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acegear
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Joined: 22 Oct 2004
Posts: 973
Location: Enumclaw, WA
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 Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2004 12:11 am Post subject: Busch Driver: Ashton Lewis |
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One thing that may set Ashton Lewis apart from most drivers in NASCAR's modern era is that he reports to work at his team’s shop daily at 6:30 a.m. and puts in a full day.
Lewis works as one of the engineers for the No. 46 Chevrolet.
“Nothing makes me feel better than working in the shop with the team,” Lewis said. “I can honestly say that we have one of the best teams in the Busch Series garage. All the guys are working hard to get the Civil Air Patrol Chevrolet into Victory Lane.
"It’s up to me to learn everything I can about the race car. I also think it makes our team closer to know that I am one of them and not just the driver.”
Lewis started his racing career in Virginia driving go-carts in 1989 when he was 17 years old. Three years later, he began driving Formula Fords in the Skip Barber Midwest Series. In his first season, he scored two victories and finished eighth in the season championship.
In 1991, Lewis won the series title with 14 wins in 16 starts. In the same season, he managed to finish second in the Skip Barber Eastern Division with eight wins in 16 starts.
In 1992, Lewis was granted the Team USA Scholarship, which gives deserving road racers in the United States the chance to race in the British Formula Ford Championship. Past recipients of the scholarship include Jimmy Vasser, Bryan Herta, and current NASCAR Nextel Cup driver Jerry Nadeau. Lewis finished 15th out of 176 drivers in the program.
In 1993, Lewis stepped into the driver’s seat of a late model stock car while completing his mechanical engineering degree from Old Dominion University and began racing in the NASCAR Winston Racing Series at Langley (Virginia) Speedway. He won rookie of the year honors and made his debut in the NASCAR Busch Series that same year.
Over the next four years, Lewis kept building his resume in the NASCAR Winston Racing Series at Langley and Southampton Speedways in Virginia.
In 1998, he entered eight Busch Series events and finished third at Watkins Glen.
Lewis stopped driving competitively in 1999 to work as an engineer for Akins Motorsports. Still, he returned to the driver’s seat in 2000, competing in 11 Busch Series events for his family-owned team. His best finish was 17th at Michigan Speedway.
He began racing full-time in the Busch Series in 2001.
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