By Chris Kettman

CAMARGO, IL - The 2005 All Star Circuit of Champions season has come to a close. This year’s schedule saw 18 different winners from various parts of the country visit victory lane.  Leading the way this year was Chad Kemenah. On the way to earning his fourth straight ASCoC championship, the Findlay, OH driver took the checkered flag eight times - a career best. Kemenah won at Hartford, MI and Attica, OH in May, collected back to back Ohio Speed Week wins in June, and took the Thunder Through the Plains stop at McCool Junction, NE.  Chad and the Harble Motorsports team rounded out the year with three wins in September that included Sharon Speedway, Brushcreek Motorsports Park, and the season finale at Lernerville Speedway in Sarver, PA. Kemenah’s fourth consecutive championship ties him for the most all-time with Kenny Jacobs.

The All Stars began the year with a trip to Florida to compete against some of the best sprint car teams in the country. With four straight nights of racing on tap, several of the top names in the sport had the opportunity to test their skills against the All Stars at Volusia Speedway Park. The first two nights saw veterans Terry McCarl and Fred Rahmer add to their ASCoC win totals. On the third night, 2005 Knoxville Nationals champ Kraig Kinser took home the winners check. With $10,000 on the line for Saturday’s All Star main event, Mount Vernon, WA’s Jason Solwold crossed the finish line first to cap off an excellent four nights of racing.

The 2005 version of the ASCoC’s Ohio Speed Week saw one of the closest points races in series history. After six great nights of racing and two rainouts it was Bloomington, IN’s Kelly Kinser that held on to beat Chad Kemenah by just three points. Even though Kinser did not win an "A" feature during the week, he did show the consistency needed to out-point Kemenah who won the Sharon and Fremont Speed Week stops. The only other driver with more then one Speed Week win was Benton Ridge, Ohio’s Greg Wilson. Wilson raced to the top spot at Attica and again at the $10,000 to win finale at K-C Raceway. It was the K-C win that was the highlight of Greg’s season. Not only did the #63 team take home the big money, but it was the perfect close to the career of longtime ASCoC car owner Bob Hampshire. Shortly after the win, the man simply known as "Hamp" would announce that after 26 plus years of racing, the white #63 would be parked and he would retire from the sport. His contributions and dedication to the All Stars will be missed. After the announcement Wilson joined Jack Elden’s #22 team where he finished the season 5^th in points. Fan favorites Jac Haudenschild and Danny Smith also picked up wins during the eight race series at Limaland and Muskingum County Speedway respectively. 2005 also saw Smith overcome an off-season race shop fire to win the final night of the Attica Spring Nationals, and finish the season 2^nd in ASCoC points.

Rounding out the top five in ASCoC points was Dale Blaney (3^rd) and Randy Hannagan (4^th). Blaney picked up his 52^nd career ASCoC victory in August at the Butler Battlegrounds in Michigan putting him one win behind Frankie Kerr for fourth on the all time winners list. Hannagan, competing in his second year on the All Star tour, won in Farmington, MO in July and again at the famed Eldora Speedway in August.

Rookie of the Year honors for 2005 went to 16 year old Canadian star Cody Geldart. On his way to finishing 9^th in ASCoC points, Geldart grabbed his first All Star win in Mayetta, Kansas in August. Also in the top ten in points were former R.O.Y winners Jeremy Campbell 6^th and Brock Mayes 7^th. Completing the top ten was Paul May in 8^th, and Bob Bennett in 10^th.

Others who reached the Winner’s Circle with the ASCoC in 2005 include Dean Jacobs who won at the Butler Battlegrounds in May and sprint car hero Stevie Smith who took the "A’ feature at Attica in April. Pennsylvania regulars Lance Dewease (Williams Grove winner), Greg Hodnett (Lincoln Speedway), Todd Shaffer (Port Royal), and Mark Smith who picked up the finale of the Sharon Nationals complete the list.  ASCoC owner and president Guy Webb stated, "We pride ourselves in the number of different drivers that come out to compete with the All Stars. Who wants to pay to watch the same car win night after night?"

2005 also saw the retirement of the All Star's all-time feature winner. Sprint car legend Kenny Jacobs announced he would hang up his helmet at season’s end. The 4-time ASCoC champion will leave the sport with an amazing 97 All Star feature wins. Of Kenny’s greatest accomplishments, he won the 2000 Ohio Speed Week title, was the 1993 Historical Big One winner, and won the 1988 Williams Grove National Open. His 26 career feature wins at Eldora Speedway put him 4^th on the all-time list behind only Steve Kinser, Jack Hewitt, and Sammy Swindell. The All Stars would like to thank "The Mouse" for his dedication through the years, and wish him a very happy retirement. He is truly one of the best ever.

In 2006, the All Stars will run a schedule similar to that of the last few years.  The schedule is being prepared with a goal of 60 races at various tracks around the mid-west. The 2006 points chase will begin in February with a return trip to Volusia County Speedway in Florida. The bulk of the schedule will be based around the Ohio/Michigan region as it has been the past few seasons. Besides the usual stops in Pennsylvania and the mid-summer dates out West, Guy Webb is looking to expand with more dates in Indiana, and possibly a few in Canada, Memphis, and West Virginia.  The schedule is set to be released at the awards banquet barring any unforseen complications.

The 2005 Awards Banquet will be held on Friday, December 16^th in the Grand Ballroom of the Westin Hotel in Indianapolis, Indiana. Tickets are $40 each or two for $70.  Come and join the celebration of Chad Kemenah's 4th ASCoC Championship.  Also, Cody Geldart will be honored for his Rookie of the Year status. There will also be additional plans announced for the 2006 racing season.  Also, new for the 2006 racing season will be a brand new web site with more information and fan interactive sections with a whole new look and faster loading graphics for a more pleasurable internet experience.  The site is currently under reconstruction, so please bear with us while we rebuild.

The All Star Circuit of Champions would like to wish all the fans, drivers, and teams across the country a very safe and productive off-season.  We look forward to seeing you on tour in 2006.