User blog:Ajaxcupseries/2024 14th Annual Windows 300 Preview

The Fallon Corner - April 2024

Its that time of year again ladies and gentlemen: we have FINALLY made it to Windows 300 week.

If you’re a new viewer of the ASCA in 2024, first of all welcome, and secondly you may be wondering what all the hubbub is about for what seems like your run of the mill event on the Cup Series calendar.

The Windows 300 is the pinnacle of this sport. Not only is it the longest race of the campaign at the sport’s most historic circuit, its also easily the longest tenured event on the calendar having been on the Cup schedule since 2010.

What the Super Bowl is to football, is what the Windows 300 is to the ASCA. Its hard to think of a much bigger prize in diecast racing than this one.

To add to the lore of this event, many of the young talents entered in this year’s edition grew up watching the Windows 300, dreaming of one day competing in such a prestigious race and hoisting that big trophy at night’s end.

Current second place point man Shane Park was 14 when Nick Orkedi held off Randle Woods in a thrilling dash to the checkers to win the 2015 event, while sophomore Cup driver Carson Schmidt was that same age watching Caleb Henderson Jr. and Chris Barrymore’s thrilling duel in the closing laps of the 2018 race. Both now have the opportunity to take home the grand prize this Sunday night.

Without further adieu, its time to take a look at the top storylines to follow in the 14th edition of the Windows 300:

The Most Competitive Field in 300 HISTORY
What happens when you put a three time Ajax Cup champion, a 26 time Ajax Cup winner, a two time Circle K Cup Series champion, a two time Smithfield Cup Series champion, the defending Chick Fil A Cup Series champion, the biggest young Cup superstar of the decade, and the most dominant Craftsman Series driver in history on the same track together for 300 miles?

The answer to that question is something we’ll find out this Sunday night - but one thing we do know is there has NEVER been this much talent on one track at one time in ASCA HISTORY.

We also know that no part time driver has ever won an Ajax Cup race throughout the sport’s growing lore, but with Jesse Price III, Andy Moore, Logan Paulsen, and Colin Ward all making one off starts in the same race, there’s a pretty good chance that stat could very well change as well.

All in all, if you AREN’T watching the Windows 300 on April 25th…..you are certainly missing out and then some.

Laquon Scransen - The Car to Beat on Sunday Night?
From victory lane to a jail cell, and then back to victory lane while also being a million dollars richer.

That’s what the whirlwind week of April 10th-17th, 2024 consisted of for 21 year old Laquon Scransen, who showed a lot of personal growth and maturity bouncing back from the lowest of lows to putting himself back on top last Saturday night.

However, has the No. 42 established itself as the car to beat for this Sunday night?

Throughout his ASCA career thus far, the Compton native has had an exuberant amount of success at the historic Computer Motor Speedway, which includes scoring his first Craftsman Series win here in 2021 and his controversial first Cup win last December.

While Scransen has DNF’ed in both of his 300 starts to date, he has run inside the top 5 throughout those races, including leading 40+ laps here last October before losing the top spot in the pits.

Add in the fact that in FIVE of the last six years the driver that’s won the All-Star race also went onto lead the most laps in the 300…..and I think that its safe to say whatever Dexter Andrews Motorsports found that worked so well last week should carry over under the bright lights of Computerville on April 25th.

Household Names Missing a 300 in Their Trophy Case
Every year it seems like we’ve talked Randle Woods’ lack of success in the Windows 300 to death, so why not focus on some other drivers that have yet to take home the ASCA’s biggest prize?

While Todd Kidd finally took home a crown jewel trophy in this year’s Ajax 200, the 28 year old has been 0 for 9 in the Windows 300 despite leading 60+ laps in this race twice.

Despite his Craftsman success at his home track, Chris Barrymore is 0 for 8 in the Windows 300 even after leading 50+ laps in this event in both 2018 and 2019.

As mentioned earlier, Laquon Scransen is 0 for 2 in his Windows 300 career even with a Craftsman, Cup, and now All-Star victories under his belt at Computer Motor Speedway.

Mind you, the winner of this race the past two years (Greg Healey and Cameron Atwood) also went on to win the championship in a couple months time. So if any of these four drivers currently within the top eight in points win on Sunday night…..look out.

Can Cameron Atwood Go Back to Back?
The last time the driver of a No. 17 went to victory lane for the first time in the Windows 300, Caleb Henderson Jr. decided to double dip and fend off Chris Barrymore to become the first multi time winner of this race back in 2018.

This year, defending champion Cameron Atwood has the opportunity to do the same - but will he have the car to do so?

Atwood of course put together one of, if not the most dominant Ajax Cup championship runs in history, and his ridiculous amount of speed extended over to Computer Motor Speedway where he led 87 and 136 laps in both races.

However, obviously after such a historic season like that, the No. 17 has taken a step back in 2024 with only one win this year compared to the three they had at this point last season. While the 28 year old once again finished runner up in the All-Star race, he struggled most of the night and benefitted greatly from the invert prior to the final stage.

It remains to be seen whether or not Atwood and co. can figure out the speed they’re clearly lacking from last year in this Friday’s practice sessions, but right now it appears he’ll need some help if he wants to become the third driver to score back to back 300 victories.

And the 14th Annual Windows 300 will be……
With the competition of this year’s race being so stiff, its EXTREMELY tough to predict who will come out on top this Sunday night.

You can’t go wrong predicting Diego Orkedi, Jesse Price III, Andy Moore, Logan Paulsen, or any of the other household names participating in a race I’m sure will be one we’ll remember for a long time to come.

However, my pick to win come April 25th is…..Laquon Scransen.

Its incredibly rare that you’ll see me bet on a 21 year old to win an Ajax Cup race no less, but Scransen is built different as the kids would say.

After the way he bounced back from his arrest to dominate last Saturday night’s Ajax All Star Race, plus his incredible track record at Computer Motor Speedway, all the signs point to the Compton native being the best bet.

Be sure to tune into all the action in April 25th’s 14th Annual Windows 300 starting at 7 PM EST, as this will be a race you will NOT want to miss!