Source: Golden Gate Racing
Date: 03/31/2007

ANDERSON, California -- The newest addition to the Richard Childress Racing Driver Development Program, Northern California native Ryan Foster and the entire Golden Gate Racing Team are hard at work preparing for Foster's debut in the NASCAR Grand National series opener in Kyle Texas this upcoming weekend. The first race in the new series, The Allstate Thunder 150, is bound to start the season off with a bang.

"I am really pumped up about Thunder Hill raceway in Texas because it resembles my home track in Anderson and I can't wait to be in the new #21 Golden Gate Meat Co. Chevy Monte Carlo", said Foster. "We are also really excited being able to promote our new team by giving away four tickets this weekend to the April 15th NASCAR Nextel Cup Samsung 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. We will have the drawing before driver introductions.”

"I still can't believe this is happening to me; getting the backing of the Golden Gate Race Team and becoming part of the RCR developmental program has given me an opportunity of a lifetime and I am not going to let our team down. I know I am a rookie in this series and I will be racing against veteran drivers, but I am not the least bit intimidated, I am going to go after it 100%, I'm going for the win."

Steve Portenga, Foster's crew chief has years of experience in racing. In the Winston West series as a proven winner, and as a driver with numerous championships under his belt, Steve adds the technical dynamic to the G.G.R.T. team.

During the winter Foster has kept his reflexes sharp and his competitive spirit honed as he competed in the Indoor Outlaw Dirt Kart series in Red Bluff, CA, a series he has been racing since he was only eight years old. Although the dirt track racing is in stark contrast to his pavement career, he acknowledges the skills he gained in the karts have added to his prowess as a NASCAR competitor.

Richard Childress Racing (RCR) will run its 2007 Driver Development Program through the Golden Gate Racing Team (GGRT) with drivers Tim McCreadie and Ryan Foster competing in the NASCAR Grand National Division West Series. Richard Childress Racing (www.rcrracing.com) has earned more than 150 victories and 10 NASCAR championships, including six in the NEXTEL Cup Series with the legendary Dale Earnhardt. RCR’s 2007 NEXTEL Cup Series lineup includes Clint Bowyer (the #07 Jack Daniel's car), Kevin Harvick (the #29 Shell Oil car) and Jeff Burton (the #31 Cingular Wireless car). Its Busch Series lineup includes Clint Bowyer (the #2 BB&T car), Harvick and Timothy Peters (the # 21 AutoZone car) and Jeff Burton and Scott Wimmer (the #29 Holiday Inn car).

GGRT, headed by Jim Offenbach, competed in the NASCAR West Series from 1997 to 1999 with a lineup of drivers that included Mike Skinner, Mike Dillon, Lee Obilas, Thomas Wright, Jay Sauter and Steve Portenga, who finished fifth in the final standings in 1999 while driving the GGRT entry in the series.

"We are looking forward to working with the RCR Driver Development Program once again," said Jim Offenbach, owner of Golden Gate Racing Team. "I believe Ryan has the talent, the passion and the mechanical knowledge to run up front. With Richard's help, and the experience of crew chief Steve Portenga, we believe we have a winning package!

The Allstate Texas Thunder 150 will air live from Kyle, Texas on HDNet 7:30 p.m. (PST) and re-airing at 11:30 a.m. (PST) on Thursday, April 12th on SPEED TV’s Racing Across America.

For more information on the Golden Gate Racing Team, visit their website at www.goldengateracingteam.com. Sign up for the Fan Club and get all the latest information and news as well as special offers on gear.

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