Bill Elliott Racing Team

Ross Kenseth Wins Late Model Most Popular Driver Award

CONCORD, NC (January 14, 2010) – After months of fan voting and more than 45,000 ballots cast online at Speed51.com, website officials announced today that Ross Kenseth is the official winner of the 2009 Late Model Most Popular Driver Award presented by Aluminum Racing Products.

Kenseth, driver of the #25 Blains Farm and Fleet Ford, is the son of 2003 NASCAR Cup Series champion Matt Kenseth and has racked up some impressive accomplishments on his own accord up in the Midwest this past year.

“I’m a little surprised,” said Ross Kenseth, upon learning of his victory. “I knew that we were in contention and I campaigned on Twitter a little bit, but I didn’t expect to win either. I’m just so thankful to all of the fans who go to the racetrack every week for voting. Short track fans are the best. The economy is bad, but the fans still make it to the race track.”

“I work with Ross’s dad Matt in the Cup Series and I’ve been able to spend some time with Ross as well,” said Bob Dillner, SPEED broadcaster for its NASCAR programming and co-owner of Speed51.com. “He is a shy, but stand-up kid and a heck of a driver like his dad. It’s pretty special to see a kid like Ross win the Aluminum Racing Products Late Model Most Popular Driver Award.”

Kenseth ran a smorgasbord of short track events in 2009. He was named the Big 8 Series champion after winning six of the seven races contested this past season. He also won in the ASA Late Model Series and capped off his season by earning the outside pole for the Snowball Derby in his first trip to Five Flags Speedway (FL).

“We ran a lot of Big 8 races and that’s kind of a secondary series to the ASA Midwest Tour,” said Kenseth. “We also got to run some of the ASA Late Model races. It was always great to meet new fans and travel around the country. The Snowball Derby really stands out too. That race was just so packed – it reminded me of Oktoberfest up in Wisconsin.”

Kenseth doesn’t quite know what his 2010 season holds in store for him, but he may be back to defend his Late Model Most Popular Driver award.

“We’re still working on finalizing everything for this season,” Kenseth said.

Kenseth’s Most Popular Driver status earned him a new “Package A” ABC-configuration racecar body from Aluminum Racing Products (www.arbodies.com).

“It’s an honor having Ross Kenseth as the 2009 ARBodies.com Late Model Most Popular Driver,” said Brad Cook of Aluminum Racing Products. “Ross is a class act competitor who has done a lot in a short period of time in Super Late Model racing. He is one of short track racing’s brightest stars and we’re proud to support him and the short track racers throughout the country in 2009 and beyond.”

Finishing a surprising second in the voting was Texas young gun Dillon Spreen. The 15-year-old won his first race in the Texas Super Racing Series this past season and even at his young age has built up a strong resume of quarter midget, Allison Legacy and road racing success. He seems to know a thing or two about earning fan respect too as he gave Kenseth a run for his money.

Chase Elliott burst onto the Late Model scene in a big way in 2009 – winning races in the Georgia Asphalt Series, PASS South Super Late Model Series and on the ASA Southeast Asphalt Tour. Along the way, the son of 1988 NASCAR Cup Series champion Bill Elliott also won the hearts of short track fans as he ended up finishing third in the Speed51.com / Aluminum Racing Products balloting.

Finishing just off the podium in the Most Popular Driver balloting was part time PASS South competitor Trey Mitchell. Although Mitchell didn’t race as much as his MPD competition in 2009, he made himself a serious contender for the fan vote thanks to some heart. Mitchell, a Texas student, lobbied hard for the award and as a result had fans from all corners of the globe voting for him – racking up ballots from Australia, Thailand, Spain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Philippines and India among other places.

Chase Elliott’s teammate at Bill Elliott Racing Development, Casey Roderick, rounded out the top five in fan voting. The former Legends car standout enjoyed a 2009 season that included winning the Lanier Super Six Pro Late Model Series championship.

Scores of other drivers, ranging from top touring stars to weekly Late Model competitors received votes in this year’s competition.

The Speed51.com/Aluminum Racing Products Most Popular Driver award was decided based on fan votes at the short track website, Speed51.com. Fans were only allowed to vote once per day and only one per day with the same computer. The votes were then verified as being legit.

For a driver to be included on the ballot he or she must have been in the top 10 in points in their respective Late Model touring series or the top five of their local track series prior to the cut-off date of July 18, 2009. If a track was not listed in the balloting, Speed51.com does not receive information from that specific facility.

For more information on Aluminum Racing Products, visit them online at www.arbodies.com.

Speed51.com has become a leader in online motorsports information by focusing on the Short Track Racing realm. 51 realized several years ago that there was a void in the industry for news and behind-the-scenes stories. Now, 51 is viewed by thousands of fans per day. The site fuels your Short Track appetite for NASCAR’s Camping World East and West Divisions, NASCAR Modified Tours, the USARacing Pro Cup Series, and Super Late Models from all across the country and much more.

Speed51.com also received a graphical overhaul in February 2009, as the site now enters its tenth season of covering the short tracks from coast-to-coast and Canada.

51 Sports is the parent company of two of the largest short track racing news websites, Speed51.com and LegendsNation.com 51 Sports is continually signing up clients for its Sports Services and Web Design work for 2010 and beyond. 51 offers everything from single-time press releases to full campaigns, website development and much more. If you are interested in finding out more, please contact us at www.speed51.com or through Matt Kentfield at (704) 788-2134.

For all the latest in short track racing news and event coverage, be sure to check out Speed51.com. For more information on Speed51.com, contact Matt Kentfield at 51 Sports by calling (704) 788-2134.

- 51 Sports Press Release

DAWSONVILLE, Ga. (January 18, 2010) – After being named by SceneDaily.com as one of ten drivers of the next decade in NASCAR, 14-year-old Chase Elliott is ready to prove he’s worthy of the designation as he kicks off the 2010 season. The second-generation driver out of Dawsonville, Ga., has announced his sophomore season schedule, which includes over 40 combined Pro and Super Late Model races at 17 different tracks across the Midwest and Southeast.

The 2009 Georgia Asphalt Series (GAS) Champion will make runs for the Blizzard Series and Miller Lite Series titles at sister tracks Five Flags Speedway (Pensacola, Fla.) and Mobile (Ala.) International Speedway, which will also put him in the running for the Gulf Coast Championship that combines both series into one title.

Coming off four wins in 2009 in three series – GAS, ASA Southeast Asphalt Tour and Pro All Stars Series (PASS) – Elliott’s 2010 schedule includes runs in six different series. With several starts in the PASS South and the Champion Racing Association (CRA) Super Series Late Model touring series, Elliott will also make a handful of starts in the Pro Late Model ASA Late Model Series Challenge division and the Show Me the Money series at Montgomery (Ala.) Motor Speedway. At the age of 14, Elliott was granted a waiver to compete in the ASA Late Model Series which is typically open to drivers 16 years and older.

Elliott also has several “big name” races scheduled throughout the year, including his season-opener, the CRA-sanctioned SpeedFest at Lanier National Speedway (Braselton, Ga.), January 31. Also on the list are The Rattler 250 at South Alabama Speedway (Opp); Rowdy’s Revenge 251 at Berlin Speedway (Marne, Mich.); the World Crown 300 at Gresham Motorsports Park (Jefferson, Ga.); and the Snowball Derby at Five Flags Speedway.

“I am really looking forward to 2010,” said Elliott. “We learned a lot last year and still have a ton to go, but I think that if we can put what we learned into this year as well I believe that would make us more competitive at the bigger races.”

While Elliott will continue his partnership with Aaron’s Sales & Lease Ownership in 2010, there are still primary and associate sponsorship opportunities available on the Bill Elliott Racing No. 9 Ford for both Super and Pro Late Model events.

SUPER LATE MODEL RACES:
Date Race / Series Track Primary Associate
31-Jan SpeedFest (CRA) Lanier National Speedway AARON’S None
7-Mar The Rattler 250 (CRA) South Alabama Speedway AARON’S None
13-Mar CRA Gresham Motorsports Park AARON’S None
9-Apr The Blizzard Series Five Flags Speedway AARON’S None
3-Apr Easter Bunny 150 (PASS) Hickory Motor Speedway None AARON’S
10-Apr Miller Lite Series Mobile International Speedway AARON’S None
2-May CRA Winchester Speedway AARON’S None
7-May PASS Wake County Speedway None AARON’S
28-May The Blizzard Series Five Flags Speedway AARON’S None
29-May Miller Lite Series Mobile International Speedway AARON’S None
15-Jun Rowdy’s Revenge 251 Berlin Raceway AARON’S None
25-Jun The Blizzard Series Five Flags Speedway AARON’S None
26-Jun Miller Lite Series Mobile International Speedway AARON’S None
2-Jul Firecracker 125 (PASS) Greenville-Pickens Speedway None AARON’S
10-Jul South Alabama Speedway AARON’S None
17-Jul CRA Gresham Motorsports Park AARON’S None
26-Jul Red Bud 300 Anderson Speedway AARON’S None
7-Aug PASS Newport Speedway None AARON’S
13-Aug The Blizzard Series Five Flags Speedway AARON’S None
14-Aug Miller Lite Series Mobile International Speedway AARON’S None
4-Sep Labor Day Classic 200 North Wilkesboro Speedway AARON’S None
18-Sep Gresham Motorsports Park AARON’S None
24-Sep The Blizzard Series Five Flags Speedway AARON’S None
25-Sep Miller Lite Series Mobile International Raceway AARON’S None
3-Oct CRA TBA AARON’S None
17-Oct Winchester 400 (CRA) Winchester Speedway AARON’S None
14-Nov World Crown 300 Gresham Motorsports Park AARON’S None
5-Dec Snowball Derby Five Flags Speedway AARON’S None
Yellow Highlight Denotes Possible Conflict with Pro Late Model Race Schedule

PRO LATE MODEL RACES:
Date Race / Series Track Primary Associate
20-Mar Show Me The Money Montgomery Motor Speedway None AARON’S
3-Apr Easter Bunny 150 (PASS) Hickory Motor Speedway None AARON’S
17-Apr Gresham Motorsports Park None AARON’S
24-Apr Show Me The Money Montgomery Motor Speedway None AARON’S
14-May ASA Challenge Rockingham Speedway None AARON’S
5-Jun Show Me The Money Montgomery Motor Speedway None AARON’S
12-Jun ASA Challenge O’Reilly Raceway Park None AARON’S
10-Jul ASA Challenge Salem Speedway None AARON’S
17-Jul Show Me The Money Montgomery Motor Speedway None AARON’S
7-Aug South Alabama Speedway None AARON’S
21-Aug Show Me The Money Montgomery Motor Speedway None AARON’S
28-Aug ASA Challenge Nashville Superspeedway None AARON’S
11-Sep South Alabama Speedway None AARON’S
18-Sep Show Me The Money Montgomery Motor Speedway None AARON’S
9-Oct Gresham Motorsports Park None AARON’S
23-Oct ASA Challenge Gateway International Raceway None AARON’S
6-Nov ASA Challenge North Wilkesboro Speedway None AARON’S
13-Nov World Crown Gresham Motorsports Park None AARON’S
4-Dec Snowflake Five Flags Speedway None AARON’S
Yellow Highlight Denotes Possible Conflicts with Super Late Model Schedule

Schedule is subject to change without notice.

For the most up-to-date Chase Elliott news, including announcements about 2010, the official Chase Elliott Fan Club, his racing schedule and weekly podcast, please visit www.ChaseElliott.com.

About Aaron’s: Aaron’s Sales & Lease Ownership stores offer customers access to high-quality furniture, appliances, electronics and computers for sale or as a lease-ownership arrangement. Customers have the option of buying their merchandise for an attractive cash price or opting to lease their merchandise for even greater flexibility. With a lease option, customers make modest monthly payments and have the immediate use of the items they need without waiting for credit checks or other delays. Plus, Aaron’s will take care of delivery, setup, repairs, and more for the duration of a customer’s lease.

The Aaron’s concept has proven to be successful for half a century; in fact, the very first Aaron’s location opened in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1955. Aaron’s is a leader in the sale and lease ownership of residential furniture, consumer electronics and home appliances, with more than 1,500 Company-operated and franchised stores in 48 states and Canada. The Company also manufactures an exclusive line of furniture, bedding and accessories at 10 facilities in four states.

For more information, please visit shopaarons.com.

About Bill Elliott Racing: In 2008, NASCAR legend Bill Elliott launched a Driver Development program as an extension of Bill Elliott Racing. Based on the principles of teamwork, strong work ethic and positive attitudes, the program aims to guide young drivers through the highs and lows of life in auto racing and to make them leaders on and off the track.

Drivers will climb through the ranks of asphalt racing, starting in the Legends Racing Series and move up to Pro Late Model stock cars – including the Georgia Asphalt Series (GAS) and ASA Racing – and onto Super Late Models in series such as the Champion Racing Association (CRA) Super Series. From there they will progress to the ARCA RE/MAX and other series that are age and talent specific. To encourage strong communication and clear feedback, drivers will also intermittently run dirt Late Models that reinforce car control and a thorough understanding of the feel of the car.

Please visit www.BillElliott.com for more information on the Bill Elliott Racing team and sponsors.

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Welcome to the official Bill Elliott Racing site. Thank you for stopping by and for your support. Please check back as we update the website and keep you posted on the team’s plans for 2010.