SACRAMENTO, California — The renowned national talent search for the driver development program conducted by Ron Sutton's Winner's Circle has now concluded, as 11 new drivers have been selected to take part in the prestigious program in 2009. With support from Lucas Oil, K & N Filters and Sunoco Race Fuels, this year’s winners include Nick Beard, Jessica Clark, Trevor Christiani, Marten Hansen, Alex Jacobsen, Joey Licata, Kyle Longmore, Mindy McCord, Bobby Runyan, Keegan Walmer and Brandon White. These talented young competitors will race in variety of series this coming season, following strong performances in the annual driver shootout.
The Ron Sutton’s Winner’s Circle Shootout is designed to identify talented, young up-and-coming drivers from across the United States and Canada with the potential and commitment to achieve a driving career in NASCAR. Following an application process in which over 751 hopefuls submitted their racing resumes, 130 drivers and families were interviewed, prior to 44 racers being selected to take part in the ‘08 Shootout. Conducted over two three-day weekends in early November, in identical race cars on an asphalt oval track in Northern California, 11 drivers were selected to join existing RSWC drivers in the driver development program this season.
A native of Midland, Texas, Nick Beard joins the RSWC following a championship-winning career in the karting ranks. The 18 year-old captured the Southwest Roadracing Association 125cc Shifter and Formula Shifter titles last year, having previous won the 80cc Shifter championship in 2007, and the 2005 Road Race Grand National Championship in the 80cc Shifter class. In his first season of car racing, Beard will get behind the wheel of a USAC Ford Focus Midget.
One of two female drivers entering the Ron Sutton’s Winner’s Circle program in 2009, Jessica Clark already has a good deal of racing experience success on her resume despite her young age. The 15 year-old from Westlake Village, Calif., found initial success in karting, before making the move to Jr. Midgets, where she quickly made her way to victory lane. After earning four main event wins in 2008. Clark will race a USAC Ford Focus Midget in 2009.
Trevor Christiani, of Ukiah, Calif., becomes part of the RSWC driver program following a successful past couple of years behind the wheel. After becoming the youngest driver to win an Open 500 Championship win at age 11, the now 14 year-old won a Modified Trophy Dash and finished among the top-five in his inaugural Super late Model race. This coming season, Christiani will pilot a Grand American Modified.
Born and raised in Sweden, Marten Hansen enters the RSWC program after recently moving to the USA to advance his racing career. Over the course of the last five years, the 20 year-old has raced both open-wheel and closed wheel cars with good success, winning the SSK/Renault Junior Cup in 2006 and the STCC/Camaro Cup Junior Championship in 2008. In his first season of North American competition, Hansen will race a NASCAR Grand American Modified.
A resident of San Jose, Calif., Alex Jacobsen enters the Ron Sutton’s Winner’s Circle program and his first season of car competition after finding success in the karting ranks. The highlight for the 14 year-old was winning the Dixon/Davis/Prairie City Crossover Championship and the Dixon class championship in only his second season of competition. Jacobsen will pilot a USAC Junior Ford Focus Midget on dirt in 2009.
17 year-old Joey Licata joins the Ron Sutton’s Winner’s Circle program following an accomplished career in karting and a recent move to spec truck racing. The Los Angeles, Calif., driver won a total of 17 karting championships since first getting behind the wheel, most recently capturing four IKF Grand National titles in 2008. Licata contested his first season ASA Speed Truck competition last year and will get behind the wheel of a NASCAR Grand American Modified this season.
Kyle Longmore, of Camarillo, Calif., enters his first season of the RSWC following a stellar karting career and recent success behind the wheel of a racing truck. The now 18 year-old won an impressive 14 national championships and four Grand National Championships in IKF competition before making the move to cars, where he promptly won races in Skip Barber competition. Longmore will race both a NASCAR Grand American Modified and a NASCAR Late Model in 2009, after making his West Coast Pro Trucks debut last year.
A native of Billings, Mon., Mindy McCord is the second female driver selected to the RSWC via the shootout. The 15 year-old joins the program, after winning two Quarter Midget championship titles in the Western USA. This coming season, McCord will pilot a USAC Ford Focus Midget.
Like many of the Ron Sutton’s Winner’s Circle drivers, 16 year-old Bobby Runyan joins the program following a multiple years of racing in the karting ranks. The Denair, Calif., driver enters his first-season of car competition having won two IKF championship titles. In 2009, Runyan will race a Formula Ford in SCCA Regional competition.
A resident of Portland, Ore., Keegan Walmer enters the 2009 RSWC program having already achieved a great deal behind the wheel. The 14 year-old won nine regional Quarter Midget titles before most recently capturing a Winternational title. Walmer will race a USAC Ford Focus Midget in 2009.
At just 13 years of age, Brandon White joins the Ron Sutton’s Winner’s Circle program after achieving success in the dirt karting ranks. The resident of Eureka, Calif., has scored numerous wins over the past three years in Southern Oregon Outlaw and Red Bluff Outlaw series competition, most recently finishing second in his rookie 250 class campaign. In 2009, White will drive a USAC Junior Ford Focus Midget on pavement.
Additional information on the Ron Sutton’s Winner’s Circle can be obtained from the program website @ www.winners-circle-racing.com. For direct contact, please contact Ron Sutton @ ron@winners-circle-racing.com
About Ron Sutton’s Winner’s Circle:
Ron Sutton's Winner's Circle is an established talent scout and development program, providing long term, comprehensive racing and career development for up and coming drivers focused on NASCAR careers. RSWC drivers are raced, coached, groomed, trained and molded, within a professional racing environment, into what top pro teams look for when hiring drivers. Drivers involved in the program race in a variety of cars, including USAC Junior Ford Focus Midgets, Ford Focus Midgets, Sprint Cars, Skip Barber Race Series, SCCA Club Racing Formula Fords and F2000, NASCAR Modifieds, Late Model Stock Cars and Grand National Stock Cars.
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Photo: 300 x 215 web-ready
Potential Caption: A total of 11 up-and-coming drivers were selected via the annual shootout to be part of the Ron Sutton Sutton’s Winner’s Circle program in 2009. (Photo: Craig Evans)
