I have the opportunity to work as a pit reporter on this year's ASA Late Model Challenge Series television broadcasts, which are being produced by my colleague Rick Benjamin's company Visioncast. The 12 race schedule, which began back in March, will start airing later in September on a variety of cable and satellite networks.

The "new" ASALM features crate engine late model stock cars and was the brainchild of Ron Varney, who started a circuit known as the USPRO Series out of Michigan a few years ago. With the demise of the "old" ASA National Tour, the ASALM was born and Ron and his wife Sandy put together a concept that includes noth and south regional tours as well as the 12 race National Challenge Series, which this year visits some of the most famous short tracks in the country - Nashville, I-70, Madison, Jennerstown, Oswego and Berlin to name a few.

This past Saturday, the series raced at the famed Milwaukee Mile and young Kelly Bires went to victory lane for the fourth time this season. Bires drives for the powerhouse Wal-Tom team, which won the ASALM title last year with Stephen Leicht behind-the-wheel.

Leicht has of course moved up to Robert Yates Racing and there are several others within the ASALM who could soon find their way up the racing ladder. The series is a necessary part of the stock car racing world and here's hoping it can grow into what the "old" ASA once was - a training ground for future stock car stars.

There are still three races left this season - Labor Day Sunday night at Minnesota's Elko Speedway, an October visit to the new Iowa Speedway outside Des Moines and a November return to Nashville for the prestigious All-American 400. If you have a chance to catch one of these races yet this year, you may see a future NASCAR star in the making.