ASA Southern Super Series
Watch the PepperJack Kennels Twin 100s on Racing America
Jul 19, 2023
Top Super Late Model Rookie Eager for Pensacola
Gio Ruggiero has had a strong start to the 2023 season and looks to carry that momentum into the ASA Southern Super Series this weekend at Five Flags Speedway.
Late Models
It’s already been an impressive rookie campaign for Giovanni Ruggiero on the Super Late Model scene. He’s fresh off a strong second-place run at the Redbud 400 at Anderson Speedway (IN) for the ASA STARS National Tour. Now the attention will turn to Five Flags Speedway where the top rookie looks to continue to make a name for himself in the ASA Southern Super Series
“I have always enjoyed racing at Five Flags,” said Ruggiero. “Wilson Motorsports has a lot of success there and I feel like we are going to have a fast car and a chance at winning.”
Ruggerio has worked his way up to second in the point standings after grabbing his first win at Hickory Motor Speedway (NC) in May in the combo event with the ASA STARS National tour.. He followed that up with a third-place run at the Fairgrounds Speedway in Nashville.
“I always am looking to pull off the best finish I can and I want that to be a win,” said Ruggiero. “That’s where the mindset starts. If things happen in the race and you shift your focus to points because of circumstances then that’s when I think about collecting points.”
Ruggiero was the Show Me The Money champion at Montgomery a year ago and he almost took the Super Late Model title at Speedweeks in February at New Smyrna Speedway (FL).
“I think the success has really come along this season,” added Ruggiero. “Switching from Pro Late Models I had to learn how much to save the car for the longer distance events. “I have worked well with my crew chief Dennis Dean. He’s got a ton of knowledge and our chemistry has been good as we hit the middle of the season.”
While most kids are just relaxing out of school, Ruggiero is hitting the books in the Late Model ranks. In a seven day span last week, he ran 700 laps at three different tracks in three different states. At least with the Pensacola double he gets to sleep in the same bed for a few nights in a row.
“We have been on the road a bunch getting experience,” added Ruggiero.
Even when you’re not in the car you are thinking about the next race and looking at races to see where the lines are and where you can be better."
— Gio Ruggieio
Racing gets underway with the PepperJack Kennels Twin 100s weekend on Friday, July 21st at 8pm. The Kioti Tractor 100 will be the main event of the night along with the Five Flags Speedway Outlaws and Pure Stocks.
Action continues on Saturday, July 22nd at 8pm as the second leg of the double dip finishes off the weekend. The American Welding Society 100 will be the final race of the weekend for the ASA Southern Super Series. The Modifieds of Mayhem and Crown Stocks will also have feature races on Saturday.
Schedule and entry forms for the doubleheader weekend can be found at www.SouthernSuperSeries.com
Photo courtesy Will Bellamy, Racing America
