Upland, CA…October 21, 2008…Jay Rutherford, president and owner of the American Speed Association Speed Truck Challenge (ASA STC) announced officially today that Paul Bonaccorsi, in the #11 Bonaccorsi Racing and BHRM Chevy Colorado has clinched the top spot in the 2008 ASA Speed Truck Challenge Rookie of the Year competition. Bonaccorsi, one of the older rookies of this year’s competition, ran a couple races in the ASA STC series last year and admittedly struggled with the handling of the 2,450-lb. Speed Truck. “I just couldn’t get it figured out last year in testing,” said Bonaccorsi, “But coming out this season, with the help of my great crew and their excellent setups, we got better and better every race.”
Bonaccorsi, who currently sits in a remarkable fifth position in the ASA STC Championship points’ race going into the dramatic last race of the season 100 lapper at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale, where there is a real tossup for how the top five will finish; took his eyes off of Rookie of the Year title several races ago. “I knew we had a pretty good chance of wrapping it up early,” said a smiling Bonaccorsi. “At that point, it was all about trying to win the championship, and if it wouldn’t have been for a couple tough things in two races, we may have tested the championship winner, Darren Young.”
Bonaccorsi, a long-time driver, particularly focusing on road course driving in the past, utilized that sweeping, staying-down-low in the corners motion to make up huge ground on the less experienced drivers in most of the events. Over the 2008 season, Bonaccorsi showed tough talent on the track as a rookie against many other more experienced drivers by setting Fastest Qualifying once, five Top Five finishes and finishing in the top of the field the balance of the season. He clinched the competition with 53 rookie points over his closest challenger, Joey Licata Jr. in the #71 Throttle Racing Products / Anarchy Clothing Dodge Dakota with 39 points. Paul continued to show everyone around him that he was not to be counted out of any race and showed a smooth consistency that was very impressive to his competitors and staying out of trouble.
“We are very proud to announce this prestigious award going to one of our strongest new drivers,” said Rutherford. Bonaccorsi is one of those drivers with a quiet sense of determination and never complains. He just gets out there race after race and does what he needs to for continued high point finishes. Congratulations to a fine driver and an even finer person,” finished Rutherford. Said National Marketing Director, Bill McCloud, “Paul exemplifies what we are looking for in our new rookie drivers. He is one of the first people to help his fellow drivers and always comes to the track with a smile on his face. What is actually super about the ASA STC is that the majority of our drivers are this way, which makes for a fun weekend of racing, no matter what track you happen to be on,” concluded McCloud.
Fans can see the taped-for-television dramatic finish to the ASA Speed Truck Challenge series 2008 season at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale on Saturday evening, October 25th with what will prove to be an exciting 100 lap race event. For more information about the ASA Speed Truck Challenge, go to www.speedtruck.com or call 866-873-7615.
