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| Kittleson Ready for All-Out Onslaught on the 2004 ASA Series | “Super Sophomore” Moves ASA Racing Operation to North Carolina
CONCORD, NC (February 25, 2004) – A young racer is prone to make mistakes; it’s what he learns from those mistakes that tells the tale of a good racer or a bad one. 23-year-old Travis Kittleson will be the first to tell you that he made his mistakes during his rookie campaign with the American Speed Association last year, but he feels the valuable lessons learned from those mistakes have made him a better racer. That could spell trouble for his fellow competitors in 2004, as Kittleson plans for an all-out onslaught on the 2004 ASA schedule in hopes of capturing the National Championship.
“I can't wait for the season to start. I’ve been concentrating a lot on the upcoming year and I’m all revved up to go,” said Kittleson. “It's a big relief to know that we are gunning for the whole season now rather than just a partial schedule. Knowing that, there are a lot of things we can do differently than last year. I know I'm going to work hard on my driving this year. I've always felt that I was a pretty good driver, but I definitely learned some things in 2003 that I will apply to this season. We are a better team and I am a better driver than we showed in 2003 and I plan on showing what we can really do this year. We are going to challenge for the championship.”
Kittleson finished his rookie season in ASA with one pole position, four top-five and seven top-10 finishes. He finished second in the chase for the rookie title behind rival Reed Sorenson and was ninth in the final series point standings.
“We've had some changes to our team during the off season, but the core group of guys will still be with us. Gary Crooks (crew chief) and I have really meshed well and with a year under our belts together, I think we will have a better understanding of what each other is looking for in 2004. That is going to be big for us.
“The biggest change of the year was moving the team from Florida up to Mooresville, North Carolina, during the off season. It was hard to leave our home base of so many years, but we wanted to get to a little more centralized location for our racing schedule. Plus, the talent pool up here in this area with experienced mechanics, pit crew guys and whatnot is so strong. We will learn a lot just being here.”
With season-opener just a little more than a month away, Kittleson and Crooks are preparing their cars for the upcoming season. One of his two cars is completely finished and a second Bob Steele Chevrolet is close to completion. The team will have a primary short-track car along with a primary “speedway car” for the 2004 season as ASA is heading to several tracks a mile or larger in 2004.
“I'm really looking forward to the superspeedway races. I like the speed and think that it will show another side of my ability to drive a race car. It will be different for me and a lot of the ASA guys who haven't been on tracks that big, but I think that we will all take to it just fine. I think the races at Kentucky Speedway and Lowe's Motor Speedway are going to be great shows for the fans and those watching on TV. It will also be good to be able to race in front of some of the top brass in NASCAR at Lowe's and at Atlanta.”
Kittleson and his R/T Racing/Bob Steele Chevrolet team are planning to run the entire ASA schedule in 2004 after a ninth-place finishing position in the ASA final national standings of 2003. However, they are still looking a marketing partner to help them in their quest for the 2004 ASA National Championship. For inquiries, call the team at 321-693-6700 and be sure to visit traviskittleson.com for more information.
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