User blog:Ajaxcupseries/Season 6 (2020) Ajax Cup Season Preview

By: Charles Fallon, asca.com

Season 6 of the ASCA will mark the 7th straight season that the series will be broadcasted on network TV. From Season 0 till today, the sport has grown an immense amount from when it first started and we cannot thank the fans enough for that.

This season will also mark the 10th running of the Windows 300, the most prestigious race on the circuit.

Add in the extra six events added to the ASCA calendar to make the Cup season 16 races and the Craftsman season 14 events, and Season 6 has the potential to be the best season of ASCA racing to date.

With all that out of the way, here’s my preview and predictions for what will happen on the Ajax Cup side of things this season:

Season Of The Young Guns?
There’s no doubt that currently, the amount of talent, specifically young talent, around the ASCA is as high as it’s ever been. Just look at the big name Cup drivers in the sport under 25 years of age. Ryan Dixon, Todd Kidd, Cameron Atwood, Greg Healey, Chris Barrymore, Doug Bowden, Jared Ayers, Henry Brady, and Rob Buddy. All nine of these guys are in cars that have potentially race winning speed. The only problem is.......only three of them have won a race. And those three that have won (Dixon, Kidd, and Barrymore) only have a combined 5 Cup Series race wins. So the question becomes, when will these young guns break out?

I think Season 6 is FINALLY the year of the young drivers. I know this was said to be the case in Season 5 before only one driver under 25 won a race (Todd Kidd) all season, but this season feels different. Plus if you remember last season, a few young guns were really close to a few wins. Chris Barrymore had potentially three races he could’ve won and led the third most laps of any driver in Season 5 (273). Ryan Dixon was leading at Advocare with 6 laps to go and led 155 laps at Blu-Ray before late race bump and runs relegated him to 2nd place finishes. So these young stars certainly were fast, they just couldn’t close the deal. That will all change in Season 6.

Season 6 Breakout Star: Doug Bowden
It seems like every year there’s that one young gun that really seems to come into their own over the past few seasons. In Season 1 it was 24 year old Sean Wooden’s coming out party, in Season 2 22 year old Caleb Henderson Jr came into his own, in Season 3 Ryan Dixon showed he had potential to become a championship contender, in Season 4 Todd Kidd collected his first top 5 finish in points, and in Season 5 Chris Barrymore led 273 laps and put up career numbers with a career high in points.

So who will become the breakout driver of Season 6?

My guess? I’m putting my money on 23 year old Doug Bowden.

Over the course of the second half of last season (from the Windows 300 onward), Bowden was one of the hottest drivers in the series. With three top 5’s, six top 10’s, and 97 laps led at Belltown, the 24 team was quietly one of the most consistent teams in the series over the second half stretch. Add in the fact that Bowden is only 22, and who knows how high his potential could expand this season. We saw just how much he was able to push basically underfunded Tico Bowden Motorsports Craftsman equipment into a championship in Season 4. Now in championship level equipment…..all I can say is look out.

And The Season 6 Champion Is…..
Realistically there’s only two drivers year in and year out that seem like they’re a step above the rest. Diego Orkedi and Randle Woods may be bitter rivals, but they are the best two drivers in the series no cap. The past two champions have combined to win 11 of the last 28 Ajax Cup races, and have finished 1-2 in points in Seasons 4 & 5.

Out of those two heavyweights, who do I have winning the title you ask?

While he may not do it cleanly, give me Diego Orkedi to get the job done and capture his 3rd championship at just age 29.

And Your 10th Annual Windows 300 Winner Is….
This is a VERY tough question to answer. There are quite a few drivers that could take the trophy home in the 10th running of this historic race. Its hard to believe we’ve already had 10 editions, but time does fly eh?

While its very easy to pick Chris Barrymore give his track record at Computer Motor Speedway, the problem is Barrymore never really has had a “dominant” car per se. And more often than not, the dominant car earns the victory in the Windows 300. Besides last season of course, the winner of the 300 had led 50 laps or more in all eight previous editions.

Whoever will have the dominant car also could vary. In Season 0 it was Jimmy Hood, Season 1 Nick Orkedi, Season 2 it was Todd Kidd and Brynn Rennerd that each dominated major portions of the event, in Seasons 3-4 who could forget Caleb Henderson Jr’s untouchable “Plan A” machine, and in Season 5 it was Michael White Racing dominating like they did at every other race (besides both Belltown events) last season. If Barrymore proves to have the dominant car, its going to be a long night for the field.

But even if he doesn’t…….he will find a way to get to the front using that high line of his, and that’s why I have the 22 year old FINALLY getting that Windows 300 he deserves.