****************************************************** PR # 42137 We propose the first ASCA observations of GHz Peaked Spectrum (GPS) radio galaxies: powerful, but compact ( < kpc), sources which may be young radio galaxies which are struggling to break free of their dense and dusty circumnuclear medium. ROSAT observations of our two targets place upper limits of 3.0E42 ergs/s on their soft x-ray luminosity. Our proposed ASCA observations will allow us to determine whether the AGNs in the GPS sources are intrinsically weak in x-rays or are powerful but obscured. If we detect the AGN, this will favor the hypothesis that they are powerful nascent classical doubles and we will determine the absorbing column, thus probing the properties of the circumnuclear medium. We will have finally identified the progenitors of classical double radio sources. ******************************************************