Busch All-Star Tour


The Busch All-Star Tour was a NASCAR-sanctioned dirt track late model racing series. The series, based in the Midwestern United States, started in 1985 and folded in 2002, and was NASCAR's only national dirt racing series.

History

The series held its first race at Adams County Speedway in Corning, Iowa, and was won by Steve Kosiski. Kosiski became the most successful driver in series history with 50 victories and seven championships; his brother Joe was the second most successful driver, with 45 wins and five championships. Although the tour was primarily situated in the Midwest, the series also expanded to tracks outside the region. Among the tracks that played host to Busch All-Star Tour races included Lakeside Speedway, I-80 Speedway, Eagle Raceway, I-70 Speedway, Hawkeye Downs Speedway and Iowa State Fair Speedway The series was eventually renamed the O'Reilly Auto Parts All-Star Series, and the tour was discontinued after 2002 by NASCAR, as it decided to shift its focus to its Weekly Racing Series. NASCAR's top national series didn't return to dirt until the Camping World Truck Series ran the 2013 Mudsummer Classic at Eldora Speedway.

Notable people

Notable personnel who worked with the tour included John Darby, the current Sprint Cup Series director, who worked as chief technical inspector for the tour, along with Motor Racing Network writer Pete Pistone, who served as public relations director for approximately four seasons. The Series Director, throughout the entire 17-year run of the series, was Jim Wilson, a 23-year NASCAR veteran, who later went on to found the WORLD Dirt Racing League. Among the noted winners in the series included 2000 Weekly Racing Series national champion Gary Webb, Xfinity Series driver Mike Wallace and former Cup Series driver Ken Schrader.

List of series champions

YearChampionPoints
1985Roger Dolan960
1986Joe Kosiski2239
1987Steve Kosiski2311
1988Joe Kosiski2339
1989Joe Kosiski2345
1990Steve Kosiski2492
1991Steve Kosiski2639
1992Steve Kosiski2927
1993Bob Hill2460
1994Steve Kosiski3149
1995Steve Kosiski2656
1996Joe Kosiski2586
1997Joe Kosiski2334
1998Steve Kosiski2950
1999Ray Guss, Jr.2497
2000Steve Boley3062
2001Kyle Berck2436