ...
, who served as public relations director for approximately four seasons.
The Series Director, throughout the entire 17-year run of the series, was Jim Wilson, a 23-year NASCAR veteran, who later went on to found the WORLD Dirt Racing League. Among the noted winners in the series included 2000 Weekly Racing Series national champion
Gary Webb
Gary Stephen Webb (August 31, 1955 – December 10, 2004) was an American investigative journalist.
He began his career working for newspapers in Kentucky and Ohio, winning numerous awards, and building a strong reputation for investigative ...
,
[Schaefer, Paul. ''Where Stars Are Born: Celebrating 25 Years of NASCAR Weekly Racing''. Coastal 181, Newburyport, Massachusetts, USA, 2006. . pp. 123-130.] Xfinity Series
The NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) is a stock car racing series organized by NASCAR. It is promoted as NASCAR's second-tier circuit to the organization's top level Cup Series. NXS events are frequently held as a support race on the day prior to a ...
driver
Mike Wallace
Myron Leon Wallace (May 9, 1918 – April 7, 2012) was an American journalist, game show host, actor, and media personality. He interviewed a wide range of prominent newsmakers during his seven-decade career. He was one of the original correspo ...
and former Cup Series driver
Ken Schrader
Kenneth Schrader (born May 29, 1955) is an American professional racing driver. He currently races on local dirt and asphalt tracks around the country while also competing part-time in the ARCA Menards Series, driving the No. 11 Ford for Fast Trac ...
.
List of series champions
See also
*
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series is a dirt late model touring series owned and operated by Lucas Oil. The series competes on dirt ovals across the United States, primarily throughout the east coast and the midwest. The cars feature a purpose-bu ...
*
World of Outlaws Late Model Series
The World of Outlaws Case Construction Late Model Series is a Dirt Super Late Model touring series currently owned by World Racing Group, and is sanctioned by the World of Outlaws & DIRTcar. The series competes on dirt ovals across the Unite ...
References
{{NASCAR
Dirt track racing in the United States
NASCAR series