Monroe, Washington -- As the NASCAR season opener draws closer the excitement builds at Evergreen Speedway. Busch Series driver and Snohomish native, Kevin Hamlin, is taking time out of his schedule to race at Evergreen Speedway's season opener "Speedway Chevrolet 125" on Saturday March 31. Kevin, a former three-time champion in the NASCAR Elite Division, cut his teeth on late model racing at Evergreen.
The car will carry the number 42 that Kevin drives in the NASCAR Busch Series and will feature not only the JR Truck Rental/Lang Autosports sponsorship but also the Wired X Energy Drink logo. Tom Johnson with Wired expressed his delight in being able to assist in the deal. "We are about as jazzed as we can be to have an affiliation on the car with a Busch driver, especially with Kevin being from the area". Kevin drives for Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates' NASCAR shop. He will share the No. 42 Texaco/Havoline Dodge in the NASCAR Busch Series with Juan Pablo Montonya. The eight-race schedule for Hamlin gets underway on April 7 at Nashville Super Speedway and will include the Busch Series first trip to Canada.
There will be a car show/driver autograph session at Speedway Chevrolet in Monroe on Thursday March 29. Beginning at 5pm, the public is invited to meet Kevin and many other competitors from the NASCAR Whelen All American Series and ASA Winged Sprints. Speedway Chevrolet has been a valuable partner with Evergreen Speedway over the past several years and offers special incentives for NASCAR fans and drivers. General Manager Doug Hobbs spoke about the partnership with Evergreen recently, "Our relationship with the speedway and its wonderful NASCAR fans and drivers has been a wonderfully positive experience for our dealership".
The Season Opener at evergreen is the first of seven .646-mile races in 2007. The big track provides lots of racing room and plenty of action. The $10,000 purse race begins the twenty-one races run in the NASCAR Whelen All American Series Track Championship as well as the first ever Washington State NASCAR Championship. The fast as lightning ASA winged sprint cars will also be on hand to race in the Doug James Memorial.
Evergreen Speedway recently announced it's ongoing commitment to the NASCAR Weekly Racing Program. In 2007 the restructured weekly series will be the NASCAR Whelen All American Series. Evergreen Speedway's "Speedway Chevrolet NASCAR Super Stocks" will be racing for not only the much coveted Track Championship and trip to the national award's banquet, but the first ever NASCAR Washington State Champion will also be crowned. A new points structure will also help Evergreen's competitors in the national championship picture. Defending two-time Champion Shane Harding, along with former champion John Zaretzke, Naima Lang and strong running sophomore driver Darin Stordahl, are just a few of the drivers set to chase down both of these prestigious championships. The second tier Les Schwab Tires NASCAR Bombers and third tier NASCAR Mini Stocks are set to chase down their respective Track Championships as well.
