DAWSONVILLE, Georgia — John King rolls into Concord, N.C., in the heart of NASCAR country, this weekend for Saturday’s 150-lap UARA-STARS Late Model race at Concord Speedway, the “World’s Fastest Half-Mile Tri-Oval.”
King, who drives the No. 21 Fairway Ford Late Model for Bill Elliott Racing, will make his seventh asphalt Late Model start this weekend. In his short career, King has already accumulated four top-10’s and two top-five’s.
Third time’s a charm: King, age 21, is looking to better his 2009 UARA-STARS finishes of ninth and 18th this weekend as he joins the field for the series’ third race of the season. Officials were forced to postpone two races already this year due to inclement weather. The race at Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway will run on Friday, May 22, while the Tri-County Motor Speedway (Hudson, N.C.) event has yet to be re-scheduled. Saturday’s race will mark King’s first start at Concord Speedway.
Now you know…the rest of the story: You wouldn’t know it by the finishing order, but King and the No. 21 Fairway Ford LM had a strong run during the UARA-STARS race at legendary Rockingham (N.C.) Speedway last weekend, despite the 18th place showing. King missed the open test at Rockingham earlier this year because of weather issues, so the team was playing catch-up most of the day. He qualified 29th but started in 21st after other cars made unscheduled changes. King drove through the field and was just outside of the top-ten, with a car capable of running in the top-five, when he spun in turns three and four. After re-starting from the back, King drove the No. 21 Fairway Ford back to a solid 18th-place finish.
Movin’ On Up: King has finished higher than his starting position in both UARA-STARS events in 2009.
2009 RACE-BY-RACE RESULTS
Date Venue Series Qual Start Finish
3/21 Bristol Motor Speedway UARA-STARS 21 21 9
4/4 Lonesome Pine Raceway 5 5 14
4/18 Rockingham Speedway UARA-STARS 29 21 18
King, who is competing for 2009 Rookie of the Year honors, currently sits tenth in the season championship standings, 62 points behind leader Matt McCall, after two of 16 events.
The UARA schedule at Concord Speedway starts with practice on Friday, April 24th, from 1:00 to 6:00 PM.
Saturday’s on-track action includes two one-hour practice sessions at 12:30 PM and 2:30 PM. Qualifying is scheduled for 5:15 PM followed by a one-hour driver autograph session at 6:00 PM. The racing action starts at 7:30 PM with a UARA heat race if necessary, followed by the Pro Challenge feature and the 150-lap UARA shootout.
Grandstand admission is $15 for adults and $10 for seniors 65+ and students age 13-17. Family passes are $25, and children under 12 are free with a paying adult.
Concord Speedway is located at 7940 U.S. Hwy 601 South, Concord, NC 28025. For more information, please visit www.ConcordMotorsportPark.com or call the track at 704-782-4221.
For more information about the UARA-STARS, visit www.uara-stars.com.
For more information about John King and the Bill Elliott Racing team, please visit www.BillElliott.com
King and the No. 21 Ford are supported by Fairway Ford of Kingsport, Tenn.; ARP Stock Car Bodies; Bell Helmets; Bosch; ButlerBuilt Safety Systems; Circle Racing Wheels; Dawsonville Pool Room; The Decal Source; Hunley Built Shocks; Mobile 1; Oakley Uniforms; Pit Pal Products; Penske Racing Shocks; Quarter Master; Racing Electronics; Swift Springs USA; VP Racing Fuels; Winters Performance Products; WIX; and Xtreme Racing Products
Sponsorship opportunities with John King and Bill Elliott Racing are still available, including primary sponsorship. Interested parties should contact Bill Elliott Racing at 706-265-3030.
For media inquiries with John King and the Bill Elliott Racing team, please contact Amy Umlor at 704-941-9182 or amy@hmsworldwide.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.
