Both the UK's top motorsport publications, Motoring News and Autosport, carried stories about the new ASCAR Championship this week.

Along with their main track test feature, in which everybody's favourite racer Ian Flux sang the praises of the "American Beast", there was an article announcing the closing of entries for the inaugural 2001 Championship. Series organiser and ASCAR MD Mike Schmidt announced that with 23 cars now sold he wanted to keep the last few seats available for some big name drivers and teams.

Mike said "Lots of people are interested in the championship and we can get some names involved that will really make the public sit up and take notice." he added "The reaction to the series has been overwhelming and has taken us all by surprise."

Sister magazine "Autosport", reports that top independent Touring Car outfit Team Dynamics and class B leaders Bowman Motorsport are both looking at the series (ascarracing.com can confirm that Bowman and Touring Car VIP Club have ordered cars). Team Dynamics boss Steve Neal commented that if NASCAR-type racing was to take off, then it would be best to be there at the begining. If the team does become involved, Matt Neal may not necessarily be the driver, although he was going to have a run in the car at Croft today (01/06). Vic Lee of Bowman Motorsport said that the team were considering a couple of drivers, but the championship needed to be marketed properly and would require people with a racing mentality rather than a hot-rod one. Also rumoured to be interested is ex-Audi BTCC racer and NSCC team owner John Bintcliffe. John could make a racing return in the championship next year.

Motoring News' feature on ASCAR by Ian Flux makes great reading, the experianced Fluxie had some great things to say about the car and his witty comments make for entertaining reading. When you hear a RACER who has driven as many cars as Fluxie say "I've never been so disappointed to stop driving a car. I simply didn't want to come in." and "I can just picture myself in the middle of the pack (at Rockingham) can't you?" then you know your onto a winner!